The Pleasure of Drawing

Drawing is an activity well known all around the world. Many people see it as a hobby, just as a way of entertaining yourself, others see it as a method of making money, and a few think of it as an instrument which anyone can handle to free their minds, and let the imagination take over their brains.

To learn how to draw, a teacher isn’t mandatory, and the only required things are practice, a possitive attitude and the ability to observe. Observing grants the capacity of noticing how shapes are formed, how light reacts to different shapes, textures and materials, and with that knowledge, which is found in the every-day life, anyone can start drawing. By practising, the theory is put to use, and the principles learned via observing start to make sense, making the artworks look better. All that information piles up, and the end result is a tool used to recreate anything that the mind can imagine, and another way of expressing oneself.

Once the basics are well funded deep inside the brain, a style starts developing, depending on the rookie artists thougths, personal experience and his or her likings. This defines the person, and, when the style is fully grown and refined, the learning proccess of the artist is finished.

 

One can draw epic medieval battle scenes, portraits, manifestations of feelings… in a true display of imagination allowed by vast range of materials at anyones availability, which goes from the traditional charcoal pencil, to pastels, brushes, watercolors, and even computer programs,  which have an impressive amount options to make drawings in any way desired. Every tool has a different effect that enriches the

piece, making it deeper, and  nicer in every way. It also adds a sense of authenticity which makes the difference between a good drawing and an excelent work that captivates the emotions and feelings that the author wants to express through that picture. Not only that, but it also distinguishes the drawings that get exposed to the public and get sold from the other works that, even if they are great, don’t get exhibited.

 

A portrait is a great example. If the technique and the materials used are good, but the proportions of the face aren’t identical to the model, the piece will not succeed, because it won’t be a top drawing, which is what people are looking for when they are portraited. It happens the same if the gray scales used in the work are not enough, and more dark and pale tones would make the portrait as realistic and professional looking as a photograph.

In the end, it all comes up to what the artist is looking for, and if he or she is happy with the result, the work will be a total and resounding success. Even if this form of art seems difficult, everyone can learn it, and it is one of the best ways of giving freedom to the artistic side of every person, showing the most complex feelings in just a scribble in the corner of an old piece of paper.

Apoximeno de Lisipo

La escultura griega, es por encima de otras obras de arte, la más característica del periodo clásico. Tomando Grecia como epicentro del clasicismo y de valores como la belleza, la armonía y el canon, en este artículo nos centramos en el que se podría considerar como uno de los últimos escultores clásicos. El autor, Lisipo, nace en Sicione y fue uno de los artistas de la corte de Alejandro Magno.

El Apoximeno es la obra de la que más información poseemos. El material utilizado originalmente es el bronce, Agripa lo transladó a Roma, para colocarlo en sus Termas. El nombre dado a la obra coincide con la acción que realiza el representado. El atleta, se sacude de la suciedad y los restos de tierra después de haber realizado el ejercicio.

A pesar de que Lisipo fue un fiel seguidor de Policleto, en esta escultura se puede apreciar un canon nuevo. El cuerpo está más estilizado respecto al canon anterior, y se reduce la pesadez de los músculos.
Respecto a su composición, también se diferencia de los criterios clásicos debido a la provocación del escorzo con el brazo y la posibilidad de observarlo desde múltiples perspectivas. Además de un carácter más naturalista.
Aunque Lisipo esté anunciando lo que será el realismo expresivo del helenístico (debido a la actitud de cansancio del atleta, no la belleza ideal), hay que considerarle como uno de los últimos autores del periodo clásico debido a la formación en los postulados de Policleto y por la necesidad de aferrarse a un canon determinado.

Referencias:

· Martinez Buenaga, Martinez Prades, Martinez Verón – Historia del Arte (2002) de. ECIR
· Gombrich – Historia del Arte- Ed Phaidon

A Little Bit of Brain on Music

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession  writen by Daniel J. Levitin (1957), an american professor, cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, record producer, musician and wrtier, will be one of the references we will be using for the elavoration of the article about Jack Johnson.

Gaur egungo arte hauslea: BANSKY

Bansky berak esan zuenez: 

“A wall is a very big weapon. It’s one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with.”

Bansky kaleko artista bat da, poesiaren terrorista, irudi-aztoratzailea. Bere artea graffitietan, stencilsetan eta hiriguneetako instalazioetan oinarritua dago. Baina arte honek helburu sakon bat ere badu: gaur egungo gizartea asaldatzea eta kapitalismoa, boterea duten erakundeak, gerrak, eta abar kritikatzea irudi eta hitz politen bidez. Beraz, Bansky gaur egun aurkitzen hain zaila den irudimena garatzen du, gizartea esnatu dadin, aldaketaren hazia ereituz.