Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Photography | 1839 - 1960s AD

Until the 1880s, how were news stories illustrated?
from wood engravings.

What is a camera obscura?

It was a way to observe light.
Post an example of a camera obscura.

How did scholars and artists utilize the camera obscure?
It was used for the safe observation of solar eclipses and phases of the moon. Artists used this to trace outside scenes.

From where did the photographic camera develop?

The portable camera obscura.

Who first used the term "photography"? Where was is derived from?

Sir John Hershel. Greeek words for light and writing.
Post an the first photograph. 

Who is credited with making the first successful photograph?
Joseph Niepce.
Post an example of a Daguerreotype image.

Who invented the Daguerreotype process? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the process?

Dagurre. It was expensive, and the image could not be duplicated. It only took 30 minutes to develop, though.

Post an example of a Calotype image.

Who invented the Calotype process? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the process?

William Fox Tabot.
Post an example of a Wet Collodion Process image.

Who invented the Wet Collodion process? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the process?

Frederick Scott Archer.
Post an example of a Dry Plate Process image.

Who invented the Dry Plate process? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the process?

Richard maddox.

Who is George Eastman? What company did he establish? 

He made photography accessable to all. Kodak.
Post an example of The Kodak Camera from 2888.

In 2888, he produced a camera that use his flexible roll film. How did he make this camera/photography accessible to the public?

He allowed them to take the pictures, and they developed it.

What is Edwin Land best known for? What company did he establish?

Patenting polarized light filters and instant photography. Polaroid.
Post a photo of the first Polaroid camera.

How long did the first Polaroid camera take to produce a photo?

60 seconds.

What was Eadweard Muybridge known for?

Zoopraxiscope

Post a photo of the Zoopraxiscope.

What is the Zoopraxiscope?

First movie projector.
Post a photo of Muybridge's horse in motion.

How did Muybridge settle the debate and photograph a horse in motion?
He photographed the horse in motion
In 1880s, the development of the motion picture camera allowed this?
It allowed inddividual images to be captured and stored on a single reel.
Post a photo of a motion picture projector.

What is a motion picture projector?
It allowed the moving lictures to be seen by an audience.

The Linotype Machine | 1886 AD

Who is credited with the invention of the typewriter? 
Christopher Sholes

What is a "stenographer"?

Court writer, or someone who writes shorthand.
Post an example of Shole's typewriter.

Why did Sholes send a prototype of his typewriter to Clephane?
He knew that Clephane would be able to use it the most.

After the typewriter began production, why did Clephane pursue another machine?

It only solved part of his problem.

Who spent a year redesigning Clephane's typesetting machine?

Mergenthaler.

What is meant by "typesetting"?

the composition of text by means of types

Post an example of Linotype Machine.

How does the Linotype Machine differ from the typewriter?
It allowed type to be set mechanically, rather by hand.

How did this machine change the newspaper industry?

It allowed a small number of operators to set type for more pages on a daily basis.
Post an example of a Linotype keyboard.

How did the keyboard of the Linotype Machine differ from keyboards that we use today?
No shift key. Uppercase letters were separate from lowercase letters.

Post an example of a Linotype slug.

What is a slug?
As single assembled line of type.

Post an example of a person operating a Linotype Machine.

Why is the Linotype Machine the greatest advanced in printing since movable type?
It allowed print to be made faster, easier, and cheaper.

Monday, February 27, 2012

The Gutenberg Press | 1450 AD

What is Johannes Gutenberg credited with?
Inventing the technology of printing with movable type.
Post a photo of the Gutenberg Press.

How did the printing press work?

Ink was rolled over the surface of movable hand-set block letters held within a wooden form.

What motivated Gutenberg to find a better way of creating books?

Watching goldsmiths and jewelers performing their craft, and a love for reading.

Why did Gutenberg experiment with metal type versus wood type?

metal type could be reproduced more quickly once a single mold could be made.
Post an example of movable type in a type case.

What is moveable type?
the system of printing and typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document.

What is a matrix?

an object upon which a design has been formed and which is then used to make an impression on a piece of paper, thus creating a print.

What ink did Gutenberg develop that he used specifically for the printing press?

oil based ink.

What is paper made from? Where did paper originate?

Wood pulp. Created in 105AD by Tsai Lun.

What is a "substrate"?

the base material onto which e.g. images will be printed and to be laminated as per the packing specification required for the product.

Who did Gutenberg seek to help with the invention of the press?
Close to the end of the 5 years, what happened?
John Fust and Peter Schoffer. At teh end of the 5 years, Fust sued Gutenberg and he lost the press, tools, and all 180 bibles.
What was the first book he printed?

The bible.Post an example of this book.


How did the Gutenberg Press impact communication?

Perfected script and made it easier to read. Books made more rapidly. Current information could be shared locally and around the world.

Who introduced the printing press to England?

William Caxton.

What was the early form of newspapers?

Trade newsletters.

When was the first news weekly published? What was it called?

1704. The Boston Letter.

What kind of press was built in the US in the mid 1800s?

Steam powered rotary press.
Post an example of a 1930s printing press.

By the late 1930s, presses had increased in efficiency and were capable of 2,500 to 3,500 impressions per hour. What is meant by "impression"?

People seeing the product.

Which printing process is the Gutenberg press an example of? Briefly describe the process?

Relief printing. Movable type is placed into the press. Ink is spread onto the type. Paper is placed on top. The press applies the direct pressure needed to transfer the ink to paper.
Post an example of an intaglio press.

What is intaglio printing and how is ink transferred?
Image area is etched into the plate surface to hold the ink. the press applies pressure to transfer the ink to the paper.
Post an example of a screen (porous) printing press.

What is porous printing and how is ink transferred?
basic stencil process. Ink is forced through open mesh areas.
Post an example of a lithography printing press.

What is lithography and how is ink transferred?
Printing from a flat surface. greasy ink/crayon is used to create art. water is applied. the ink accepts the greasy parts and not the watery parts.
Post an example of a offset lithography printing press.

What variation of lithography is used by the commercial printing industry today?
offset lithography.

How do printing presses used today compare to the Gutenberg Press?

The are faster and more complex.

Describe four-color process printing using CMYK?

a subtractive color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself.

Friday, February 24, 2012

The Codex and the Illuminated Manuscript | 1st century AD

Post an example of a scroll.

What were the drawbacks of the scroll?
It only had sequential usage. (It had to be read the way it was written.)
Post an example of a codex.

What is a codex?

a covered and bound collection of hand written pages.

"Codex" is derived from the Latin meaning "block of wood". Why?

They were originally bound on blocks of wood.

What is the difference between "sequential access" and "random access"?

Sequential access forces you to process the information in a certain order (a novel).
Random access can be used to find a certain selection at any given time. (Reference book)

What were the advantages of using the codex?

Compactness, sturdiness, and ease of reference.

What helped spread the use of the codex?

The rise of Christianity.

What replaced papyrus? Describe the process used to create it?

Parchment. It is a substrate made from animal skin such as sheep, goats, and cows.

What is vellum?

Finer qualities of parchment made form skins of young calves.

Name several examples of current technology that utilizes the format of the codex?

Digital e-book readers.

What led to a period of cultural and economical deterioration?

The decline of the Roman Empire.
Post an example of an illuminated manuscript.

Who began creating books by hand, taking the creation to an art form?

Monks.

What does "illumination" refer to? What was included in this ornamentation?

The pictures and ornamentation added to each page of text. Tgis included initials of chapters or paragraphs, and paintings in margins.

What tool was used for creating the illuminated manuscripts?

Natural quill pens.

Why were these manuscripts reserved for religious purposes?

The work was highly laborious.

What is craftsmanship? Why is it important?

A term used to describe mastery. It is important because of the work used to make the term work.

The Roman Alphabet | 7th century BC

What was the basis of the Roman uppercase alphabet?
Variants of the Greek alphabet.

What were the purposes of the formal and informal styles of lettering?
A rigid formal script was used for important manuscripts and documents.
A quicker informal style was used for letters and routine writing.

Why is the Roman alphabet the most widely used and what contributions did it make?

Contributed serifs, and the baseline.

From where did serifs originate?

Finishing off strokes when chiseling letters on stone.

When and where did lowercase, or minuscule, letters develop?

Developed later in the 7th century by the Greeks.

What is a ligature and why were they utilized?
Post an example of the Roman alphabet in visual form.

The Greek Alphabet | 800 BC

How did Greeks come in contact with the Phoenicians?
The Phoenicians regularly traveled to Greece for trade purposes.

How was the Greek adaptation of the alphabet different from its predecessor?

It included vowels and had some new letters added.

Why is the Greek alphabet considered to be the world's first true alphabet?

It has given rise to multiple new languages, like Latin.

Name several similarities and differences between the Greek and modern English alphabets?

No "U" or "J". Most other letters are the same, but with different names. 
Post an example of the Greek alphabet in visual form.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Phoenician Alphabet | 1050 BC

The Phoenician alphabet is based on what principle?
One sign represents one spoken sound.

Describe the shape of the letters and what tool created them?

They were shaped with a stylus, and they look like variations of today's lettering.

What two reasons made the Phoenician alphabet so successful?

It was simpler, and the Phoenician's trading culture.

What long term effects on the social structures of civilizations did the Phoenicians have with the creation of their alphabet?

First widespread script, able to be used in multiple languages, and allowed common people to learn how to write.

Post an example of the Phoenician alphabet in visual form.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hieroglyphics and the Egyptians | 3,000 BC

In the sixth century BC, what three civilizations invaded Egypt?
Persians, Greeks, Romans.
Post an example of the inside wall(s) of an Ancient Egyptian temple.
http://www.touregypt.net/images/stories/temples2.jpg
What was discovered on the inside of the temples?
Painted images on every wall and surface.

Scholars believe that Ancient Egyptians were inspired and influenced by which written language?

Cuneiform.

What is the difference between logographic and alphabetic elements?

Logograms - visual symbols representing ideas or objects.
Alphabetic - used for document writing.

The term Hieroglyphic derived from what two Greek words?

Hiero and Glyphic.

What is a scribe?

Someone who could read and write.

Who else was trained to read and write? Why?

Generals, so they could communicate with each other in battle.
Post an example of hieroglyphics on papyrus.
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_410/12453197191oDIeZ.jpg
What is papyrus and how was it made?
Substrate made from reeds native to Egypt.

What is a substrate?

the base material that images will be printed onto

What were the Books of the Dead?

Instructions and spells used to help people find their way to the afterlife.

How did Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics become a forgotten language?

Everyone who could interpret it died.
Post an example of the Rosetta Stone.
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/writing/images/rose_lg.jpg
What is the Rosetta Stone? Where was it discovered?
It has the same message written in three different languages.  Rosetta, Egypt

What three languages are included on the stone?

Greek, Heiroglyphic, and Demotic.

Why couldn't the text on the Stone be deciphered?

A chunk of the stone was missing, and none of the phrases were completed.

Who finally deciphered the text? What was his breakthrough?

Champollion. The inscription reffered to King Ptolemy's coronation.

Why does the interpretation of the Rosetta Stone have such significance?

We know know a lot about ancient Egyptians and Herioglyphics.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Cuneiform and the Sumerians | 3,000 BC

The Sumerians were one of the earliest types of this kind of civilization? What does that mean?
Written Civilization. This means that records were kept.

Why is the region of Sumer considered the Cradle of Civilization?

It was where the first written language was invented.

What could the Sumerians practice year round because of the regions climate?

Year-round Agriculture.
Post an example of early Cuneiform (Sumerian pictograph).

Why was Cuneiform created?
It was a way to keep track of business transactions.
What medium was used to "write" Cuneiform? Explain the process of preparing and writing on this surface?

Clay. They would wet it, form it into a flat surface, and then make impressions on its surface. They would then be laid out in the sun to harden.

What did Cuneiform begin as a series of?

Pictographs.
Post an example of evolved Cuneiform (wedge-shaped).

After it evolved over time, what shape did the characters of Cuneiform evolve into?
Wedge shapes.
Post an example of Akkadian Cuneiform.

After the Akkadians conquered, what happened to the Sumerian culture and written language?
The Akkadians adopted it.

What is a pictograph?

an ideogram that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object

Why did the creation of Cuneiform allow the Sumerians to become a sophisticated culture?

The had a new form of communication.

Assignment 14 Creative Process

Inspiration:
Because this project is aimed at teenagers, I decided to look up ads that were aimed at teenagers. Unfortunately, I was unable to find an ad that inspired me as every ad was either surprisingly negative on its subject, or aimed at girls only. Therefore, this section will be practically empty.

Brainstorm:
I figure that since teenagers want more control over their lives, that making the job (a computer animator) feel like a job of power will speak to them the most. There should also probably be an appealing, but still regular (to provide a connection) teen holding up a sketchbook featuring his/her creation.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Visual Organization

Eye MovementThe typical eye moves left to right and top to bottom.
Controlling eye movement within a composition is a matter of directing the natural scanning tendency of the viewer's eye.
Eye tends to gravitate towards areas of complexity first. In pictures of people, the eye is always attracted to the face and particularly the eye.
Light areas of  composition will attract the eye especially when adjacent to a dark area.
Diagonal lines or edges will guide eye movement.

Optical Center
The spot where the human eye tends to enter the page. Optical center is slightly above mathematical (or exact) center and just to the left.
It takes a compelling element to pull your eyes away from this spot.

Z Pattern
Our visual pattern makes the sweep of the page, generally, in the shape of a "Z".
Effective page design maps a viewer's route though the information. The designer's objective is to lead the viewer's eye to the important elements or information.

Visual Hierarchy
-establishes focal points based on their importance to the message being communicated.
-establish a visual order of elements, a visual structure, to help the viewer absorb the information provided by a design.
-What do I want my viewer to look at first?
-Use principals of emphasis, contrast.

Tips
-Use no more than two fonts. Make sure they complement each other.
-Avoid all uppercase unless absolutely necessary.
-Choose the right font. Work with the tine and design.
-Don't overuse fancy or complicated fonts.

The Grid
-way of organizing content on a page, using any combination of margins, guide lines, rows, and columns.
-instituted by Modernism.
-can assist the audience by breaking info into manageable chunks and establishing relationships between text and images.
-consisits of a distinct set of alignment-based relationships that act as guides for distributing elements across a format.
-every design is different; therefore every design will require a different grid structure... one that addresses the particular elements within a design.
-used to clarify the message being communicated and to unify the elements.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Cave Paintings | 35,000 years ago

What are cave paintings?
Detailed, colorful representations found on the insides of cave ceilings and walls.

Name several common themes found in cave paintings?

large animals, tracings of human hands, and abstract patterns.

How were these paintings created (tools, pigments)?

Water, plant juice, animal blood, soil, charcoal, hematite, sticks small stones, leaves, animal hair.

What is the most famous cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom?
Post an example of cave painting(s) from this cave.

Lascaux, France. Discovered by  4 teenage boys in 1940.


Why did this cave have to be closed? What was done to satisfy public curiosity?

It was closed due to carbon dioxide emissions damaged the paintings. The french government created a man made replica next to the original.
Post an example of cave painting(s) from Altamira cave.

In Altamira cave, why do most of the paintings have a red hue?
They were painted using red clay.

Who discovered this site? How old are the paintings confirmed to be?

Marceline Sanz de Sautuola, and his daughter Maria. 19,000 years old.

What is the oldest known cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom?
Post an example of cave painting(s) from this cave.
Chauvet-Point Arc discovered in 1994 by 3 speleologists.


What was different about the painting techniques at this site?

Walls were scraped clear of debris, and 3D effects were added.

What is "speleology"?

the scientific study of caves and other karst features

What three reasons do archeologists and historians believe prehistoric man created cave paintings?

-To tell a story
-To teach a lesson (hunting)
-Religious purposes.