Pearl C. Hsiung Artist Talk

    Tidal Wretch, enamel on canvas, 86 x 64 in (218 x 163 cm), 2005


We're so excited that artist Pearl C. Hsiung will be visiting our class to talk about her work this coming Tuesday.  If you're not familiar with her work check out her website.  Everyone at Roski is invited to join us.
She will be holding two sessions:
Tue 9/8 10am Harris 117
Tue 9/8 2pm  Harris 117
About The Work"Pearl C. Hsiung makes works that are an amalgam of diverse, metaphor laden images of transmogrified landscape-portraiture hybrids. Hsiung draws from varied sources of visual vocabulary, including generic photography books found in thrift stores, sci-fi/fantasy illustrations, medieval alchemical drawings, mass culture graphics and images culled from memory. The resulting images offer a multitude of interpretations ranging from the psycho-sexual to the anthro-geological." (from STC website)

Roski MFA Lecture Series: Dexter Sinister

Wednesday afternoon, I attended the lecture of visiting artists David Reinfurt and Stuart Bailey, collectively known as Dexter Sinister, over at the Roski Graduate School of Fine Arts. I felt compelled to go, not just because of the class extra credit that I was offered (though I must admit that it was nice incentive too) but more because I was curious to hear the duo speak about their work as a collaborative team.

For the past several months, I've been working on my first collaborative project, tentatively called Fantasy IRL, with a fellow Roski student, which investigates fantasy and science fiction fan culture and their members methods of enacting their fantasies in-real-life (IRL). I've found that people often underestimate the added pressures and responsibilities of working as a collaborative team as opposed to by one's self and I was interested in observing the ways in which Reinfurt and Bailey interact and work with each other, in this case particularly in the public sphere.

They spoke they way their work looks: direct, plain and and well-researched. Their way of speaking was regimented and almost seemed planned, but not in a stiff or unnatural way. When there was a pause in the conversation, one would fluidly pick up where the other left off with plenty of things of his own to say, almost like they had their talk rehearsed down to an art in itself, which I've found that many artists do. Though I regret not asking them any questions during the Q&A about their practice as a collaborative team versus their individual practices, I later spoke with Shannon Ebner, artist, professor and head of Roski's Photography Department, who, having collaborated with Dexter Sinister on a number of occasions herself, was able to further illuminate some of what I was further interested in knowing. From what she said, while working as Dexter Sinister, Reinfurt is more hands on with the actual designing of works and has a small design company of his own. Bailey, though still a designer, is more of the front-of-the-house kind of guy, talking and dealing with galleries, museums and whoever else they need to keep in contact with while making their work. This sort of pragmatic division of labor is something I find most helpful in my own collaborative dealings and processes and one that I hope I can further implicate in mine and my partner's practices as we continue on with our project.

Aside from the inner working of Dexter Sinister as a team, I was particularly interested in how they deal with mechanical reproduction, copyright, and dispersion of information in their work, all things that I've been dealing with myself in my own artwork lately (and things that in today's world, designers should concern themselves with). Though photography itself is a form of mmechanical reproduction, the issue has only become more exaggerated with the current digital revolution. And as I have been using more and more digital means to produce my own work, work that also often deals with aspects of the digital age and a movement toward the future and technological singularity, I found their words and interests particularly applicable. Also, having recently become an avid blogger, I've had to become more and more aware of copyright laws and ways of legally dispersing information that might otherwise be illegal and I was interested to see the way they delt those issues as well. In one of their works in particular, the piece consisted of a copy machine and a number of loose chapters of a book laid next to it. Dexter Sinister found a loop hole in the book's publisher's copyright laws that allowed them to at any one time let any person make one photo copy of one chapter from the book and keep it without technically doing anything illegal. This also meant that technically the same person over the course of many days could go into the gallery and copy a different chapter of the book each time until they collected the whole book without ever having to pay for it.

Though designers they may be, I've come to see, appreciate and respect Dexter Sinister more for their ideas and conceptual work as artists, rather than as designers (thought I must say, I do love the clean simplicity of their visual designs). Not only am I interested in now keeping up with their various publications, such as dot dot dot, but I'm excited to observe the way they will further adapt to the world in which they live and work as it continues to evolve around them, as well as keep track of more future incarnations of Dexter Sinister.

OTHER ART AND DESIGN BLOGS

I follow quite a few art and design blogs, among others, and I thought I'd share a few with everyone.

ART/DESIGN:
NOTCOT
deezen
Design You Trust
we make money not art
Who Killed Bambi?





OTHERS:
Pink Tentacle- art, Japan, technology, simulacra
Tokyo Mango- pop culture, Japan, strange
The Awesomer- pop/geek culture
Boing Boing- "A directory of wonderful things"
petiteinvention- industrial design

Gawker Media Blogs:
Kotaku- video games
Gizmodo- technology
Gawker Artists- art
io9- science fiction

And if you're interested... my blogs!

Fantasy IRL
FUTURE-SPEAK
The Vulcan and the Unicorn

And there is an even longer list on my blogger profile of blogs I follow. The rest are mostly about space, technology, futurism, steampunk, cyberpunk, science and other geeky stuff, if you're at all interested.


-Sydney

Three Points | Ten Ways

Three Points:

1) The end (tip) of every objects from mathematically essential forms to the top of Everest.
2) A tiny drop of tomato soup on a t-shirt.
3) A snake’s eye – the pupil.


Ten How to Attract aka My Shirt Was So Bothered:

(A drop of on a t-shirt)


1) If I dropped a spot when I'm eating soup on my shirt, which has "nothing" on it.

2) If I dropped black-ink and so made a spot on my white shirt.

3) If I dropped white pesto cream sauce on my red shirt.

4) If I dropped a pen but I accidently drag it over and then left the pen for awhile, it would make a long line then a thicken point on the end, so it’s going to be obvious.

5) If I accidently dropped some red ink spot with an eyedropper, the spot will be humongous (which I hope such a thing wouldn’t be happened when I’m using it)

6) If I dropped a chemical material and it burnt my shirt a little so made a cute hole.

7) If I dropped multiple spots and on the end, I dropped very huge one again.

8) If I dropped a glue gun spot so it made texture on my shirt.

9) If I dropped whatever spot and my friend came to me and said, “oh look at this!” and he/she additionally draw an arrow on my shirt (I wouldn’t think that’s a friend…)

10) If I dropped fluorescent material and the room was turned to dark.

and the point is...

3 random Points in the world...

*The tip of my nose

*End of a plank of wood

*Top of a filing cabinet

Ways to point out the...point:

(Tip of my nose)

*Paint a red dot on it

*Prick it with something sharp

*Examine it in a magnifying mirror

*Shine a light on it

*Give an Eskimo Kiss

*Get whip cream on your nose

*Darken the area around it

*Put a red clown nose on

*Touch the tip of your nose with your tongue

*Cross your eyes and look down at it

Design&Art

In high school, I took 2 classes I knew would impact my future as an artist or designer, or both. I took the basic visual arts class where I created work that went into the final senior art exhibition. My 2nd class was called Design Technology where I studied the steps/cycle and techniques in which a designer uses to create a product. So when I was given the task to discuss the difference between Art and Design, I thought back to my high school days and those classes I took.

To me...

Design tends to be created as a solution to an existing problem. A design may be considered a piece of Art but Art would not be considered a design. However it is not to say Art does not serve a purpose. Art, or a piece of artwork serves to bring visual aesthetic pleasure to people who view it, it may also bring ideas and emotions as viewers begin to peel the art apart and interpret any hidden messages and intensions of the artist. A designer creates things based on the set problem with constraints set by the client while an artist creates artwork from ideas that are true to him or herself.  He or she decides how the outcome will look like. However the process of making artwork or designing a product begin to have similarities. 

In my Design Technology class we learn about the design cycle which includes steps such as research, planning, create and evaluate, at the same time I realized when I create artwork, I adapted the same process. 

There are differences between Design and Art but when it comes down to the process, its about the same. As for practicality, Design leads to a final product that helps solve an initial problem. However Art may sometimes address a problem such as poster art addressing an important issue. Then would that be called a Design or a piece of Art?

Art v. Design

I feel that design is considered an art form regardless of the intentions of the artist. Whatever we do as human beings, we all create something in our daily lives, naturally, physically, and mentally. If you look at it in that perspective everything can be a potential art form. Living as individuals gives us our own unique design in its own. One may not consider design, often something unappealing, to not be an art form, but I feel anything can be art, and design until you perceive it not to be.

Art vs. Design

Art is such a multifaceted term that it cannot be defined by one sentence or one person. It is experienced differently by each person because everybody has had his or her own experience. Design is a form of art when it is able to affect somebody but at that moment it is only considered art to them. It does not necessarily have to be created with an intention of being art but the fact that it seems to be art to one person because they can relate to it and it somehow affects them and their lives allows design to be art. Therefore design is considered art only when it is able to have an effect on someone. Due to the fact that “a designer works through and for other people”, design is able to be considered art. It may not seem like it is art to the designer but to the people he was marketing it towards and to the people he has affected, that design may be the greatest piece of art.

3 Points and 10 Ways

3 points 10 ways

1.     1. The first point where an airplane touches land

2.     2. The tip of the Eiffel tower

3.    3.  The tip of the highest branch outside my window

 

1.     1. Paint a red X on the point

2.     2. Take a picture of the exact moment it happens

3.     3. Put an apple there and see if gets sliced

4.     4. Elevate that point of concrete

5.     5. Make a flower trail around it

6.     6. Point a laser at it

7.     7. Plant a flower

8.     8. Put a flag up

9.     9. Tribal fire around it

10. 10. Have a clown balance the plane on that point

Art v. Design

Art and Design differ in their fundamental goals. Art is made to start a discussion and stir up a response within the viewer. Without this level of interestingness to the culture it is created within, it is worthless. Design, however, is created to solve a problem. This is not to say that design cannot be art. If, say, the solution found through the process of design is to start a discussion, or even if the design happens to do so, even if it is not intended to, the work of design is art. The two are not exclusive; it is possible to have work that is both and work that is either.

Points

3 Points:

1. The point where the minute and hour hands overlap on my watch
2. The tip of the most northwesterly blade of grass in McCarthy Quad
3. The point where my index finger meets my pen

Attracting attention to point no. 2:

1. Handout a treasure map
2. Remove every other blade of grass in the quad
3. Place a GPS beacon at that point
4. Dye all the other blades of grass white
5. Shine a laser pointer at that point at night
6. Photograph the point with only that point in focus
7. Make posters advertising the point
8. Place a powerful magnet at the point to attract passing bikes
9. Cover the rest of the Quad in butcher paper with only that point emerging
10. Place a large telescope in the Quad aimed directly down at that point
    

Art and Design (it's not a competition)

Great art gets talked about. Great designs are often referred to as works of art. What does that tell you? So not all art is created with the intention of being art. Art then, is a term that society applies to a an object. The qualifications of what society deems to be art changes over time. It used to be that art, great art was based on skill level, accuracy of replication, command of shadows, blah blah blah. But contemporary art is based on meaning. I think thats where art and design differ. Design is always functional. Its intended to be used for the physical creation of an idea. We can even design a work of art. But the design and the work are separate. We kept asking about purpose. But what if by "purpose" we intended to say "meaning"? Contemporary art offers meaning, but design offers none. Even if the artist of an artwork does not give his own work meaning, someone else may find meaning in it and thereby call it art. If no one ever sees my painting of a little girl its still art because I painted that little girl in such a way that it means something. But because it doesn't get seen, it doesn't get rated or valued. It's a benchwarmer without the opportunity to strike out nor to hit a homer. We live in a revolutionary/reactionary society. A society where everyone wants to put their 2 cents in, even if it's uncalled for. Thats why people today seek to ascribe meaning to art. If I piss on canvas (yes Pollock!) simply because I couldn't hold it, someone might see my canvas and say wow this ugly yellow stain on a canvas that smells like piss is a statement of how our government pisses on us. That person is an idiot. I simply had to pee. But if other people agree with his idea and it gets popular enough, my piss is now art. How about that

Art VS Design

Almost everyone will answer with a statement that design in a form of art. However, there really is a difference between art and design. From an article by Norman Potter, he states that before a designer uses his own imaginative ideas, they must be "highly 'problem' conscious... an ability for sorting, ordering and relating information he must bring qualities of judgement and discrimination." Not only do they have to create a design that will fit the clients' needs, they have to have the patience to alter the work however many times it takes to satisfy his or her client. Designers also have to address the client's message in a form of art and therefore "use words constantly and in direct relation to their work."

In contrast, "fine-artist is less dependent on discussion, agreement, letters, visits... who works directly with his materials." For example, a fine-artist may first start off with his own ideas and thoughts about what kind of work he wants to produce. However, this is different for a designer because "designers work with and for other people," and their main goal is to make the clients happy, not for his own liking.

A painter's art piece can be viewed almost as a sentimental piece and something to admire in a museum or an art gallery. But a designer's work can be seen as an advertisement to try and grab people's attention to purchase something. Both forms can be seen as artistic but their meanings behind them are quite different. I believe that the talent within a fine-artist and a designer are not better or worse; they both show an ability to serve an important aspect in society.

posted by Michelle H

3 Points

Point: The tip of a straw inside a Starbucks drink.

10 Ways To Attract You To That Point:

1) Have the drink spilling out of the top of the straw

2) Have a dab of whipped cream at the point

3) Color the tip of the straw with a black Sharpie

4) Have someone drink out of the straw

5) Bend the tip of the straw

6) Have someone point to the tip of the straw

7) Have someone pinch the tip of the straw

8) Have someone bite the straw and leave bite marks

9) Make a sign that's an arrow that says "Drink Here" and points to the tip of the straw

10) Have someone cover the tip of the straw with a single finger

3 Points in Space

1. The highest point of a mountain

2. The tip of a pen

3. The tip of a knife

The ten ways to guide someone to the tip of a knife:

1. Shine a light

2. Found in a kitchen

3. Stab food with it

4. Cooking utensil

5. Place something dirty enough where you have to clean it

6. Draw a symbol with bright colors

7. Sharpen it

8. Attach bait and wait for a fish to get to it

9. Stab it through a pile of cheese until the tip is only showing

10. Use the tip to "tag" a wall or table

posted by Michelle H

Art vs. Design

Most people don't realize that there is a difference between art and design. In Potter's article, he finds it questionable that different areas like painting, sculpture, industrial design, and architecture all "derive in some sense from the common fountainhead of 'art'". Many end up categorizing design as just another form of art. However, I feel that design has many differences from art that lend itself to becoming another category just by itself. Potter says that designers "work through and for other people and [are] concerned primarily with [others'] problems rather than his own". But fine artists on the other hand create work that has "a more inward character in its origins". I feel that this is the key difference between art and design - that design serves a practical purpose and art serves a purpose on a more spiritual and emotional level. I can see a cleverly designed ad in a magazine and feel that it is a good design and perhaps even artistic, but it is less accurate to call a painting by a fine artist a good design. Neither is better or worse than the other - they just serve different purposes for society and the world.

I'm Desiginer (The Artist vs. the Designer)

In response to Norman Potter's, "Is a Designer an Artist?":

The distinction between art and design interests me much less than the distinction between the artist and the designer. This semester I am taking FA 450, Senior Seminar. In this class, the students are split up into two sections, an art section and a design section. The art section focuses on learning to talk about their work in more constructive and poignant ways while becoming familiar with the step by step process of putting together an exhibition of work and collaborating with other working artists. The design section (from what I've heard. I can't say for sure as I am not in that section) focuses more on the technical aspects of getting a job in the design business while learning even more essential computer programs one might use as a professional designer besides the ones used in most of the design classes held at USC. All students on the first day of class are asked to decide right then and there: Are they an artist or are they a designer? And while, for me, the distinction between the two used to be very black and white, I see now that more and more the difference isn't always as clear, as more and more designers are working like artists while some artists are working like designers.

I'm going to be honest here and say that typically I've never given designers and what they do much serious thought or considered what they did are particularly artful in a significant way. This probably stems from three summers of experience interning and eventually working as an office assistant at a particulary high-stress advertizing company where nearly every designer everyday would come up to me and warn me to run while I still could. And yeah, I eventually ran. But the Potter article reminded me a little bit about what designers do and not only about how they can be different than artists, but how they can be similar. Designers typically are working to get someone else's vision across, instead of their own vision and no matter how great of a job they may have done, it's not uncommon that their client tells them to do it over again while an artist's first responsibility is to "the truth of his own vision." But that article also sites fine-artists as less dependent on discussion, agreement, letters and visits. And while I agree with a couple of those things, I find myself, in my work as a "fine-artist" relying heavily upon certain aspects of communication, particularly discussion and visits. I find visiting with people and discussing my progress, as well as making schedules and assigning myself deadlines, incredibly useful in my own art making practice. And I feel that I will continue to do those things even after I graduate and am no longer required to discuss or meet with artists and professors about my work or have set schedules and deadlines. And now that I'm seriously considering the ways in which, at least according to this article, designers work, I recognize similarities in the way I function as an artist and the way designers function in what they do. I never thought I would say it but I may have a little bit of designer in me after all.

Cover them in blood! (A Point In Space)

The point I chose was the tip of a pair of scissors. I described the point as:
1- Often shiny if they're made of some sort of metal.
2- Usually sharp, though some are sharper than others. In this case, the point of the pair I am imagining is very sharp.
3- Smooth on all sides and very sleek-looking.

Some (often silly) ways to draw attention to my chosen point (the tip of a pair of scissors):
1- Light the tip in way that would draw one's eye
2- Color- the tip is a contrasting color than everything else in the room. The tip is silver while everything that surrounds it is black.
3- Stand next to the tip and point to it.
4- If a 2-D image, have all the lines in the frame converge at the point of the scissors.
5- If a 2-D image, completely isolate the tip within the frame.
6- Cover the tip in blood (The photo caught your attention, yes?).
7- Create a mechanism that screams if anyone or thing comes within a foot of the tip.
8- Cover the tip in photos of Miley Cyrus or other hot young teen idols.
9- Teach the scissors to dance (on it's tip-toe)
10- Stand the scissors tip up on a pedestal while shining a spot light on them.

Art vs Design

 

In my opinion, despite all the various disagreements and quarrels on the principles of design and art, what it comes down to is that the exact definition of  ‘art’ versus ‘design’ is subjective, and varies according to a person’s beliefs. Though, with respect to the material that we have been studying in class- it seems that the main difference is that ‘art’ is created with the intent of having a set fourth audience look at it and having it stimulate their intellect and imagination. Design, on the other hand, is created with the intent that it will serve a mechanical purpose—relating back to our project, “lead someone to a point.”

 

The juxtaposition that is design and art is not one that embodies great differences. At first, the concept can be hard to grasp because the two words are almost used synonymously.

 

As stated in Norman Potter’s article, a designer can even sometimes be the one in charge of an artist. “The designer usually has the further responsibility of supervising the work” (Norman Potter, is a Designer an Artist?).

 

One thing that is important to note from Potter’s article is that he states “It may indeed be necessary to the designer to make loving, scrupulous and over-adequate drawings for his own self-satisfaction and to preserve his own standards. Only in this sense are design drawings ‘self-expression.’” Artists are always defined as being expressive, either with self-thoughts, or other’s thoughts. If a designer, by definition, is not allowed to embody ‘self expression,’ than indeed, an artist is different from a designer.

 

In short, the artist has the freedom of mind and hand to get an idea across, whereas the designer has the freedom of hand to mold somebody’s mind into understanding a given idea. 

Points in Space

1. The North Star

2. The point of a pencil

3. The tip of a blade of grass

Ten ways to guide one to the North Star:

1. Point to it

2. Mark its place in a constellation

3. Distinguish it between all of the stars that it is not

4. Describe it in minute detail

5. Point a telescope directly on it

6. Travel to it in a space ship

7. Highlight it on a map of the stars

8. Shine a spotlight on it

9. Discover the best vantage point

10. Tie a really long rope from here to the star

Design vs. Art

While the concepts of art and design certainly overlap in many ways, I believe that there are definite distinctions between the two. Charles Eames and Norman Potter identify many of these distinctions in their articles. As Eames states, design must serve a purpose or function. In contrast, art can serve a practical purpose, but does not have to. Potter further explains how design remains dependent upon the constraints of the problem being tackled as well as the desires of the client. Art can evolve throughout the creation process, while design must almost always regard the original plan. As a result, an artist can have a much more personal growing relationship with his or her creation than a designer, who must consult the original aims of the design and is bound by it. As both Eames and Potter note, the design process is, by nature, much more collaborative than creating art.

It seems that design can be considered art, but not all design is art. In class, we discussed how art must be aesthetically pleasing and it must be appreciated in the sense that Dave Hickey commented on. However, we also noted that an iPod, as a design, is both pleasing to the senses and appreciated, and yet we do not consider it to be art. I feel that design can be considered art when it can be appreciated for reasons outside or beyond its planned purpose. The meaning of a painting or sculpture can be interpreted in many different ways. Its value, for people, is measured in what it means to them, however many different meanings there may be. Art differs from design in that it does not have to meet a standard meaning or function. Design, first and foremost, must serve a specific purpose identified from the outset. If design can be widely appreciated for more than just achieving its specific predetermined purpose, then I feel it begins to resemble art.

ArtVsDesign

To question what constitutes a piece as being art opens up not only a lot of room for discussion, but it gets one really thinking about what we as individuals consider art versus what society may consider as art. Personally, I think art is anything in which the artist feels he or she has put not only thought but a piece of themselves into. I think art does require a purpose, whether that be to satisfy the artist's own personal ambition, or to try and create a new art form or some sort of revolutionary piece, it does require some sort of purpose. Design is also an art form that requires purpose. However, I feel that design is much more product-based that art, in the sense that design is more formulaic and functional than a personal art project for example.

Art requires one to think about the piece being presented, whereas in design that isn't necessarily true, because design itself is made for convenience and functionality. It is not to say though that design can't cross over to the "art" category, and also be food for thought. There are many design pieces that make one stop and wonder about the piece-- mostly everything in any given IKEA catalog. It definitely is not easy to create a strict definition on what art is or what design is. All in all, I think art is something that is definitely tied more to the creator than the audience and what they put into the piece more so than what comes out of it, whereas design is more about what the piece will be used for and less of what it actually means.

ThreePoints

1. Point at the end of my pen

2. Tip of my nose

3. The sharp tip of knife

10 ways to draw attention to the tip of a knife

-Place it upwards, tip facing up

-Keep it eye-level to those approaching

-Make it extremely sharp

-Place it somewhere it doesn't belong (ie. sticking up in a pencil box, etc)

-Attach it to something noticeable

-Place it under the wheel of a car

-Sing a song about it

-Place it close to somebody

-Run with it

-Have something going through it.

3 Points, 10 Ways To Call Attention to One

First point is at the tip of the cymbal on the left side of the drum set at the Hollywood Bowl. 

Second point is the left corner of the stage. 

Third point is the right corner of the singer's mouth. 

In regards to the first point:

1. Build a neon square that flashes around the point.

2. Have people completely surround it and all stare at the point.

3. Cover it with oil, and then light it on fire.

4. Make a sign that says, "Do not look at this point."

5. Color everywhere on the drum set a solid color except the one point. 

7. Shine a spot light on the point on the drum set. 

8. Have the drummer point at the spot with his sticks in the middle of a beat. 

9. Put a random object on it such as a teddy bear that will call people's attention. 

10. Play a song over the loud speakers telling people to look at the point. 

more on design

In the reading, Norman Potter brings up an interesting point about design-- "every human artefact...evokes and invokes the inescapable totality of a culture, and the hidden assumptions which condition cultural priorities." I think this can mean that most designs wouldn't have a point in existing unless there was a need, a "problem," in society that needs a solution, which a designer constructs and delivers. He mentions how designers works for other peoples' problems-- they give them something they need, as decided by culture and society. Potter also says, a designer has instructions, a set plan for construction. This construction is not entirely his own because it has to take into consideration the needs and wants of others, but in order to be considered his design, he must go through the process of designing it, which requires him to have skill and craftsmanship. Artistic creativity, in most cases, is a big plus too.

Points In Space

The three points:

• Very tip of the Transamerica Pyramid building in San Francisco
• Acrylic paint stain on my shirt
• Dot of the "I" on the shift key of my laptop

Drawing attention to the shift key:

• Paint a red line through campus to the shift key in the laptop that sits on my desk
• Apply post-it notes around campus about the point and directions to it
• Post arrows around the desk pointing to the key
• Black out all keys except point
• Paint dot hot pink
• Disable lights within the keys except for the dot
• Shine light on the dot
• Take pictures and post them all over campus
• Point to the key
• Only speak about the shift key's "I" for the whole day

art and design

Art and design both have elements contributing to their composition, but the way in which they are created, and why they are created can be different. Art is something created by a person with the need to make something to be viewed and thought about, hopefully with the result of it then being talked about, having interest in the piece spread and having the piece cause some change or thinking to occur. Though many people think art pieces are just something pretty to look at, what they don't realize is the ability of art pieces to make them think, though they might think they are not doing anything except staring at something pretty, or strange. For example, someone might look at Pollock's drip paintings and think they are just looking at splatter paint, most likely think to themselves "I can do that," but then most certainly will question why that canvas with paint on it is considered art and is in the gallery. They will most likely then think of whether or not a message is trying to be expressed, and so discourse and pondering surely ensues. And along those lines, art doesn't have many limitiations, which is important in giving an artist the freedom to use what materials and approach they want in creating their work.
Design, on the other hand, requires more of a structure because it has a different end goal than art. A design is something that functions a certain way, and is able to assist in being a part of a task of project. For example, designing a magazine cover functions to contain the contents of the magazine, tell the viewer what can be found inside, and in relation to art, has to draw attract the reader. I say this last part is in relation to art because are is a valuable tool for creating design and making it appeal to viewers and users. Like Dave Hickey said, art isn't art unless it creates discourse. Art has to be able to start some kind of reaction within the viewer in order to really be considered a piece of art. Whether the reaction is simply a question of "how is this art?," or an assessment of the emotions and message that the piece portrays through it's various elements, either way people are prompted to share their ideas and discuss the piece--and in doing so, allowing the piece to be an art piece instead of just a man made artifact. Design, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily need to cause emotions or dialogue to be evoked in the person using or viewing the design. Design, which I think almost 90% of the time includes artistic creativity, is not driven by an aim at making something that stirs people to talk--instead, design serves a purpose or function, and if it is unable to do so, it is not a good design. But, to add on to that point, if a design fails in being practical and functioning, it can still be considered a piece of art, as long as the basic requirements for art are met. This can be said because most of the time designers bring in their own artistic elements and creativity as they are finding the most interesting and appealing way to design something. So, design most certainly can be considered a piece of art as well as a design. Art can go into design, but design is more structured with a specific functioning goal.

Points in Space

points in space:

• Origin of a graph
• freckle
• point/tip of a nail

drawing attention to the origin of a graph:

1. circle it
2. give its coordinates to someone (0,0)
3. make it red/colored
4. draw an arrow to it
5. give the equation for the point
6. label it
7. make it solid and the lines around it not continuous (dashed)
8. separate it from a solid plane/background
9. make it larger/heavier than the line of the axes
10. put something through it, like a tack
    

Art and Design

I think the biggest difference between art and design is that design is very specific to a certain context and cannot be interpreted outside of that context. You can not look at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and say that it is a product of bad design. You must look at the context, who it was made for, what is it doing and what is its effect. You can not argue that the design of a baseball is a bad design for a basketball.

Art, on the other hand, is open to interpretation across countless cultures, societies, races, genders, etc. A good artist is able to uncover emotions existing within many different people, which would have been otherwise hidden from those individuals. If a person looks at any famous painting and doesn't feel anything from it, then to that person it is bad art...it has not benefited them in some way.

In response to the readings, in the Norman Potter article I thought one of the key points was that a designer must see a problem before he or she can create a solution. I also liked how he broke down an artist and a designer. A designer puts a lot of effort for someone else's benefit and an artist gets to be a little bit more selfish about his work.

For the Hickey Article, I liked his idea that "the talk" about an art piece is a living body, whereas writing is a documentation or trace of that life but not a substitute. Almost to say that "the talk" is like oxygen for the paintings and they must live off of our vocalized ideas.

In the Eames article, I liked how he emphasized the magnitude of change from small design changes. He pointed out how small design changes can alter some very small aspect of the user experience and the impacts from that experience.

In Class Excercise

Points:
1. The top of a flag pole
2. A star in space
3. A needle point

Drawing attention to my first point:
1. Place a spotlight on it
2. Isolate the flag pole
3. Place the flag pole on a hill in an otherwise flat plane
4. Make the top of the pole a color unique from its body
5. Raise a flag
6. Make the shape of the top inconsistent from the rest of the pole
7. Place a physical border around the pole
8. Make the top of the pole a spinning object
9. Make sure the point on the top of the flag pole makes a sound from wind
10. Place a person next to the pole as a reference point

Art vs. Design

While I am still not sure how to define the difference between design and art, there are things about each that are uniquely their own. Design is a more calculated and precise plan. Architects create a design, a precise, exactly proportionate model of what the finished product should be. The design serves a purpose and function. Is it art? It is an art form. Art, to me, should mean something; it should convey some sort of message. The message is up to the discretion of the artist, and the composition should be totally up to the artist. To the designer, the design may have some sort of message to convey or a meaning, and that is why it is an art form, to me at least. All the same, the differences between art and design are few, and even those are convoluted in some way.

Art vs Design

Art and design have become two increasingly intertwined forms of expression. Art's purpose is to be aesthetically pleasing, creative and inspiring, and design is geared more toward function. But this is not always true. Just because design is supposed to serve a purpose for our everyday life doesn't mean that it can't be just as inspiring as a piece of art. If you are going to live in chairs, beds, rooms, houses, why not make it beautiful? A great designer doesn't see an assignment as only function over form.

The elements of design must also be applied to art. Color, texture, line, etc are all integral to creating fine art. Many say that if something is useful is is automatically considered design. But where is the line drawn? I think the main difference between art and design is that art is created to raise questions and problems while design is there to solve them.

3 Points, 10 Ways

1. Point of my pen

2. Tip of an iceberg

3. Montauk Point

10 Ways (Montauk Point)

1. Locate it on a map

2. Drive to the point

3. Fly a helicopter over it

4. Draw a picture of it

5. Set off fireworks from the cliffs

6. Paint the cliffs at Montauk Point neon pink

7. Take a photo of it

8. Climb up to the top of the lighthouse

9. Sail a boat across the Atlantic to it

10. Ride a dolphin to it

Design versus Art

Eames said that design is best when it serves a particular purpose. Logically, this makes sense. The purpose of a civil engineer is to design the safest roads and highways that function for the sake of the society it serves. Architects design buildings and homes to shelter people and living beings from natural hazards. Fashion and clothing designers construct apparel to keep people warm.

At least, this is the most literal way of view their work. Obviously, there is an element of beauty and precision that makes design not just simple design. The element of aesthetic value and visual appeal results in a design as a work of art. So it may be true that the architect builds houses to keep people sheltered, but once they add in detail and deliberate attempt to create a pleasing overall result, it is necessary to consider the artistic character of their design. They could just as easier design an ugly, box for a house and that would merely be considered a design (or a bad design), but it is the intention of the designer that sets apart their work as art.

3 Points

3 Points:

1. The follicle of hair on my dog in Seattle.

2. The tip of the wire hanging from the ceiling.

3. The tip of a speck of dust orbiting a far off planet.

10 Ways:

1. Shave all surrounding hairs off of the dog leaving just the one.

2. Die the hair a contrasting color.

3. Attach a red string to the hair.

4. Dot the base of the hair with fluorescent ink and turn on a black light.

5. Create a map of the dog and indicate where the point lies.

6. Extend the hair with a single hair extension.

7. Paint a bulls eye around the point, leading the eye to the point.

8. Shave the fur into an arrow, having the tip be the point.

9. Turn off the lights and shine a laser on the point.

10. Plant a large fake flea at the point.

Three Points, Ten Ways

the tip of the middle flagpole at the end of Trousdale

the corner of my desk in the room (on W. 28th Street) on the lower right hand side

the highest point on the Sydney Harbor Bridge (not include the flags) on the arch

fly airplanes overhead

shine laser pointers at it

paint it a different color than the rest of the bridge

hang something directly from it

walk up the bridge and point at it

cover the entire bridge with tarp besides the point

line a row of lights along the arch that constantly light up towards the point at the center

shoot fireworks or explosions from the point up in the air

take a black and white picture of it and color only that point

put a single flower at the point so that it is the only object sticking out

Design vs. Art

Though at times, design can be art and vice versa, each has its own distinct characteristics. I believe that design has more of a practical function. The design of an ad for a new product for example serves the function of getting people to buy that product. Though art can bring about pleasure or happiness, what is exclusively art does not have as much of an active use; it does not prompt people to do things. Actually, many times, it is because of what people do that art comes about. Despite its more useful nature, design can sometimes be art. I believe that something like the design of freeways can be considered art when it is designed particularly well. Also, I think that design has less to do with personal preference. The design for the ad is still a design whether one likes it or not. Art, on the other hand, while still critiqued on technique and quality, has much to do with one's opinion of it. If people like a piece or if people react to it, it can be considered art. Lastly, art can sometimes be used in a design and the art can have a design in it but it cannot become a design. When one designs, one has a goal of making something for a specific practical function. Art, on the otherhand, does not have this purpose.

3 Points, 10 Ways

1) The tip of an iceberg in Antarctica

2) The tip of a paintbrush making a stroke on canvas

3) The top of someone's middle finger sticking up

1) Paint the tip a neon color or red

2) Melt the rest of the iceberg but the tip

3) Have a flashing sign pointing to the tip

4) Shine a spotlight on it

4) Dye the rest of the iceberg black

5) Fly a banner over it

6) Dye the rest of the ice yellow except the tip

7) Hang a light bulb right over the tip

8) Have attractive people stand next to it pointing

9) Make posters, announcements telling people about it

10) Put the tip in a huge gold frame

3 Points and 10 Ways

3 Points

The very bottom of the pacific ocean
The top of the highest mountain on mars
the door bell of 5088# Orsini apartments in downtown Los Angeles

10 ways to highlight the first point:
Take a photo and put a box around the point
Make a video of something reaching that point
Write an article about it in a magazine/newspaper
Make an educational documentary about it
Make a romantic or sci-fi feature film about it
Talk about it in a lecture
Install a light on it (If possible)
Install a super powerful magnet on it so it attracts all the ships
Paint some illuminating paint on it so it glows in the dark
Make some posters about it and post them everywhere around USC campus

Art vs. Design

Design serves a purpose in relation to the thing being created beyond aesthetic appeal. Good design, like any design, is functional beyond aesthetics, but is also practical and aesthetically pleasing. Art on the other hand is primarily aesthetic and meant to express and/or invoke some type of emotion. Whether a piece of art is good or not is highly subjective.

An example of design would be a comfortable chair. How it looks is irrelevant; it is still a design, even if it is ugly. An example of good design would be a chair that is both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. And finally, a chair that is aesthetically pleasing/controversial but not particularly comfortable or practical would be an example of art.

Art: Form over Function
Design: Function over Form

3 Points

My 3 points:

1. Tip of any eyelash

2. Star

3. Tip of the hour hand on a clock

10 ways to point out the star:

1. physically pointing at it

2. Broadcasting its image on television

3. Start a rumor about it

4. Advertise its exsistance

5. Writing about it

6. Praise it

7. Facebook or Twitter about it

8. Launch rockets to it

9. Sell it on Craig's list

10. Name it

Art vs Design

Charles Eames describes design as "A plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a particular purpose." Eames was a well known designer in subjects such as industrial and furniture desgin to film and architecture. He must consider himself a designer but I wonder if he considers himself an artist. He does say in his interview that design may be judged as art later if it is good enough. He explains that because "design depends on constraints" it has a function. Dave Hickey thinks art is validated through talk, he states, "works of art are validated and brought into public existence by talk, then explained, controlled, and presumably authorized by writing." I think Kees Dorst best describes the "border between art and desgin as permeable", in which artists and designers cross into each others field. I agree with his idea that artists, unlike designers, strive to influence culture and society. While designers may do this as well, however, it is not their first intention.

Norman Potter Reading

After we tried to define the differences between design and art in class, I read "Is a Designer an Artist?" by Norman Potter. I found that Potter touched on crucial aspects of design that we missed in class. Potter argument is centered around the fact that the designer client relationship is unique to design. The artists is able to work completely from his own thoughts while the designer works around a clients tastes and concerns. The designer must be a problem solver and a team player. He/She must be about to work around changing constraints like materials in order to produce a solution to the clients problem. Over all, I found Potter's argument to be concise and persuasive. While there may be other differences that we pointed out in class, Potter brings to the table points that are so fundamental to design.

My 3 Points

1. The tip of the minute hand 0n The Clock Tower in Westminister, London.

2. The furthest hair tip on the end of my eyebrow.

3. The corner of the first dollar bill ever made.

1. Make the ticking so loud everyone would hear and look

2. Disassemble the clock and leave the minute hand behind

3. Throw the minute hand off the top of the tower

4. Paint it bright pink

5. Make it tick counter clockwise

6. Hang President Obama from the tip by his shirt

7. Have King Kong monkey call from the top of the tower

8. Tell everyone there is the cure to Cancer in a vile hanging from the tip

9. Blow it up

10. Dive off the tip

Art vs. Design

Last class we discussed many interesting aspects to consider when defining both art and design and as well art vs. design. It can be a very tricky topic; however, I believe that one must create his or her own definition. I definitely think design is a form of art. But as Eames stated, "The design is an expression of the purpose. It may (if it is good enough) later be judged as art," I also think that design is art when it reaches a certain level. When a design, painting, drawing, sculpture, or some form of creative and unique piece is developed, it must be able to endure many years into its future and also be recognized by many individuals. Whether the onlookers loved it, hated it, adored it, cried over it, or felt some emotional connection with it, the piece is attracting attention and serving its purpose. For example, Andy Warhol's paintings have survived many years as popular and well known while also attracting new enthusiasts everyday. People will constantly gain and loose interest in things such as the iPhone, what we discussed in class, but the things that remain are considered art. Design can definitely achieve all these points discussed.

Art/Design

What defines art? What defines design? I believe the answers to these two questions are extremely subjective. Already while discussing this matter in class we came upon several answers, many of which did not agree with another. On one hand we have Eames who very distinctly described design as "a plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a particular purpose." To Eames, utility and usefulness were absolute requirements when distinguishing something as a design. When Sherin described what she believed art/design were, she had a specific list comprised of necessary elements that categorized something as design. This list included such elements as functionality, purpose, physicality, uniqueness, and skill. The elements that categorized something as art were very straightforward: shape, color, line, texture, value, and point. Already, after reading a few student responses to this, I have seen various perspectives that in some ways coincide with my own thoughts and in others, collide with them. Personally, I find it extremely difficult to come up with a specific locked-down list of traits that categorize something as art or design. as mentioned earlier, I find both to be extremely subjective. One person may find art in something that another does not. This also plays into the issue of time and the essential "shelf-life" of art. as mentioned earlier in class, if a simple household object like a coffee mug is placed on a pedestal with a spotlight on it with a plaque in an art exhibit, it may very well be considered art...at that moment. But what about when the exhibit is over, the lights go down, and the coffee mug is taken off that pedestal--is it still art? What about when it's taken off the pedestal, washed, taken home, and coffee is put inside of it? Does it not revert back to nothing more than a functional coffee mug? In my mind, art is all about one's own personal opinion. How can one tell another that what they are looking at- whether it be the painting of the mona lisa or a contemporary artist's exhibit- is or is not art? I do agree with some aspects of Eames and Sherin and the rest of the class' ideas on what typically/usually constitutes art and design, but think that these restrictions must be taken with a grain of salt and a lot of leeway. I read once that the differences between art and design lie not so much in how they look as in what they do: they have different purposes, they are made differently, are judged by different criteria and have different audiences.

3 points, 10 ways to attract attention to one

Point 1:

The tip of my pinkie finger.

10 ways to attract attention to it:

1. Tie a ribbon around it
2. Color it with a bright market/highlighter
3. Get the tip of it dirty
4. Circle it with a pen
5. Attach a balloon to it
6. Shine a spotlight on it
7. Tie a little paper sign to it with the words "POINT RIGHT HERE" on it
8. Scream it to the world
9. Put bright nail polish with the words "POINT' written on the nail
10. Make a little paper frame and tape it on

Point 2:

The end of my dog's hair.

Point 3:

The welling of a tear.

3 Points, 10 ways to attract attention to 1 point

3 points:
-The bottom-left edge of my ruler
-The minute hand of my watch
-The very tip of the lead on a pencil

10 ways to highlight point one:
-Shine a spotlight on it
-Take a photo and have every part out of focus except that one point
-Just straight-up tell people to look there
-A treasure hunt! Give people hints and the solution is that point.
-That movie technique where the characters walk away but the camera stays focused on that one point for a bit too long and the audience is all "wow that point is going to come into play later on"
-Paint that point red, or whatever color everything around it isn't
-Focus on it, make it a mantra?
-That Columbo thing where at the end of the interview you go, "By the way, one more question..." and then be like "Have you ever seen that there point?"
-Point at it
-Play music from that point, somehow?

3 points and 10 ways to highlight

a. Tip of an antenna
b. End of a candle
c. The point of a pencil

10 ways to highlight point a.
1. Extending it to the longest
2. Retracting the antenna.
3. pointing it to the right direction for signal
4. tracing it from the radio up
5. tracing it from a car with an antenna used to receive radio signal
6. The point where the lightning hits
7. The antenna in a satellite dish
8. The antenna of a house that is used to get tv signals
9. The widen part at the tip of the antenna
10. The tip of an old cellphone used to receive signal.

Art Vs Design

Art, by itself, I don't think is functional. Art is something that speaks to the human spirit - it makes you feel empowered, or happy, or scared, or like you're living in the future, or whatever else. If art was functional, that aspect would be lost; art would just become a means to an end. Art can be entertainment or experiences - I have no problem saying movies, games, theater, etc. are all very much art. As such, art is a pretty broad term.

Design, however, is a much less broad term. First off, design absolutely is functional. Second, I'd say design can only be applied to tangible or interactive objects; theater can be art but theater can't be design, unless you use a very broad and abstracted definition of the term. Design is the creative use of the techniques and concepts given to you to reach a given goal - such as painting a fire alarm red to make it extra-noticeable, making a chair curvy and covering it in velvet to make it seem more organic, or increasing the font size on part of a website to make people pay more attention to it.

3 points and 10 different ways to attract people to one point

3 points:
a) the end of a thread on the corner of my pillow cover
b) the tip of the place on my bike where air gets pumped in
c) a grain of sand on a beach in Cabo San Lucas

10 ways to attract people to the end of a thread on the corner of my pillow cover:
1) make my pillow especially fluffy and then iron that corner completely flat
2) dye the entire pillow purple except for that one point
3) cut away all fabric except for that point and glue it onto the pillow
4) make a huge banner in neon colors that says, "look here!"
5) highlight that point
6) put sugar on that point and have ants crawl to it
7) offer a free meal if people look at the point
8) shine a laser at that point
9) put up arrows all over campus leading to that point
10) grow flowers around that point

Art vs. Design

I think that the difference between art and design is different amongst everyone. People all have their own perspectives on what art is or what design is. For me, art is a way to freely express your emotions and convey some type of message. Design, on the other hand, is something that is very functional and purposeful. It is very conceptual and brings forth ideas of how technology and items will be like in the future. Art can also show the future, but in a more general sense of how the world will be in the future. Many designers are artists and artists are designers; however, the difference between what each does is very apart. Designers are somewhat like engineers. They have to understand and know how concepts work and what will meet the objectives of the concepts. Art is more about the medium of a piece of work and the color scheme that is applied to it. Also, designers are given instructions on what has to be done, while artist do not have instructions. Artists follow what they want to do and how they want to create the piece of work. But, both art and design does not have boundaries. Artists and designers are similar in that they both try to go beyond what already exists and create something completely new. Another difference between the two is that they each look for a different audience and has to fulfill different prerequisites. Art looks for a audience who appreciates a style of emotion and the message that is being shown. Design, on the the other hand, is looking for an audience who likes to see what products of the future are like and how functional and unique the product is. Overall, I think art and design is very different, but others may think that because they both cover a similar field of work that they are similar.