John Ruskin

John Ruskin was born in London, in 1819.
He is mainly known for his work in the field of art, literature and architecture. Also being an art critic, was remembered for his ideas of socialism and contribution towards promoting Gothic architecture.
Ruskin wanted to reunite the designer and the craftsman, spiritual and the everyday.
He believed that any building or object must be created with enjoyment to be valued.Ruskin believed that the architects and the designers of the Gothic period enjoyed complete freedom of expression in their work.

Ruskin's interest in particularly Gothic architecture led to first of his works to bear his name " the seven lamps of architecture" [1849] containing 14 plates etched by him. The title revers to seven moral categories that Ruskin considered vital to and inseparable from all architecture : sacrifice, truth, power, beauty, life, memory and obedience.

Condemned the machine oriented society of Victorian Britain as he thought machinery destroyed creativity.

Together with William Morris and Augustus Pugin, Ruskin founded the arts and crafts movement in the 1860s-1910

It developed first and most fully in the British isles but spread to Europe and north America.
Being a symbol for traditional craftsmanship by using simple forms and applied medieval styles of decor.
Has been said to be essentially anti-industrial.

John Ruskin — Biographical Materials. 2013. John Ruskin — Biographical Materials. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/ruskin/bioov.html. [Accessed 31 March 2013].

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent van gogh - "the tortured artist"

Was a Dutch post-impressionist painter whose work influenced the 20^th century. Vincent van gogh was born on march 30^th 1853 in Groot Zundert, Netherlands. His artwork is still changing the way people view  beauty, persona, individuality, and style in art. His thousands of paintings and drawings have various characteristics that have been copied but duplicated by none.

He had an emotional life, filled with loneliness and despair. Struggled with poverty and mental illness.


Vincent is one of the most well-known artists in the world, but only after his death. During his life, his art wasn’t taken very seriously as not many understood him or his works so his paintings were hard to sell.

Today, his paintings have become easily recognizable.
As most families in the mid-1800's, van Gogh was raised in a religious family and his father was a minister. Van Gogh was intelligent and multi-lingual.
He began painting while living in Amsterdam after his heart got broken by a past love. Vincent devoted himself to paintings, studying colours and admiring works of artists like peter paul rubens.
After moving to Paris, Vincent began to develop the style that made him famous. His bold, dramatic brush strokes expressed emotion as well as added a feeling of movement to his artworks. Being mostly self taught, van Gogh started his career copying prints and reading 19^th century drawing manuals and books, which was where his technique grew. He wanted to master black and white drawings before using colour, and focused on learning the most important things for figure drawings before depicting landscapes in the right perspective. After being satisfied with his technique, he began to add colour and his palette, which stood out quite a lot, became one of the most identifiable features of his later paintings

 

Vangogh produced 900 paintings in 10 years. Took his own life in 1890.

 Vincent still inspires people of the present. An example of this is the episode of Doctor who, a british series. An episode was done with an actor being Vincent van gogh.
 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se_8Z3P7h3s
note: its an amazing episode. please watch it all <3  

Vincent van Gogh Biography - His Life and Times . 2013. Vincent van Gogh Biography - His Life and Times . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/bio.html. [Accessed 05 March 2013]. 
 Julius Meier-Graefe

J.M.Graefe, Vincent Van Gogh - a Biography 
Dover 1987 

William Harvey (artist)

William Harvey (artist)

Was an english engraver and designer.

In london in 1817 he studied drawing and anatomy. He switched to design after the death of John Thurston (an english engraver and illustrator and was lead wood designer in london)

In seceral of his wood engravings, harvey mimiced copper-plate engravings by crosshatching and the "Treatise on wood engraving" comments this talent of crosshatching on wood aswell as showing the beauty of simple designs.

After some time, harvey left wood engraving and became a book designer.

 

 William Harvey (artist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2013. William Harvey (artist) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harvey_%28artist%29. [Accessed 16 May 2013].

Mangaka

Mangaka

Being the japanese word for comic artist or cartoonist.

manga became popular in the 20th century and are a big part of japanese culture. Manga are japanese comic books, usually consisting of more pages and coming in a set.

Manga are often made into anime [japanese animations]. Manga is very popular with young people and even influenced the art styles of certain artists like Ed McGuinness, Brian wood and frank miller [comic artists]

Japanese manga is to be read from the right side to the left not only from pages but even panels.

Example of how a manga needs to be read:

There are many different characteristics that make manga distinctive. Manga characters almost always have large eyes, small mouths and usually un-natural hair colour. Character emotions are exaggerated. For example, when a character cries, it pours like a waterfall, Or when they laugh, their wide mouth takes half their face.

As an anime and manga fan i obviously love this style. Reading manga is quite an experience and to just stop and admire the art work. Loving it more when it turns into an animation[ anime]

Mangaka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2013. Mangaka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangaka. [Accessed 05 March 2013]. 

P.Gravett,  Manga:60 Years of Japanese Comics,
Laurence King Publishing, 03 Aug 2004

Realism

Realism.

Originated in france in the early 1850's.

Even the name suggests the movement would be accurate and detailed. Taking away imaginative thoughts and focusing on what is actually there. Requireing observational skills.

The french realists prefered to incorporate subjects for their paintings such as the everyday lives of the working class. Realism sought to show real and typical contemporary people and situations with accuracy and honesty without avoiding the negative of life.

Example:

Realism, French, Jean-Francois Millet, 1814-1875, "The Gleaners," 1857

An oil on canvas of three working class women, gathering remaining wheat in a field after a harvest. Background of a camp or village and gathered wheat is blurred making the three women the main focus of the piece even though their faces arent shown. Very detailed and attention to shadows.

 Realism Art | Art Realism | Realism Paintings. 2013. Realism Art | Art Realism | Realism Paintings. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.starrabbott.com/article-realism-paintings.htm. [Accessed 04 March 2013].

The Steam engine

The Steam Engine.



The first engine type to see widespread use.

The steam engine makes practical use of boiling water as it uses it to move and since the late 1700's they have become amajor source of mechanical power.

These acted as the foundation of the industrial revolution due to the fact that the steam engine powered all early locomorives,steam boats and factories and mining.

The introduction of steam engines improved technology and productivity. After time, steam engines were adjusted for boats, railways, farms and road vehicles.

Even with this new invention of the steam engine, most industries still relied on wind and water power, horse and man power.
 

Steam Engine History. 2013. Steam Engine History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsteamengine.htm. [Accessed 04 March 2013].

Romanticism –eighteenth and nineteenth century  

Romantic wasn’t only about love or romance as the name implies but emotion in general. It was about personal expression. Romanticist artists were fascinated by human nature, their passions, struggles and moods and researched about them.

Not only being an art movement, it was also interpreted in poetry and music. A couple of famous works of romanticism are The hunchback of Notre dame and les Miserables, both by the French writer Victor Hugo.

Example:

Image link :http://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads//2011/02/casper.jpg

Wanderer Above the sea of fog, by Caspar David Friedrich,1818
“Conveys both the infinite potential and possibilities of man “ With the man standing in a confident manner on a high point gives the feel that he is ready to take on the world.
This painting also has a sense of mystery due to the fog hiding what lies beyond. 


 Romanticism | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. Romanticism | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/roma/hd_roma.htm. [Accessed 03 March 2013].