Blogger, why won't you upload my videos. 

Here it is on YouTube instead:

CLICK ME

The Scissors Totally Got Me

http://vimeo.com/64686559

Baby Elephant!

Click For Cuteness

Baby Elephant plays Harmonica. 

Shoutout

Even though I did not use it for what it is meant for, held my camera in a position that I could not. 

Working on Idea

Not really sure how I thought of the little wooden mannequin but it gave me inspiration. 

So ever since I  got back surgery I kind of felt like this little mannequin, stuck with a rod up my ass (though mine in my back) and it limits you. You can't do everything you want weather it is just moving or dancing. So I was thinking of doing a stop motion short film of this guy wanting to dance but not really being able to because of being stuck but in the end he finds a way off the rod. 

I like this idea, but I want to hear you opinion about it. I'll talk to you on Tuesday about it!

Final Project

Been thinking a bit about my final project, I really want to do it off my fear or what I am most self-conscious about. Haven't completely decided yet. But at least I have ideas this time!

I am a robot. 

That's me as a robot, or at least how I view myself. 

I got metal in me!

Tick Tock Tick Tock

People always look at their watch or phone to see what time it is. We constantly let time be the cause of what we do and produce. But if we take away the idea of time, and do the cause at when it comes to us, then we are following Descartes way of thinking.

Time and cause are completely independent from one another, though we treat it dependently on each other. Technology has made it so we do what we want at a time, and not when it appears.

So for my video I made a human sundial showing one of the earliest forms of figuring out what time of day it was. I spent a total of 6 hours outside doing this, but the clouds starting to come in and cover up the sun so I stopped recording it.

Blogger Wouldn't Upload It

(Sorry for the floggy part of the video I must have touched the lens when I was switching batteries and didn't noticed until I had to switch them again...)

Descartes

Descartes believes he can persuade anyone who "attentively considers the nature of time." If I understand this correctly, it seems to be one thing for the parts of time itself to be independent, and another for the temporal stages of things that exist in time to be independent. He is trying to explain that time itself can be independent but so can the stages of things. They do not have to relate to one another. While people believe that we have to have a cause at a certain part of the day to produce an outcome. 

"The natural light does not establish that the concept of an efficient cause requires that is be prior in time to its effect. On the contrary, the concept of a cause is strictly speaking applicable only for so long as the cause is producing the effect, and so it is not prior to it. " (Descartes)

What he is trying to get across is that the natural light does not cause the person do it something, it is the cause that makes the person do it producing the effect. 

"Now I regard the divisions of time as being separable from each other, so the fact that I now exist does not imply that I shall continue to exist unless there is a cause which creates me afresh, as it were, at each moment of time."

Descartes is saying that he is exists but unless there is a cause he does not need to exist. This would create the moment of time. Not time creating the cause and the production.


This Helped Me!



Philosophy is hard...

Got Three Ideas...but Only One is Related to Technology...

Heeeeellllpppppp.


1) Get a bunch of old computers keyboards and wire. Then have the wire all connected to the computers/phones and then have the wires be in my mouth. This would represent our use of technology to talk and not be able to talk in person. I would set up somewhere on campus and just video tape people looking at me.

2) Drawing a massive mandala. I would get paper like 12 ft x 12 ft and set up and use my body to draw a mandala. Somewhere in public. Not sure how I would relate this to technology. Yes. That is right, I will be talking to you about this!

3) Last idea would be to set up a mini kitchen up in plant park, dress up as a 50s housewife, and make sandwiches. Just to see people's reaction to the view of women belong in the kitchen.

No Idea

I really have no idea what to do for this performing art piece.

I got no idea.

None.

I've been thinking about it all weekend still nothing.

Bauhaus Inspired Photocopier Work

"Designing is not a profession but an attitude. Design has many connotations. It is the organization of materials and processes in the most productive way, in a harmonious balance of all elements necessary for a certain function."  -  Laszlo Moholy-Nagy

Walt in Skittles Completed

Triumph of the Nerds

Just finished watching the documentary. Though they spend a lot of focus on Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, as they are the four most widely known individuals in the personal computer field. However, a great deal of time is also spent in explaining the role of others, which was great. I didn't know how many people were involved in the development of the computer. 
Though it sucks that the inventors of the spreadsheet did receive the amount of money they deserve, I'm glad to learn they are some what happy still. Don't think I would be able to look pass missing out on millions of dollars.
I love the fact (though I already knew it from reading books on Steve Jobs) that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have been  taking ideas from others and turning them into billion dollar products. While Gates keeps his intensity under wraps in public, not so with Steve Jobs. Towards the end of the video, he describes his feelings towards Microsoft. 

LOVED IT. 

Grow Valley

So while I am watching the rest of the Triumph of the Nerds, I decided to try out the game Grow Valley. I some how managed after five minutes to figure out the order. Yay for randomly clicking buttons! 

Second Second Life

I love the office so when we thought of second life all I kept thinking about was this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOv-3EhVdE8

Walter White in SKITTLES

BAM.

Flip Book

Dislike the pages of my book so flipping is not ideal. Oh well. Still came out pretty cool.

Want

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1351910088/3doodler-the-worlds-first-3d-printing-pen

The Boston Opera House

1920s

History

Collapse of the US economy; start of the Great Depression. Germany breaking treaty of Versailles. Dancing. Freedom. Letting Loose. Prohibition. 

Inventions

1920s - tommy gun, band-aid, robot, lie detector, insulin, the first 3D movie, traffic signal, television, self-winding watch, frozen food, loudspeaker, notebooks with spiral bindings, liquid-fueled rockets, PEZ candy, technicolor, aerosol can, penicillin, bubble gum, electric shaver, car radio, yo-yo

Art/Artists

Jazz Age, Runnin’ Wild, John Giola, Cake-Walk, Louis Daniel Armstrong, Joseph Oliver, The Hot Fives, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Ma Rainey

Opera House

The Boston Opera House started originally as the B F Keith Memorial Theatre. Designed with a combination of French and Italian styles. It was originally built as a lavish movie theater. The opening of the theater was October 29, 1928. Many famous theatrical luminaries attended such as, Raymond Hitchcock, Eddie Leonard, Fred Stone, and lots more. The first feature film was “Oh Kay!” Over the next year it continued its policy of vaudeville and feature films. But the next year, it dropped the choice of having films and just did two-a-day vaudeville shows. Six months later it dropped that idea and switched back to films full time. 

Reflection

Due to the prohibition, letting loose, and dancing, a movie theater was open to give people something more to enjoy. Thanks to the inventions of the television, film, and camera, the theater opening was a success. A 3D movie could be shown. Not to mention since shows were still popular, vaudeville performances made its was to Boston. Technologies able the theater to switch back and forth from the performances and the films. 

1930-1949

History

Hitler begins rearmament and in 1938, annexes Austria. Japan invades Manchuria, China, renames it Manchukuo, becoming a puppet state, the first of many moves on the part of imperialistic Japan, in establishing a formidable Asian empire. Germany invades Poland. Start of WWII, lasting 6 years. $2billion poured into the Manhattan Project, aimed at the development of the Atomic Bomb. Pearl Harbour attacks by Japan, killing over 2500 US servicemen. FDR declares the US' entrance into the War. The United States engages in intense fighting on both frontiers of the war, Europe and the Pacific. 1944, June 6- D-Day- Allied forces, Canada, Britain, US storm German controlled Normandy, subsequently heavily utilizing it their only port and entrance into greater Europe. France is liberated. Battle of the Bulge - in cold conditions, US forces battle toward resisting the German resistance along the heavy fortifications of the Rhine. General Eisenhower leaves Berlin for the then allied Soviets. Hitler's suicide results in the end of the European war. FDR, America's longest serving president, dies. The nuclear bomb is used twice over Japan. Japan surrenders, end of WWII. India granted independence from Great Britain. Partition creates muslim state of Pakistan. State of Israel created.

Inventions

1930s - scotch tape, neoprene, jet engine, stop-action photography, electron microscope, polaroid photography, parking meter, radio telescope, Monopoly, nylon, canned beer, radar, revolver, photocopier, LSD synthesized, helicopter

1940s - color television, jeep, first computer, spray cans, slinky, silly putty, kidney dialysis machine, hypertext, atomic bomb, microwave oven, holography, mobile phones, tupperware, frisbee, jukebox, cake mix

Art/Artists

 Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Benny Goodman, Ma Rainey

Opera House

By the 1930s, the Depression made the theater less popular until a month long event celebration. For the 52nd Anniversary of B F Keith they had vaudeville performances and a feature film “The Good Fairy.” 

Reflection

Due to the depression and war, people no longer were going to the theater. In order to get more people to attend they held a month long celebration. Influenced with jukebox, music was played in the lobby. With movies could be seen in color. With the inventions of planes and helicopter, celebrities were able to travel a bit more.

1950-1969

History

Soviets test nuclear and H bombs. Cold War creates capitalism and communism bipolar controlled world. Russian orbit first satellite 1957. Cuban missile crisis. JFK assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswalk in Texas. MLK and RFK assassinated. Height of the US feminist and Hippie movement. Vietnam, Watergate, Civil Rights movement. Neil Armstrong steps foot on moon 1969

Inventions

1950s - credit card, super glue, video tape recorder, bar code, diet soft drink, hydrogen bomb, black box, Texas Instruments, McDonalds, optic fiber, computer hard disk, Fortran (computer language), laser, Hula Hoop, pacemaker, Barbie Doll, microchip

1960s - valium, cassette, Spacewar, breast implants, video disk, acrylic paint, astroturf, handheld calculator, computer mouse, RAM, artificial heart, ATM, bar code scanner

Art/Artists

Pop Art, Andy Warhol, Roy Hamilton, Roy Liechtenstein, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Claes Oldenburg, Op Art, Bridget Riley, Heinz Mack Victor Vasarely

Opera House

The theater was now only showing films, but still remained a leading Boston movie showcase. B F Keith Memorial Theatre was purchased by the Sack Theatres in 1965. The Sack Theatres tried to refurbished the building in hopes of restoring the original beauty it once held. The owners named it Savoy Theatre.

Reflection

A new way to pay for the films was using credit cards. Now people found an easier way to buy things. Not to mention buying a diet soft drink versus a full calorie one, due to wanting to look thin because of breast implants and Barbie. Pop Art was used to make films posters to get people’s attentions. People were able to record the performance they saw with a video tape recorder. Movies based on the moon landed started to crop up. 

1970-1999

History

Iranian hostage crisis. Fall of berlin wall. Women’s rights. 

Inventions

1970s - floppy disk, food processor, LCD, VCR, word processor, Pong, gene splicing, ethernet, post-it notes, laser printer, cell phones, Walkman, roller blades

1980s - hepatitis-B vaccine, IBM-PC, CD-ROM, Apple, Windows, synthetic skin, disposable camera, disposable contact lens, RU-486 (abortion pill), Prozac, high-definition television

1990s - HTTP, HTML, digital answering machine, smart pill, HIV protease, Java, DVD, Web TV, fuel cell

Art/Artists

Stevie Wonder, The Sex Pistols, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Yoko Ono, Gilbert and George, Michael Craig-Martin, Appropriation, Gretchen Bender, Neo-Expressionism, George Baselitz, Graffiti, Harold Naegeli, Neo-Pop, Jeff Koons, Brett Whiteley, Keith Haring, Bernard Buffet

Opera House

With the restoring continuing in the theater, the arch was bricked up and a second auditorium was installed. It was not until 1978 that is was bought out by the Opera Company of Boston. With the full ownership, the renamed the Savoy Theatre to the Boston Opera House, which is its name still today. Now with a new owner who is a renowned opera impresario, the theater was back in showing stagings of operas of the modern day. This was all thanks to the direction of Sarah Caldwell. Due to all the costs, taxes, and bills, everything went unpaid. The Company had to close in 1991.

Reflection

With war continuing, VCRs, computers, and television all available at home, people were not going to the theater as much. In the hopes that theater would make a come back in Boston. Though they were able to get famous people of the time in the opera, the bills pilled up too much. Due to opera not being as popular, the company closed down.

A Wedding Tour of the Opera House: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81Ovbr95_Nw

2000-2013

History

9/11 attacks. Afghan war- fall of Taliban, 2003- Iraq war. Rise of p2p sharing, fall of music industry. MJ's death. 2008 election- Barack Obama becomes first black US president. South asia tsunami, kills over 200 000. Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Red Sox win the world series

Inventions

2000s - Artificial liver, self-cleaning windows, iPod, braille glove, phone tooth, nano-text, birth control, date rape drug spotter, solar tower, virtual keyboard, optical camouflage system, hybrid car, ice bike, infrared fever screening system, LitraCon, YouTube, high altitude flying windmills, bionic contacts, retinal implant for the blind, 

Opera House

Restoration. In 2002, Clear Channel was able to get the building permits. They were determined to renovate and restore the Boston Opera House. With the restoration occurring, some demolition happened. Including the old stage house, and dressing rooms. Though replaced with the newest features. With this is mind, everything else, such as the proscenium wall, the design, and painting, were all restored to what they would have been historically. Replicas of the carpet, seating, and wall panels all went up. Gold leaf finishes, marble, paintings, and a grand staircase to finish the restoration. Now there is 2,677 seats instead of 2,900 so the seating is more comfortable. On July 16, 2004 the Opera House reopened with a 6-month run of The Lion King.

Reflection

New technologies: wireless mics, iPod, nano-text, contacts, instruments, lighting. All of these new things as lead to the restoration of the opera house. With the knowledge of how it was built the renovation can continue to make it look like it did in the 20s.  With the new rebuilt stage house, the bigger and more impressive sets can be moved around more easily. Not to mention the shows they are bringing into the Opera House have to do with what is popular in Broadway and what people are enjoying.

What is at the Opera House now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDuqs48I47Q

Tesla Comic

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla

One Man Les Miserables

Since we are focusing and learning about operas and voice, I happened to stumble on this video. It reminded me of the one man band doing the coldplay song. This man, Nick, does some by using his instrument by doing not only male songs, but females as well. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9IWAxSpgKA

"The White Peacock"

Inspired by Loie Fuller. This is a breath taking preformance. The use of the mirrors and light create a lovely environment. Loved it!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGzert8kEAQ

Fan Dance

Found this video of someone teaching the old techniques of Fan Dancing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNdTYTBswcE


Short and too the point.

Flexible Paper Sculptures

Pure White Amazingness more like it. That is incredible. It reminds me of a slinky. I can't image how long it took to glue each piece together. The form of the piece can change depending on how you move the pieces around to create new forms.

Great video.

Creation of Andre Chenier

This was a great piece. It is incredible with today's technology can do. The way Andre using a laser 3D model. To get the concept that he was inspired by. Also the idea of having 18th century costumes with a modern twist. The enormous wigs that had to be water resistant and light enough for the actors is another part of the fabulousness of the piece. It is evident the director thought a lot about the mise en scene. The stage and place is a character in the opera.

The Birth and Life of Opera

Opera was meant to infuse music and universal ideas into one place. It all began in Florence with a group of people known as the Camerata. Camerata wanted a new type of musical drama. An ultimate opera - "Dafne" the first attempt.

The first good opera was "L'Orfeo." The opera was about love, God, and the after life. Inspired by church music. Monteverdi wanted to move music quickly. He wanted the whole piece sung because usually singers are better singing than spoken. "L'Orefeo" created the passionate and dramatic birth of opera.

Opera in Florence than became popular in Venice. In short time there were 19 operas in Italy. Just like movies today, some operas had to do with what was accruing in history.

Universal compassion for all classes were used for rescue operas. After the first night of "La Muette de Portici" people were so inspired by the opera they marched up to their oppressors and confronted them. Opera has inspired countries to come together and create a national identity through it.

Les Mis or Phantom of the Opera can be found anywhere now and has created a gold mine. The opera is the parent of the musical and can be found side by side. The Grand Theater in Shanghai is incredible! From the shape of the building to its ability to hold 1800 people.

Every country needs to act out their rituals with some type of music. One of those ways is through the opera.

Mike Tompkins

What an incredible voice.

But that isn't the incredible part. How Mike put together all the elements into one video effortless is amazing. He had to think out and plan all the little music pieces and record himself doing simple "ohhs" to clapping to actually singing. Then once he all those pieces together to went even further.

He made a video showing himself doing all the little noises and elements to the song. There was so much thought and technology that behind this.

The best part is at the end when he shows how he did some of the noises to show people how he thought of all these things.

A High-Tech 'Das Rheingold'

This video was by far incredible. The integrate set that weighed 90,000 was just unbelievable. I could not believe that they were able to set up something like that on a stage. The costumes for the 'Das Rheingold' is absolutely amazing - all the detail and colors is just gorgeous. My favorite piece they showed was the bone dragon with it's scale and look it is obvious how much effort went into that not to mention everything else. Lastly the lighting of the performance looked incredible, what I believe is the hardest point, they nailed it.

Pjotr Sapegin's Madama Butterfly

What an odd piece. The combination of using a clay character and the typical "Ken" barbie doll was quite an unique contrast. It is a very deep story. First the meeting of the male and female, then the romance between the too. The love and romance is at the highest here, but then the male leaves (typical) and the female is left alone. She goes through the awful heartship and has to have a child on her own. Then time later, the male comes back takes the child and leaves with another woman. Which kind of reminded me of Brad and Angelia.

The animation was quite good, having to deal with a bit of the claymation and regular animation. Overall I didn't really care for it...

Opera

The other day in class we learned a lot of operas. It made me think of the Opera House that I went to in Naples, Italy.

But when I thought of operas I thought of something that was long and boring. But with the description of it being like today's modern day concerts it is much easier to picture why everyone wanted to go to this. 

I never knew the operas sought out were the Castrati. I can't believe they used to put boys in that situation when they are younger. But after listening to them it is no wonder why they were so sought after being the voice of "angles." 

It was very interesting to learn how incredible and jaw dropping these performances were. Not to mention how their influence has effected how we do things today with modern day musicals. 

Baroque Fireworks in Dubai

These fireworks were absolutely incredible. The music they played in the background really added to the display. It was a bit awkward when they stopped the music for a bit. The music is not overpowering because you can still hear all the fireworks going off which makes you feel like you are actually there. The different types of fireworks keeps your attention throughout the whole thing.

It is obvious that the people there are engulfed by the show and are completely quiet though the whole piece until it ends where they all applaud.

Jonty Hurwitz

The first class we got to look at quite a few amazing artists. The one that stuck out the most to me is Jonty Hurwitz and his sculptures.

The process of how he creates the frog is very creative. How he started by seeing it in the reflection. Then putting it in the computer and then using new technology sending the information out and it creates a 3D model.

What stuck out the most about the sculpture is that unless you have something to reflect the sculpture, you might not be able to figure out what it actually is. I enjoy that all his pieces need another media to see the outcome of his piece.

About Me

I'm a Junior right now studying digital arts with a concentration in 3D animation. Modeling is my favorite thing to do in Maya. I just got back from studying abroad in New Zealand for a semester.

As of right now I am taking this course as a requirement. Hopefully I get out more than just a passing grade!