honoria in ciberspazio

WEST studio tour readiness report

2012-05-17T14:46:55Z

I'm getting very excited about set-up tomorrow with Marty, Loren and Bret and the actual tour on the weekend.
I got the Square credit card reader and the account so we can take cards at the event for sales.
Yay! Just tested the Square and it paid into my Square account quickly and neatly and sent a receipt too.

I'm Bretifying some fish and life drawing copies that I made yesterday. I have a book full of copies of the zen brush drawings so I can take orders for chine-colle prints. I took the best chine colle fish print to Jerry's and the fish may be framed for the show and the two other artist proofs may be matted and ready to sell.

I have grommets, rope, and setter to make the canvas wall.
Knut set up the big interior wall for hanging the poppies with fishing line and arthooks.
Bret and I mounted a number of works on black foam core and have been making a spreadsheet with names and dimensions and We hope to get advice on prices to add the prices to each piece in the pricelist.
I'm mounting zen circles on wabi sabi paper.
We think Knut will be a great price master but suggestions welcome.
The weather looks promising...
I found the missing sketchbooks.

Next steps
Artist statement and signage.
Canvas Wall
Poppy Wall
Print rack cleared and reloaded.
Guest book. I have tons of book options to use for guest book.
Move a lot of junk.
Sketchbook final selection.
Finish pricelist
Finish mounting and labels
Determing swordpainting activity or display

Spin offs:
Flyer for private swordpainting lessons?
Marty is going to help set up a social media strategy:-)

Need to buy:
More mosquito deterrent for front yard.

When:
I will start working in the house around 10 a.m. and keep going.

Onward through the art...

Student comment

2012-05-17T01:36:39Z

Student comment:

This is my favorite class so far. Very easy to learn from you. The teaching style is very unique and effective. My blog is turning out better than I originally expected, & really keeps my motivation up to continue perfecting it. Thanks.

Mother's Day 2012

2012-05-13T17:16:18Z

Lucas Starbuck and Mom with lovely Mother's Day roses in a previous gift of pottery from ClayWays.
What a good way to start this Mother's Day.

WEST Austin Studio Tour next weekend

2012-05-12T22:20:12Z

WEST Austin Studio Tour is next week.
I hope you all can drop by to see what I've been painting and drawing and printing.

While in the neighborhood you might want to check out other artists.

I highly recommend my friend Kit's pottery studio, ClayWays on Burnet.

Here's the map:

http://www.westaustinstudiotour.com/

I'm number 141 in the list.

Hope to see you there.

Design Fundamentals Shape Activity

2012-05-11T16:02:05Z

Student Work Design Fundamentals Shape Topics Illustrations. Spring 2012. Honoria Starbuck, Instructor

Learning Activity:
Students used color paper and oil pastels and markers to illustrate all the vocabulary words in the chapter on shape. Each student picked what topic from the chapter on Shape to illustrate. After they illustrated the vocabulary they lined up the illustrations. Students took markers and tried to guess what term from the chapter each illustrations emphasized and wrote the term above the illustration. Students noted that often some concepts were evident in the same illustration. In addition they used vocabulary from the principles of design from the first half of the term when discussion the element of shape.

Teaching Reflections:
As students tried to illustrate the topic they has access to the illustrations in the book and recent memories of looking up examples to illustrate shape and line in contemporary magazines and web searches in the library. Naming the illustrations created opportunities for students to discuss the options amongst themselves as they debated what terms went with what illustrations. I've found this is a low barrier to entry discussion activity. Students engage in discussions with sincerity while trying to determine the nuances in meanings of terms for visual representation. My big take-away is that this hands-on activity is especially effective for students who are happier with visual information and working with materials over working with words.

Observational Drawing Skeleton Day

2012-05-11T15:29:59Z

Students in Observational Drawing apply the 5 perceptual skills to drawing the human form and skeleton.

Learning Task:
Students have been working with light logic since week 3 starting with lemons and working on more complex still lives such as our toy shark. In week 6 the challenge is to apply the 5 perceptual skills (Edges, Light and Dark, Relationships, Positive and Negative Shapes, and Gestalt to drawing the human form. Students posed for each other for shorter poses then posed the classroom skeleton for the final extended drawing.

Teaching Reflections:
This small class has really bonded into a serious learning community who will gladly express their thoughts and ask questions without hesitation. In my supportive role I suggest new tools and techniques to try in a just in time way based on watching students as they draw. In this way I can nudge students to save effective parts of the drawings that seem unfinished to their evolving sense of composition. Students generally want to cover the whole surface with details. I help them to see the value between sketched or smudged value areas of the composition in relation to specific detailed areas and to use details strategically to create a focal point in the composition. Overall the 5 perceptual skills along with chiaroscuro lighting are great building blocks for teaching Observational Drawing.

Observational Drawing Shark Week

2012-05-10T02:22:51Z

The students in this class have become spontaneous painters. They are getting some uniquely dynamic visual stories while gaining the competencies.

Zen Habits

2012-05-07T01:20:29Z

‘We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.’
~Lloyd Alexander

WEST Studio Tour first meeting

2012-05-02T13:53:17Z

I'm getting ready for a studio tour. Yesterday my arty niece and nephew on the Mullins side of my extended fam came and REALLY helped me figure out what to include in the show and how to show it. They want to come back and help me hang the show too. I'm so grateful. Now I have to work on some details to get ready for the next stage.

Thank you thank you thank you Marty and Loren!!!

School is going full blast and is tiring but rewarding. A boy hugged me yesterday because I recognized how smart he was and held him up in class as the high bar in critical thinking for the day.

I'm sure no one has praised his critical thinking in public before. First gen to college, ghetto, military, and creatives in non-creative households in our student population have hidden visual and articulate abilities in their natural world. When they come to our academic setting you really have to tune your radar to find them and encourage them to excel. I'm getting better and culling the lazy ones from the ones who are just pretending to be dumb because it's part of their school persona.

Creativity has the power to change people's lives. Lots of these folks have not been in a creative environment before or had someone validate their visual thinking and right brain visions.

I love my job.

Happy hour

2012-04-29T02:57:05Z

Found sky again
Flying
Clouds

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPad.

Shark Week in Observational Drawing

2012-04-27T05:33:12Z

Tonight the students used a toy shark and a manikin to build a still life putting the manikin in the shark's mouth. After the timed drawing a student asked me how to create foam. So I demoed a finger painting technique with white gouache and a dry techniques with pastel and we looked at some shark attack paintings from art history. The students then synthesized all that information and started their own splatter painting and wet towel daubing techniques to add foam to the still life drawings.

Drawing by Christian

Drawing by Nemesis

Teaching Reflections:
Over the years student have systematically made dynamic compositions using a toy shark that one of our figure models gave to us. Thank you Dennis!!! This simple toy works great as a still life subject as the light hits the smooth surface and provides a surface for strong visible light logic. The shark is much more stimulating to draw than traditional still life subjects and I will be on the lookout for more simple and provocative objects. However, my advice to art teachers who want student to draw with narrative energy and learn light logic at the same time is to go out and buy a plastic shark. This shark is about 16 inches long.

UT Austin School of Architecture Exhibiton: Blood and Swallow

2012-04-24T23:14:56Z

"Moving Images" by John Blood. John Blood teaches at The University of Texas at Austin and practices professionally as an architect with Danze and Blood Architects and as a set designer, illustrator and storyboard artist for film and television.

"1,000+ Art/Architecture Maquettes Produced by the Cut N' Fold Manipulation Process from Junk Mail and Packaging, 2011-2012" by Richard Swallow

Teaching Reflections:

This is a very inspiring show. The combination of the work of these two creative instructors must be a great inspiration to their students. We just walked in off the street and were inspired. I showed my photos of the show to my animation and design students and invited to join me on Friday morning to see the show and get extra credit.

I want to bring in some junk mail when we do the chapter on shape and see if students can be inspired by this show to create a smaller version of the installation.

Naked Lunch April 2012

2012-04-14T22:35:35Z

Another zenbrush session of Naked Lunch.
Two of my students came and enjoyed the casual learning environment and the variety of poses by the great model, Nicole.

Zen brush drawings by Honoria Starbuck from Naked Lunch April 2012, Austin, TX

ACTLab Conference Austin 2012

2012-04-14T15:29:36Z

Lichty haiku

Data abattoir
bonded into the user's flesh
ProtoGoogleplex

The Actlab conference was amazing day of smart talk and futuristic visions. It was magical being back in the ACTlab that has not been changed at all since we left except a new soundboard.

12:00pm - Drs Stone/Lopez: Brunch and Opening Remarks
1:00pm - Hill: Disembodied Choreography: Examining Physicality-based Interaction
1:30pm - Patrick Lichty: Desktop, Laptop, Palmtop, Abattoir: The Embrace of Machinic Slavery
2:00pm - Barton: Designing a Performance Praxis for Acoustic Xenharmonic Music
2:30pm - Break
3:00pm - Weil: Reimagining Retro: Hacking, Allohistory, and Feminine Aesthetic in 8-Bit Video Games
3:30pm - Lichty:Hilarity and Humiliation: Social Video and The Pornography of Suffering
4:00pm - Beira: Mediated liveness: The expanded live interface design in media based performance
4:30pm - Dixon: The Anxiety of the Digital Archive: A Personal Essay
5:00pm - Hemingson: Ambisonics in an Earbud Era
5:30 pm - Closing remarks by Sandy and Joey
6:00pm - Post-conference drinks at the Hole In The Wall

WEST Studio Tour

2012-04-12T14:03:43Z

Supplies/Sources

http://foamcore.com/black--foam-board-3-16-inch-black-on-black-foam-board---25-packs.html

http://foamcore.com/plasticor-corrugated-board.html

Need Bags (Jerry's)
Signs
Pricelist

Painting sizes:
16x20
18x24
22x30

Should I print the zen brushes on good paper?
Should I make poster sized zen brush drawings?
Transparencies over silk over japanese gridded papers? Hi Tech Chine-collé ?
The idea of zen brush and chine-colle is taking over my brain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnF1WpxMsBs

Today's Gesture Dynamics

2012-04-12T01:03:51Z

Today’s gesture life drawing class revealed many exciting stories told in diverse tools and techniques. A big thank you to model Dennis. Drawing by Jeremy, Media Arts and Animation student.

Drawing by Chris P., Media Arts and Animation student.

Graphite and Pastel drawing by Kirsten. Media Arts and Animation student.

In one drawing sequence the model posed with a sheer curtain panel lit from the side and from below. The sheer white fabric can be turned into mist, smoke, or planes as the light hits the folds with the model inside.

Teaching Reflection:
As students really look at the success of their fellow students the confidence and sense of experiment builds. In the beginning of class students noted that homework exhibit figures with background values told stronger visual stories than the figures on plane white sheets of paper. One drawing had a rubbed red pastel background, another had simple architectural shapes in shades of gray, and another had a textured background. We discussed how the backgrounds gave depth to the drawing, how the color enhanced the emotion of the gesture, and how the textured background added to the sense of movement. These beginning close observations of the success of students in the homework started a wave of experimenting with the overall composition from a learning community of inspired students.

Design Fundamentals Student Blogs Spring 2012

2012-04-11T12:14:03Z

Design Fundamentals students are creating a textbook as the project. This textbook is made up of images the students find to illustrate the key terms and concepts related to the Principles and Elements of design. Students have the option of creating a paper textbook (sketchbook, scrapbook with illustrations pasted in), a series of PPTs that they show the class, or create a blog. The project is starting to gain momentum.

Monday Class Blogs

btuber-idesign.blogspot.com

adesignedjourney.blogspot.com

http://brian-e-scheid-axbh.tumblr.com/

sodapop83.tumblr.com

bensbookdesign.blogspot.com

achapman30.blogspot.com

Thursday Class blogs

viciousvicio.tumblr.com

katyfordesign.tumblr.com

elparcerito.tumblr.com/

raggzchik.webs.com

thatguy969.tumblr.com/

lunaticconcepts.tumblr.com

Teaching reflection:
The Build-it-Yourself textbook project is taking off in both classes. When students feel the respect I have and other students have for their choices of illustrations confidence rises. When students see the principles and elements of design contained in the works they select the information is grounded and contextualized in a way that they remember and appreciate. The social learning is an important component when students look at and analyze illustrations found by other students.

Chine-collé me

2012-04-11T00:01:36Z

Chine-collé is a printmaking techinique in which the image is transferred to a surface that is bonded to a heavier support in the printing process. One purpose is to allow the printmaker to print on a much more delicate surface, such as Japanese paper which pulls finer details off the plate.
Yes, indeed.
Today I worked with master printer Katherine Brimberry at Flatbed Press to pull a test run of a zenbrush iPad drawing of the Deckhands Oysterbar goldfish.

As I reflect on the process and product I am enjoying the contrasts of the image to the printing technique. Using the older print technology with the digital image creates a contrast in time and techniques embedded in the artwork. The contrast in time is between the older pre-digital era with the hundreds of year old printing technique with a big heavy press, blankets and oil based ink and the quick-stroked digital creation of the drawing. The endless multiplication of the image as it is posted on Picasa and facebook can be contrasted to the individually-crafted printing in the Chine-collé pull of individual prints with different papers as backing. In addition, the Japanese papers with the natural fibers each have different unique textures. The rubbing of the ink into the plate has a rhythm to it that reflects back to the rhythm of the strokes in the drawing when it was done on the iPad. Overall, I think the Chine-collé process is for me. It makes a very rich and interesting print that combines 2 papers on each print. I like that you can vary the Asian paper layer and I want to experiment with a number of different papers based on the content of the image. My next step is to take one of the classes.

Most fun professional development EVER!

it fits

2012-04-10T16:04:18Z

My Yves St. Laurent black linen dress fits again.
AMAZING what tai chi can do.

The great citation race

2012-04-07T22:04:32Z

Can making citations for web images be fun?
A race?
We'll see... http://www.slideshare.net/honoria/create-a-citation-race

Zipping right along

2012-04-06T14:45:07Z

What a fast-paced week compared to the previous week.
Ocean replaced with students.
Kay missed.

I did some scraped paintings inspired by Richter.
Covered failed painting scraps in gray gesso then scraped away zen circles and organic shapes to reveal bright colors beneath.
Post card sized and fun.
All I can fit into this new semester week one.
I love my students. I have a student from South America named Nemisis.

Next Tuesday have a date to do a fine art print from my zen brushed, finger painted fishie.

How to have a stealth wedding

2012-04-04T04:01:49Z

Our idea to have a secret wedding evolved naturally.
We have a history in the family of big weddings but we wanted a small wedding.
A small wedding will hurt feelings. But what about a secret wedding?
We came up with the idea of a stealth wedding.
Only key parties will know...the Ring Bearer, in this case my son, Lucas; the officiant, Phil, and a family friend photographer.
The action takes place unannounced at a location known only to the bride and groom and the above 3 persons.
The selected uninformed family accompanies the bride and groom to the location not knowing that there will be a wedding at that location.
-- Boom --
-- Wedding --
5 minutes in a garden with minimum fuss.
A moment of confusion - Is this real?
2 rings exchanged
a few tears of joy
exit
rest of life
happily ever after

reception to follow at leisure...

Knut and Honoria Vows:

Thank you for being who you are to me.
Your lasting friendship is a precious gift.
Today, I take you to be my life's partner.
My commitment is strong and without reservation.
I love you and am honored to become your wife/husband.

Honeymoon

2012-04-01T16:00:28Z

We had the best honeymoon.
We went to Portland and stayed at Kay's house.
Kay's paintings are all over the house making it a magic place and the center of it all is my friend Kay.
I can't write about Kay, she just IS (in capital letters) but you can see the paintings from her Feb 2011 show and read more about her here.

http://karledwards.com/blog/an-undiscovered-genius-seriously/

We went to see The Tale of the Crippled Boy, an installation and animation by John Frame at the Huntington.
This was my first introduction to this amazing project that I will show my students. The idea started with a dream and engaged years of the artist's life to realize.

http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary_02.aspx?id=8690
http://johnframesculpture.com/
http://vimeo.com/20221636

We went to the coast too and enjoyed the seagull squawky-blustery-breezy-wavepounded beaches.

Design Fundamentals 10-year reflection activity

2012-03-18T23:53:13Z

Objective: To synthesize the topics covered in the course and be able to write about the ones that will have lasting professional value.
Materials: Pen or pencil and paper with the following cue.
Instructions:
Set up a scenario for the students by telling them "You have been a professional in your career for 10 years. A student comes to you to interview you as a professional. The student asks you: When you look back at ART106 what concepts that you studied are most important in your career today?"

Write 1 paragraph.
10 minutes

After the timed writing ask students to tell each other the highlights from the perspective of their future selves.

Here are some student answers to that challenge

The most important thing in class was vocabulary as a professional if you want to be taken seriously you need to sound like you know what you're talking about. And using the design terms you not only sounds smart but you learn more. Even if you just learn the terms in class you will get so much out of it.

I learned to see. Before this class my perception was nearly black and white never had thought of unity, harmony, or pattern. I learned perception, how to see what’s in a composition such as lines and light. I would take away that if one wants to be a designer they must abandon the black and white idea of thinking and understand that art happens in many gray areas as well as in colorful extensions of ideas.

As a student in design fundamentals you find shape and form, lines and gesture. I learned that lost and found lines can be really important I really never understood this until now. For instance, contrast of scale was fun you got to put an image next to another and play with contrast in sizes. Achieving unity is called for anyways. I never did like It was fun to learn asymmetrical balance, balance by position, and using direction for shapes in a logo. What a great class, Design Fundamentals.

The most important thing I learned was vocabulary and understanding the meaning. You can always just throw something together and call it art, but if you don't understand the relationships between color palettes texture or any other element how are you to explain to others the way you see? People may not see that your art has much value to it but when you explain it and tell what you did or had to do along with concepts and principles you had to follow the meaning behind it will be better understood.

I learned to look at the world through a new set of eyes. I learned how to prioritize the way I do things such as the design process. I found out that the process doesn't have to go in any particular order. Your process as an individual is different. Some people think first, or see the vision first, some people will throw it together and work from there. We see these fundamentals every day and we don't even realize it. Our world is made up of all kinds of lines and shapes in many different sizes proportion's textures and patterns. Some items create more emphasis while others create balance or color, or move in all directions. What did I learn? I learned to see the world creatively.

Creative thinking is a gift. We often as creative thinkers can be distracted by our thoughts and ideas. We create new and interesting ideas. We have to take those ideas and harness them into the basic principles of design. We have to scale saying so that people relate, put it into proportion to the needs of our client, and have balance within the project, whether that be in our time or in our art we have to create a rhythm that people will respond to, emphasize the client's goals, and create harmony. We do so that others will listen and follow. I learned how to elaborate on the topic of discussion and I learned how to use fundamental design concepts to get my point across to the customer in a detailed professional manner that is understandable to the client.

The most important thing is knowing your vocabulary. When you know your vocabulary you are able to analyze and critique a piece better. My teacher Dr. Starbuck always stressed the importance of knowing your design principles and elements. When you are able to use those terms correctly and actually know what you're talking about you look more professional and knowledgeable. Then you're able to get a job that's pays big bucks. So definitely learn your words and vocabulary and never be afraid to ask questions and to contribute to the conversation. Also it's important to know your design process.

Understand how to identify and use the principles and elements of design. Discuss what elements were used in a picture such as balanced texture lines and how they created a feeling in the pictures. Use creative thinking, not only drawing, but also when objects building with your hands. The key to understanding structure form and shape. Use your right and your left brain in design. Be able to balance your design. To create a well-balanced piece of work is what I feel is one of the most important things I learned to design fundamentals class.

Design fundamentals actually taught me a lot more than what I thought I needed to know. Having your own T-shirt company can be hard you need to know balance in unity with everything not just design. Being able to properly use value and colors and contrast helps a lot. You need to make sure that you can use concepts and more to create harmony in your designs so people will like them and want to buy them. You may think that coming up with the design or logo for shirts is easy, so did I at first. It's not that simple. You have to spend time and energy on every design you make and make sure to follow some basic rules of design fundamentals.

One of the most important concepts that I learned with principles and elements of design and how Dr. Starbuck was constantly on our ass about using this vocabulary words so that we can at least sound like we know what we are doing. Talking like a pro will eventually lead you to being a pro.

Zen Circle Series

2012-03-15T05:24:28Z

I am painting zen circles in layers and sometimes adding goldfish. Here is a series of unfinished works. Getting layers of burnishing and goldfish.

https://picasaweb.google.com/104822847331190635702/ZenCircles#slideshow/5719988442611947906