Computer GraphicsMusic Appreciation Intro to Humanities Home

The Syllabus for this class is available here.





Deadlines

Book Artitst presentation Tree of Influence Museum Visit
November 4 In class 18-Nov 9-Nov 30-Nov

 

What we did in class on 10-5-09:

List ten things that you listen to music while doing.
List what kind(s) of music you listen to for each item above.
List at least 3 kinds of music that you don’t think you’d ever intentionally listen to.
We Discussed the 5 Elements of music:

  1. Timbre – Tone Quality
  2. Tonality – Collection of Sounds
  3. Pulse – Rhythmic Foundation
  4. Density – Amount of Activity
  5. Implication – Meaning

For Homework listen to the videos below:

Ingrid Jensen - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

I'm not sure what the name of this song is.

What do you think is the meaning of this song?

Ingrid Jensen plays Trumpet and Flugelhorn, which looks like a weird trumpet. What do you think she is trying to say with her playing?

 

It's Alright With Me

The Soloists in this video are: J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding - Trombone, Tommy Flanagan - Piano.

What do you think each musician is saying (what is the implication) during his solo?

Clarice Assad - Rumos Musica

What do you think is the meaning of this song?

Drawing Part 1

Week of 9-14-09

Drawing Elements:

  1. Dot
  2. Line
  3. Value: lights and darks
  4. Color
  5. Contour: outline
  6. Shape: large and small

Design Elements:

  1. Dynamics
  2. Composition
  3. Rhythm
  4. Repetition

Drawing Styles (try to fill the page with each style below):

  1. Gesture Drawings: quick drawings that attempt to capture the main shape or movement of the scene (15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, etc)
  2. Contour Drawings: outline or silhouette of the entire drawing, similar to a large shape that outlines all of the elements including the surface
  3. Box Drawings: draw a box that can fit the entire scene inside of it without being form fitting
  4. Complete Drawings: starting with a gesture drawing, then gradually adding more detail until finished. Get up and step back from the work often and look at it from a distance.

Homework due Wednesday, 9-16-09

Complete each of the following on plain paper at least 8 1/2" x 11". Each number below is a different group of drawings. For step 4 start with a fresh gesture drawing and gradually add detail. Allot about an hour for completing the following:

  1. Create a scene
    • Minimum of 5 different elements (shapes, sizes, etc.) on a surface (table, etc.)
  2. 4 Gesture Drawings
    • (maximum 60 seconds each)
  3. 2 Contour Drawings
    • (take a couple minutes on each)
  4. 2 Box Drawings
    • (take a couple minutes on each)
  5. 1 Complete Drawing
    • (this should take at least 20 minutes. Remember to take breaks and step back to look at how your work compares to the scene.)
Bring to class Wednesday, 9-16-09.

Imagery:

Words and phrases that stimulate the mind's ability to imagine sensory responses

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

Sympathy

    I KNOW what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals —
I know what the caged bird feels!

    I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting —
I know why he beats his wing!

    I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!

Sympathy and The American Dream

Part 1

After reading Sympathy by Paul Lawrence Dunbar answer the following questions: 

  1. What is the piece about? (1/2 page single-spaced)
    1. Stanza 1:
      1. What is the setting in lines 2-6 of the first stanza?
    2. Stanza 2:
      1. What is the mood in the second stanza?
      2. Why does the caged bird beat his wing even though he knows he is in a cage?
    3. Stanza 3:
      1. Why does the caged bird sing?
      2. What is the song about?

Part 2

The American Dream

  1. What is the American Dream?
  2. What is America’s obligations to non-Americans?
  3. What is freedom?
  4. When is freedom a bad thing?

Homework for the week of 8-30 through 9-9:

Complete the following in a single word document.

  1. Create a new stream of consciousness for at least 15 minutes
  2. Create a story based on this stream of consciousness
  3. Create a poem or lyric based on the story
  4. Create a haiku based on the poem or lyric

Refer to Chapter 7 in the text book for information on poems, etc. Remember that a stream of consciousness is continuous writing over a length of time without stopping to edit. Do not edit the stream of consciousness. But you can change the content as you complete steps 2-4 above.

Monday, 8-31-09 In-class we:

  1. Use imagery to briefly describe:
    1. a drop of water falling from a finger tip to a table top
    2. sunlight suddenly blasting in a completely dark room
    3. sunlight again from no. 2. This time without using the word "light" or "sun". Tap deeper into words that stimulate the mind's ability to imagine the sensory responses

Take ten minutes to create a short story based on your stream of consciousness.

Take an additional ten minutes to create a poem based on the story.

Topics we will discuss in class include:

Five Universal Fundamentals of Music:

  1. Timbre - Tone Quality; Each instrument will sound different from the next. Just as every player will sound different from the next.
  2. Tonality - A collection of tones, or sounds; A key signature
  3. Pulse - Rhythmic texture; Beat
  4. Density - Amount of activity; Concentration of sound; Balance of sound and silence; Balance of space and movement
  5. Implication - Meaning; Purpose

Chapters we will study:

  1. Part I Fundamentals
    • 1 The Humanities: An Introduction
    • 2 What Is a Work of Art?
  2. Part II The Arts
    • 4 Painting
    • 5 Sculpture
    • 6 Architecture
    • 7 Literature
    • 9 Music
    • 11 Film
    • 13 Photography
  3. Part III Interrelationships
    • 14 The Interrelationships of the Arts
    • 15 Is It Art or Something Like It?

Home work assignments:

Tree of Influence

Select an artist of your choosing. Create a visual diagram displaying the artists and events that helped shape his/her work. Include at least 30 influences

Choose from the following:

Include a Works Cited page.

Group Projects

Discovering Our Artists - 10 percent:

  1. There will be one Group Power Point Presentation during the term:
    • An older/retired artist from southwest Ohio
    • A current/newer artist from southwest Ohio
  2. Power Point Slide Show Component
    • Introduce the artist
    • Region(s) where artist performed
    • Time period/current events of the time period
    • Genre
    • Artist’s influences
    • Artist’s impact on the world
  3. Power Point Component:
    • 20 slides
    • Brief
  4. Students must be able to present without reliance on the screen
  5. Points will be deducted for pour communication with audience, e.g. lack of eye contact
  6. Each member of the group must be equally involved in presenting
  7. Each group must present an outline of their presentation prior to presenting:
    • One page
    • Name of group members
    • Name of the artist(s)
    • Each member's contribution
    • Bullet-point list synopsis of presentation
  8. Time will be periodically allotted in class for working in groups
  9. Include a Works Cited page

Due Wednesday, 9-23 in class: Name of each group's artist.

Making a Band - 10 percent:

  1. Groups will create musical instruments perform in front of the class
    • Create musical instruments from found/recycled materials 
    • Create a notational system that works for all of the instruments in the group
    • Create, and notate, a piece of music for your group
    • Present your band to the class
    • All Instruments Must Work As Intended To Create Music

Create a Small Book

  1. Choose a genre or combination of genres: Short Stories, Poetry, Fiction, Biography, Narrative, Graphic Novel, etc.
  2. Create a book that is at least 20 pages of original materials
  3. Include:
    • Photography/Illustrations
    • Text
    • Front and Back covers
    • Share with the class

Due Wednesday, 9-23: Outline in class:

Narrative of a Museum Visit - 5 percent:

  1. Visit a Museum. Write a narration of your visit. Tell us:
  2. Where you went
  3. What you saw
  4. Which pieces did you find most interesting. Why?
  5. Which pieces did you like and dislike. Why?
  6. Why you chose this location
  7. How were you influenced by this visit
  8. Share your experiences with the class
  9. Bring the receipt from your visit

Reports must be typed, single-spaced, and a minimum of 2 pages

Film Reviews - 5 percent each (Total 10 percent)

Audio/Visual Resources:

Vicki Hartzell Video File

Lisa Nickson video 1

Lisa Nickson video 2

Kayla and Kate 1

Kayla and Kate 2

Kayla and Kate 3

Kayla and Kate 4

Kayla and Kate 5

Kayla and Kate 6

Kayla and Kate 7

Kayla and Kate 8

Kayla and Kate 9

Kayla and Kate 10