Cuneiform and the Sumerians | 3,000 BC

The Sumerians were one of the earliest types of this kind of civilization? What does that mean?
The history of our first written language; begining of recorded history.

where cuniform was created (world's first written language)


What could the Sumerians practice year round because of the regions climate?
agriculture


Why was Cuneiform created? Post an example of early Cuneiform (Sumerian pictograph).
to help keep track of business transactions

clay tablets; wet the clay, form into flat surface, use a wedge shaped stylus to make the impressions, lay them in the sun so they were perminent

What did Cuneiform begin as a series of?
pictographs


After it evolved over time, what shape did the characters of Cuneiform evolve into? Post an example of evolved Cuneiform (wedge-shaped).
wedge-shaped language

After the Akkadians conquered, what happened to the Sumerian culture and written language? Post an example of Akkadian Cuneiform.
the Akkadians adopted their culture and new written language, cuneiform

What is a pictograph?
a visual or pictorial representation of an object

Why did the creation of Cuneiform allow the Sumerians to become a sophisticated culture?
a new form of communication




Early Cuneiform



Wedge-shaped Cuneiform



Akkadian Cuneiform


What medium was used to "write" Cuneiform? Explain the process of preparing and writing on this surface?Why is the region of Sumer considered the Cradle of Civilization?

Assignment 14: Research and Inspiration

The backgrounds act as leading lines
to lead you to the computer.

The text makes your eyes follow the Z Pattern. It is in the
optical center.  Applies to high schoolers because of the doodles.

I like the computer with items coming out of it.
The white in the center with the blue makes the
laptop stand out.

I like the typography and textures used; don't like the colors.

Visual Organization

 - not directing through a design is misdirecting them


Eye Movement
 - typical eye moves left to right; top to bottom
 - make it natural for someone to scan through the page, control eye movement
 - eyes move too the areas with the most complexity.  eyes are attracted to the face,       particularly the eyes
 - light areas attract the eye, especially next to dark areas
 - diagonal lines/edges guide eyes
 - optical center: the spot where the human eye tends to enter the page.  slightly above the exact center, to the left.  it takes a compelling element to pull your eyes away from the center
 - Z Pattern: visual pattern making a sweep of the page, in a general "Z" shape.  
Effective page design maps a viewer's route through the information.  The designer's objective is to lead the viewer's eye to the important elements or information.


Fonts
 - no more than 2 fonts on one page total, make sure they complement each other
 - avoid all caps, use only on important words
 - choose the right font, fits the theme of the tone and design
 - do not overuse fancy or complicated fonts, use as headline only
 - www.typography.com/email/2010-03/index.htm


Visual Hierarchy
 - establishes focal point based on their importance to the message that's being  communicated
 - establish an order of elements, visual structure to help the viewer absorb the information
 - To establish Visual Hierarchy ask yourself:
What do I want my viewer to look at first? second? third?

The Grid

- way of organizing content on a page, using any combination of margins, guidelines, rows, and columns

- modernism: can assist the audience by breaking info into manageable chunks and establishing relationships between text and images

- a grid consists of a distinct set of alignment-based relationships that act as guides for distributing elements across a format

- every design is different; therefore every design will require a different grid structure...one that addresses the particular elements without the design

- a grid is used to help clarify the message being communicated and to unify the elements

Cave Paintings | 35,000 years ago

What are cave paintings?
Beautiful detailed and colorful representations found on the inside of cave walls and ceilings
Name several common themes found in cave paintings?
Large animals such as bisons, horse, deer, tracings of human hands, and abstract patterns


How were these paintings created (tools, pigments)?
Water, plant juice, animal blood, soil, charcoal, and hematite (a form of iron oxide)


What is the most famous cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom?
Post an example of cave painting(s) from this cave.
Lascaux; discovered in 1940 by 4 teenage boys


Why did this cave have to be closed? What was done to satisfy public curiosity?
Because the paintings were being damaged by the carbon dioxide emitted by tourists; the French government created Lascaux II - a man mad replica next to the original


In Altamira cave, why do most of the paintings have a red hue? Post an example of cave painting(s) from Altamira cave.
because of the red clay found in the soil


Who discovered this site? How old are the paintings confirmed to be?
discovered by Marceline Sanz de Sautuola and his daughter Maria; Nearly 19,000 years ago


What is the oldest known cave painting site? When was it discovered and by whom?
Post an example of cave painting(s) from this cave.
Chauvet-Point Arc; discovered in 1994 by Eliette Brunell Deschamps, Christian Hillaire, Jean-Marie Chauvet


What was different about the painting techniques at this site?
The walls were scraped clear of debris, a 3D effect was created by etching around the edges


What is "speleology"?
The scientific study of caves


What three reasons do archeologists and historians believe prehistoric man created cave paintings?

To tell a story or recount an event that already happened, as an instructional visual aid to help teach about hunting and techniques, and for magical or religious reasons that if an image of a desired event were painted it might come true

Assignment 13: Research & Inspiration

exquisite corpse: method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled from Wikipedia. (a game)
where it came from: The technique was invented by Surrealists and is similar to an old parlour game calledConsequences in which players write in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal part of the writing, and then pass it to the next player for a further contribution (Wikipedia) around 1925


surrealism: cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members. (Wikipedia) think of it as a dream, not realistic
The images together make an eye.  This is an example of surrealism.  I liked this because it forces your mind to form the image of the eye.  Good colors; green yellow blue

Good example of what
we will be doing.  Very
different, you can
tell it wasn't done by
the same person.

The Creative Process

Why do we need a creative process?
 - improves consistency
 - ability to plan and time your work
 - raise the quality of your work
 - communicate more effectively and in a more profesional way

Steps of the creative process:

1. Research: look online, in magazines, music, books, etc.                                                                            - The more you know, the easier the project will be.
2. Brainstorming/Inspiration: striving to be unique while following the trends; fresh and creative approach.  come up with adjectives                                                                                                       Questions to ask yourself:                                                                                                                      - What kind of message am I trying to communicate?                                                                           - Who is my audience?                                                                                                                          - What kind of color/style with work for this audience?
3. Sketching: draw out your ideas; thumbnails
4. Execution: combine type and imagery into a design.  use the research and brainstorming to create design.  If you get stuck, clear your head, walk away, start over if necessary.
5. Critique & Revise: take a step back, look at it from another angle.  Make sure all the designs are right and the colors work together.

Photo Composition

snapshot = a quick shot, often spontaneous, taken to record a moment in time

photograph = an image taken with care and thought

rule of thirds = imaginary lines drawn dividing the frame of your camera into thirds, both horizontal and vertically

- for a close up picture, fill up the entire frame

leading lines = use the lines created within the foreground or background of the composition to lead the viewer's eye through the photo

point of view = change the way your subject is perceived by changing the camera position

- to make something look tall: point the camera facing up

- to make something look smaller: point the camera facing down

simplicity = keep your background simple and clear of clutter