Final Compilation

 Link to Task 1

task-1

Link to Task 2

task-2

 Link to Task 3 

task-3

This is my final design artwork from Task 3:

<HuangBeiNi-Symbiotic-Task3>

 Final reflection 

What have I learnt in this module?

In terms of skills, I haven't actually been exposed to art as a profession for many years, so the various design principles I learned this time around allowed me to re-conceptualize the deeper meanings behind art and artwork. I think in the future when I go to various exhibitions, I will have more different feelings. And through this semester, I was able to create my own artwork for the first time using software, and these two months of hard work gave it a richer meaning.

In terms of life, I learned how to use a blog and how to turn my profile into an article for my blog, and I'm sure I'll continue to use it in the future.

What did I enjoy the most?

The part of studying artwork is what I enjoy the most because my view of artwork has been further enhanced by studying the principles of design. When I am inspired by looking at paintings in order to create better works, I find that they become more vivid in my eyes. The theme I chose was the coexistence of human civilization and nature's ecology. I really enjoy the feeling that other people's paintings bring me a new light, and I can feel the symbiosis between human and animals, human and plants, and natural ecology and human civilization through their paintings. Humans are not above nature and other species. Seeking common ground while reserving differences and living in harmony are the only options for building the relationship between human beings and nature, and they are also important elements for the continuation of modern civilization.

What did I not enjoy the most?

My least favorite part would have to be creating the blog, since this is my first time using this software. Most of the assignments for my major consisted of writing essays and making PowerPoint, and I brought some of my PowerPoint-writing habits with me to create blogs that always resulted in little mistakes. For example, the layout was always suggested by the teacher to be too messy, for example, the color of the font was always asked to be changed to a uniform one. Every time I had very many ideas and thoughts about the content of the assignment, I couldn't record them very quickly in the blog because I needed to layout and upload various images and it would always pause my thoughts for a while. Luckily though, I am now proficient in how to use it and in the future if I have some new ideas, I think I will continue to use it.

What have I learnt about myself through this module?

In high school I majored in design, so I've always felt that I shouldn't have much of a feel for creating works of art other than sketching and clothing design.

 I did try to learn oil painting, but it didn't particularly resonate with me so I finally gave up.

 However, through this Task3, under the urging of my homework, I once again picked up a brush and tried to draw a piece of artwork. I realized that I wasn't completely uninspired, I just didn't have as many ideas as I did when I was designing clothes, but I was still able to come up with some original concepts in general. When I saw the final artwork in front of my eyes, I gained some new insight into myself. Maybe in the future, when I have time, besides designing clothes and sketching, I will also do some paintings to express my feelings.

What has changed and what has not in my learning journey?

During this learning journey, I think my understanding of creating paintings has changed, but my mindset about how to create remains the same.

 Before I took this course, whether I was drawing or designing various clothes and objects, I only thought about whether I liked it or not, and whether the design was good or not. But I didn't think about what kind of feeling I could express through my work and whether this feeling could be strongly expressed to others. However, after learning the principles of design, I look at other people's paintings differently. I learned about the design techniques and ideas they use, not only admiring them from the outside, but also analyzing them in detail. This has made a huge difference to me, now when I go to create a piece of artwork, I am able to apply those design principles and draw something meaningful, and present what I want to say and do through my artwork, which is a huge step forward for me, and I enjoy the change.

 However, what hasn't changed is my mindset, I still maintain my love for creation and design. Applying the principles of design is still difficult for me, I can't just draw whatever I want, but when I create a piece of artwork that has a deeper meaning, the sense of fulfillment I feel can't be compared to that of a casual drawing.

What could be improved in this module?

The only thing that needs to be improved in this module is the speed at which I can blog and create paintings. Since this is my first time creating a blog, it is inevitable that I will encounter a lot of questions and difficulties that I do not understand. I needed to ask my teacher over and over again, which increased the length of my writing assignments, I always had to spend a lot of time on how to write a blog, and it also compressed some of the time I had to create my paintings. Not only that, but I'm not really fast at drawing and I like to change and tweak back and forth on details. It slowed down my submission of assignments to a great extent. These are two things that I have always had problems with in this module and I want to continue to work on correcting them in the future.

Task 3 Design

Summary Description: 

I wanted to create a painting about human architecture and natural civilization. I searched and researched a lot of paintings for this purpose, from 3D designs about the symbiosis between nature and human beings, to paintings about sleeping deep in the forest and coexisting with animals, to ceramic art about a large mountain forest growing on the back of a whale.... I drew a lot of inspiration from these works, which are the source of my design and final work.

TASK 2 Visual Analysis

 Phase 1:Observation

This painting combines elements of abstraction and surrealism, presenting two different time periods with the same location scene in the same image.

For example, the original lively street turns into a primitive jungle with blue sky, green grass, small animals and harmony.

The bright daytime in the primitive jungle contrasts sharply with the quiet night in the traffic. The special texture in the picture makes these landscapes more durable.

In terms of visual elements, the colors he uses are mainly divided into green and brown, with a very strong sense of contrast, which can be remembered at a glance.

（100）

Titel：Recoer

Artist：David Ambarzumjan 

oil on 50x70cm wood (2019）

Phase 2:Analysis

The design is by Harmony and Unity, visually these two completely different ecosystems are united by being on the same plane and level, the city buildings in the background and the buildings in nature are two different styles but they exist on the same structure. The vines and trees climbing on the walls and high buildings, overpowering the connection between the two different images, lead the eye to a well-balanced picture.

Two contrasting colors of light and dark are used throughout the work, creating a strong contrast between the city at night and the pristine environment in the sunlight. In the center of the picture, a deer can be seen at a glance, and the human walking on the sidewalk also forms a sharp contrast, reflecting the different civilizations of the two different worlds. The antlers of the deer are used as a symbol in the center of the image, expressing its values of nature and sustainability.

（158）

Phase 3: INTERPRETATION

 Source Link: https://david-ambarzumjan.com/brushstrokes-in-time-main-collection

"Zebra Crossing" oil on 50x50cm wood (2020).                        "Recover" oil on 50x70cm wood (2019). "Breathe" oil on 30x30cm wood (2020).

These three paintings were each created by David during 2019-2020. These works are very cerebral and bold, non-realistic and abstract. The contrast between the two "different worlds" in one painting is striking. His paintings are basically surrealist masterpieces, attempting to break through the concept of reality that conforms to logic and actuality, blending reality and fantasy to achieve an absolutely surreal situation.

This is also the link between urban architecture and natural ecology. As human civilization advances, it needs to pay attention to the balance between the natural and social environments, so that the future can continue to have unlimited possibilities. In this series, Ambarzumjan takes ordinary objects and scenes from daily life as his inspiration, and through his paintbrushes, these ordinary objects and scenes are given new life and meaning. His skillful use of color and line transforms ordinary things into stunning works of art, demonstrating his deep understanding and unique insight into art.

In addition, Ambarzumjan has incorporated his thoughts and feelings about life and society into the Brush Series. He expresses his understanding of the world and exploration of human nature through his paintings, so that viewers can feel the artist's deep emotional heritage and humanistic concern while enjoying his works. As David once said, "I just want to express my admiration for the planet on which mankind depends for its survival, which has nurtured so much wonder and beauty, but has also borne so much for us."

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Reference link: https://david-ambarzumjan.com/about

TASK 1 ：Exploration

      1. Include this MIB.

   MIB

      2.Recap the design principles listed below:

Gestalt Theory: This principle describes how “humans’group” similar elements, identify patterns, and “simplify complex” images when perceiving objects. Creators use these principles to significantly organize “content” so it is “aesthetically” pleasing and informal to understand (Westheimer, 2023).

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/707276316482885719/

Contrast: Contrast happens when “two elements” on a single page are different as it can be dissimilar fonts, colours, or sizes. People’s eyes like contrast and it helps to grab attention and aids in the organization of information.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/814025701415936134#imgViewer

Emphasis: Emphasis is used to draw the eye of the reader to specific elements. It can be achieved through changes in size, colour, or position. Emphasis is used to create a hierarchy of importance in a design.

https://www.pinterest.com/

Balance: Balance refers to the supply and visual bulk of components in an arrangement. A “well-balanced” design is certainly pleasing to an eye and displays a “sense of equilibrium”.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/12666442674872670/

Repetition: Repetition in design involves using the same component or element over and over again. It creates an element of unity within a specific piece of artwork and brings the project to life (Al-Saadi et al. 2022).

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/578782989625083565/

Movement: Movement in plan can make it appear as though workings within a “composition” are truly in journey. “Optical illusions” can trick a mind into observing motion once there is nobody.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/15973773659392774#imgViewer

Harmony and Unity: Harmony refers to the various elements of a design being arranged concerning each other to make a composition well-balanced and appealing. “Unity” in design happens when an element in place work together in a way that the final look is “balanced and harmonious” (Alam, 2021).

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/230950287133900919/

Symbol: A “symbol” is an essential visual “stand-in for”a word, concept, idea, or even any sound. Most of the brand’s use “symbols” to seamlessly become more familiar to customers and to “non-stop” features or values in a way that is informal to understand.

https://www.cultofweird.com/occult/hand-of-the-mysteries/

Word and Image: The relationship between words and images is an important element in design. According to the author, the effectiveness of any design depends on the contrast between images and words in addition to the ambiguity of words, images and relationship (Iluz et al. 2023).

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/306104105934733198/

 3.Selected UNSDG Goal :

Goal 11:  “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. To make a city safe, sustainable, inclusive and resilient this goal is made. In the context of design and art, this goal emphasizes the significance of natural and cultural heritage, participatory planning and public spaces. Design or art can play an essential role in achieving this goal by significantly creating a sustainable urban environment that is atheistically functional, inclusive and pleasing. It can help to shape public spaces that specifically faster community interaction, a sense of belonging and cultural expression to contribute to the overall sustainabilit of a city (Sdgs.un.org, 2024).