Mr. Mallory's Theory of Everything

Physicists have their string theory, their M theory, and are always looking for a theory of everything. This is my own personal theory of all Art.

My college professors made sure that I understood about Discipline Based Art Education (DBAE)
The four Art disciplines (things we study about Art) are:
1. Art History
2. Aesthetics (Design)
3. Art Production and...
4. Art Criticism

In terms of Aesthetics, you use the principles of design to arrange the elements of design.

I tell my students that good design should:
-Capture your attention
-Hold your attention and...
-Direct your attention



I may have over simplified things here, but I teach my students that there are basically four kinds of art:
1. Utilitarian (commercial/communication/implements)
2. Realistic/Descriptive (what most people assume constitutes skilled artists)
3. Compositional (manipulating the elements and principles of design)
4. Expressive (Art with meaning/impact or cathartic/therapeutic value)

I tell them that expressive art should always be able to:
-Invoke cultural symbols and common psychological states of mind
-Evoke powerful memories and experiences and
-Provoke thinking, emotional and intellectual reactions, or at least meaningful discussion

Practice Quizes Online

Scroll down to the “Photo Stuff” on the right hand side.

Click on “►Our Textbook online”

This will take you to http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_london_ashortcour_6/30/7766/1988309.cw/index.html

Click on Chapter One on the navigation bar on the top of the page.

Click on “Profile” on the left hand menu bar.

Enter your name and email address, into the “student” fields in the profile form. Enter Mr. Mallory’s name and email address, “ted.mallory-at-gmail.com” into the “instructor” fields.

Check the box to have the quiz results sent to “instructor.” If you would like to see your results too, click the appropriate box.

A profile lets you store the names and email addresses of the people to whom you send your quiz results from this website so that you don't have to type that information for every quiz. To create a new profile, enter your information below and click Save Profile.

A profile is stored on your computer, not at the website, so your profile won't be available if you take a quiz while using a different computer. Also, on a shared computer (as in a computer lab), all or part of a profile may be replaced if another user creates a profile. If you find that the information below is incorrect or does not apply to you, click Delete Profile, enter your correct information, and then click Save Profile. 

Click on “Fill in the Blanks” in the left hand menu and take the Chapter 1 PRACTICE quiz. You may use not only your notes, but also your textbook to complete this practice quiz. When finished, submit your answers.

Be sure to read the rest of the chapter between now and Monday. Monday you will go back to prenhall.com and take the “Multiple Choice” practice quiz. Pages 20-25 will help the most for this practice quiz, which is very technical.

3 Purposes of Expression

INVOKE - to use the Technical and/or Design qualities of an artwork to create a mood or frame of mind for your viewers, or a setting within your artwork. An INVOCATION is a prayer or ritual seeking to invite the presence or participation of a divine or higher power.

1 : to call forth by incantation : conjure
2 : to put into effect or operation : implement
3 : bring about, cause


EVOKE - when the elements or principles of design you employ, or your subject matter or technique seem to trigger associations or memories in your viewer. Photos, Drawings, Paintings, and Designs can be very EVOCATIVE if they make you nostalgic or give you a sense of déjà vu.
.
1 : to bring to mind or recollection s memories>
2 : to re-create imaginatively


PROVOKE - when your artwork stimulates a reaction, discussion or debate. Often this is done by shocking or presenting an image that is inconsistent with conventional experience. To be PROVOCATIVE may mean being controversial, or at least causing cognitive dissonance.
1 a : to arouse to a feeling or action b : to incite to anger
2 a : to stir up purposely b : to provide the needed stimulus for

— pro·vok·er noun

synonyms provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken mean to arouse as if by pricking. provoke directs attention to the response called forth provoke laughter>. excite implies a stirring up or moving profoundly excited anger and frustration>. stimulate suggests a rousing out of lethargy, quiescence, or indifference <stimulating conversation>. pique suggests stimulating by mild irritation or challenge piqued my interest>