S+ART

Friday Feature: Getting to Know Your Digital SLR

SLR stands for “single-lens reflex” camera.  A digital SLR is a great choice for photographers who want an ideal balance between image quality and technical flexibility.  The camera’s various control settings allow for a wide range of professional results and custom images.

 The Smithsonian Associates offers classes specially formatted for using digital SLR cameras.  “Getting to Know Your Digital SLR” is a unique workshop in which students use their own DSLR cameras outside while learning the best techniques for exposure control, depth of field, composition, and shutter and aperture priority shooting modes.  In addition to a lengthy photography session, workshops are on-location around the National Mall, and include visits to Smithsonian Gardens and Museums.  Participants are also educated in the use and organization of file formats (e.g. JPEG and RAW).  Prior knowledge of exposure modes, ISO settings, JPEG quality settings, histograms, and overall camera operation is necessary if students have not already completed RAP’s Digital Camera Basics Workshop.

 

 Students should bring the following:

• Any DSLR camera, fully charged with manual battery
• Compact flash card
• Any lenses
• Tripod, if desired

This course is a single, 6 ½ hour session, offered on either:

• Sunday, July 25^th @ 10:00 AM (includes working lunch at museum cafeteria)
• Saturday, August 14^th @ 10:00 AM (includes working lunch at museum cafeteria)

The instructor for this course is Eliot Cohen.  Cohen has over 35 years of photography teaching experience, with 15 years of digital teaching experience.  His years of expertise and clear, easy-to-follow teaching method make him one of the area’s best known digital instructors.  Prior to instructing classes through The Smithsonian Associates, Eliot Cohen was a faculty member at the Corcoran School of Art and the Program Head at Northern Virginia Community College, where he was awarded for his teaching excellence.

Eliot Cohen’s Teaching Philosophy:

“Digital procedures can seem complex, but when presented in the proper sequence, everything can fit together very nicely. My objective is to help students learn the proper workflow for digital capture and editing, to appreciate some of the subtleties that can make their work seem easier, and to enjoy the process as well as the results.”

You can view his work HERE.

  

Location:

National Museum of Natural History

Computer Lab

10th & Constitution Avenue, NW

 Washington, DC 20560

Tickets:

$220 Resident Members

$266 General Admission

Space is limited!  Purchase tickets now!

 

 

 

 

Goings On: The World of Yves Klein

Yves Klein remains in modern art’s more recent memory as one of the most influential, forward-thinking, and conceptual artists of the twentieth century.  This summer, the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is hosting an exhibition of Klein’s work—the first retrospective of his work in the United States in 30 years.  The exhibition is called With the Void, Full Powers, and runs from May 20, 2010 to September 12, 2010.

All of Yves Klein’s major series will be represented in the exhibition, including works from Anthropometries, Cosmogonies, fire paintings, planetary reliefs, blue monochromes, gold and pink monochromes, and body and sponge reliefs.  More ephemeral works such as “air architecture,” letters, writings, sketches, and photographs will also showcase his unique process and individualistic artistic conception of the self.

 Born in Nice, France in 1928, Yves Klein’s artistic career was abruptly cut short at the age of 34 when he suffered a fatal heart attack in Paris in 1962.  However, his contribution to modern art has left a legacy of capturing the immaterial and achieving artistic spirituality through pure color.  In his quest he invented a variation of ultramarine blue called International Klein Blue.  He practiced his notions color and art through a wide range of media, such as painting, sculpture, photography, music, film, performance, and literature.  His pioneering approach paved the way for modern artists to be less concerned with physical objects and more concerned with representing the conceptual, abstract, and intangible.  In connection with this exhibition, the Hirshhorn Museum is conducting gallery talks, lectures, and after hours events aimed at illuminating the world of Yves Klein—as both an enduring artist and transitory man.

"Color is sensibility in material form, matter in its primordial state."

-Yves Klein

The schedule of events is as follows:

Friday, July 16^th

Gallery Talk: Yves Klein, 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM

Steve Antosca, composer and artistic director of the VERGE ensemble and the National Gallery of Art’s New Music Ensemble, discusses Yves Klein's Monotone Symphony.

Location: Hirshhorn Museum, meet at information desk

Admission is free

Friday, July 23^rd

Gallery Talk: Yves Klein, 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM

Daniel Moquay, director of the Yves Klein Archives in Paris, leads a tour of the exhibition while sharing his extensive knowledge of the artist’s career and creative process.

Location: Hirshhorn Museum, meet at information desk

Admission is free

 

Hirshhorn After Hours: A Special Evening of Art, Music, and Cocktails, 8:00 PM to Midnight

After Hours celebrates Yves Klein with gallery talks, live music, and special performances by Karl Marks, Brandon Joseph Neukam, and Sunrize Highway.  Hosted by drag performer, Summer Camp.

Location: Hirshhorn Museum

Tickets On Sale Now: $18 in advance, free to Annual Circle members (tickets must be purchased in advance; no door sales)

Buy Tickets Now

Thursday, September 9^th

Kaira Cabañas on Yves Klein, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Kaira Cabañas, an art historian and contributor to the exhibition catalogue, discusses Klein’s work with directed focus on his film and performance work.

Location: Hirshhorn Museum

Admission is free 

Every Saturday + Sunday through September 12^th

Exhibition Tour: Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers, 12:30 PM

Docent-led tour of exhibition

Location: Hirshhorn Museum, meet at information desk

Admission is free

 

 

 

 

Angela's Post: Let's Photo Something New Together

It’s summer, it’s hot, and you’re looking for something new to photo?  Tuesday evenings at the United States Marine Corps War Memorial (also known as the Iwo Jima Monument) come alive with the Sunset Parade.  This one hour long performance by the U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon from the Marine Barracks Washington, includes music by the 80-member band in ceremonial red and white uniforms.  The 24-man rifle platoon then performs the silent precision exhibition drill consisting of a series of calculated drill movements and precise handling of their hand-polished 10.5-pound M1 Garand rifles with fixed bayonets.

 

Arrive early to grab a spot with unobstructed views toward the front of the viewing areas.  A long lens is necessary to capture the uniform, rifle, and instrument details; 50mm and wider lenses may not provide the best views, so come prepared with a variety of lenses to find the best for your location.  Keep in mind that this is a military ceremony and viewers are generally asked to remain seated throughout the full hour.  Stick around after the ceremony for informal photo opportunities and of the memorial, itself (it's bronze figures are 32-feet tall!).

 

The Sunset Parade occurs each Tuesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. from June 8, 2010 through mid-August.  Parking is available for a fee at the Arlington National Cemetery Visitor's Center or catch a free shuttle from the Marine Barracks from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. prior to the parade.  For more information, call (202) 433-6060.[insert any photo]Pack an umbrella, though, because if the weather is anything like last night, you’re going to need it!

 

 

 

Photos by Angela Kleis

Tips and Techniques: 30-Second Figure Sketches

By the time you finish reading this blog post, you could have drawn a couple quick figure sketches!  Think about it.  Figure sketching does not have to be a long, methodical, and over detailed process. In fact, the ability to translate the figure onto the page quickly and to the point is a vital skill for any artist interested in figure drawing.

Quick sketches are useful warm-up exercises.  They can also be more fun and free spirited than stiff, longer drawing sessions.  30-second sketches completely change the experience of figure drawing.  With such a limited time frame, you don’t have time to obsess over details; the trick is to be gestural and direct.

The first step before making a 30-second figure sketch is to observe the position and axis of the figure, paying attention to how the weight of the body is distributed among the limbs and joints.  Also consider the skeletal structure inside.  Think about the curve of the spine, the angle of the hips, the twist of the torso, etc.

After assessing the pose of the figure, begin by indicating the spine with a single stroke.  Next, add the planes of the shoulders and hips with shorter lines.  Generally build the mass of the figure with a combination of value and linear strokes, keeping in mind the relationship between the position of the head and feet.

When drawing gesturally, stand comfortably back from the easel so that you have better perspective on your drawing as a whole.  Move your whole arm and be engaged with the page.

When reducing the form, you have the choice of internal or external representation, meaning either drawing the internal directional lines of the skeleton or the external curves of the body.  Both are helpful and should be practiced in short sketches.

Remember, a finished form is not as important as conveying the feeling of the pose.  Perhaps some of your sketches will be lacking heads or even parts of limbs.  But the life-like energy in the drawing is the goal.

 

Be brave.  Be quick.  Be gestural!

S+art the Day Quote

“The artist must create a spark before he can make a fire and before art is born, the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation.”

—Auguste Rodin

On Finishing Art

 
 “To finish a work?  To finish a picture?  What nonsense!  To finish it means to be through with it, to kill it, to rid it of its soul, to give it its final blow the coup de grace for the painter as well as for the picture.”

—Pablo Picasso

MAKIYKUMANTA-Peru: Arts and Cultural Legacy

This year’s Indian Summer Showcase at the Smithsonian has yet again proved to be a phenomenal success.  The National Museum of the American Indian has featured a continual series of cultural displays from Argentina, Mexico, Bolivia, Hawai’i, and Peru in its annual summer celebration.

What’s coming up next?  The 6-day festival of “MAKIYKUMANTA-Peru: Arts and Cultural Legacy.”  This event runs from Tuesday, July 13^th through Sunday, July 18^th and is co-sponsored by the Embassy of Peru.

  

 

 

Here is a sampling of daily events:

 10:00am- Arts and Crafts Exhibits Open

10:00am-10:30am- Open

10:30am-11:00am-Open

11:00am-11:30am- Children's Workshop by Antonieta Merida (ceramics)

11:30am-12:00pm- Musical Performance by INCA SON

12pm- 12:30pm-Perfomrance by INCA SON (includes dance lessons)

12:30pm-1:00pm- Open

1:00pm-1:30pm- Films/Videos

1:30pm-2:00pm- Films/Videos

2:00pm-2:30pm- Musical Performance by INCA SON

2:30pm-3:00pm- Performance by INCA SON (includes dance lessons)

3:00pm-3:30pm- Senora de Cao (conference)

3:30pm-4:00pm- Open

4:00pm-4:30pm- Rural Community Lifestyle (conference)

4:30pm-5:00pm- Open

5:30pm- Arts and Crafts Exhibits Closes

  

Location:

American Indian Museum

Potomac Atrium, 1^st Level

Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.

Washington, DC 20560

The National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C., is located on the National Mall between the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum and the U.S. Capitol Building.

Hours: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM daily

This event is FREE to the public!

In addition to enjoying music, performances, food demonstrations, films, lectures, and dance, visitors are able to purchase textile, silver jewelry, paintings, ceramics, and wood/stone carvings.

Come see the beauty and spirit of these Peruvian arts!

Photoshop for Photographers!

ATTENTION all photographers and digital artists out there: today’ post highlights a class tailored especially for you.

Photoshop for Photographers is an advanced class that is designed to develop students’ skills in the digital darkroom with Photoshop.  Participants will become proficient in digital techniques of controlling tone and color adjustments.

Class work covers the use of curves, shadows, highlights, adjustment layers, dodge and burn layers, layer masks, better methods for converting color images to grayscale for black-and-white printing, and sharpening techniques.  Students also learn the techniques of retouching images, capturing and editing RAW files, and sequencing corrections of layered files.

As this is an advanced course, completion of RAP’s Photoshop I class or permission of instructor is required.

Participants will need a USB flash drive (at least 512MB is recommended) in order to save class work.

 

The instructor for this course is Eliot Cohen.  Cohen has over 35 years of photography teaching experience, with 15 years of digital teaching experience.  His years of expertise and clear, easy-to-follow teaching method make him one of the area’s best known digital instructors.  Prior to instructing classes through The Smithsonian Associates, Eliot Cohen was a faculty member at the Corcoran School of Art and the Program Head at Northern Virginia Community College, where he was awarded for his teaching excellence.

 

Eliot Cohen’s Teaching Philosophy:

“Digital procedures can seem complex, but when presented in the proper sequence, everything can fit together very nicely. My objective is to help students learn the proper workflow for digital capture and editing, to appreciate some of the subtleties that can make their work seem easier, and to enjoy the process as well as the results.”

 

You can view his work at: www.eliotcohen.com.

Photoshop for Photographers is a 5-Session Weekend Course.

Compressed Schedule: Friday, July 30 and August 6, 6:00 PM; and Sunday, August 1 and August 8, 9:30 AM

Two Friday sessions, 3 1/2 hours each, plus two Sunday sessions, 8 hours each

(Last session includes a 3 1/2-hour lab session)

$450 Resident Members

$496 General Admission

Take advantage of this opportunity to improve your Photoshop skills!

 

Gesso Tips + Techniques

Simply, Gesso is a primer that is applied to canvas, fabric, wood, or other painted surfaces.  Gesso is not a technique, itself.  Rather, it allows for a better surface on which to be painted.  The primer seals off the canvas from the paint, which gives the artist more control over the painting process.
Gesso is useful because it creates a barrier between the paint and its surface, not allowing the paint to be absorbed.  Also, gesso adds texture.  This is helpful as it gives the paint something to adhere to.  Some types of gesso are thick, which leave harder surfaces that can be carved into.  Others can be thin and leave a more subtle texture.

 

Gesso comes in 2 forms: traditional and newer acrylic.  Traditional gesso has been around for thousands of years, and was widely used during the Renaissance.  Its ingredients were animal glue, calcium, titanium dioxide, and water.  Traditional gesso is best used on wood or other hard surfaces because if applied to a canvas, it can crack and damage the painting.

Acrylic gesso is a newer invention.  At only 60 years old, acrylic gesso has surpassed traditional gesso as the most used and available form of paint primer.  Its ingredients are calcium carbonate, and acrylic medium, and a pigment.  In most cases, the pigment is titanium dioxide or titanium white.  You can buy acrylic gesso in an array of colors, but by incrementally adding watercolor or acrylic paint, you can create the exact gesso color you want.  Most importantly, though, acrylic gesso is water based.  This quality makes it more flexible and therefore more suitable to surfaces like canvas or fabric.  Also, acrylic gessos can be painted over with other water-based media.

How To Gesso a Canvas on Howcast

Traditional and acrylic gessos have their own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to texture, hardness, flexibility, color, and permanence.

Which do you prefer?

S+art the Day Quote

 
"No amount of skillful invention can replace the essential element of imagination."

—Edward Hopper