Paper Cutting

 The Art of  Paper Cutting

In the many years gone by the use of paper (mainly kite paper and crepe paper) were regularly used to decorate the homes and temples of the East Indians who decorated for celebratory and religious purposes. 

Even though simple, they were most beautiful, effective and elegant. Paper cutting allowed for many  intricate patterns highlighting curves and geometric shapes and the more talented and patient craftsman would create silhouettes of the Gods and Goddess. Paper folding and cutting also resulted in the popular "bird nests" which added great dimension to the decorated areas. 
Wedding marrows of long ago entailed the beautiful crepe paper art work highlighting intricate and complex geometric designs combined with vibrant colours. This was a sight to see by the invited guests of the Hindu weddings long ago. The craftstmen took great pride in this as the wedding marrow was of course one of the main focal point of the wedding. 

Below are some links showing you the art of paper cutting and how elaborate it can sometime be. Make sure and check them out!!!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3m73lMEw_s
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph-aepabXpY

Share your experiences on this lesson topic!!! 

• What was most exciting experience for you during this lesson? 
• How have you benefited from this new skill learnt? 
• What do you think about this art form? 

Decorative Wall Hangings

Wall hangings re used as a form of decoration to beautify our homes, schools, even work places. They serve primarily as a decorative element although in some cases it can also manage to be functional as well. Such an example is a KEY HOLDER wall hanging or a Mail wall hanging.

  An example of a Functional and Decorative Wall hanging        Key Holder

In class, we looked at examples of decorative wall hangings and we spoke about the various materials which can be used to help embellish your designs and we also looked at some tools often used in decorative art.

You were all given the task to source an old piece of cardboard (from your old sketch pad or note book) and use it as the base for a decorative wall hanging reflecting the  East Indian Culture as we celebrate 169 years East Indian Arrival or another of some flora or fauna. I am very impressed at the level of craftsmanship, the various designs and the originality of your work. Keep it up!!

Examples of Students' Work. 

 

 

 

REFLECTION 

Please reflect of your development of skills in this area of decorative craft. 

1. What was most interesting during the lesson? 
2. What did you discover on your own as you were designing or decorating the piece? 
3. How can you use this art form in your life? Give examples if possible. 

The Art of Mehndi

The Art of Mehndi

During this period of  Heritage Month and as we approach Indian Arrival Day, the art of Mehndi will be displayed on the hands of many individuals throughout the country. This art form which uses the human body as its canvas is part of the East Indian tradition in beautifying the body for celebratory functions.

In Trinidad and Tobago there are some misconceptions about male using mehndi. 

A groom waves showing an intricate mehndi pattern

The purpose of mehndi is to beautify the body, primarily for a wedding(dulha/dulhin) or for other celebratory purposes. In this present time, we are also seeing the use of mehndi being used as a modern fashion/style. 

Amitabh Bachan getting mehndi done prior to his son's marriage in India. 

Males also decorate their hands with mehndi for marriages and even create mehndi artwork on their bodies as temporary tattoos. In India, the UK and parts of America it is not uncommon to see males keeping the tradition alive by donning their hands with this art work. 

Abhishek Bachan's palm is decorated with a mehndi pattern. 

This is a beautiful art form which uses the henna paste to create different types of lines, in a repetitive manner, resulting in a splendor of motifs and patterns on the human body. Mehndi artists can be both male and female. 

                                          A male mehndi artist at work. 

Simple Mehndi Video Link

Intricate Mehndi Video Link

My Blogging Experience

You have been exposed to a new tool this term- Blogs. I am sure you had great fun using this new tool of learning !!!

You have used this tool to help reflect on the lessons that took place in class, and also it influenced you to probe deep within and think how the topics impact on you. 

• Do you feel more confident? 
• Are you more willing to respond to questions in class? 
• Are you brave to contribute to a class discussion and not remain quiet and afraid? 

Share in this last post for the term, what you think of the use of blogs in helping develop your skills and confidence in expressing yourself. 

Enjoy the Easter holidays!!!!  and Remember---------------->

Sir Dilip Denesh Maharaj

For 1B Students Only. Final Comic!

Congratulations on submitting your final Comic Page!! I am sure you are all proud of your accomplishments! You all did a wonderful job for the past few weeks and I congratulate you once more.

                Comic on Societal Issues- Bullying/Theft 

Share your thoughts on the journey with us readers. Here are some guided questions to assist. Feel free to add any other personal experience you may wish to share.

• How was the journey for you?
• What was one of the most difficult lessons for you and why?
• What was one of the most interesting lesson for you and why?
• Has the blogging of your journey helped you in any way? How so?
• How did you feel submitting your Completed comic Page?

Form 1B ONLY. Critique of Drafts

A wonderful  experience was provided when you were placed in groups and asked to critique a draft of a comic page provided to you. You were to use all the knowledge provided to you on designing Comics and make your comments on the piece provided to you.

                                            Art Criticism

Reflection

• Please reflect on how it felt to critique your fellow colleague's work. 
• How does it make you feel? 
• Is it to your colleagues benefit when you critique? 
• Do you it beneficial to you as well and why?

Form 1B ONLY. Reading: Creation of Comic Characters

In this post I am including information that will help you better understand Comic Characters. There are two link that will great add to your knowledge learn in class and they will help you in developing your skill even more.  Do not forgot to Comment on This Blog. At the bottom of this page you will find the Guided Questions for your Reflections.

I am sure you had a wonderful experience creating your own characters. Keep a collection of the characters you created and you can always add more to your collection. This is a nice way of bring life to your environment.

Remember, a comic character can be created from anything- a shoe, tin, pencil, eraser, lunch bag, spoon......... Even a shape can come to life by simply adding eyes, nose, a mouth, even arms and legs.

               Pencils coming to life by adding facial features. 

One of the most important aspects in drawing comic characters besides the facial and body features would be Expression of feelings and mood of the character. These would include happiness, sadness, showing agitation, hostility, envy, hate, anger and so on.

Below is a Chart that can help you better create emotions in your characters. You can also click on the link to get a larger view of the Facial Expression Chart .

                                    Facial Expression Chart 

In the next link  you will see many other characters. It is a page that focuses and provides information on Character Design . This link will show you step by step guidelines to help you better design your characters for your Comic Page. Please read it through thoroughly and ensure that you make use of the information learnt. 

Remember to write your thoughts on the information provided to you. 

Here are a few guided questions to help you: 

• What do you think of the information provided to you in this blog? 

• Has the information benefited you in any way? If so, please explain. 

• Are you feeling more confident about your development as a Comic Artist? Why? 

Form 1:B Class ONLY. Lesson 2

In this lesson we looked at an art form that has been around for year- COMICS.

Please share with each other your views on the lesson taught earlier and your personal experiences with Comics.

                              Comic Auction Gone Wrong!!! 

• What are your thoughts on Comics? 
• Can you share your experiences as a child reading Comics? 
• Do you have a favourite Comic? If YES which is it? 

Feel free to REPLY on other classmates' comments.

Sir Dilip Maharaj

Form 1: B ONLY - Lesson 1 :Societal Issues that Surrounds Us

We are living in a society where we are bombarded by many societal issues that affect us in one way or another. Due to the fact that we are often surrounded by these ills of society we wonder if this is the way life is meant to be.

Feel free to share your thoughts on these negatives of society.

Here are some guided questions to help you:
What are some issues affecting the society in which you are a part of?
How does it / do they affect you?
 How can we prevent or correct these ills of society?

Mosiaculture

Hey students, 

I really enjoyed learning about this type of art form called Mosaiculture..... It is something I would like to do with any interested students. Just let me know. So...check this out in the meanwhile....

Once every three years, there is an international competition in horticultural sculpture, called "mosaiculture," in a major city in the world.  This year it is Montreal.  This is not topiary but rather creating sculptures out of living plants.  The greatest horticulturalists in the world, from 20 different countries, submitted plans a year in advance.  Steel armatures were then created to support the works (some 40 feet high); they were then wrapped in steel mesh and filled with dirt and moss and watering hoses.  Then they ordered 3 million plants of different shades of green and brown and tan, and these were grown in greenhouses all over Quebec.  In late May, these horticulturalists came to Montreal and planted all of their plants in the forms at the Montreal Botanic Gardens, and they have been standing for three  months now.  There were 50 major sculptures along a path two miles long.  They were incredible. 

Check it out and COMMENT on what you thought about it. Enjoy...

http://myvirtualgarden2.blogspot.com/2013/09/mosaiculture-exhibition.html

Welcome to Art Reflections 2013 Cohort

Sita Ram to all students especially the 2013 cohort of Form One students of Vishnu Boys Hindu College. I hope that this year the the years that follow will bring about a great learning experience for you....remember though, the Learning Experience can be all yours only if you make it work for you. You have to take the information and skills provided and allow it to be part of your life. This blog is one part of this opportunity. You have to make use of it and use it to your learning advantage. I am looking forward to reading your comments and questions. To all the other existing blog followers, I welcome you as well and hope you have a wonderful term this year in continuing to learn from this blog!

Form Two Students Only- GLASS PAINTING

This term we looked at painting with a new paint medium- glass paints. I know all students were very pleased using this type of paint and enjoyed the various activities that followed during the term. Please reflect on your experiences and share them with us. What was the experience like for you? What do you think about the medium used? What was the biggest "wow" factor for you during this term's work? How are you going to use this new skill in your future? Has this term's work affected the way you see art now? Enjoy reflecting! Sir Dilip Denesh Maharaj

Form Twos Only - Dying Fabric

Now that you all have seen through the demonstration lesson and read about how to prepare the dye bath and the actually dying process, I hope you will find the process of colouring a piece of cloth plain or in a pattern an easy exercise. It can be quite addictive as well I warn you. Please share your experiences of this process and the results on the COMMENTS below. Remember to write your name and Form CLass in the Heading Box.

Indian Arrival 2012 at VBHC

Vishnu Boys Hindu College recently celebrated Indian Arrival Day at the school with lots of rich culture reflective of what our ancestors brought with them to the shores of Trinidad and Tobago. Certainly, a vast number of the culture and traditions live on, but there are a few which have been slowly slipping away. The Art of Rangoli is one such dying art form. For the last 20 years or so, a beautifully decorated rangoli bedi could have only been seen in a Hindu Wedding. The everyday puja bedi is decorated with flour!!! The purpose of rangoli on the bedi is to make the bedi so beautiful that the Gods and Goddesses will be pleased when they take their seat there. Hence the reason for the Rangoli project.... The selected groups chose from the themes of Surya, Ganesh, Devi, Shiva and Krishna. They were given 2. 5 hours to decorate a two-tier bedi based on the theme they chose. I must say the judges, Ms Shalini Seereeram and Mrs Geeta, the VBHC Administration, the staff, the student body were ALL IMPRESSED at your level of work. Indeed, it was a wonderful Rangoli Unit...... Congratulations Rangoli Artsits of VBHC!!! You did us proud.... Feel free to share your comments and samples pics of the rangoli art work done by the students can be seen below....

ALL FORMS.......Divali Celebrations, 2011

All Forms are to participate in this reflection and discussion. You would have seen the many transformations taking place at the college in preparation for Divali. You would have also seen the Visual and Performing Arts department coming together and work in bringing a combination of Art, Music and Dance in the Ramleela production.

I would like you to think about the following questions and share your thoughts with us:

1. Did you just see Ramleela, or did you see the ART aspect as well?
2. What are your thoughts in taking fabric and draping the walls of the school? Did you ever thought that you could have used saris to drape columns?
3. What mood was created when the school was transformed?
4. How did the transformation impacted on you?
5. What are some things we can do to improve the decor of the school for next year's celebrations?
6. How are you going to decorate/how did you decorate you home for the Divali season?

Please answer in a paragraph format.

Form Five Students ONLY!!!

REFLECTION required-

You are in your final year!!! Pretty soon you will be writing your CXC Visual Arts exams. How has the journey been for you so far?

Form Three Students ONLY !!

Research may seem boring, or hard work.... But, it is a fact of life. We do research every day and you may not realize it.... You want to get the latest shoes...YOU RESEARCH the latest styles.... you wish to find out about the activities for the upcoming Family Day and Bazaar...you research the activites on the Events page in Facebook... You want to find out why this girl likes you.....you ask questions(interview, a form of Research)...and so on and so on. As you get older, as you attend new learning institutions, you will see how important it is to conduct Researches and put together the information you have gathered into your own words.... that is- not plagiarize. The research would be a bit more structured and of course, in depth.

When you reflect on your experiences, you are of course researching within. There is a wealth of information within you that you have not fully analysed....by reflecting on them, you will be organising your thoughts, putting deeper meaning to your experiences and you will become more aware of yourself and your abilities.

With reference to your recent Research project using the Interview technique on na artist in your community, please share your experiences on your RESEARCH. How did you feel about it? What were your major problems? What made it enjoyable and rewarding for you?

Form Two Students ONLY

Research may seem boring, or hard work.... But, it is a fact of life. We do research every day and you may not realize it.... You want to get the latest shoes...YOU RESEARCH the latest styles.... you wish to find out about the activities for the upcoming Family Day and Bazaar...you research the activites on the Events page in Facebook... You want to find out why this girl likes you.....you ask questions(interview, a form of Research)...and so on and so on. As you get older, as you attend new learning institutions, you will see how important it is to conduct Researches and put together the information you have gathered into your own words.... that is- not plagiarize. The research would be a bit more structured and of course, in depth.

When you reflect on your experiences, you are of course researching within. There is a wealth of information within you that you have not fully analysed....by reflecting on them, you will be organising your thoughts, putting deeper meaning to your experiences and you will become more aware of yourself and your abilities.

With reference to your recent Research project on COTTON, please share your experiences on your RESEARCH. How did you feel about it? What were your major problems? What made it enjoyable and rewarding for you?

Form One Students Only!!!!

Sitaram ...

It has already been 3 weeks since you have been at Vishnu Boys Hindu College. I do trust and hope that you are enjoying the Visual Arts lessons.

The purpose of this blog is to have you students EXPRESS yourself in relation to art. Art is supposed to change your life in a positive way. You will ultimately become more observant, more creative, more skilled and talented in art and by extension everyday life. As i said in my previous lessons, ART IS ALL AROUND !!!!

I would like you to share your views on Art at Vishnu boys in about 5-8 lines. What do you think about it? how does it make you feel? What do you hope to achieve? Do you see art helping you in the other subject areas? share your views with me and enjoy the blog!!

Sir Dilip. 24th September, 2011

Welcome Form 4 Art Students

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new set of Form 4s to the Visual Arts CXC CLasses.
During the next two years you will learn a great deal of work, including devleoping your skills and techniques in specialised areas, improve in your research skills, and become more aware of the local artists and their styles of work.
During these two years you ar eexpected to live your live in Art...READ Art, See Art, Think Art, Do Art...... indeed, Art is everywhere.
Do work hard and make us all proud. Trinidad an dtobago is finally getting to appreciate the arts and I think you students will make it brig in the field if you work hard with determination for success.