I chose this mask as an inspiration because I am fascinated by the colors and structure. The feathers pop out and grabbed my attention and there are many colors that flow together to form a face. The main elements and principles that I see are color, balance, and proportion. When looking in close to the details of the mask they could be overwhelming, but looking from a far there is an overall image that flows together. I believe the artist could be portraying the beauty behind the madness. All masks did not have to be ugly and scary. Some could have beautiful characteristics about them like this mask. 

I chose this as an inspiration because it was different than most of the masks I found while researching. The face looks more animal like than human and has clear, normal looking body parts. Different elements and principles that I see are gradiation and texture. The mask has many different parts; some that look soft and fuzzy, some that look sharp and dangerous. The teeth look like they could chop down and harm you. The artist could be trying to covey an animal like danger by creating this mask with dominant and distinct features. 

I chose this mask as an inspiration because it looked scary. I remember reading how the African people made masks to scare their opponents and this mask could be one that was used. Elements and principles that I see are value, line, and harmony. This mask is not as decorated as the others and it uses simple light and dark contrast to define the outline of the face. The artist was bold about the point they were trying to get across by keeping the mask simple but effective. 

The mask I created was a combination of my three inspirations. I incorporated the use of color in the first example because that is what caught my eye in the beginning. I used paper to create my mask but added some feathers and beads that I have at home to emphasize its character. I wanted to use very human yet beastly qualities like the middle example. Making the mask look more human like is odd yet appealing. Finally I decide to outline the facial features like the last mask to create bold lines. 

Creating the mask was a fun project and it brought out my creative side. I was happy to find the feather and beads at home so I could add detail that would make my mask unique. While making the mask, I felt connected to the African people. I learned a lot about their culture this week and I loved bing able to celebrate and recreate it in my own way. 

1.         I selected these 2 films because I believe that they related most to each other since they are both about African art. The first video I watched called African Art video was an introduction to what the second video called African Art: Legacy of Oppression was about.

2.         For the film called African Art, many key concepts were discussed that shaped the way the people created art. The African people expressed their culture though dance, clothing, sound, and color. The art pieces have historical depth though depicting stories from the peoples hunting and gathering past. The ideas that art was magical, sacred, and had powers led into video 2. The Legacy of Oppression went in depth about the masks that Africans created to use in the war against Westerners. They made the masks to scare people. The masks had stories and different representations both visually and intellectually.

3.         The text speaks about the arts of Africa in the Nile River area and Nubia. It goes more in-depth about the sacred rituals practiced with art objects. It spoke about how there are many different cultures in Africa that are each unique in their own way and play an important role. I learned about nkondi and nowo mask making. This related to the video and it helped me understand more because each different form of art was thoroughly examined.

4.         The videos were very fascinating to watch and my favorite so far this semester. African culture is so unique to this world and in America it is under appreciated. I enjoyed these films very much and they gave me an insight to why their art forms are very different than most European ones we have been learning about.

1.         I selected the videos on Velazquez and Durer because they were 2 artists I have never heard of and I was interested in their work and legacy on the art world.

2.         The Durer video taught me about Albrecht life in Germany in the late 1400s. He was skilled from a young age and was influenced by artists that came before him. He was skilled in wood cuts and was attracted to landscapes, print making and portraits. The Velazquez video explained how he was a court painter to Philip the 4^th in Madrid. He focused on capturing timeless moments and studied others works so he would be aware of his own depth.

3.         The videos are just fragments of the overall lesson in the text. The book describes all of the artists in Europe during the High/Early Middle Age and the 18^th/19^th century. It goes into detail about different art style I heard in the film including. The videos were only a small portion of the text, but after reading I was able to comprehend the artists and why they had their specific style of art that accompanied what was going on in the world around them.

4.         I liked learning about the different artists but they did not teach me as much as the text did. The works and styles of Velazquez and Durer were interesting to learn about and added depth to my understanding of the culture of that time period.

1.         I think the hand is a good subject matter because it is something we have drawn all our lives. Since kindergarten we have been taught how to outline out hand, but in college we are learning to draw the details and depict the small things the common eye might not see.

2.         I used pencil because it was a simpler tool, easier to handle, and I have more experience with it.

3.         It was difficult drawing with my non dominant hand. I was quite wobbly and didn’t really know how to grip the pencil. In the end, you can definitely tell which drawing was done by which hand.

4.         My dominant hand drawing was successful. I was able to capture all the details in an artistic way that looked appealing. Unfortunately, the non-dominant hand drawing was not as pleasing to look at because mistakes are clearly visible. They both have a decent outline and outer structure.

5.         I would not consider using my non-dominant hand because my best work will not be done and I will not be concentrating on the art but instead on how I am gripping the tool.