Concept Art Influenced by Early Art

Material 1 Art Influence

There are many decorative pieces in early art. Looking at these pieces can help you improve your own art by observing balance and composition in its original forms. Many of these artists have found ways to emphasize forms in simpler ways. You can see this in the figure of a woman from the Cycladic Islands. The proportions found in the human form are only emphasized in this piece. You can see similar things done in modern art like Antony Gormley’s sculptures. We can also see many artist creating pieces that resemble Egyptian art, like Adam Henein. What I found most helpful was how all early artists worked more graphically then realistically. They found ways to tell a story by using flat graphic forms, rather than realistic renderings. I think it is very important to understand that kind of work, because it can help improve understanding how different styles can make your art more aesthetically pleasing. I also found architecture in early civilizations interesting. All the thought and planning that went into those structures was incredible. I have a strong interest in 3D environmental modeling, and the architecture I have seen in earlier times has been very influential. I will try and take what I have learned and apply it to my models.  

Material 1 Favorite Art

My favorite piece was stone hedge. Many mysteries lie within it. I love the attention to detail in the placement of the structures, and how they line with the sun at different times of the year. It amazes me how such large materials were able to be moved around with such primitive technology. Most of the material was moved from areas far away. Everything is aligned in a perfect circle, and there is such good symmetry and balance in the overall structure. I also love how it corresponds with the Durrington Wall structures. Everything is so symbolic. Even the materials being used are symbolic. Stone is used to represent the afterlife. Many questions arise from these structures. Such as what kind of spiritual events took place there .I try to imagine the type of ceremonies the people who built it had and what kind of people they were. I also wonder how they got the materials over there, and how long did it take them. I try to picture myself coming up with an idea like that and think of what kind of tools I would use to build it if I was very limited on resources and technology.

Material S1 Summary

Throughout the early stage of human development, art and culture have changed dramatically. It was theorized that art in the early Paleolithic period was used more for observational purposes rather than aesthetic purposes. It wasn’t until later in this period, when we started to see more decorative pieces. As time went on, there was a dramatic climate change. This was at the start of the Neolithic period. People began to start farming and taking control the land. This gave rise to small societies. The ability to move large materials around was discovered, which gave birth to many different architectural structures. Many this structural piece were for religious purposes such as Stone Hedge or New Grange. Religion became a bigger part of art at this stage.  The world began to move into the Bronze Age where various metals began to be mined and used in decorative pieces. These resources began to establish different levels of power between societies. Over in the middle-east there was a great cultural-shift in around 3500 BCE. Agricultural villages began to form into big cities. Governments began forming, and gave rise to many powerful civilizations. Art started to become more sophisticated. Writing was developed, and huge shrines and temples were constructed. Religion had become a central focus for most art. Art was used to represent deities, tell stories and display laws and rules. This evolution of art could also be seen in the Egyptian civilizations. The Egyptians are known for their detail depictions of the afterlife, their preservation methods of the dead and there giant architectural structures they built. Over on the Cyclades, many cultures also thrived. It is in these ancient Aegean societies that we see stunning ceramic skills, great metal work and brilliant architectural planning.