Rough essay plan

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My very initial rough essay plan

Q1: What is Chinese Tomb art? Compare 2 bronzes from the Shang dynasty or compare 2 terracotta figures from the Qin dynasty.

 

Introduction:

-the year/when/what period

-what is chinese tomb art? What are considered tomb art.

-what objects are usually found?

-where is it found?

-some examples of it?

-prominent examples? Difference between royalty/rich ppl and normal ppl?

 

 

Claim:

 

In this paper, I will be comparing 2 different terracotta figures.

 

Main:

-briefly introduce the tomb

-built by qin shi huang. His body resides there

used _____ppl to build

-there are 4? Sites in total

-how many terracotta figures in total.

-why did he build it. For his after life?

 

Comparision of 2 figures:

 

1st figure/ 2nd figure (separate para?)

-What is the use of the figures?

-who made them?

– A numbering system

-where is it found.

-visual analysis. What is it doing? What it look like it might be holding

clothing differences?

Rank differences?

Each pose look different from one another.

What is their rank?

Why so many? To build his transport and army to the underworld

 

Conclusion: ??

 

————————————————————————————————————————————–

what kind of claim can be written for this kind of comparison essay?

the use of the warriors? However, this does look like a claim. There is no argument. the reason of why they are made?

 

 

 

 

Week 4: Journal!

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Team 1 presented on hindu temple, Sri Mariamman Temple in class today. The team did a great job in presenting their information. I like how simple and direct their slides were, which allowed me to understand the information properly. Being a singaporean, i am very ashamed to say that I did not know much about this temple until today. I would simply walk past the temple without thinking much about it or try to understand in. Through the group’s presentation, I was able understand the architecture layout for the temple and their traditional ceremonies like puja. I was able a get a further understanding about their culture. One thing that i find the most interesting is the way they conduct their ceremonies and about the “blessed food”. I think this is pretty similar to us chinese where we will have the blessed water from the buddhas. After praying and drinking the water, we will be blessed. It might just be an illusion but I find that it is calming for the heart which is why devotees choose to continue believe in their faith.

Week 2: Favourite Buddhist Temple

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Image taken from: http://beokeng.com/img/slides/tong-whye-temple-1.jpg

 

My favourite temple will be Tong Whye Temple located at Jurong East which is quite near to my house. Every year, my family will go to the temple at least twice to pray to “Tai Sui” at the start of the lunar new year, and before the year ends. For my family, we believe that we have to pray to Tai Sui in order to get blessing for the entire year. Due to the zodiac, there will be different zodiacs that offend Tai Sui every year. For this year, it will be snake,tiger, pig (my mum and I) and Monkey(my dad). Interestingly, the animal of the year will definitely be in the “Fan Tai Sui” list.

The ceremony for praying to the tai sui is very simple. Firstly, we will have to prepare our individual Ang paos with the amount of money that represents our age. For example, my Chinese age is 22 this year, i will have to put $2.20 inside. Along with this ang pao, I also have to prepare the papers and some simple offerings to Tai Sui. The temple uncle (I am not very sure of the name) will proceed to recite some words of blessing and the ceremony is done. And also very importantly, if we asked for blessings in the beginning of the year, we must return the favour at the end of the year. This is also why alot of people nowadays are lazy to ask for blessings at the temple. However for me, it has become a tradition and I will continue on when I grow older too.

I like the temple as it has become so familiar to me since I visited it since young and I will feel calm and cleanse whenever I stepped into the temple grounds. When I was younger, visitors were able to feed the temple koi fishes which was also something that I looked very forward to doing when I visited the temple.

TP: Final presentation

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I thought the reflections from the water fit well with my nature theme

Final close up:

 

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My Name is…. And i can found if you look close enough

Branches// Finding me I can hide and may be hidden among the crowds at times. My heart may be hidden to. But if you look close enough, you will definitely find me in there, somewhere

Fishes in water// I feel like i am like fishes out of water, not fitting into the environment that i am in. However, at the same time, i want to portray how deep my thoughts/I can be just like the deep layered water

My name is … And i think deep but free

Fishes in water// I feel like i am like fishes out of water, not fitting into the environment that i am in. However, at the same time, i want to portray how deep my thoughts/I can be just like the deep layered water. And also, the only way you feel like u can fly is through swimming in the water

p.s. notice the special shiny backgrounds i used for these 2 pieces!

Roaring waves// This represent my emotions, if am happy i definitely wont be hiding it. It would be hitting you in strong waves

My name is… And i respond with strong emotions

Roaring waves// This represent my emotions, if am happy i definitely wont be hiding it. It would be hitting you in strong waves

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My name is… And i conquer new heights

Mountains// For me to overcoming even greater heights. Having new challengers and continuing no matter how cold or how unfavourable the conditions are ahead of me

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on the wall

on the wall

This is my first time doing papercuts and I definitely learnt a new skill! The time needed to plan each composition and to carve every single piece too longer than i way expected, but i am enjoying this outcome! I am glad that i put in this effort to create these works

TP: Process IV

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Off to the last! Mountains!

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I initially wanted to add my chinese characters into this piece20160215_032727-min

I found many many inspiring examples on pinterest.

from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695843988/

from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695843976/

from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695843970/

from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695843961/

from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695843959/

I really like this layering of the sky instead of the actual mountains to show the illusion of having mountains. I found out that the importance of knowing where my light is coming from, and the sense of planes is very important for this piece. So while designing, i have to be consistent so that the cut out wouldn’t look like flat triangles in the end.

Of course, i have to seek help from a actual picture to complete my design.

from http://mypages.valdosta.edu/asmccoy/U3A2.html

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My piece before i started cutting!

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Done!

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With all the pieces done, the next step is the presentation.

I feel that if these pieces are not “frame” up, they do not feel complete as they seem like actual artwork itself.

Deciding between a portrait framing or a landscape framing…

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Decided to go with the landscape framing so that i can encompass everything including the captions nicely inside!

 

My final four:

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TP: Process III

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With the completion of branches and water, I have decided to go with roaring waves and mountains for the final 2 piece.

Making of waves:

I was influenced with the japanese style waves, which I did for my last semester EGO project too. I like the strength that it gives and also the creativity that I am allowed to go with it.

References:

ea34c70a16103c31fcee7d3bce58e030 tumblr_n8oy5lh48D1rs7uv4o3_1280

Strong, determined waves

Strong, determined waves

 

Initial planning for the waves and how to incorporate my name into it.20160215_032708-min

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decided! since waves are pretty flexible XD

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I choose a warm colour theme for this but i made sure that the hue will not clash with other blues in the series. To balance out, I will add a layer of dark blue behind

This really took me a long time to cut due to the tiny turns and complexity

This really took me a long time to cut due to the tiny turns and complexity

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i was so afraid that these would break

i was so afraid that these would break

Managed to complete this eventually~ and time to move on to the last of the series!

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Complete!

TP: Process II (water)

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As i wanted to go with the theme of nature, after branches, the next element that came to my mind is water. Initially, i was wondering how should i make water interesting when it is just water?

Before:

For my letters, i was only trying to create it as it is. Looks unnatural and too simple

For my letters, i was only trying to create it as it is. Looks unnatural and too simple

I found really good references of water cut outs on pinterest. It reminded me that water could contain so many things! Fishes, seaweed, bubbles, plants, etc. I was really inspired by the fishes and found out that it is the perfect element for my initials.

References for this piece:

from pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695785442/

I really love the idea of have the white frontal piece to add visual interest and flow to the whole piece! from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/293508100695788902/

The main keyword for this piece would be flowy and deep/layers.

WIth these reference, I have decided that i would make the 2 fishes show G and L.

Design exploration of how the fishes would look like

Design exploration of how the fishes would look like. Had fun doing this!

 

Actual making of this piece:

I lifted the layers up to see how i should arrange the different layers of water

I lifted the layers up to see how i should arrange the different layers of water

Make shift light box!!

Make shift light box!!

after i sketched out the layers, its time for me to carve out the fishes!!

after i sketched out the layers, its time for me to carve out the fishes!!

first completed fishes!~~

first completed fishes!~~

I would firstly sketch and cut the main subject so that i can get a sense of space they occupy and what i should do with the other layers.

TP: Progress and questions

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After consultation with Prof Ina, we have decided that the cut outs worked really well for the project and suggested that I should continue with all the other 3 with cutouts.

I scanned them before I taped the pieces together.

Scan 7 Scan 9

These 3 will make 1 set for “branches”.

for the second set, i decided that i would go with “water and fishes” In which, the fish will represent my initials.

Scan 6

2 of the many layers for this 2nd set

I am pretty happy with the results for this 2 sets. However, what could be the remaining 2 sets?

One could be waves ( japanese style…) …

TP: Branches are complicated

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With the idea I came up with in school, I went home and tried with the few ideas I had.

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I sketched out the patterns of the tree branches on a A5 colour paper

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Cutting out! Its the first time i am doing this

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Create another layer? Framing?

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These drawing and precision cutting took longer that I expected it to be. However, the final results look interesting. I plan to prop and separate each layer with a thick tape so that there will be more depth between the layers.

 

Other than this, I also tried the “sharp blade leaves”

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It did not turn out as good as i expected it would be. The problem for this was that i would need a accurate and exact type font so that it would not look amateur and unfinished.

TP: more new References

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With my first round of trial and error, I decided that those are not going to make it. I went online and Pinterest to search for more inspirations related to nature!

(click to view individual image)

This got me interested in papercuts and tree branches. After brainstorming, one of my new ideas was to integrate branches and cut outs to form my typography. Other than the reference picutres i found above, I had been taking photos of trees the past few days, it acted as an inspiration trigger too, realising again how pretty and unique trees are.

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Photos by me while taking the bus

 

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My aim was to hide myself (my name) within the branches. It is going to be a layered paper cuts

What i plan to do is to reference the photos of the trees i took, to create a natural looking branches canopy.

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Inspired by the first grass cutout. I wanted to change my chinese font to a grass looking with sharp blades