ART

“Differences and similarities between the use of music in traditional Native American cultures and in contemporary American popular culture”

Traditional Americans believed that music emanated from God at the commencement of the universe. Therefore, the creator is the vital source of music since as evident in the creation process (Kuiper 203). In some indigenous American groups, music was equated to property. In order for a different individual or entity to use music, there had to be permission from the community that owned it because songs had in-built values specific to that culture. Each fresh season led to the creation of diverse types of new-fangled music to mark important events. The creator passed on songs to generations through apprenticeship, aping, and participation in performances.

Oral diffusion was the main course of spread across generations, but technology advanced other routes like taping and writing. Their performances brought together numerous cultural facets including dance, veneration, and social issues. Initially, the styles used depending on the native’s physical location, but further mixing led to the integration of novel techniques. Ideally, music was a kind of heritage owned by the community, but not regarded as a form of trade or commercialized item for income (Rubin 36).

Currently, American culture has highly commercialized and artists venture into it as a profession, as opposed to the former times where the art purposely entertained people. The way of performance is different from the natives. Immigration has led to the existence of new genres of music that never existed before. Such novel forms take the roots of the initial native inhabitants and others. Consequently, the music describes the common and livelihood conditions of the group presenting it. Political ideas are in many instances presented using music.

Popular music is mainly structured in a way that it targets the young owing to messages contained in genres like raps (Holt 86). Symbolism has emerged in association with some varieties of music. This is verified by various stage performances. Association to cults, consolidation of themes on sexuality, religion, and rights is common in the new albums produced regularly.

“Ways in which gospel has influenced popular music and ways in which popular music has influenced gospel: vocal style, harmony, melody, orchestration and rhythm”

In many aspects, the two categories of music interact. This results from the dynamics in the music market that influence what the people wish to listen to. In the fashionable world, there is borrowing in music to create blends that suit the listeners. Blues, a subtype of popular music include many similarities with the current gospel music playing frequently. They generate similar echoes. The songs performed during worship have had sway on pop music especially in bringing harmony (Moore 60). Moore outlines that blending emanates from the marketing process of both products.

Rhythm is another aspect that has penetrated from the popular type to Gospel. The type and order of beats that were once used in popular genres like “Rock and Roll” have been introduced to modern gospel music (Campbell 8). Gospels in former days were remarkably slower but gained cadence from the faster pop songs. Presentation style is similar in the two music classes whereby the number of singers presenting in a particular presentation resembles. Moreover, the main instruments employed are the same.

Pop music received the influence of harmony from the ‘old type’ of the gospel, the hymns. This is especially coordinating the different voices to bring out a more coherent output from the summation of the voices.

“Aspects of early Rock ‘n’ Roll come from African-American traditions versus Euro-American traditions”

Rock ‘n’ roll is from African slaves in the United States. The Africans brought their traditional styles, which Americans adapted later for example the Cakewalk and Charleston style. “Roc ‘n’ roll” lyrics have rigorous lyrics and its characteristics are from African dancing, which is in African- American dance. The African Movement expression is a dance where blacks bend their arms a little, shake hips and shoulders scuff, and hope around. On the contrary, the Europeans just swing limbs. The downward course is a style belonging to Africans. One bends slightly facing down flattening the feet widely backward to form a solid stand, but Europeans assume a vertical posture, lift arms in the air and raise the foot up onto the toes (Barbara).

Another different aspect is the type and tune combinations. Euro- American Rock ‘n’ Roll started from a single type of style namely blues. The blues are slow, associated with vocal tunes, which have repetitive rhythms that relate to daily life experiences. The African- American traditional lyrics combined both the blues and jazz to add flavor to create different rhythms and harmony. The African-American singers incorporated Jazz because of instruments like trumpets and pianos, which produce and blend pitch quality. Variation of sound from Jazz tunes facilitated the famous shake dance styles adapted by African-Americans (Lamb).

The argument for and against Barkley assertion

Barkley’s assertion is factual. The four artists mentioned are among the most successful songwriters, each achieving greatly in their pieces of creation. Each acquired ‘Grammy awards’ more than once with other prestigious rewards for their prowess in song creation. In all their works, distinct ideas from musicians who participated in “Urban folk revival” are observable. “Dylan and the Beatles” made an improvement to the art presently used (Weismann 172). The themes in their compositions; issues such as persons, recent proceedings were also present and had more themes other than love alone. Secondly, there is the application of symbolism to represent current and past occurrences. Thirdly, they encompass the use of rhyme in the compositions for the word within the sentences of the stanza. Aspects of enjambment are evident in the creation of the four artists (Weissman 23). Experts edited the work in the studio before the release so that some adding’s may be done to improve on the superiority of work. Finally, the four artists wrote songs that were stories, a song like a rapid video which articulates all the issues that the writer had in mind (Weismann 172).

“Ways in which immigration to the United States (New York in particular) affected the music of the Latin Caribbean”

Latin Caribbean immigrants in America experienced Cultural Revolution that caused remarkable transformations in their music. Their relocation to New York brought unto them some sense of urbanization. This had an overall weighty upshot for popular music (Shepherd 385). Travelers and artists that included circuses, sorcerers, performing families, theatrical associations, and minstrels originally were the major entertainers during the “mid-nineteenth century” (Shepherd 385). Homogenization of trendy music threatened the native Latin genre as they slowly Americanized.

Serious studies on music-cultural roots begun in Latin communities with the intent of redefining their music and presenting it to the world. Latino musicians took stage enthusiastically in music and enjoyed U.S varieties including “jazz, country, rock, and punk.” Vital musical expressions of fashionable style like “jazz, salsa, and hip hop” emerged due to constant and concentrated exchanges amid these groups and US Afro-American enlightening processes (Lucky, Armstrong & Estrada 242). Immigration into modern cities including New York that had a variety of cultures reinforced it. Cuban folk music derived from a mixed Caribbean heritage of Hispania and Africa was combined with both jazz and “Puerto Rican folk” idioms like “jibaro, bomba, and call-and-response plena” (Lucky, Armstrong & Estrada 242). This was especially in New York “barrios.” The result was a specifically rhythmically incisive style that came to be known as “salsa.” Music became a social outlet for many communities and those derived from the rhythmic richness of “conga, rumba, and mambo” became commonplace. Popular Latin stars like “Dezi Arnaz not only satisfied their immigrant communities but also attained general success with music that greatly fuses the Latin style with more generic trends (Lucky, Armstrong & Estrada 243). New York steadily became a center of the multicultural musical display with the entrance of immigrants.

“Asian Americans have not yet produced a recognizable, uniquely American music that is equivalent to Jazz or Tejano…”

It is factual that Asian Americans are yet to create an identifiable exclusively American genre, which resembles “Jazz or Tejano.” Though there are excellent Asian artists, they scarcely attain any remarkable popularity and effect in American showbiz. The tale of Mr. Lee featured in “New York Times” (Navarro) portrays the stereotype of the ” Asian Thing” as one factor that has overtime dragged budding Asian artists from excelling in music. They are associated with a sport like Kung fu and are not expected to sound like American pop stars. To an extent, the music sector does not yet endeavor to nurture Asian-American talent. As noted in the article, Michael Hong, “CEO of ImaginAsian Entertainment” explains that many talented Asian-American artists exist, but nobody is ready to sign them (Navarro). There are several inequalities and prejudices that Asians, including classical musicians, face in the US. Race relations, immigration history, class dynamics, masculinity, and sexual norms are cited as hindrances to excellence by Asian artists (Yoshihara xii). Classical music does not overly spread to the Asian-Americans as in the case of those in the cradle (Yoshihara xii). Asians dedicate their efforts to music despite frequent disappointments, frustrations, and self-questioning. There is the conviction that the Asian-American community is yet to produce an exclusive, inimitably American genre similar to Jazz and Tejano owing to the technology and growing acceptance of cultural and racial diversity amongst the dominant Americans.

Works Cited

Barbara, Gel. Archives of Early Lindy Hop. n.d. Web.

Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: And The Beat Goes on. Ohio, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.

Holt, Fabian. Genre in Popular Music. London: University of Chicago ltd Press, 2007. Print.

Kuiper, Kathleen. Native American Culture, 1^st ed. New York. NY: Britannica Educational Publishing, 2011. Print.

Lamb, Alex. Rock ‘n Roll Music. 2007. Web.

Lucky, James. Armstrong, Jeanne. & Estrada, Lawrence. Immigration in America today: an encyclopedia. Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. 2006. Print.

Moore, Alan. Blues and Gospel Music. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

Navarro, Mireya. Trying to Crack the Hot 100.The New York Times. 2007. Web.

Rubin, Rachel and Jeffrey Melnick. Immigration and American Popular Culture. New York, NY: New York University Press, 2007. Print.

Shepherd, John. Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. New York, NY: Continuum International Publishing Group. 2003. Print.

Yoshihara, Mari. Musicians from a different shore: Asians and Asian Americans in classical music. Pennsylvania, PA: Temple University Press. 2007. Print.

Weissman, Dick. Which Side Are You On?: An Inside History of the Folk Music Revival in America. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. Print.

Since the early 20^th century, music has undergone considerable transformation. These changes are attributed to the reactions against the impressionist movements of the 19^th century. In the mission to develop new lingo and forms, artists have come up with different genres of music. Each genre targets a specific audience. Currently, the most popular genres of music include rock, pop music, reggae, dancehall, and hip hop music among others. The term ‘Hip Hop’ is more or less the same as rap music. Hip-hop is believed to have started in early 1975. There is no literature that gives the exact year hip-hop begun.

Rap generally means singing or speaking in sequence with the beat or rhythm (Alridge and James 190). In the past, the term ‘rap’ had numerous meanings. For example, the ancient African-American society used it to describe diverse ways of making musical notations. However, in all the contexts the term rap is used, beats are always attached to it. For that reason, rap has existed for many years and is not a new word (George 5). According to light, hip-hop is a genre of music that entails musical beats that are accompanied by rhythmic monologue (singing or talking). In other words, hip-hop consists of rhythm and recited speech (2).

It should be noted that hip hop is not only a music genre but also a way of life, particularly among African-Americans. Hip-hop music can be identified through certain elements. These elements include rap, Disc Jockey (DJ), breakdance, beatboxing, and graffiti (Light 3). The essay will analyze the background of Hip-Hop music and its ensuing growth.

The Origin of Hip-Hop Music and Famous Artists

Hip-hop music and culture began in the mid-1970s, when disco dance became popular in the city of New York, especially among African-Americans. The disco parties had DJs who played trendy music. Given the popularity of disco parties, Disc Jockeys developed a habit of breaking the beats of popular music. This habit was also common among the clubs playing reggae and dancehall music.

For that reason, a section of the American population started to believe that hip-hop music originated from the Caribbean (George 15; Crossley 501). Until now, some of the Jamaican DJs, for example, Kool Herc and others are regarded as the hip-hop pioneers. This is because DJ Kool and his counterparts introduced two turntables to expand the percussive breaks, which is one of the key elements of hip-hop music (Crossley 501).

This musical genre later evolved into other distinct subgenres like R&B. This is mainly attributed to the accessibility of a mixer and beat machines to the general public. At first, the two devices were very costly and could only be accessed in major studios. Later on, new and less costly devices, which merged both the beat machine and a mixer was introduced. The new device is usually referred to as the music production center (MPC).

The accessibility of MPCs to the general public, especially among the poor and the vulnerable led to the evolution of hip-hop. The accessibility and affordability of these devices led to the experimentation of new hip-hop genres. In addition, the artists benefited from a decrease in the cost of producing and recording music. At the moment, there are very many sub-genres of (George 15).

In early 1980, a Brooklyn-based DJ by the name of Wizzard Theodore introduced new Hip-hop mixing techniques. These techniques incorporated, beat mixing and matching, beat control, and the art of playing around with the LPs. Some of the techniques were influenced by the Caribbean Disk Jockeys (George 15). As already been mentioned, hip-hop was described as a mouthpiece of the poor and vulnerable, especially those living in the New York Ghetto. However, the popularity of hip-hop music and culture has broken the boundary between the rich and the poor (Crossley 502).

Hip-hop has gone through a number of phases. The first phase was dominated by Jamaican DJs and a couple of artists with Caribbean accents. Most of these artists did not record their songs in the studio but relied on disco performances. The phase of hip-hop started in the mid-1980s. It saw the emergence of two great MCs, that is, Run-D. M. C and LL Cool J. Hip-hop at this stage were characterized by metallic beats. In addition, the songs were more organized and could easily be played on the radio stations (George 15).

Mainstream and Gangster rap later emerged in 1988. Mainstream hip-hop was characterized by diversity, superior quality, and innovativeness. In addition, it had a massive influence. Gangster rap depicted the atrocious and aggressive lifestyle of the Ghetto life. The popularity of hip-hop increased in the 1990s. At the moment, hip-hop music and culture have been embraced all over the world (Light 7).

Conclusion

Hip-hop is a genre of music that entails regular beats that are accompanied by monologues recitation. The term ‘Hip Hop’ is more or less the same as rap music. Hip-hop music and culture started in the mid-1970s in the city of New York, principally among the African-Americans. There is no literature that gives the exact year hip-hop begun. Hip-hop is not only a genre of music but also a way of life. It is believed to have originated from the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica. No wonder, until now, some of the Jamaican DJs, for example, Kool Herc and others are regarded as the hip-hop pioneers.

This is because DJ Kool and his counterparts introduced two turntables to expand the percussive breaks, which is one of the key elements of hip-hop music. The development of hip-hop is mainly attributed to the accessibility of a mixer and beat machines to the general public. Initially, the two devices were very costly and could only be accessed in major studios. Generally, hip-hop is described as the voice of the disadvantaged youths, especially those from underprivileged communities. Hip-hop music and culture have grown tremendously. As a matter of fact, hip hop music and culture are currently being embraced all over the world.

Works Cited

Alridge, Derrick and James Steward. “Introduction: Hip Hop in History: Past, Present, and Future”. Journal of African American History 90.3 (2005): pp. 190-195. Print.

Crossley, Scott. ‘’Metaphorical Conceptions in Hip-Hop Music”. African American Review 19 (2005):pp.501–502. Print.

George, Nelson. Hip-Hop America, New York: Penguin Books, 2005. Print.

Light, Alan. The VIBE History of Hip-Hop, New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999. Print.

Zoe Beloff’s “Beyond” can be considered one of the most famous virtual realities created in the twentieth century. In my essay, I will be exploring the main specifics and themes of “Beyond” and reveal that this virtual reality has the distinguishing qualities of digital media that contribute to its impressiveness.

The virtual reality “Beyond” has brought much fame to its creator due to the uniqueness and immersive effect of the environment (Resume, n.d.). Zoe Beloff (2002) claims that the primary purpose of creating this piece of media art was to “illuminate the present through the past” (p. 290).

The author managed to achieve this goal by using various pieces of video clips, music, poems, graphics, diagrams, etc. that belonged to the period of 1850-1940. By using these materials in the creation of interactive panoramas, Beloff realized her idea of letting “the past breathe through small discarded objects” (Beloff, 2002, p. 290). The author has embodied the idea of mental geography virtuously in her reality and let the viewer use the modern technologies as “a time machine” and travel through the world of past to better understand the origins of the present (Beloff, 2002, p. 295).

The interaction with “Beyond” gave me a unique experience that encouraged me to explore the author’s ideas. While getting through the panoramas, I discovered numerous video clips, pieces of writing, music, and other interesting and amazing things collected by Beloff from the past. All of them are linked to each other and create different stages of virtual reality that is navigated by the user. By interacting with the virtual environment, the viewer has an opportunity to submerge in the world where the past is masterly reflected through the material reminders that enable the person to feel like he/she is using a time machine. Such experience helps to explore the themes of death, resurrection, memory, time, etc.

Being a distinctive piece of media art, “Beyond” has many of the distinguishing qualities of the digital media. One of the most powerful qualities of “Beyond” is its interactivity. The virtual reality is designed in such a way that the user chooses which direction to follow and what to choose. Different elements that can be chosen by the viewer lead to various clips, pictures, and other visual or audio materials. Therefore, the user feels like he/she interacts with a living changing environment. Integrity is another distinctive feature of “Beyond”, as the author combined various “artistic” material and technology into “a hybrid form of expression” (Packer & Jordan, 2001, p. XXXV).

In such a way, Beloff managed to create a unique piece of media art that incorporates old music, videos, poems, and pictures with modern technologies. That is how the author managed to make the past and the present integrate into one piece of art. Beloff’s talent of choosing the most appropriate items enabled her to give one more important quality to her virtual reality – immersion. “Beyond” is highly immersive, as the viewer interacting with it loses the track of time and perceives the environment as real. Hypermedia is another quality contributing to the immersive effect of the virtual reality, as the links between media objects make the user feel like he/she is making a “private path” through them (Packer & Jordan, 2001, p. XXXVI).

I think that the virtual reality created by Beloff can be considered an amazing piece of media art that gives the user a unique experience. The uniqueness of “Beyond” relies on the original idea of mental geography embodied by the author and the vital themes of death and time explored in the virtual reality. The number of distinctive qualities, such as integrity, interactivity, and immersion, makes “Beyond” a powerful and original piece of digital media art.

Introduction

Among the universal geniuses of Romantic music, one of the most prominent personalities is the Russian composer of the late nineteenth century, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893). The uniqueness of his composing talent revealed itself in a multitude of works in different genres which combine in themselves both a high level of academic professionalism with the sparkle of fervent inspiration. Also, Tchaikovsky is known for his dedication to the national composing style and his overall patriotism. It appears that the most famous of his works are those he created for the orchestra since he was a brilliant master of orchestration, surpassed in this art perhaps only by Rimsky-Korsakov. Among the bright examples of Tchaikovsky’s synthetic style that combines high professionalism with creativity are, inter alia, 1812 Overture, Piano Concerto #1, and Symphony #4. These works are reviewed in the present report in the following rendition: 1812 Overture is conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, the piano part in the Piano Concerto #1 is performed by Martha Argerich, and the Symphony #1 is conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

1812 Overture

Led by his patriotic feelings, Tchaikovsky wrote 1812 Overture (1880) to commemorate one of the key events in Russian history: the victory of the Russian army over Napoleon’s army seventy years before (Matz and Johnson 45). This is a typical example of the so-called program music that is designed to represent a story or a picture. To make the descriptive qualities of his work as obvious as possible, Tchaikovsky borrows certain melodies from real-life practice. Thus, the Overture begins with a Russian hymn “Save us, O Lord” played in an expressive sound of the strings, and later the woodwinds (Matz and Johnson 45). This melody emphasizes the significance of church services and prayer for plucking up the courage of the Russian army.

Succeeding this moment of spiritual meditation is an abrupt fragment of panic: the tension is created by repetitive rhythm and disquieting passages of the orchestra. To clarify the reason for the disorder, Tchaikovsky introduces a French melody, “La Marseillaise” that signifies the approach of the French troops Matz and Johnson 45). After another fragment of orchestral panic appears a lyrical song symbolizing peaceful Russian spaces. The main conflict of 1812 Overture occurs when two themes, the French and the Russian, collide in the final battle. “La Marseillaise” is gradually defeated and disappears in the triumphant proclamation of Russian victory. The initial hymn melody reappears again, now played by the whole orchestra with carillons and brass, and to reinforce the victorious effect Tchaikovsky introduces sounds of real canons in the final part.

Piano Concerto #1

The beginning of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto #1 (1874–75) is often viewed as “Introduction” since the initial melody is played not by the soloist but by the orchestra (Steinberg 477). The pianist at this time engages into an accompaniment that is remarkable in itself: a whole cascade of full-blooded chords streams upon the audience and imparts an almost carillon-like solemn sound to the opening theme. The next fragment is based on a more ‘hopping’ piano theme in a faster motion and is further developed in its dialogue with the orchestra. Following is a gradual slowing down and introducing a new, lyrical theme that is further developed to a whole series of virtuosic fragments that result in a breathtaking cadence of the soloist. The sphere of the lyric is explored in the second movement which is opened by a tender solo flute melody. This melody further becomes the basis for variation in various orchestral groups and is finally interrupted by a scherzo-like fragment that reminds a swift waltz. A major contrast lies in the foundation of the final movement: on the one hand, Tchaikovsky employs folklore dance melody with a strong accent on the second beat; on the other hand, there is a broad lyrical theme (Steinberg 479). The latter is developed at the end of the movement to a grand apotheosis of the whole concerto.

Symphony #4

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony (1877–78) was his personal favorite: although it took great pains to create, the result satisfied the composer with its completeness of expression (Ewen 582). The personal attitude of the composer to the Fourth Symphony is obvious in the detailed comments he provided for each of its movements. The Symphony opens with a powerful proclamation of Fate which rules human life despite all the efforts to avoid its finger. In musical terms, this idea is rendered by the collision of a decisive motif of the Fate performed by brass winds, with the lyrical placid motif of human happiness. Both themes collide throughout the whole movement. After the dramatic events of the beginning, Tchaikovsky retires into sad meditation of the oboe melody that dominates the second movement.

The playful vision of the third movement is implemented by the pizzicato of the strings that comes and goes in increasing and diminishing sound. Tchaikovsky himself characterized this play as a “capricious arabesque” (Ewen 583). The conflict of the Symphony finds its resolution in the final movement. After the meditations of the second movement and the bizarre visions of the third, the final Allegro provides an answer to a person seeking repose from the inevitable Fate: Tchaikovsky calls the audience to find a distraction if not inside then around themselves (Brown 151). The distracting world around is expressed through another folk song, “In the fields there stands a birch tree”, that is developed to a dramatic collision with the motif of Fate (Ewen 583). The latter is conquered in the final part of the movement, and the music proceeds to a triumphant and life-asserting conclusion.

Conclusion

Tchaikovsky represents a unique example of a universal composer. His three works reviewed in this report show his high composing skill combined with artistic inspiration. Implementing deep ideas on the essence of existence, Tchaikovsky asserts optimistic principles and proclaims a positive attitude to life.

Works Cited

Brown, David. Tchaikovsky: The Man and His Music. New York, NY: Pegasus Books, 2007. Print.

Ewen, David. Music for the Millions — the Encyclopedia of Musical Masterpieces. New York, NY: Arco Publishing Company, 2007. Print.

Matz, Carol, and Bernadine Johnson. A Night at the Symphony. Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Publishing, 2006. Print.

Steinberg, Michael. The Concerto: A Listener’s Guide. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.

There is so much to learn about successful entrepreneurship from the “Tucker – the Man and His Dream”. This movie is about the most important characteristics of a successful business. Every successful entity starts with a man or woman with a great vision, an incredible dream. The successful venture is more often than not the embodiment of the fulfilled dream. In a few instances, entrepreneurs simply follow a straight line to success (Roger 1).

Tucker is a master dreamer with a great ability to inspire a team and get them committed to building a great car. In any business, an idea alone is not enough. The entrepreneur must have the capacity to draw a team to help with the galvanization of the ideas in his dream. However, as with many ventures that fail, Tucker simply fails to plan ahead for any eventualities of the time. He fails to calculate risks and buries his head in an aura of wheezing success.

The greatest potential

The most difficult aspects of business and entrepreneurship development is the ability to accurately predict the future. We can give a fairly good prediction by borrowing from the past and the present trends. The telecommunication and mobile service application sector is an industry of excellent potential in the U.S. Given its dynamism, the ever improving technology, and the present interconnectivity among consumers, this industry is headed for more expansion. The projections of possible economic growth particularly in the countries in Latin America and Asia-Pacific have a great potential to influence this market in the U.S.A. (Brereton 1).

Even though this industry has been in America much longer than in the neighboring nations, it is evident that the increased connectivity and reliance on the internet will push this industry to bigger heights in the next 20 years. Web based industries are currently on the prowl. There is a likelihood of fusion between the social networking and gaming. Since social media is gaining entrance into the mainstream life of individuals. The social media and gaming is likely to be integrated into the mainstream economy of many industries in the U.S.A.

The Main Driving Force

The main driving force of this growth is the ever continuing reliance on internet connectivity for communication and into almost every aspect of life. The creation of mobile phone banking has also contributed to pushing this industry into the leading position as we look into the next 20 years.

The reason why companies are involved with actuarial work is because they gain access into the predictions of the future (Christopher 1).

Current Events and their Entrepreneurial Opportunities

The Solar Panel

This is how I will be able to make money from this trend. Whereas the world continues to face energy shortages and fluctuation in crude oil prices, solar energy offers a great opportunity particularly in lighting and powering schools in low income states. Partnering with different NGOs I will pioneer supply of the solar panels to the identified and deserving cases.

Green Technology Housing

It remains a challenge to design of houses that will benefit from the green housing revolution. With proper architectural design tools, I will create a company to pioneer cheaper architectural designs for sustainable green buildings. Houses benefiting will also have government waivers on costs which we will definitely share.

Online Eyeglasses and Contact Lens Sales

3 D downloadable online characters that can be fitted and tested by consumers before they make their purchases will be critical to achieving maximum sales and online business. In my plan, my company will be designing appropriate and affordable designs for customer fitting and testing online.

Self-Tanning Product Manufacturing

I will create a portal for leading experts to give explicit information on the self-tanning products. It will be a one stop shop for all data related to these products including how to do it and expert opinion.

For-Profit Universities

Content development will be my key area of expertise and entrepreneurship so that universities may reach many students from all over the world who will simply enroll to learn online through a long distance learning model.

Pilates and Yoga Studios

At each and every upmarket gym, an additional attraction of Pilates and Yoga studio run by my company shall help reach many people who want to get fit by prospects of carrying those heavy weights or working with machines.

Generic Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Patenting is an important area. Many companies will need help with the development and management of intellectual property right, an area my company will be a leading consultant in.

Hot Sauce Production

Creative distribution of this product with options of online purchase is the push behind my companies creative and genius online sales line. It will connect the consumer to manufacturers and help shorten time of delivery.

3D Printer Manufacturing

The gap exists for the manufacture of the 3D printers. Since this is a capital intensive operation, my company shall seek to partner with the largest operator where we supply the ingredient of clients’ desire while the company provides the physical facility.

Social Network Game Development

My company shall be in the forefront of cutting edge game development while ensuring their adoptability and fit to the social media.

Works Cited

Brereton, Colin. Rapid growth heralds a bright future. Pwc, 2011. Web.

Christopher, Matthews. The Top Ten Fastest-Growing Industries in America. Business time. 2012. Web.

Roger, Ebert. Tucker: The Man and His Dream. Rogerebert. 2012. Web.

Appendices

The solar panel. Web.

Green and Sustainable Building Construction. Web.

Online Eyeglasses & Contact Lens Sales. Web.

Self-Tanning Product Manufacturing. Web.

For-Profit Universities. Web.

Pilates & Yoga Studios. Web.

Generic Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. Web.

Hot Sauce Production. Web.

3D Printer Manufacturing. Web.

Social networking and gaming. Web.

Introduction

The work of art I have selected for this critique is the oil on canvas painting titled Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre Augusta Renoir of France. The artwork is currently hosted at the Phillips Collection in Washington DC, as part of its resident collections.

The painting was done in the year 1881and was guided by real-life models all of whom being Renoir’s friends who had gathered on the balcony of the Maison Fournaise, a boat commonly found in Chatou, France. The boat was floating along the Seine River and apart from the roof, its balcony was open to an impressive view (Renoir, 1881).

Visual characteristics

The positioning of the artist was such that he was able to achieve a well-balanced painting aside from capitalizing on the dispersion of light to obtain clear and appealing images. The light was also used to capture the mood of the event and Renoir made sure that he used all available reflectors to ensure that the painting was evenly lit. From what we can pick out of the painting, the light mostly came from an opening to the side of the balcony. To ensure that the light was evenly spread across the entire composition, Renoir used the white singlets of the two men as well as the large tablecloth in the foreground to disperse it as per his requirements.

To obtain a well-spaced composition and still illustrate the celebratory mood of the event, Renoir made an effort to ensure that he could get in as many characters as possible in the background and then put fewer individuals in the foreground. By so doing, the painting developed some elements of space without making the party look empty.

As far as the usage of color is concerned, the artist made sure that white colors stood prominently in the foreground, middle-ground, and background of the painting. This was contrasted with an almost uniform usage of black colors to avoid a bleaching effect. The usage of color in this painting is most impressive with the background having some lighter tones and the foreground bearing some darker shades bring about the element of distance from the balcony to the trees in the far background.

Mood

The mood of the painting is celebratory, with the artist trying to illustrate that the characters presented in the composition were having a good time. aside from the strategic use of light and color, Renoir managed to lighten the mood of the scene by properly capturing the happy looks on the faces of the characters as well as ensure that the positioning of the characters was in such a way that it depicted some sense of interaction.

Personal involvement with the painting

Initially, my attention to the painting was almost drawn to focus on the three characters in the right foreground of the composition. At first, I thought that the man wearing a white shirt and a black tie, and leaning in towards the two seated characters was a waiter taking an order. It is only after focusing on the literature and paying further attention to the entire scenario that I was able to figure out that this was a boat.

The lady playing with the dog (Aline Chariot), also captured my attention and I kept wondering why she had chosen to ignore the bulky man in a white singlet next to her, and instead focus her attention on the dog. After completing the assignment I was also in a position to notice more individuals in the background and even appreciate the various interactions at the time of the party. The artist in this case was trying to illustrate his fascination with the happenings of the time, enough to document them using his painting skills.

Conclusion

From the personal experience in this project, I was able to see much more from the work of art after I was done with the analysis than the first time I looked at the painting. Artistic form, subject matter, and content work together to send out the desired message of a composition. From this analytical experience, it is easy to notice how the three work together. The painting would not have relayed the same message had the colors and lighting been ignored or if Renoir had chosen to ignore the importance of balancing the subjects in the work.

Reference List

Renoir, P.A., 1881, Oil on canvas. Luncheon of the boating party. Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.

Capture Relative Size

Topic

The Animal Kingdom – Primates: Smallest Primate

How

The tiny monkey is demonstrated relative to a human finger, enabling the student to visualize the relative size of the monkey.

Why

The perspective of the tiny primate’s size is enhanced by the visual comparison of size. The instructor could point out how the monkey got its popular name, and discuss the similarities and differences between the monkey and the human anatomy. For instance, the instructor could call attention to the similarities between the construction and use of the hands.

The 2/3 Rule

Topic

The Animal Kingdom – Primates: Largest Primate

How

The focal point of the picture, the gorilla’s face, is at the 2/3 right vertical and 2/3 top horizontal line intersections.

Why

Attention is immediately drawn to the gorilla, and particularly its face. The unequal division of the photo concentrates interest on this point. The instructor could use this focus to describe the gorilla’s features, particularly the facial features. Especially the flat nose and protruding lips are accentuated by the focal concentration.

Consider Background

Topic

The Animal Kingdom – Adaption: Aposematism

How

Bright colors accentuate the poison dart frog in contrast to the background, making it the unmistakable highlight of the photo.

Why

The background is of no particular interest, and it doesn’t distract from the object of interest, even though the leaf is quite a vivid green. The photo is intended to demonstrate the aposematic coloration of the frog, and the background contributes to accentuating the topic. The instructor could explain the concept of warning coloration, rather than camouflaging coloration, using this vibrant image.

Get Close

Topic

The Animal Kingdom – Adaption: Living Underground

How

Zooming in on the mole’s face and claws emerging from the mound accentuates the animal’s adaptation.

Why

Moles are fairly small and notoriously shy. Photographing a mole emerging from its burrow usually means waiting patiently for an extended period. In this close-up photo, the mole’s adaptive features are demonstrated. An instructor could explain the small eyes and poor sight, flat ears, and sensitive whiskers using this picture. The powerful claws, which are used for the mole’s best-known behavior of digging tunnels, are also shown prominently.

Capture Depth

Topic

Natural Habitat: Forest

How

In this picture, depth is demonstrated by the narrowing path leading towards a vanishing point, the foreground trees and vegetation being larger than those towards the back, and by the difference in the sunlight, from shadow to light to dark again.

Why

Being able to into the distance creates the illusion that the forest area is large. The path disappearing around a corner implies that it will continue for some distance yet. The horizon is roughly one third from the top of the photo, and the point where the path disappears is about 1/3 from the right, drawing the interest to where the path may lead. This also suggests that the forest is extended even beyond what is visible in the photo.

Capture Color Contrast

Topic

Human Achievements: Irrigation

How

Vivid green patches of irrigated fields contrast sharply with the dull background of dry land.

Why

To demonstrate the effects and advantages of the irrigation scheme, color highlights the irrigated fields. It is clear that where no water is applied by man, very few, green plants grow naturally. The instructor might want to make a point that, with some effort, hostile environments can be rendered habitable.

Capture Color Contrast

Topic

Human Achievements: Harvest

How

By lighting the grapes from behind, the grapes almost seem to glow and appear ripe and luscious.

Why

Harvest is a time when ripe produce appears almost magical and surreal, following the long season of taking care of the plants. The alternative lighting enhances this quality. The semi-transparency of the grapes suggests that they are ripe and ready for consumption, or wine processing. The placement of the glowing grapes on the left bottom third of the photo draws the focus towards them.

Capture Natural Poses

Topic

The Animal Kingdom – Adaption: Animal Parenting

How

In nature, almost every pose is natural. Only if prompted by unnatural circumstances would animals pose abnormally?

Why

Penguins are extremely dedicated parents. Both penguin parents are involved in the raising of the chicks. In this picture, the proximity of the adult birds to the juvenile, as well as their protective stance, indicates the dedication of the parent penguins. The picture could be used for debates on how the vulnerable chicks survive in harsh climates, or animal parenting, perhaps even in comparison to human parenting.

Find Frames

Topic

Our Solar System: The Sun

How

Animals, clouds, waves, and other moving natural objects may be challenging to photograph in exactly the right place and at the right moment. Sunrises, sunsets, and moon positions are easier to anticipate, allowing the photographer to get into the ideal position in time. In this case, the photographer may have waited another minute to capture more sunset colors.

Why

Natural frames abound in nature – trees, rocks, and cave exits, to name but a few. An instructor might want to use this photo in discussing the sun cycle, the apparent size of the setting or rising sun, or the color refractions at sunset.

Find Frames

Topic

The Animal Kingdom – Adaption: Aquatic Life

How

Scales in their natural position are smooth and neatly patterned. The light reflection on the scales enhances the smoothness of the texture in the photo.

Why

Like fur and feathers, scales are an adaption to help animals survive. An instructor may challenge students to discuss in what way scales help fish to survive and why scales are arranged in an overlapping pattern.