Assignment 3

Walker- Big Ideas and Artmaking

The author urges the reader to try to convey the same big idea with different subject matter. This will help the artist to better understand the big idea. Not only does it help the artist express the idea better, it also helps the artist know what he or she is trying to convey in greater depth. I think this is a helpful tip. By doing this, the artist will be able to approach the subject from different perspectives and it will decrease a bias. 

It was harder for me to understand that an artist's theme does not always have to be the big idea they are trying to convey. However, the author explained it well so I have a better understanding of what they mean. I think it's that the big idea encompasses the theme. There may be a underlying theme in every piece of the artist's work but that may not be the entire idea that is being portrayed. 

Barrett- Interpreting Visual Culture

I thought it was interesting that a a group of students studied the connotations and denotations of a magazine cover with Destiny's Child on it for 45 minutes. It doesn't seem like there would be that much to say but every denotation can come with many connotations.  The denotations were just what they saw, but the connotations were what those things meant. 

The class decided that because some of the people didn't know about Power Puff  but knew about the Dalai Lama, the picture could be excluding to other ages or cultures. Not everyone would understand the connotations implied by this image. Not every one will understand everything an artists is trying to convey. I guess that's why most advertisements try to appeal to a certain audience. They have to know that they will not always reach everybody, so they focus on one group.