A Gathering Of Old Men

Ernest J. Gaines' novel, â€Å"A Gathering of Old Men† employs experimental narrative techniques in order to probe themes of racism and classicism, as well as to examine the nature of storytelling in humanity's past and also for humanity's future.By employing no less than fifteen separate narrators   in this novel, Gaines is able to penetrate deeply into the subjective experiences of a a number of men — together whom comprise a social microcosm of African American history and experience.Through the diverse range of voices at his disposal, Gaines probes a wide range of grievances and also exaltations among his characters and demonstrates the strength of communal unity. The diverse range of narrators used in the novel expresses the novel's theme of strength-through-diversity adn unity-through-intimacy.A careful reading of the novel reveals the deep motivations of its characters, each of which reveals the novel's theme of redemption and social renewal. Because of the â⠂¬Å"tribal† nature of the diversity of narrators, the reader is able to feel as though they are a direct participant in the action, as though reading the novel is an initiation rite of sorts.The novel's central intrigue: the murder of   Beau Baton, also forwards the initiation or ritualistic them: the novel is meant to show the growth (or initiation) not only of chronologically grown men into — long delayed – manhood, but to redefine standards of black masculinity altogether for the characters in the novel itself and also for the novel's readers.In the novel, the fifteen separate narrators are drawn out of their ordinary lives and into a civic, almost mythic role. Gaines signals that the unfolding of events is meant to have this mythic, ritualistic overtone when the old men gathering proclaim that things seem new again, that they feel good about what they are doing.Wallace sees the water of the river â€Å"as if it were still a mystery,† while   Mat ad mits that he is happy that they   â€Å"and all the rest are doing something different, for the first time† ( Gathering, 40).There is also the symbolic/ritualistic firing of guns, urged by Clatoo who tells the men â€Å"Let them down there hear you† ( Gathering, 48) and contrasted with the brutality of combined experience among the novel's protagonists, this symbolic gunfire demonstrates controlled violence and anger: emotions turned to ritualistic healing.There can be no doubt that these feelings of race-based anger contributed to the murder. When asked, Uncle Billy admits that he killed Beau out of a longing for revenge:What they did my boy†¦. The way they beat him. They beat him till they beat him   crazy and we had to send him to Jackson (the state mental facility). He don't even know me and his mama no more. We take him candy, we take him cake, he eat it like a hog eating corn†¦.The ritual-based and initiation based theme of the novel is meant to tra nsform the violence of the murder into a healing process,where each of the novel's narrators â€Å"confesses† their anger and need for revenge and then each learns something through the experience of participating after-the-fact in a murder that only a single man committed.Later, for example, Gable reveals his son is killed for the false accusation for rape on a   white woman and Coot talks about his war experiences.The man who could break horses, Yank, relishes his role without at first realizing it makes him subservient to whites. But there is also a shadow of environmental awareness tied to the ritual murder: that the renewal of black masculinity is directly tied to the renewal of nature.Johnny Paul explains the murder on behalf of the flowers: â€Å"That's why I kilt him, that's why†¦.To protect them little flowers. But they ain't here no more. And how come?† (Gathering, 92).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gaines' intention is to tie subjective individual renewal with the renewal of both community and environment and he portrays the murder an consequent ruse in symbolically charged terms.Killing Beau might revive the river: â€Å"That river†¦. Where the people went all these years. Where they fished, where they washed they clothes, where they was baptized. St. Charles River. Done gived us food, done cleaned us clothes, done cleaned us soul. St. Charles River — no more, though. No more.They took it. † (Gathering, 107). Because the novel relies on complex themes, it is dangerous to assume that racial issues are any more dominant than issues of community preservation and environmental preservation.The key theme in the novel, as m,mentioned, is the reviving of masculinity: the renewal of masculine energy which is seen to extend beyond race and into the elements of the earth and nature themselves.Mathu's discovery of his community is the most starkly profoundly as portrayed in â€Å"A Gathering of Old Men.† When he says â₠¬Å"I been changed†¦.I been changed. Not by that white man's God. I don't believe in that white man's God. I been changed by y'all.Rooster, Clabber, Dirty Red, Coot — you changed this hardhearted old man.† (Gathering, 182 ); he as admitting that even his previous contempt and mistrust of white people has been challenged by his new-found notions of community.While it is relatively easy to spot the racial themes of â€Å"A Gathering of Old Men† the communal themes and the themes of renewal through nature may be a bit more difficult for the casual reader to understand.When the various themes of the novel are begun to be regarded as a whole, the picture which emerges is not a picture of â€Å"black† anger of African American bitterness or even of racism or classicism, but issues of humanism.The reclaiming of masculinity by the men in the novel can be regarded, symbolically, as the renewal of any person or any group which seeks to finally reaffirm its power after a period, perhaps even a protracted period, of suppression and duress.Rather than portray this accumulated anger and resentment as exploding in, say, a violent — if even localized — revolution, Gaines views the kind of fusion of bitterness, anger, and resentment, to a call to awareness of and an identification and re-claiming of communal ties and environmental awareness.Taken this way, the subjective stories presented by the various narrators of â€Å"A Gathering of Old Men† can be seen to transform into universal voices of awareness, and cathartic change.This transformation is heralded by community and the liberation of private anger and private experience as culturally accepted, in fat culturally imperative information.The novel's experimental narrative techniques weld the ancient oral tradition of tribal cultures with the scathingly sharp awareness of modern political and psychological realities.

Conditions on Each Planet

Mercury : Due to mercury being extremely close to the sun, causes its planet to have no atmosphere. If any air was ever around Mercury, it would have been within its early years and from that point to now, it is gone because of all of the heat being given off of the sun. Mercury has crazy weather issues because of the lack of atmosphere, which includes a drastic weather change within day to night. Whenever the sun touches the surface of Mercury, that is when the climate reaches its highess at 801 degrees Fahrenheit in the day time. Because of the lack of atmosphere in mercury, the Mercurial sky is black and the stars can be seen in broad daylight. The night time becomes a different situation, at this point it leaves it at a chilling climate where it is -300 degree Fahrenheit. Venus : Venus contains a wonderful thick atmosphere which is made up of 97% carbon dioxide. Venus's pressure at the surface is 92 times stronger than on Earth. Its temperature goes to an extreme result of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, which mkes it the hottest planet of all. Its atmosphere is this way because of a strong volcanic activity during the past. Venus deals with sulfuric acid rain falls that come from its swirling clouds but is gone before even reaching the ground. Earth: Earth has the most dynamic weather in the solar system compared to the rest. The atmosphere has changed a lot compared to the Earth's early atmosphere, but for the last billion years, it has remained pretty constant. There are 3 very different atmospheric problems that is needed to be kept close attention to. The three atmospheric problem are the greenhouse effect, damage to the ozone layer, and acid rain. The earth is surrounded by a blanket of gases, this blanket traps energy in the atmosphere, much the same way as glass traps heat inside a greenhouse. This results in an build up of energy, and the overall warming of the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is a natural process which made life on Earth possible. Ozone is oxygen that contains molecules that have 3 oxygen atoms. There is a layer of ozone high p in the atmosphere which shields the Earth from the sun's harmful UV rays, these rays can lead to an increase in skin cancer. The ozone is present in very small quantities but it is enough to absorb the UV rays preventing them reaching the surface. Concentrations of ozone appeared to be dropping in certain areas of the world (the layer was starting to thin-out). The cause of this reduction was thought to be man-made. Rain water is naturally acidic due to carbon dioxide which partially reacts with water to give carbonic acid. Acid rain is caused by other gases released when fossil fuels are burnt. Mars: Mars's atmosphere made up of carbon dioxide, Venus's atmosphere is much more than Mars. The temperatures on Mars ranges from 80 degrees to -200 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars experiences seasons too. There is dust storms that are frequently occurring. Mars's atmosphere, has fog and frost forming on the Red Planet because of the water vapor. Jupiter: Jupiter's atmosphere has clouds which are striped with dark belts and light zones. High winds and lightning are a regular feature on Jupiter. Other small eddies and whorls form and dissipate in the cloud layers. The temperature on Jupiter is approximately -234 degrees Fahrenheit only. Saturn: Like the other gas giant planets, Saturn's atmosphere is mainly hydrogen and helium. Saturn is a windy planet, with 1,000 mile an hour, winds do a good job of mixing the atmosphere and making it appear homogeneous through Earth based telescopes. Saturn's tilt creates seasons and uneven temperatures on the planet. The top of the clouds have an average temperature of -285 degrees Fahrenheit, with warmer temperatures deeper in. A churning hexagonal cloud formation has been spotted near the North Pole and has persisted for a few decades now. Uranus: Uranus is unlike the other planets in that it is tipped on its side, and, in essence, rolls along in its orbit. At -350 degrees Fahrenheit, its atmospheric conditions stay the same for many years at a time (its year is 84 Earth years), until it experiences seasonal changes, sparking storms in its atmosphere. Neptune: Neptune is the record holder for the windiest place in the solar system. At about 1,250 miles per hour, the winds of Neptune makes it a stormy place, evidences by a Great Dark Spot that is a giant hurricane-like storm, similar to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. The methane gas in the atmosphere is what makes the planet appear blue. White storms clouds that zip across the planet are common. Neptune's temperature averages -373 degrees Fahrenheit. Pluto: Pluto holds the place as the farest object in the solar system feom the sun. Pluto's distance from the sun gives it a large range of temperature on its surface, its stated as the coldest by Earth's standards. It is so cold on Pluto that a regular theromater can not state its coldness, scientist have to use a Kelvin scale. Using Kelvin scale, Pluto's temperture is at 44 K which is approximately -239 degrees. Its maximum reaches at 55 K ( -218 F ) and a minimum of 33 K ( -240 F ). Pluto maybe the coldest planent but surprisely, it has a warmer atmosphere than the surface of the dwarf planet. Its warm atmosphere is from the presence of unexceptly large amounts of methane.

A Chip of Glass Ruby Responses

A Chip Of Glass Ruby Written Responses 11. I would describe Bamjee as aloof and proud. Aloof because he doesn’t show his emotions very much or say how he’s feeling or talk to his stepchildren very much. Showing his true feelings only this one time, Bamjee reveals his opinions when the police come to arrest his wife for participating in and promoting a cause that he is opposed to. Before and after that outburst of his though he really is rather distant and detached from his family and what’s going on.As aloof as Bamjee is, he is also quite proud. He is proud that wealthy and influential people are coming and going through his house, but he is even more proud of his ethnicity. He is proud because he is Indian which means he is of a higher social status than the Bantu. 12. When Mrs. Bamjee was taken away by the police she reminded Bamjee about Ismail’s, Mrs. Bamjee’s daughter Girlie’s fiance’s, engagement party.This shows that even in the midst of the arrest she keeps her cool and remains the good and normal wife that Bamjee fell in love with by reminding him of something as insignificant as an engagement party. Protesting and promoting equality, she is still a simple Indian woman who wants the best for her family and to respect the values of others (in this case, making sure not to offend Ismail by not showing up to his party). 13. In South Africa the social classes are prominent barricades from equality in the country.Having the highest social status, the whites remain the most powerful while the Indians, like Bamjee, are below them and even lower are the Bantu, the native people of South Africa. Bamjee considers himself better than the Bantu and this is showed in the story when he snaps at her â€Å"There you are! That’s what you’ve got for it. † ‘It’ referring to her helping organize the protests and getting involved in the issues of the Bantu. Another part of the story that dem onstrates Bamjee’s belief of his superiority over the Bantu is after Mrs.Bamjee has been arrested and gone for two weeks. Bamjee is talking to himself out of rage saying â€Å"For a crowd of natives who’ll smash our shops and kill us in our houses when their time comes. †, â€Å"She will starve herself to death. †, â€Å"She will die there. †, â€Å"Devils who will burn and kill us. † Clearly he believes that his wife must not be acting so ridiculous for people she is better than and clearly he believes the Bantu to be devilish creatures.

Summary for 'the parable of sower' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary for 'the parable of sower' - Essay Example Question #2: The destruction of the gated community where Lauren and her family live. The meeting of Lauren and Taylor Bankole on their journey north marks her first encounter with love. The transformation of her belief that God is change, into a religion and acquiring new followers in the form of Travis and Zahra. The disappearance of Lauren’s father and the death of her brother Keith. The enlargement of the north bound group. Question #3: Lauren Olamina is the leader of the group offering guidance to the group (Mayer 113), and the story is told from her point of view. Harry Balter being the only man initially provides added security. Zahra Moss proves to Lauren that she can teach people to read and write. Taylor bankole acts a source of wisdom and balances the age gap among members of the group because he is older than the rest of the group members. Question #4Dystopia is the setting of a story or film based on the future dysfunction of affairs in a community and members group together for protection against the chaos from outside. Characters group into a group of trusting individuals and shun others they do not trust. Question #7: The empathy disease is a condition of actually experiencing emotional and physical pain or pleasure of other people. Lauren, Grayson Mora, Emery Tanaka Solis, Tori and Doe are ‘sharers’. ‘Sharing’ in society is aimed at portraying the need to understand other peoples’ feelings and the good it could accomplish in attaining a better relationship among individuals. Question #20: The book is an enjoyable read because the issues it address are already present making it easier to identify with the characters’ situation. The book is a good recommendation to those who enjoy fiction based on near true circumstances or

Economies, Markets and Strategic Decisions Coursework - 1

Economies, Markets and Strategic Decisions - Coursework Example In fact, China has shown a uniform demand for 40% of the global oil- demand since last four years. Oil demand in India has increased by 75% within last 15years of time. Considering the supply side, a number of oil-producing countries such as Iraq and Venezuela have gone through turmoil that has affected their capability to produce and supply oils at their full capacity. In recent times, OPEC (The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) which is an association of 13 countries mainly from Middle East has evolved as the single largest entity for supplying oil throughout the world. In fact, the consortium holds the power of increasing or reducing the oil price through altering the oil supply (Perry, 2013). Global oil inventories play an important role in balancing the global supply and demand for oil. If the quantity produced exceeds demand, the excess supplies are stored for future use and when the consumption surpasses the demand for oil, that inventories are used to satisfy the amounting demand. Though the OPEC countries are responsible for only 40% of the oil supply where 60% of the supplies are controlled by non-OPEC countries, the Non-OPEC suppliers are incapable to influence market price of oil due to insufficient reserves holding by them. Ability of OPEC to maintain the largest oil inventories in the world aids the consortium price of oil through adjusting the supply of oil, especially when the supply of oil by non-OPEC provinces declines further (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2015). The demand and supply of oil directly impacts the oil prices. If the demand for oil increases due to shortage in supply, the price of oil shots up. In contrast, if there is excess supply due to lack of demand, the oil price is likely to go down. However, the demand and supply of oil is instigated by multiple factors which in turn strive to modify the level of oil price. In the

Micro economics assignments(video response) Assignment

Micro economics assignments(video response) - Assignment Example In tandem with the second video, the third video focuses upon engaging the consumer â€Å"outside the traditional ad†. As such, the video focuses upon the fact that individuals have lost interest in the traditional advertising spot and have ultimately to get out; oftentimes relying upon alternative approaches as a means of integrating with the consumer. Finally, the fourth video engage the viewer with an understanding of the importance of consumer sentiment and the relevance of test groups, market outreach, market research, and psychology with regards to ultimately selling a product to a given consumer. Within such a level of analysis, each of these specific videos helps to discuss and analyze the manner through which human activity is formed on a subconscious level and the manner through which an advertiser/marketer can impact upon this. ... Likewise, this reduction in the cost of most goods would lead the reader to question why the consumer price index itself has not dropped further. The video explains that whereas consumer goods have come to be much lower in overall costs, the â€Å"basket† of goods and services that is measured as a means of determining CPI and inflation rates is predicated not only upon consumable goods; rather, it includes luxury items, things such as the average mortgage, services to include legal and repair, and even out of country holidays. As such, almost each and every single one of these has risen; thereby creating a situation in which inflation continues to rise even though salaries are rising at the same time and the cost of consumer goods is dropping. Work Consulted Addicted to Cheap Shopping? Why the Real Cost of Goods Keeps Going Down. Dir. BBC News. Perf. n/a.  2012. BBC News, 2012. Film. Frontline. Dir. PBS News. Perf. n/a/=.  2012. PBS, 2012.

Case of Fred Smitch and His Family Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Case of Fred Smitch and His Family - Assignment Example There is a clear evidentiary path between your father’s diagnosis, the effects of his medicine and your own claim that he was not in his sound mind at the time of the signing (World Trade Organization 1996, 1811). Let me outline the reasons that lead me to believe that your claim is unlikely to see a positive verdict. The first test that must be passed for this to be considered a contract is whether or not it is legally enforceable. There must be an offer and an acceptance. The offer must be something that is communicated by one party to another in relationship to what is intended or promised by the contract (Bhana, Bonthuys and Nortje 2009, 31). In this document, your father promises to provide money under specific conditions and this is the offer that he makes. In this document both you and your father make specific offers and both of you signed in agreement. By signing the document, James, you accepted the offer that was being made by your father as well as undertook to fac ilitate those terms that your father laid out for you in fulfilling this agreement. The agreement that Fred Smith wrote with his family and friends can be viewed as a ‘comfort letter’. ... Under the terms of the legality of the ‘comfort letter’, your father would be obligated to fulfill those promises. Also, it appears he fulfilled that promise in 2010 and through that action it might appear that you have a good claim, however, there are other circumstances that would influence the court’s view. The context of the pre-negotiations to this agreement, however, makes enforcing it problematic. The will of your father can easily be proven to have been subverted by a number of factors. One of those factors is the state of his health. His attorney could cite CVA v Amadio in which it was made clear that taking advantage of someone whose will is weaker negates the agreement that was made. The unconscionable act is defined as one where â€Å"the will of the innocent party, even if independent and voluntary, is the result of the disadvantageous position in which he is placed and of the other party unconscientiously taking advantage of that position† (Go ldring 1998, 34). You have told me that your father had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was taking medication that made him more emotional than usual, correct? This would likely be interpreted as making him weaker than those around him, with you and your family being accused of taking advantage of his condition in pressing him on those statements towards making written promises. It is likely that just as in Blomley v Ryan, the pressure of the occasion and the weaker will of your father will render a verdict that sets aside the contractual nature of the paper that you had your father write and sign (Chen-Wishart 2007, 374). The strongest evidence that this will be a problem is that you yourself made the claim to Matt that

Lesson assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lesson assignment 1 - Essay Example How it is that cultural concept are said to be â€Å"natural†, specifically, how does Sapolsky suggest that human beings are more unique than other animals? How does culture â€Å"emerge† in group interaction rather than being genetic or simply learned? How did efforts to impose â€Å"civilized† and â€Å"more advanced† methods to rice cultivation fail in Bali? What lessons might you draw from Lansing’s research? One characteristic of culture is the fact that it is acquired and not inherited. This means that one can gradually acquire a culture irrespective of the geographical era of origin. One aspect that accompanies acquiring something such as a behavior is the fact that it happens involuntary. This means that one can assimilate a culture without knowing it. This has resulted in many people not being conscious of the culture they are embedded in resulting in negative consequences since they often develop behaviors that are negative in nature as a result of acquiring some cultures. This being the case it is of great essence to make people conscious about their culture. This is so since culture runs very deep. One way of making certain that people are conscious of the cultural system they are immersed into, is making them compare themselves with people who belong to the same cultural system. People who belong in the same to cultural system often possess identical values especially when it comes to ethics and morality. When one asks someone to compare their character with that of others in the same cultural setting then they will be able to know that they fit in to the same society since they will notice some similarities. Although culture is not inherited asking someone to trace their roots helps in making them conscious about their culture since people often acquire cultures that surround them. This is the reason why family members often belong to the same cultural

Dividend Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dividend Policy - Essay Example Lack of infrastructure and basic facilities would lead to downfall in prices of the land and investors will lose faith and retract the investment. This would be huge disaster for any businessman. One of the problems with real estate investment trusts (REIT) is that the investors tend to over invest and still REIT's must distribute most (about 95%)of the taxable income to the shareholders. Therefore before putting a land to sale check the basic amenities and infrastructure and the price of the land accordingly. UK has become a hotspot for real estate business domestically and internationally. The main reason for this is the presence of strong infrastructure and basic facilities like water and electricity. One of the important factors that have increased the real estate corporate is the high rate of ownership. Real estate has become an alternate investment in UK. It is not sure that how dividend policy affects the value of a firm and the debate still goes on. Some say shareholders wealth is increased by dividends, others believe that dividends don't affect firm's value in other words they are irrelevant and some more believe that shareholders wealth is decreased by dividends. A general definition of valuation of property is to state the actual value of the property both according to the government and private (commercial) sector. But government will valuate only landed property and fertile land. While valuating a property government will not consider the commercial demand that property is possessed with.Financial policy decisions include dividend decisions and according to a financial management research investment is considered as an exogenous variable. Influence of stakeholders has a greater affect on firm's dividend policy that can be observed by examining dividend and investment policy's interactions. Not only the stakeholders but also non-investor stakeholders and capital suppliers plays a greater role in affecting the firm's dividend policy. Some financial theorists were able to provide a hypothesis foe dividend policy irrelevance. The assumptions of this theory are Perfect capital markets, in other words non existence of taxes transaction costs, a single buyer or a seller cannot influence the market price which in other words termed as non existence of monopoly in the market and information should be accessed without any cost that is free of cost. There should be reasonable behaviour on the part of those who are taking part in the market. The future cash flows on the discounted value that are accruing to investors should have valuing securities. Certainty of the firm and investment policy and as well as having complete knowledge of future cash flows on the discounted value are considered important in this theory. Managers are considered as agents of the stakeholders. One assumption that not hold good is about the certainty of the investment policy of the firm which is critically viewed. A model was developed by Titman that hypothesises an interaction between investment and financial decisions. According to this model non-investor stakeholders wealth in a firm can be maximised by those equity holders who possess incentives. A company or a manufacturing unit intending to set up its own plant in any country has to look up, analyze and study the respective location then plan to take up the initiative. It has to take into consideration - all

Evidence Base Practice of Repeat Cesarean Sections and Vaginal Birth Research Paper

Evidence Base Practice of Repeat Cesarean Sections and Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section - Research Paper Example The important aspect to highlight in each of the two is the underlying benefits and risks of each method of child birth. There have been observed cases of repeated cesarean as well as that of vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC). These aspects will be explored in this paper and evidence of practice presented. Repeat Cesarean Sections Health care specialists have noticed the rising cesarean numbers around the world. These specialists alongside other associate experts have begun campaigns to advocate for reduced cesareans. Women have intentionally and unintentionally opted for cesarean sections. Some cesarean sections have been involuntarily administered, while others have been termed voluntary. When a woman is on labor and fails to give birth the normal way, surgical teams have been availed to address the issue by carrying out a C-section in a bid to assist the mother. Some cesareans have been carried out on voluntary grounds. Women who are capable of delivering normally have h ad to undergo cesarean section by choice (Menacker 2003). Cesarean sections have increased maternal-newborn health complications. Surgical procedures have been associated with a number of complications that affect both the mother and the newborn. Increased cesareans have also resulted to increased cost of health care especially in the US. This is so due to the health care financing modes of the different states. However, whether the C-section is intentional, unintentional, voluntary or involuntary, the benefits and risks of its practice are important to consider. It is also important to outline what benefits and risks relate to planned or unplanned cesarean. An unplanned cesarean is carried out during labor, when it is established that the mother is not in apposition to deliver normally. This has been termed as an emergency in many reproductive health care institutions. Surgical teams are provided in delivery rooms in case of an emergency. On the other hand, a planned cesarean is a voluntary one. The woman prefers to undertake a cesarean instead of going through the natural birth giving process. Medical researchers have

Mildred Pierce Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mildred Pierce Assignment - Essay Example The first purpose, which relates to placing a woman at the center of the story universe, best describes the messages in Mildred Pierce movie. Indeed, this purpose is very dominant in the film as the film revolves around the life of a long-suffering mother and her ungrateful daughter. In fact, the film focuses on domestic life in the context of women, motherhood, and the female opinion. In fact, Mildred Pierce is a homemaker who sacrifices everything and tries all income generating projects to support her ungrateful daughter (Mildred Pierce 1945). The movie even presents female rivalries between the younger woman and the older woman. We can also see Mildred getting married to a newly unemployed Pierce who later leaves her with no income (Mildred Pierce 1945). Moreover, we can see Mildred surrounded by weak men and supportive women that confirms the purpose of placing a woman at the center of the story universe. In fact, the questioning of Mildred by police after they discover the body of her second husband, Monte Berago forms the basis of the film (Mildred Pierce 1945). These aspects confirm the purpose of placing a woman at the center of the story universe in the Mildred Pierce film.... Such an association depicts bad motherhood. On the other hand, Mildred could only become a waitress, a fact which she hides from her daughter Veda (Mildred Pierce 1945). Such lies do not represent good motherhood and consequently we can identify with Veda’s infuriation on learning the truth about her mother’s job. Additionally, Mildred acts unethically by entering into a loveless marriage with Monte Beragon for purposes of improving her social class to please her daughter (Mildred Pierce 1945). Ultimately, we can see Mildred supporting Beragon who is a playboy that consequently led to her financial dismal performance. As a good mother, Mildred would have focused on providing for her children but not seeking to improve her social class. Ideally, we only see Mildred focusing on providing for Veda to the neglect of the 10-year-old Kay (Mildred Pierce 1945). Response 3 Kathryn D’Alessandro describes how many of the visual images (cinematography, lighting) in Mildred Pierce are reminiscent of film noir. Mildred Pierce is a film noir that represents the sacrifices of a mother to provide for her ungrateful daughter. Indeed, the film has a cinematography that enhances darkness in the plot and theme. In fact, the film has inky blackness and images with long and sharp shadows (Mildred Pierce 1945). The long and sharp shadows show that the filming took place indoors or in places with low-key lighting. All these aspects explain how the visual images in Mildred Pierce are reminiscent of film noir. Response 4 Sybil DelGaudio defines the racial stereotype of the "Mammy" role in the "Mammy in Hollywood" article (DelGaudio, 2005). The character of Thelma McQueen who was Mildred’s

School and Communities Essay Example for Free

School and Communities Essay A school leader guides a student for such a brief moment, but is one of the connections that contribute to a student being successful and allowing for the student to transition easily in the learning environment? According to the recommended readings there is a correlation between the student’s home, community, and the school that facilitates the student’s transitions into and throughout the school system, leading to an environment that supports student success. There are several major transitions starting with kindergarten and progressing to the middle school level, and then onto high school. Each transitional time is critical and requires additional support to continue and to achieve academically. Based on my review of various articles, the following topics are promising directions that have emerged as areas that will make the connection powerful and successful. Family involvement during Kindergarten preparation is essential for young students to achieve to their potential. The importance of being prepared academically for school, and its implications for parents, has been the subject of extensive research and attention. One recent study suggests that fostering parent support and  parent learning about Kindergarten readiness can help ensure that children are adequately prepared to start school (Starkey Klein, 2000; Perroncel, 2000). In my readings it was suggested that a network of social connections that support children and families during the Kindergarten transition are needed, including interactions between teachers and children, children and peers, parents and teachers, and preschool teachers and Kindergarten teachers. While there is an increased amount of evidence about the elements that support Kindergarten readiness, there is also a need to better integrate the early childhood development literature to  fully understand the connections that make a difference and allow the student to be successful. For example, Fantuzzo et al. (2000) conducted a study to assess parent involvement for children in day care, Head Start, and Kindergarten. Studies such as this can begin to build understanding of how parent involvement changes from pre-school to Kindergarten. Future research can also build our understanding of the specific types of family and community connections that provide a strong support network for children, particularly those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, as they prepare to enter Kindergarten. STUDENT TRANSITION THROUGH EDUCATION LEVELS 3 Despite the continued occurrence of the myth that family and community connections are primarily important at the elementary school level, researchers have begun exploring the effects of school, family, and community connections during transitions to middle and high school as well. Gutman and Midgley (2000) found that during the transition from the elementary level to the middle school level, both school factors and family factors were important to support academic achievement in African American students. Another study found that, contrary to popular belief, middle and high school students do want their parents to be involved, especially in terms of homework help and other home-based types of support and involvement (Catsambis Garland, 1997). This study found that parent involvement does not decline, as expected, but rather shifts as students move into middle and high school. Although they continued to be involved, parents reported increasing dissatisfaction with their role in relationship to the school, especially involving school policy (Catsambis Garland). These results confirm the importance of continued exploration of needs that students have during the transition to middle school and to high school, and roles that families play in supporting these transitions. The impact of school outreach is an important finding. School outreach and invitations to families and community members have a significant impact on the level and quality of family and community connections. In at least three studies, it has been found to have a greater impact than family characteristics on previous student academic achievement (Van Voorhis, 2000; Simon, 2000; Chrispeels Rivero, 2000). Simon found that when schools reach out, and families and community members feel that the school is extending invitations at a personal level, they respond with higher attendance at school-based activities and better quality of family involvement at home. The unique role that schools play in initiating and setting the tone for connections with families and the community cannot be denied. Researchers have also suggested that more research is needed regards to what motivates individual school staff members to reach out to parents and community and how  school staff can be further motivated and supported in building these relationships. STUDENT TRANSITION THROUGH EDUCATION LEVELS 4 There is a growing understanding of the role that relationships between staff in schools and community organizations play in the development of successful collaborations between school and communities. Jehlet al. (2001) suggests that there are â€Å"sticking points,† in organizational cultures and values that can hinder school-community connections. They suggest that these sticking points must be understood and addressed in order to build effective partnerships. These disconnects can be exacerbated by the lack of personal relationships that build trust and understanding between school and community staff (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 1999a). It is clear that family, school, and community connections can benefit children from before the time they enter Kindergarten until after they graduate from high school. Our charge in the educational field of study is to come together to address the issues highlighted in this synthesis paper and to clarify the concept and outcomes of family and community connections with schools. In doing so we will better understand these connections and create the knowledge needed to realize the potential of family, school, and community connections for student learning and student’s success. STUDENT TRANSITION THROUGH EDUCATION LEVELS 5 References Catsambis, S. , Garland, J. E. (1997). Parental involvement in students education during middle school and high school (CRESPAR Report 18). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University. ED423328. http://www. csos. jhu. edu/crespar/Reports/report18entire. htm Center for Mental Health in Schools. (1999a). Expanding educational reform to address barriers to learning: Restructuring student support services and enhancing school community partnerships. Los Angeles, CA: Center for Mental Health in Schools. http://smhp. psych. ucla. edu/pdfdocs/Report/Expand. pdf Fantuzzo, J. , Tighe, E. , Childs, S. (2000). Family involvement questionnaire: A multivariate assessment of family participation in early childhood education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(2), 367-375. Gutman, L. M. , Midgley, C. (2000). The role of protective factors in supporting the academic achievement of poor African American students during the middle school transition. Journal of Youth and  Adolescence, 29(2), 223-249. Jehl, J. , Blank, M. J. , McCloud, B. (2001). Education and community building: Connecting two worlds. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership, Inc. http://www. communityschools. org/combuild. pdf Starkey, P. , Klein, A. (2000). Fostering parental support for children’s mathematical development: An intervention with Head Start families. Early Education and Development, 11(5), 659-680. Van Voorhis, F. L. (2000). The effects of interactive (TIPS) homework on family involvement and science achievement of middle grade students. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Florida.

Education Essays Design and Technology

Education Essays Design and Technology Can we promote more interest in Design Technology by having more relevant projects. Abstract To define Design and Technology and what students need to know in education is complex, and drawing directly on real world practices may provide educators with confidence and guidance in teaching design. This should give clear definitions and descriptions on how design works in practice, thus enabling educators to select which features of these practices can be translated into the encouragement of designer thinking and behaviour in educational contexts. This paper considers the encouragement of interest required to enhance and motivate a higher interest in Design Technology by having more relevant projects. Where realisation of concepts empowers fantasies, freeing the imaginations from reality into design. Creating the desired from the perceived. Resulting in keeping the process sharp. This paper will discuss considerations on the way a pupil perceives and processes information, for design in terms of action, reflection and appraisal and for technology in respect to solutions to technological problems through the process of invention. Evaluation will be made of performance in respect to previous research highlighting the teaching strategies used and the managing of the project. Above all, the undertaking of the project and the design process involved will set out to be a successful evaluation of teaching / learning experience. Review of Literature The work of Denton (1993) discussed the relevance of the design process in schools and whether it has merely a stylised ritual, more to do with the production of endless sheets of over decorated artwork with elaborate borders than a design tool. He discusses how the ritual of designing has arisen in education, the origins predating the National Curriculum, around the time when Craft, Design Technology was introduced into the Curriculum. Furthermore, Denton states that it appears to be centred on an incomplete understanding of the process of designing and the functions of modelling and drawing. The formal design process, as used in industry certainly does flow from initial ideas, research, questionnaires and so on, and Denton is not being overcritical of the design process as such, instead he points to the obvious primary function in design activity being the practical outcome rather than a neat visual presentation of the design activity. Commercial designers have a rough idea of the outcome before they actually start designing and they model a progression of refinements and variations in their ideas. By modelling, Denton makes reference to three types that are useful design tools:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drawing: These range from rapid sketches of the design to externalise design ideas to formal rendered pictorial representations of the finished product, complete engineering drawings and exploded diagrams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Models: These range from 3D lash ups to demonstrate he principles, give a better idea of proportion and, again, to externalise design ideas. The other end of the scale is the professional presentation scale model that we are familiar with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CAD: These can also range from doodles in ProDesktop (or something similar), which enables the designer to get an idea of scale, right through to professionally produced rendered CAD designs. Most of these final coloured, rendered, anatomically correct models (and drawings) are used to communicate with clients, who will have no interest in rough sketches. It is these rough sketches and doodles that are at the heart of the design process and should be of prime importance to teachers as they are better indicators of the childs design thinking. Denton asserts that most schools prefer exquisitely finished and attractively presented work, complete with borders, in contrast with the rudimentary initial sketches of the design process. This preference is communicated to the pupils, who then spend time reworking their initial drawings, wasting time and efficiency in the process, and slowing down the exploration of fresh ideas. Much of this folder work is finished to such a standard that it is indicative of it being produced after the artefact has actually been made. In this paper, he proposes that it may be a more useful strategy to break away from the current strategy: starting at AT1: Investigating Making generating ideas, and instead start by evaluating something in order to make proposals on how it may be made better. I find that this proposal makes perfect sense, after all most designs are a redesign of an earlier design. The first cars were redesigned carriages, and subsequent cars were simply evolutionary changes, besides, one can empathise with pupils that have limited life experiences, trying to design an artefact starting with a virgin sheet of paper. Another proposal that, I think, has merit is changing the ratio of designing to making in favour of making, since it is the making that takes the most time. A disproportionate amount of time is spent doing research or more accurately, collating images. Entire lessons devoted to cutting pictures out of Argos catalogues have little merit and a minor influence on the final design. Denton suggests that efficiency and effectiveness may also be developed by the use of informal groupwork in the early stages coupled with the use of short deadlines can also promote motivation and possibly the generation of ideas (Denton, 1992). Kimbell et al explores the results derived from the APU (Assessment of Performance Unit) study of 1991, that described the capability in Design and Technology in terms of action, reflection and appraisal. He explains, in graphical terms, how boys and girls differ in the results of their coursework. According to the APU, girls consistently outperform boys right across the range of abilities, ie, high achieving girls perform better than high achieving boys and low achieving girls perform better than low achieving boys. While this study is fruitful, it doesnt explain why this should be the case. Lawler (1999) examines this disparity in results between genders by setting a group of pupils in the final year of primary school two separate tasks, recording the results and making comparisons. This age group were chosen because they had had minimal exposure to the procedural methodology imposed on them by their teachers. The paper hasevolved from research into ways of describing the process of designing. Two possible descriptors to show the effects of introducing project work have been called Big pictures and Small steps. Big pictures designing is future focussed, inspirational, and results in statements of complete ideas. Concerned with the mental process rather than the procedural, self directed, metacognitive process of design. Smallsteps designing is reflective, sequential, analytical, and descriptive. Good designing is evidenced as a combination of these two styles. Some pupils may have a preference for one approach that, if it conflicts with the way their teacher manages the project work, may restrict their progress. Raising the awareness of the teacher to the effects that the strategy that they impose on the project work has on the pupils, could be an important factor in increased student success. The study compared two different contextualised designing approaches to the presentation and management of project work. It shows the effects that each approach had on the performance of a group of seventy-five 11 year olds, and highlights the different responses of boys and girls to the same design situations. The results indicate that the strategy adopted by the teacher for the sequencing of practical project work had a greater effect on good designer boys, than it did on good designer girls and had a greater negative effect on less able girls than it did on less able boys (Lawler, 1 999) In a different attempt to relate pupils thinking styles to performance in Design and Technology, Atkinson (1995) used a test of Cognitive Style, shown to be intimately related in ideas and attitudes, to examine the performance of pupils in their GCSE coursework, utilizing a test devised by Riding and Cheema (1991) The Cognitive Style Analysis (CSA). The test was a result of over thirty methods of defining cognitive style being reviewed had it was concluded that most could be grouped within two fundamental independent cognitive style dimensions. These descriptors used in that test were seen along two axes (x, y) each subject being placed along the two continua of Wholist to Analyst (x axis) and Verbaliser to Imager (y axis). Analytic Verbaliser Imager Wholist A pupils position in the Wholist to Analytic dimension reflects whether they understand situations as a whole or see things in parts, while their position in the Verbal to Imagery dimension reflects the manner in which they represent information while thinking, either as words or mental pictures. In psychological terms analysts were defined as being field dependent, being affected by the world around them (in their perceptions) and wholists as being the opposite and field independent. By combining these two concepts, using wholist and analyst to examine pupils style of designing, new descriptors for designing styles were proposed. The CSA was produced as a computerised test that automatically calculates and plots a pupils position on both dimensions. The results reflect the way a pupil perceives and processes information. The relative speed in which a pupil answers different styles of questions, reveals their cognitive style (Riding Staley, 1998) Methodology Whilst on school placement, I noticed another teacher suggesting ideas to a year-12 pupil. Within minutes, the teacher had filled up a side of A3 with quickfire sketches and doodles. If pupils have a short time to focus their minds on quick sketches, it can be more productive than spending an entire lesson producing coloured drawings. I had an opportunity to try this approach at my last school placement when teaching a class of mixed ability Year 9s. The class were stuck, having spent the previous lesson producing 1 or 2 designs. I suggested that they all swap papers in their groups of four and improve on the original idea. After 10 minutes, the papers were swapped again, and again after another 10 minutes. This resulted in each pupil with three additional ideas to work with. From this placement experience, I have decided that the best way to establish what Key Stage 3 pupils gain from the Design Make tasks would be to revisit the two schools in which I taught whilst on teaching practice. The purpose of my visits would be as follows:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To examine the projects that are made by Key Stage 3 pupils and taking one example note the following; the tools required to make the task, the processes involved, and the amount of the pupils own design input.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Subject to approval by the head of department, ask pupils to complete my questionnaires. This will be an indication of whether the pupils have enjoyed making the project, what the pupils have learned from making the project and, if the pupil is in Year 9, whether that pupil is considering taking up Design Technology in Key Stage 4.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, I will also ask pupils if they have any suggestions that will improve the project. The purpose of undertaking design is the development of outcomes of various types. Each design project has stages of construction: these are the components of the final object, in which each stage contains action, reflection and appraisal. As an example: to build a car, there are stages of construction for the engine, transmission, wheels, bodywork, doors, windows, and interior etc. Each of these components has an initial concept, in which action, reflection and appraisal takes place for choice, material and size before it is offered into the final construction of the car, where once again action, reflection and appraisal will take place. Then once all the components are fitted and the car is complete, then reflection and appraisal takes place. Final changes are made and appraisal takes place. The car is completed. The degree of action, reflection and appraisal that each pupil with undertake is governed by the leadership of their long-term teacher, the teachers experience of design in general and knowledge of design in the real world, and most importantly their confidence and competence within their specialism. This performance of the teacher: and their use of rapid sketches, pictorial presentations and engineering assembly drawings all go towards efficient modelling techniques. The final piece may be a scaled version or may only exist on a computer screen, but regardless its value is in the development of design ideas and the extent of the pupils thinking. I will visit each school every two weeks to evaluate and discuss pupil progress. The project being set for the Design and Make task for Key Stage 3 will be in the context of control, which allows pupils to appreciate the final significance of their work. My direction will be focused towards: the efficiency effectiveness of design, and a good quality product within a short deadline. These factors I will encourage, as they are the foundation towards the promoting of motivation and the generation of ideas (Denton, 1992). My direction of evaluating for the projects research will be concise as possible, giving the pupil the high-level skill opportunity, looking for the right amount of information that allows them to realise the aim. Following completion of my evaluation, I will give verbal feedback to everyone, with a more detailed written appraisal sent within a reasonable time period. The written assessment is an important factor, for the pupils motivation and long-term progression of development for both designerly thinking and behaviour. My aim will be to make clear links between the knowledge and skills the pupils need and the sequences of learning activities they are being taught. In my preparation before the visits I will have a clear direction for the design problem: who is it for, what are their needs, where will it be used, number of units to be produced etc., and which design solution of: particular materials, technologies, or products can be identified and taught (Anning et al, 1996) During each visit I will look for the teaching of technology to be presented in a clear manner that shows a real understanding of technology can be obtained. This understanding will be of the processes of design as well as elements of technological knowledge and essential technological principles. I will look for pupil seeking solutions to technological problems through the process of invention, showing a deeper, fuller understanding of technology by result. Throughout I shall look for encouragement in the use of independent strategies, methods and principles of development, for out of this process of technological development by the pupil can be examined (Hill, 1996). During my visits, through a brief allocated period, by way of this time constraint test I will evaluate their design performance by way of the Big Picture and Small Step descriptors. I will encourage the pupils towards professional designers practices for inspiration, and seek evidence for emphasis the importance and need for the following in professional design: discussion at all stages of the design process, to continually refer back to the project aims, to continually evaluate progress, and to use sketching as visual notetaking (Hill, 1996, p.3) Throughout the allocated time for completion of the project, the pupils will be able to access their normal range of information sources made available to them. Therefore I can gain the pupils comments with regard to their depth of to investigation, discussion and resulting informed decisions on the quality, purpose and function required. On completion of the task I will ask each pupil to complete the questionnaire (see Appendix) from which the responses will be assessed. Above all, the undertaking of the project and the design process involved should be a successful teaching / learning experience for all. Results Discussions The project was to complete the design and construct a fuse tester. From the results in table1 it is clear that from the two schools visited, School A shows that there are more stages involved in designing and making the fuse tester. Pupils from School A also had greater scope for individualising their designs, although many pupils copied each other because of lack of creativity. School A School B Circuit theory Circuit theory Draw circuit using livewire Spider diagram to identify end user Solder Components into PCB Initial ideas Test Circuit Final ideas Research into hand-held devices Mark out acrylic Spider diagram to identify end user Cut out design Initial ideas Bend acrylic to shape Final ideas Stick copper tape on acrylic Make prototype from foam Solder the joins Make Mould (two halves) Test and Evaluate Vacuum form case from Moulds Test Evaluate Table 1 My aim to make clear links between the knowledge and skills the pupils needed and the sequences of learning activities was successful. With my preparation before the visits I had a clear direction for the design problem: Who is it for: General consumer What are their needs: To test general household fuses Where will it be used: In home and office Number of units produced: 250,000 Which design solution- particular materials: Plastic, technologies: True or false indicator, Circuit board and products: Connector(s), Battery On each visit, on initially addressing the class I checked with those pupils furthest away that all could hear me, and that my voice was not too quiet. I then briefly explained the task, whilst handing out extra information sheets, which I then covered in details and finished by asking for any questions. I had taken with me large print versions on the task in case there was pupil(s) present with sight difficulties. My teaching of technology was presented in a clear manner, where good listening and learning regarding the processes of design as well as elements of technological knowledge and essential technological principles took place. It was clear that individual pupils on the whole, sought solutions to the technological problems through the process of invention, where a fuller understanding of technology followed. I encourage the use of independent strategies, methods and principles of development, from which the process of technological development by the pupil could be examined. I successfully informed the pupils towards professional designers practices for inspiration at a reasonable pace, checking that all pupils understood, and emphasised the need for discussion at all stages of the design process, to make sure to continually refer back to the project aims, to continually evaluate progress, and to always use sketching as visual notetaking. All of which was successful in varying degrees. It was seen that some pupils were stronger in relating to some production concepts than others, and in using a varying degree of photographic memory in their detailed sketches whilst seeking their solutions. Not all designers in the real world are specialists in all fields, therefore it was not expected that a pupil would excel in all areas. And that was confirmed with some pupils being stronger in relating to some design and production concepts than others, a degree of photographic memory being one example where a pupil showed promise in solving a problem with a detailed sketch of a related or unrelated object as the solution. The completed questionnaire results confirmed the finding of Atkinson (1995) that showed no significant gender difference regarding the pupils perceived ability or their enjoyment of the design process. From the total sample a large number of the pupils believed that they were poor at designing and did not enjoy the task. Boys % Girls % Enjoyed and achieved Enjoyed but could not achieved Did not enjoy but achieved Did not enjoy and could not achieve Totals 100% ( ) 100% ( ) Table 2: Pupils perceived enjoyment and capability to achieve good results. As outlined in Atkinson (1995) the skill and teaching strategies used confirm a clear comparison of collaborator (School A) and interventionist mode (School B). The concept of collaborative learning brings to mind the image of a circle of learners, in which the pupils learn with each other by co-constructing knowledge. Collaboration means that people labor together to construct something that did not exist before the collaboration. From this it was seen that the input by the teacher: their personal technological capabilities; their understanding on how each idea could or could not be manufactured by the available resources; the time available; and the knowledge of the pupils manufacturing capability. Whilst the interventionist mode a faster pace is dictated, not much time was spent on the design, it was draw initial ideas and straight to manufacturing. Very few detailed sketches and their development took place, the project development took place during the manufacturing. Pupils tended to get out of their depth with their technological ability, and showed that here the pupil lost ownership of their idea to the teacher. At this point even capable pupils would be waiting for further instruction as the next step was beyond their capability, which resulted in the teacher becoming frustrated with the pupils demands. Regardless of which teaching strategy was adopted the findings confirm that of Atkinson (1995, p.40) at the projects start they both followed a similar pattern. The project was explained, then work began on the specifications and analysis of research required. It was observed that girls were at ease working in a reflective, evaluative research and analysis phase, whilst a large number of the boys were intent on looking forward, past this important design period, on to the manufacturing period ahead. In respect to the assessment of Big Pictures and Small Steps the process of control and achievement of the pupil by the teacher. Observed over the duration of the project it proves that the creative thinking and project management of Small Steps in School A was clearly passed on to the pupils, as opposed to the linear model of Big Pictures used in School B, yet on an individual level, pupils being offered a combination of both processes produced Good designing capabilities. From the undertaking of the time constrain test the results confirmed the findings of Lawler (1999) in that a large proportion of the boys achieved better results when the project was introduced through Big Picture designing, and that a large proportion of the girls achieved better results when the project was introduced through Small Step designing. It was interesting to see a confirmation of data as found by Lawler (1999, p.136) in that the boys did better with a Big Picture

Online Shopping Internet

Online Shopping Internet Have you ever tried buying your apparel or appliances thru internet? Online shopping is the process of purchasing and selling products or services over the internet. (Akary, 2005). It has gain popularity because of its convenience. There are some factors that are important in online shopping such as the security and the privacy of the consumers. Online shopping has replaced the traditional process of consumers buying goods from a retailer or mall that they must physically go into. (Akary, 2005). Online shopping is one aspect of electronic commerce. Online shopping is important because it offers buyers convenience that has never before been achievable. (Sneddon, 2004). The technology that is now available allows customers to shop on the internet 24 hours a day and seven days a week, without having to leave their homes or offices. Shoppers are provided with an abundance of merchant sites where almost any goods on earth can be bought. Consumers can also compare prices from a variety of different retailers with greater ease, compared to them physically going to shop in a built shopping centre to check prices. Online shopping popularity started in 1990, only few users are using the system. At the same time, the popularity of the Internet also grew at a phenomenal rate. Rifkin (2004, p. 34). History of online shopping and how it became famous will be discussed in the first part of this paper. The disadvantages and advantages of online shopping will be presented. The objective of this paper is to be able to present to the readers the pros and cons of on-line shopping. Another objective of the study is to evaluate the e-business that has been gaining the popularity. Most articles that I encounter about e-business presents one conclusion, that a company would not make it in the international market if they were not able to penetrate the online shopping. The paper will also discuss the complexity of the design. This will include the effectiveness and safety of the said design. The project aims to present a secured and protected online shopping. The main concern of the user of online shopping is their anonymity. Some website promised that they are being protected but actually they are not. This project will present the prototype design using the Multi-agent system (MAS). The MAS will make online shopping much more easily. Traditional shopping involves saleslady or agent that will assist you during your tour in the mall. The MAS will act as your guide in choosing the item you need. This will make online shopping much more convenient than traditional shopping. In the Literature review, the study done by Sinmao (1999) in the use of intelligent agent is discussed. The analyses done by Giles Malliford (2007) on the problems encountered by online shoppers are enumerated. He presented the reasons why shoppers abandoned their shopping carts. The shop.org (2007) shows the statistics of online users. The primary concern of the user is their security that is why utexas.edu presented the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Also in the literature review the psychological effect of online shopping are discussed. (Smith, Swinyard, 2001). The benefits of online shopping are enumerated to help the user understand why such program is done. Disadvantages and advantages of using the internet in shopping will be discussed. At the end of this paper the reader will be able to decide whether they will choose to shop the traditional way or the online shopping History of Online Shopping Online shopping belongs to the so called e-commerce. It started in 1970 wherein invoices and orders are sent thru the internet. And then in 1980 the acceptance of credit cards and automated teller machine where accepted online. When dot com era arrived electronic commerce include activities termed as web commerce purchases of goods and services over the world wide web, in a secure connections with e-shopping carts and payment where done thru the use of credit card. Online shopping began in the early to mid 1990s. First online bank was opened in 1994 and Pizza Hut was the first to offer pizza online on their Web page. Further development of online shopping was done and later that year Netscape introduced SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) that make most transactions secure. In 1995 Jeff Bezos launched Amazon.com and in 1996, e-Bay was founded. By the end of 1997, an estimated 41 million people were shopping online. (Kary, 2005). 1999 saw the UKs first graphical Internet shopping mall called The Virtual Mall. In 2003, Amazon.com became the first ever full-year profit online shopping merchant. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Shop). From here the online shopping has become popular. Now dresses, foods, medicines and others can be purchased online. Safety of the customer is important even in the early years of online shopping. Netscape SSL purpose is to secure the identity of their customer to prevent cyber crime which is common in transactions involving ones identity in the internet. It has been the medium of transaction of businesses. The future is now pointing its direction to new technologies. Literature Review Several studies are involved in online shopping. The use of an intelligent agent is important in e-commerce specially in online shopping. (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are a major evolution toward solving this difficult problem.   Intelligent agents empower both buyers and sellers to accomplish e-commerce transactions by enabling efficient, precise, and comprehensive searches on the vast web community and information repository. . (Sinmao, 1999). Intelligent agents are software applications that have a predefined knowledge base and/or learning system about their users goals and wishes and, through adaptive reasoning, use this information to execute their users request. The continuum of intelligent agents may be characterized along three dimensions:   agency, intelligence, and mobility. In Appendix 1 the three dimensions of intelligent agents are presented to show how intelligent agents work on online shopping. Statistics (Table 1) shows the problems encountered during the first year of online shopping. Since online shopping during the first years is not yet fully developed problems are piling up. These problems were being resolved as the year goes by. Studies and reaches were done to enhance and improve the e-commerce. Table below shows problems encountered by Canada during the earlier years of online shopping. Table 1 Stat Source Date Around 21 percent of Canadians sited comparison-shopping as the main reason for online cart abandonment, while 17 percent reported that high shipping costs were a cause for aborting their purchases. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 40 percent of Internet users in Canada report that they abandoned at least one shopping cart on a Canadian retail website during a three month period in early 2002. The findings also found that for every purchase Canadians made online, another was not completed. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 Although Canadians spent CAD2 billion (USD1.2 billion) at retail websites during the first half of 2002, many online shoppers abandoned their carts due to poorly designed sites, shipping costs, and privacy concerns. NFO CFGroup 10/08/2002 2.2 million Canadian households spent close to CAD2 billion (USD1.27 billion) on online shopping in 2001. In 2000, 1.5 million households spent CAD1.5 billion shopping on the Internet. Canadian households placed a total of 13.4 million orders over the Internet in 2001, up from 9.1 million in 2000. Statistics Canada 09/18/2002 Source: http://www.shop.org/learn/stats_intshop_canada.asp In the study done by shop.org, 2007 online sales (including travel) rises 18 percent to $259.1 billion. Sales excluding travel will reach $174.5 billion. This strong growth will come off of an impressive performance in 2006. Online sales last year rose 25 percent to $219.9 billion. Excluding travel, online retail sales rose 29 percent to $146.5 billion, representing six percent of total retail sales in 2006. ( Grannis, Davis, 2007). According to Mulpuru, Sucharita, (2007) senior analyst of Forrester Research, online retail is moving full speed ahead, the consumers flood the web to purchase merchandise and research products. This strong growth is an indicator that online retail is years away from reaching a point of saturation. The profitability through the sector has stabilized, this is a good indication that e-commerce is gaining success. The study done by shop.org and Forrester shows the following profitability result: Eighty-three percent of respondents to the survey reported profitability and 78 percent said they were more profitable than 2005. Profit as a percentage of revenue did not change, the report notes, because revenue and expenses grew as well. In the article â€Å"The Top 10 Reasons Why Online Buyers Abandon Their Shopping Cart† by Miles Galliford (2007), he mentioned the reasons why shopping carts are being abandon by shoppers. Research undertaken by MarketingSherpa (www.marketingsherpa.com) and E-Tailing in 2006 discovered that average abandonment rates were 60% and 47% respectively. This means that the average commercial website is losing as much as half of  its potential revenue. (Galliford, 2007). Based on the article the reasons why they abandon their cart during online shopping: Hidden charges at the checkout Having to register before buying The buyer was comparison shopping and found a better deal The shipping costs were too high The buyer didnt have time to complete the checkout process The product was out of stock There were no clear delivery details No phone number was provided The checkout process was too long The buyer was uncomfortable with the checkout process From the above reasons it seems that online shopping is not yet perfected. That is why study and researches are being done to satisfy the customer. Among other studies done on online shopping includes one that provides several tips on how to make sure that the web site you are purchasing your items are secured. One of the main concerns of the shopper is their security. That is why most of the website offering online shopping states that security is their main concern. However there are some websites that does not really have a security program. As a result of this the data of the customer is easily accessible by others. This is where cyber crime takes place. In order to ensure that you are on a safe website below is the checklist to consider for making your online purchases as safe as possible: (www.utexas.edu). Only shop at online stores of reputable companies (companies you already know from retail stores, mail order catalogs or other sources). Know how to contact them offline if there is a problem with your purchase. If you are unsure of the company, do a little research with the Better Business Bureau. Secure your Web browser. Check the security settings of your Web browser to increase the security of your transactions. Check for security icons before giving your personal information. Before you type in your credit card number or name and address, check for security icons on the Web site. This includes looking for â€Å"https† in the Web address or URL. Https indicates the Web site is equipped with an additional security layer. If its not there, the site or page is not secure. Create unique passwords. Dont use the same password for all of your online accounts and applications. If you do this, you risk having all of your accounts compromised if only one account is breached. Remember to never use your university passwords for other online accounts. Dont enable the â€Å"Save Password† option if prompted to do so. If you are using a shared computer, pre-saved passwords will make it easy for others to access your accounts. Use only one dedicated credit card for online purchases. Monitor your monthly statements closely for any unusual activity. Dont use a debit card for online purchases. You are more protected using a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit card companies offer some degree of fraud protection and may be able to reverse charges to your account. Check the Web sites privacy policy. Only shop with online stores offering privacy policies that you agree with. They should provide information about how they will protect your personal information and whether it will be provided to other companies. Always log out of a Web site when you are through. Again, this will protect your accounts on a shared computer. Review your monthly credit card and bank statements. Check for any unauthorized purchases or errors. Notify your bank or credit card company immediately if you suspect someone is using your accounts without your permission. Because of these threats on online shopping, the enhancements of websites are being done to ensure that every single person and data is protected. In the study done by IBM and BYU (Professor William R. Swinyard and Professor Scott M. Smith) online shopping reveals attitude and lifestyle of the user. (2001). The attitudinal study of 4000 Web users reveals the shopping behaviour of eight online consumer types and which types would respond to marketing efforts designed to increase e-commerce sales. The study also suggests what form those efforts should take. Heres how each group looks and how Swinyard and Smith think they should be approached: With 11.1 percent of the market share, Shopping Lovers enjoy buying online and do so frequently. They are competent computer users and will likely continue their shopping habits. They also spread the word to others about joys of online shopping whenever they have the opportunity. They represent an ideal target for retailers. Adventurous Explorers (8.9 percent) are a small segment that presents a large opportunity. They require little special attention by Internet vendors because they believe online shopping is fun. They are likely the opinion leaders for all things online. Retailers should nurture and cultivate them to be online community builders and shopping advocates. Suspicious Learners (9.6 percent) comprise another small segment with growth potential. Their reluctance to purchase online more often hinges on their lack of computer training, but they are open to new ways of doing things. In contrast to more fearful segments, they dont have a problem giving a computer their credit card number. Further guidance and training would help coax them into online buying. Among the most computer literate, Business Users (12.4 percent) use the Internet primarily for business purposes. They take a serious interest in what it can do for their professional life. They dont view online shopping as novel and arent usually champions of the practice. Fearful Browsers (10.7 percent) are on the cusp of buying online. They are capable Internet and computer users, spending a good deal of time window shopping. They could become a significant buying group if their fears about credit card security, shipping charges and buying products sight unseen were overcome. Shopping Avoiders (15.6 percent) have an appealing income level, but their values make them a poor target for online retailers. They dont like to wait for products to be shipped to them, and they like seeing merchandise in person before buying. They have online shopping issues that retailers will not easily be able to overcome. Technology Muddlers (19.6 percent) face large computer literacy hurdles. They spend less time than any other segment online and show little excitement about increasing their online comfort level. They are not an attractive market for online retailers. Fun Seekers (12.1 percent) are the least wealthy and least educated market segment. They see entertainment value in the Internet, but buying things online frightens them. Although security and privacy issues might be overcome, the spending power of the segment suggests that only a marginal long-term payback would be possible In the study done by KCB336 New Media Technologies students, they have come up on reasons why many people are still hesitant in using online shopping. Their study resulted in 69% of internet shoppers felt that online retailers should do more to make them feel secure, yet only 15% reported to know others who had experienced credit card misuse advocated her trust for online shopping when she claimed. Because of the concern of the customer in the security measures, retailers employ a number of security measures, including cryptogrpahy and authentication to help the online transactions safe. Cryptography can provide authentication and integrity for electronic transmissions if properly implemented. Authentication is defined as goal of knowing that a particular user is authorized to take an action. Personal identification numbers (PIN) and passwords are the most widespread types of authentication. Based also on the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), another key issue aside from the security is the privacy. To further ease customer apprehension, many online retailers provide privacy statements which state their stance on sharing customer information with other businesses. Many companies stated that they did not share customer details. In addition to this, online retailers also employ cryptography to ensure that computer hackers cannot easily obtain any stored personal information that companies keep regarding their customers. Some companies only installed privacy and security measures after problems had occurred. Their lack of preventative methods was attributed towards the difficulty of implementing security measures, the high costs associated with these measures, and the continual need to update programs as new technologies and threats emerged. Internet-based transactions expect to make up 25 percent of all retail transactions in the next decade according to the study done by the New Media Technology (2004), therefore it is imperative for online retailers to continue to provide a secure, private and trustworthy shopping environment for their customers. Those who can best provide this climate for online shoppers will be the retailers who attract the most customers, and ultimately enjoy the most profits. According to Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer (2005), the success of online businesses relies heavily upon their ability to attract and retain customers. The better an online business understands the needs of these shoppers, the higher the chance that they can attract and retain customers. Their study includes factors that are important for the consumers. A study compared the experiences that customers have at a brick-and-mortar store versus online shopping. A main difference in the two experiences is that traditional storefronts are able to provide customers with the immediate sensory experience of touching and feeling proffered products whereas online storefronts are more limited in offering physical experiences with their products. Internet customers may have the visual experience of seeing what they are interested in purchasing. They are limited in their ability to touch or feel the merchandise until after delivery. The lack of the physical experiences touching and feeling avail able in traditional brick-and-mortar storefronts may be a reason why an online business has not risen to the level that some thought possible in the early 1990s. To overcome this obstacle, online businesses need to focus on satisfiers outside physical experiences with products. They need to convince customers that touching and feeling the merchandise are less important than what they can offer via an online shopping. This study intends to explore which factors are perceived as important to online customers when shopping on the Internet. (Changchit, Douthit, and Hoffmeyer 2005). Presented in table 3 below are the demographics of online user. The most common user of online shopping belongs to the Caucasian (4.9%) group with ages ranging form 22-25 years old (31.7%). Table 4 shows the factors that are important on online shoppers. TABLE 2: SUBJECTS DEMOGRAPHICS Age (in years) Under 18 18-21 22-25 26-30 31-35 Over 35 0 % 16 (15.8%) 32 (31.7%) 16 (15.8%) 13 (12.9%) 21 (20.8%) Nationality Ethnicity African Asian American Caucasian Hispanic Other 8 (8.2%) 7 (7.1%) 46 (46.9%) 32 (32.7%) 5 (5.1%) Annual Income (US$) >10K-30K >30K-50K >50K-70K >70K-90K >90K 22 (22.5%) 17 (17.4%) 26 (26.5%) 12 (12.2%) 6 (6.1%) 15 (15.3%) Highest Education High School 1-3 year college Associate Bachelor Master Doctorate 7 (7.1%) 18 (18.4%) 10 (10.2%) 38 (38.8%) 20 (20.4%) 5 (5.1%) Own a Computer Desktop Laptop 82 (83.7%) 59(60.2%) Employment Status Unemployed Full Time Part Time 12(12.2%) 58(59.2%) 28(25.6%) Marital Status Single Married Widow Divorce 60(61.2%) 38(38.8%) 0(0%) 0(0%) Source: Changchit,   Shawn J. Douthit,   Benjamin Hoffmeyer (2005) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0OGT/is_3_5/ai_n16619676/pg_6 TABLE 3: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO VISIT A WEBSITE I will visit the website more often if . Average 1. a picture of the product is displayed 5.85 2. the website offers free shipping 5.76 3. it is easy to return the products 5.51 4. the website accuracy of the order is high 5.42 5. the website has a brand reputation 5.41 TABLE 4: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE FROM A WEBSITE I am more likely to purchase products/ Average services from the website if . 1. the website offers free shipping 5.86 2. the website offers a discount 5.79 3. it is easy to return the products 5.74 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.70 5. the website offers tax free shopping 5.51 TABLE 5: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE MORE ITEMS I will purchase more items if . Average 1. the website offers a discount 5.71 2. the website offers free shopping 5.67 3. it is easy to return the products 5.64 4. a picture of the product is displayed 5.59 5. I received tax free shopping. 5.57 TABLE 6: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PURCHASE AT A HIGHER PRICE I am willing to pay more if . Average 1. the website offers free shipping 5.20 2. if the item is not available offline 5.14 3. if I can t the product out before-paying 5.10 4. if offered tax free shopping 5.05 5. if the website offers next day shipping 4.94 TABLE 7: FACTORS ENCOURAGING SHOPPERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACKS I would provide feedback on my shopping Average experience for 1. free shipping 5.61 2. discount 5.41 3. gift card 5.32 4. product sample 5.17 5. discount coupon 5.09 Disadvantages and Advantages of Online shopping Online shopping has its own set of disadvantages and advantages. Not all online shoppers agree to shop online, they would rather shop at the mall than sit in their living room and search for the item they want. As presented on the first report the following are the disadvantages and advantages of online shopping: Table 3 Advantages and Disadvantages On line shopping Traditional Shopping Time Unlimited you can purchase online anytime you want. No closing and opening hours You can shop at limited time only. Availability One will be able to know right away if the item is

Im Sorry that I was an Ass :: Love Letters Dating Email Relationships

Dear Tabitha, Hey, I am sorry that I was an ass to you for the past couple of days that I was with you. I am sorry and I hope that you will forgive me. I will write you and call you whenever I have time to enjoy talking with you, okay? I just want to explain exactly why I was acting so mad and pissy to you for the last couple of weeks, I know I probably shouldn't but I have to be true to you. I was just so cared and worried that you will not have the same love for me when I come home to you. I know that I shouldn't have acted like that and that is why I am truly and deeply sorry for making you hurt on both the inside and outside, but you must believe that my love for you will either stay the same or grow because without you I am lost. I should have told you all of this before I left but I did not want to see you cry anymore or be hurt with me watching because I can't even stand to watch that. So for all the pain that I have caused you, I am sorry. Believe me, I do love you and I never meant to hurt your feelings. I am very sorry for that but right now I can't stop thinking about how much I actually love you. I don't know if you have been thinking about it, my guess is that you probably have and you might have even cried. To tell you the truth, if I could cry about it I probably, would because I get watery eyes just thinking about how beautiful you are and how happy I am with you. I love you with all my heart Tabitha. I love you so much. It hurts me to sit here thinking about you and knowing that I will not be able to see you for 14 months. Even after talking to you twice today I came back to my room, set out our picture, and I became emotional just looking at your picture and thinking about you.

Causes of World War Two Essay -- WWII WW2 World War 2

World War two has to be the most famous war of all time. It was the largest, most tragic, horrifying of them all, and the first to have millions of people killed in the duration of it. Is it just me, or does it seem rather ironic that the very thing that was meant to solve the first World War is the most important of all of the causes of the second? And that the people who were supposed to fix the problems that that war caused were only really helping another along? The "war to end all wars" did not do that at all. Things like expansion and appeasement and the rise of dictators were obviously all for the war as well. So. Let me start with appeasement. Why was it such a large part of this war? There were so many people wanting so much that others had, and those that had it were forced to roll over and let it be taken. Because they were frightened. They were so scared of getting blown up that they would have handed over just about anything if it kept them alive. And mainly what people wanted was? more land of course! That was the expansionism part. They were the two things tha...

Visual Perception – Painting

Name: N. Mithun Kumar Vasu Deva Sarma Roll No: 201001072 Course: Space Time in Arts and Humanities Date: 17-11-2012 Topic: Perception of Visual Arts (Painting) ABSTRACT The task essentially is to consider what the art of painting essentially is and how it is perceived. One of the most curious questions which first arises is ? What is an Art Art: Art is a diverse range of human activities and the products of those activities. The word art can refer to several things: a study of creative skill, a process of using the creative skill, a product of the creative skill, or the audience's experience with the creative skill.Art is something that stimulates an individual's thoughts, emotions, beliefs, or ideas through the senses. Many definitions of art have been proposed by philosophers and others who have characterized art in terms of mimesis, expression, communication of emotion, or other values. Though art's definition is disputed and has changed over time, general descriptions mention an idea of human agency and creation through imaginative or technical skill. In medieval philosophy, John Chrysostom held that â€Å"the name of art should be applied to those only which contribute towards and produce necessaries and mainstays of life.The nature of art has been described by philosopher Richard Wollheim as â€Å"one of the most elusive of the traditional problems of human culture†. Art as mimesis has deep roots in the philosophy of Aristotle. The nature of art, and related concepts such as creativity and interpretation, are explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics. Art, at its simplest, is a form of communication. As most forms of communication have an intent or goal directed toward another individual, this is a motivated purpose. Illustrative arts, such as scientific illustration, are a form of art as communication.Emotions, moods and feelings are also communicated through art. Here, we consider painting, a visual art and explain its perception. H ere arises the question, what are ? Visual arts Visual Arts: ?Visual Arts? is a term used for a broad category of different types of art. Visual arts include all forms of arts creative and haves expressive production in material. In simple words, ? Visual arts? are art forms that create works that are primarily visual in nature, such as Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Design, Crafts, Photography, Video, Filmmaking and Architecture.These definitions should not be taken too strictly as many artistic disciplines (performing arts, conceptual art, textile arts) involve aspects of the visual arts as well as arts of other types. The current usage of the term â€Å"visual arts† includes fine art as well as the applied, decorative arts and crafts. Visual arts also include applied arts. The perception of these visual arts is a lot different from Visual Perception. So, we need to know the difference between the perception of visual art and visual perception of art. For this purpose, we explain what visual perception is and then show the differences between the two of them.VISUAL PERCEPTION: Visual perception is a function of our eyes and brain. We see images as a whole rather than in parts. However, images can be broken down into their visual elements: line, shape, texture, and color. Visual perception is the ability to interpret the surrounding environment by processing information that is contained in visible light. These elements are to images as grammar is to language. Together they allow our eyes to see images and our brain to recognize them. For most of the people, vision appears simple and effortless as it seems like a trivial operation.Our brain, however, has to process, combine and separate shapes, colors, shadows, object relations, and much more within fractions of a second in order to build a representation from its sensory input. Vision perception is ambiguous. For example, to see a painting, a piece of sculpture or a building take s a few moments. Other art objects may take a little more time. Most of the people appreciate (comment on) the object within moments of seeing them. But it is the product of an extraordinarily developed and complicated visual system. Visual perception helps a lot in the aesthetic experience of art.Visual perception of art vs Perception of Visual Art: The main difference between the visual perception of art and perception of visual arts is that in the visual perception of an art we explain how our vision sees an art and sends it whereas in the perception of visual arts we explain how our vision sees the art and the reason why our vision sees the art in such a manner. One important difference between the perception of visual arts and visual perception is the task of the observer. In everyday perception, the task of the observer is well defined, often by the action that the perception supports.As we watch the incoming traffic before crossing the road, our perception of the traffic is o riented to the extraction of useful information such as the recognition of a car and the estimation of its speed, while at the same time disregarding irrelevant information such as the make or color of the car. Once the task is established, one can define the decisions necessary to perform it, and if one so wishes, the efficiency of the observer in this task can be computed by normalizing the performance to that of the ideal observer for this task.It is more difficult to identify an appropriate task in the perception of visual arts. Without specifying a task, the question of how good one is at looking at a painting becomes irrelevant, and the notion of risk associated to an alleged wrong perception becomes meaningless. One way to identify a plausible task in visual arts perception is to return to the challenges of everyday perception. PAINTING Painting taken literally is the practice of applying pigment suspended in a carrier (or medium) and a binding agent (a glue) to a surface (su pport) such as paper, canvas or a wall.However, when used in an artistic sense it means the use of this activity in combination with drawing, composition and, or, other aesthetic considerations in order to manifest the expressive and conceptual intention of the practitioner. Painting is also used to express spiritual motifs and ideas; sites of this kind of painting range from artwork depicting mythological figures on pottery to The Sistine Chapel to the human body itself. Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface (support base).The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is also used outside of art as a common trade among craftsmen and builders. Paintings may have for their support such surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay, leaf, co pper or concrete, and may incorporate multiple other materials including sand, clay, paper, gold leaf as well as objects.Painting is a mode of creative expression, and the forms are numerous. Drawing, composition or abstraction and other aesthetics may serve to manifest the expressive and conceptual intention of the practitioner. Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in a still life or landscape painting), photographic, abstract, be loaded with narrative content, symbolism, emotion or be political in nature. Painting only can â€Å"describe† everything which can be seen and suggest every emotion which can be felt.Painting is not just mere impression of our thoughts but is composed of a number of elements like intensity, form, figure, filial, color and tone, texture, garnet, line, conduit, deformation, organix, rhythm and non-traditional elements. Some of the important elements are discussed below. ELEMENTS AND MEDIA Modern artists have extended the practice o f painting considerably to include, for example, collage, which began with Cubism and is not painting in the strict sense. Some modern painters incorporate different materials such as sand, cement, straw or wood for their texture.Examples of this are the works of Jean Dubuffet and Anselm Kiefer. There is a growing community of artists who use computers to paint color onto a digital canvas using programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and many others. These images can be printed onto traditional canvas if required. ELEMENTS INTENSITY: What enables painting is the perception and representation of intensity. Every point in space has different intensity, which can be represented in painting by black and white and all the gray shades between. In practice, ainters can articulate shapes by juxtaposing surfaces of different intensity; by using just color (of the same intensity) one can only represent symbolic shapes. Thus, the basic means of painting are distinct from ideological m eans, such as geometrical figures, various points of view and organization (perspective), and symbols. For example, a painter perceives that a particular white wall has different intensity at each point, due to shades and reflections from nearby objects, but ideally, a white wall is still a white wall in pitch darkness.In technical drawing, thickness of line is also ideal, demarcating ideal outlines of an object within a perceptual frame different from the one used by painters. Color and tone: Color and tone are the essence of painting as pitch and rhythm are of music. Color is highly subjective, but has observable psychological effects, although these can differ from one culture to the next. Black is associated with mourning in the West, but in the East, white is. Some painters, theoreticians, writers and scientists, including Goethe, Kandinsky, and Newton, have written their own color theory.Moreover the use of language is only a generalization for a color equivalent. The word â⠂¬Å"red†, for example, can cover a wide range of variations on the pure red of the visible spectrum of light. There is not a formalized register of different colors in the way that there is agreement on different notes in music, such as C or C? in music. For a painter, color is not simply divided into basic and derived (complementary or mixed) colors (like red, blue, green, brown, etc. ). Painters deal practically with pigments, so â€Å"blue† for a painter can be any of the blues: phtalocyan, Paris blue, indigo, cobalt, ultramarine, and so on.Psychological, symbolical meanings of color are not strictly speaking means of painting. Colors only add to the potential, derived context of meanings, and because of this the perception of a painting is highly subjective. The analogy with music is quite clear—sound in music (like â€Å"C†) is analogous to light in painting, â€Å"shades† to dynamics, and coloration is to painting as specific timbre of musical instruments to music—though these do not necessarily form a melody, but can add different contexts to it. Tone describes how light or dark a color is. If the painting is going to be successful, you must get the tones right.In describing any form in particular light conditions tone is critical. You‘ll be amazed how dark those darks can be. Get the tone of a color right and it will make the form you want to depict. It will stay where you put it and add to the solidity and realism of the picture. Get the tone wrong, and it will jar the eye. A blazing highlight in a shadowy eye will jump out of its socket. Remember that all colors in your subject are affected by the same light. For example, if one side of a blonde head is in deep shadow, like the subjects suit, the hair is going to be very dark blonde.If you paint those bright tones from the lit side of the head in the shadows it will be just plain wrong. This may sound obvious, but people do it all the time. Your brain ? knows‘ that a dark blue suit is very dark in the shadow areas, but it also might tell you it ? knows‘ that skin is still the same value in the darks. But, it is not and your eye sees the difference. Colors have tones (how light and dark) and temperature (how intense). Warm colors tend to advance. Cool colors tend to recede. The interplay between warm nd cool not only creates believable form and space but is a pleasure to look at – a painting that is all cold or all blazingly hot tends not to work so well. EDGES: Generally our eye will go straight to the crispest edge in a painting creating a focal point. This is most often a point of high contrast where a light and dark meet. Make sure that edge is where you want it, up around the head. For example, in a human face, the dark of hair against the edge of a lit cheek creates a focal point. The artist can lead a viewer around a picture by the use of different types of edge.If it‘s all soft or all crisp there is no focal point and no one knows what they are supposed to be looking at! BACKGROUNDS: The question that arises is how much detail should be in a background? Too much in the background can be overwhelming. Remember, the background should stay back. The subject is primary; the other stuff while it may have emotional or historic significance is secondary. Control of edges here really helps. Simple color and shadow shapes can work well. This makes the subject the sole rendered object and focal point in the painting. Rhythm: Rhythm is important in painting as well as in music.If one defines rhythm as â€Å"a pause incorporated into a sequence†, then there can be rhythm in paintings. These pauses allow creative force to intervene and add new creations—form, melody, coloration. The distribution of form, or any kind of information is of crucial importance in the given work of art and it directly affects the esthetical value of that work. This is because the esthetical value is functionality dependent, i. e. the freedom (of movement) of perception is perceived as beauty. Free flow of energy, in art as well as in other forms of â€Å"techne†, directly contributes to the esthetical value.LINE: Line is a continuous marking made by a moving point on the surface. A line is the path made by a pointed instrument, such as a pen, a crayon, or a stick. A line implies action because work needs to be done to make it. Moreover, the impression of movement suggests sequence, direction, or force. In other words, a line can be seen as a distinct series of points. Line is believed to be the most expressive of the visual elements because of several reasons. First, it outlines things and the outlines are the key to their identity.Most of the time, we recognize objects or images only from their outlines. Second, line is important because it is a primary element in writing and drawing, and because writing as well drawing is universal. Third, unlike texture, shape and fo rm, line is unambiguous. We know exactly when it starts and ends. Finally, line leads our eyes by suggesting direction and movement. Line outlines shapes and can contour areas within those lines. Even though most of the art we see uses line only to form shapes, some artists allow line to call attention for itself in the art piece.TEXTURE is the surface ? feel? of something. When the brush strokes have been smoothened, a surface is seen as smooth, when left rough, its texture is seen as rough. COMPOSTION refers to the ordering of relationship. Artists utilize organizing principles to create forms that inform. Techniques are ways artists go about applying the principles of composition. BALANCE refers to the equilibrium of opposing visual forces. GRADATION refers to a continuum of changes in the details and regions such as gradual variations in shape, color value and shadowing.PROPORTION refers to the emphasis achieved by the scaling of sizes of shapes. VARIETY refers to the contrasts of details and regions. UNITY refers to the togetherness, despite contrasts, of details and regions to the whole. MEDIA OIL: Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called ‘varnishes' and were prized for their body and gloss.Oil paint eventually became the principal medium used for creating artworks as its advantages became widely known. The transition began with Early Netherlandish painting in northern Europe, and by the height of the Renaissance oil painting techniques had almost completely replaced tempera paints in the majority of Europe. PASTEL: Pastel is a painting medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder. The pigments used in pastels are the same as those used to produce all colored art media, including oil paints; the binder is of a neutral hue and low saturation.The color effect of pastels is closer to the natural dry pigments than that of any other process. Because the surface of a pastel painting is fragile and easily smudged, its preservation requires protective measures such as framing under glass; it may also be sprayed with a fixative. Nonetheless, when made with permanent pigments and properly cared for, a pastel painting may endure unchanged for centuries. Pastels are not susceptible, as are paintings made with a fluid medium, to the cracking and discoloration that result from changes in the color, opacity, or dimensions of the medium as it dries. ACRYLIC:Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water- resistant when dry. Depending on how much the paint is diluted (with water) or modified with acrylic gels, media, or pastes, the finished acrylic painting can resemble a watercolor or an oil painting, or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with other media. The main practical difference between most acrylics and oil paints is the inherent drying time. Oils allow for more time to blend colors and apply even glazes over under-paintings.This slow drying aspect of oil can be seen as an advantage for certain techniques, but in other regards it impedes the artist trying to work quickly. WATER COLOR: Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water soluble vehicle. The traditional and most common support for watercolor paintings is paper; other supports include papyrus, bark papers, plastics, vellum or leather, fabric, wood and canvas. In East Asia, watercolor painting with inks is referred to as brush painting or scroll painting.In Chinese, Korean, and Japanese painting it has been the dominant medium, often in monochrome black or browns. India, Ethiopia and other countries also have long traditions. Fingerpa inting with watercolor paints originated in China. INK: Ink paintings are done with a liquid that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing with a pen, brush, or quill. Ink can be a complex medium, composed of solvents, pigments, dyes, resins, lubricants, solubilizers, surfactants, particulate matter, fluorescers, and other materials.The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink‘s carrier, colorants, and other additives control flow and thickness of the ink and its appearance when dry. HOT WAX: Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a surface—usually prepared wood, though canvas and other materials are often used. The simplest encaustic mixture can be made from adding pigments to beeswax, but there are several other recipes that can be used—some containing other t ypes of waxes, damar resin, linseed oil, or other ingredients.Pure, powdered pigments can be purchased and used, though some mixtures use oil paints or other forms of pigment. Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium to adhere it to the surface. FRESCO: Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, done on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Italian word affresco [af? fres? ko] which derives from the Latin word for â€Å"fresh†.Frescoes were often made during the Renaissance and other early time periods. Buon fresco technique consists of painting in pigment mixed with water on a thin layer of wet, fresh, lime mortar or plaster, for which the Italian word for plaster, intonaco, is used. A secco painting, in contrast , is done on dry plaster (secco is â€Å"dry† in Italian). The pigments require a binding medium, such as egg (tempera), glue or oil to attach the pigment to the wall. GOUACHE: Gouache is a water based paint consisting of pigment and other materials designed to be used in an opaque painting method.Gouache differs from watercolor in that the particles are larger, the ratio of pigment to water is much higher, and an additional, inert, white pigment such as chalk is also present. This makes gouache heavier and more opaque, with greater reflective qualities. Like all water-media, it is diluted with water. ENAMEL: Enamels are made by painting a substrate, typically metal, with frit, a type of powdered glass. Minerals called color oxides provide coloration. After firing at a temperature of 750–850 degrees Celsius (1380–1560 degrees Fahrenheit), the result is a fused lamination of glass and metal.Enamels have traditionally been used for decoration of precious objects, but have also been used for other purposes. In the 18th century, enamel painting enjoyed a vogue in Europe, especially as a medium for portrait miniatures. In the late 20th century, the technique of porcelain enamel on metal has been used as a durable medium for outdoor mural SPRAY PAINT: Aerosol paint (also called spray paint) is a type of paint that comes in a sealed pressurized container and is released in a fine spray mist when depressing a valve button. A form of spray painting, aerosol paint leaves a smooth, evenly coated surface.Standard sized cans are portable, inexpensive and easy to store. Aerosol primer can be applied directly to bare metal and many plastics. Speed, portability and permanence also make aerosol paint a common graffiti medium. In the late 1970s, street graffiti writers' signatures and murals became more elaborate and a unique style developed as a factor of the aerosol medium and the speed required for illicit work. Many now recognize graffiti and street art as a unique art form and specifically manufactured aerosol paints are made for the graffiti artist. A stencil can be used to protect a surface except the specific shape that is to be ainted. Stencils can be purchased as movable letters, ordered as professionally cut logos or hand-cut by artists. TEMPERA: Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent, fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium (usually a glutinous material such as egg yolk or some other size). Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the first centuries AD still exist. Egg tempera was a primary method of painting until after 1500 when it was superseded by the invention of oil painting.A paint which is commonly called tempera (although it is not) consisting of pigment and glue size is commonly used and referred to by some manufacturers in America as poster paint. WATER MISCIBLE OIL PAINT: Water miscible oil paints (also called â€Å"water soluble† or â€Å"water-mixable†) is a modern variety of oil paint which is engineered to be thinned and cleaned up with water, rather than having to use chemicals such as turpentine. It can be mixed and applied using the same techniques as traditional oil-based paint, but while still wet it can be effectively removed from brushes, palettes, and rags with ordinary soap and water.Its water solubility comes from the use of an oil medium in which one end of the molecule has been altered to bind loosely to water molecules, as in a solution. PAINTING †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Painting is an art. There are different kinds of painting and you might have seen the canvas in many places. This is used in many homes and in buildings to decorate the walls. It is not possible for each and every individual to paint a picture and convert in to a beautiful art work. You might be confused by seeing many art works and you may n ot be able to differentiate the one which is more beautiful than the other.What does painting do? ? Painting makes things and their qualities much clearer than they are in nature. ? Painting, with its ? All-at-Onceness? more than any other art, gives us the time to allow our vision to focus and participate. ? We can hold any detail or region or the totality as long as we like and follow any order of details or regions at our own pace ***************—————-*************** More than any other art, painting is the art that has most to do with revealing the visual appearance of objects and events. The eye is the chief sense organ involved in our participation with the painting.Painting has existed as an artistic tradition for thousands of years. From the cave painting of Lascaux to the great, masterpieces of Da Vinci it has played a historical and aesthetic role in the different ages of existence. Let‘s see the history of painting. ORIGIN AND EARL Y HISTORY Painting has its documented origins in caves and on rock faces. The finest examples, believed by some to be 32,000 years old, are in the Chauvet and Lascaux caves in southern France. In shades of red, brown, yellow and black, the paintings on the walls and ceilings are of bison, cattle, horses and deer.Paintings of human figures can be found in the tombs of ancient Egypt. In the great temple of Ramses II, Nefertari, his queen, is depicted being led by Isis. [7] The Greeks contributed to painting but much of their work has been lost. One of the best remaining representations is the mosaic of the Battle of Issus at Pompeii, which was probably based on a Greek painting. Greek and Roman art contributed to Byzantine art in the 4th century BC, which initiated a tradition in icon painting. The history of painting reaches back in time to artifacts from pre-historic humans, and spans all cultures.It represents a continuous, though periodically disrupted tradition from Antiquity. Ac ross cultures, and spanning continents and millennia, the history of painting is an ongoing river of creativity, which continues into the 21st century. Until the early 20th century it relied primarily on representational, religious and classical motifs, after which time more purely abstract and conceptual approaches gained favor. Developments in Eastern painting historically parallel those in Western painting, in general, a few centuries earlier. African art, Islamic art, Indian art, Chinese art, and Japanese art each had ignificant influence on Western art, and, eventually, vice-versa. Painting was initially serving utilitarian purpose, followed by imperial, private, civic, and religious patronage, Eastern and Western painting later found audiences in the aristocracy and the middle class. TYPES OF PAINTINGS ABSTRACT PAINTING: It is also called as non-representational painting. It might be difficult to appreciate it if we are confused about subject matter. In these paintings, no obj ects or events are depicted. So, it seems that these painting do not have subject matter. But it is not so.The subject matter is relating to or affecting the senses rather than the intellect. It is composed of visual qualities – line, color, texture, space, shape, light, shadow, volume, and mass. These are constructed by eliminating reference to everything but color, lines, shapes, and light from their work. Abstract painters liberate us from the habit of always referring these elements to specific objects and events. REPRESENTATIONAL PAINTING: It furnishes the world of abstractions / sensuous with definite objects and events. The subject matter are the same, the interpretation (content) of every painting is always different.Representational artwork aims to represent actual objects or subjects from reality. Subcategories under representational art include Realism, Impressionism, Idealism, and Stylization. All of these forms of representationalism represent actual subjects fro m reality. Although some of these forms are taking steps toward abstraction, they still fall under the category of representation. PORTRAIT PAINTING: A portrait painting is one that embodies the image of a particular person. Over the years, these paintings started to include images of various other animals and lifeless matter.This particular type of painting is created only when a person orders for it to be created. Sometimes, portrayers create these paintings for their own fun or interest. The importance of these paintings can be felt only by those people who strive to preserve their memories. Most people think that digital photographs and images are the best way to capture a moment. But these people fail to realize an important fact about these photographs. While the initial quality seems to be much better in terms of clarity, these digital photographs seem to fade away with the course of time.This is not true in case of portrait paintings as these are known to last for a long per iod of time. This is evident from the fact that lot of these paintings have been found inside Egyptian pyramids. These paintings are mostly used as decorative items. Due to their long life, portrait paintings are used as wall hangings in many houses. In addition to its decorative uses, these paintings can also be used as gifts to complement your friends and relatives on their special occasions. Believe it or not, these paintings can remind your close ones about your existence whenever they look at it.Sometimes, people collect art works done by famous portrayers as part of their activities. The fun that you can have when collecting these historical artifacts is comparable to an endless sea. To learn how a painting is perceived, one has to know the effect of different situations on the eye. Some of them are explained here. BRIGHTNESS: The physical context of visual objects has a substantial impact on basic perception. Things may appear bigger, smaller, brighter, darker and so on, than they actually are, depending on the nature of the object and the context in which it is placed.Consider the importance of physical context on perceived brightness as shown in the figure below. In the set of two concentric squares at the left, the two small grey squares are of identical intensity. Yet the one at the top appears much darker than the one at the bottom. The effect is due to the context of the surrounding squares. Consider the image on the right. It comprises of a ring on uniform greyness. It appears lighter on the left-hand part of the display than on the right. The influence of context on the perceived intensity of an bject is called brightness contrast, a condition in which a viewer tends to bias the light intensity of an object in an opposite direction from the background intensity. The Importance of Value & Tone in Painting For example: If you took a black and white photograph of your painting, the shades of grey would be the different values or tones within the pa inting. Value is used to create a focal point within a painting or drawing. The human eye is immediately drawn to a light element against a dark element. This creates the focal point of interest. To create the illusion of depth, gradations of value are also used.Areas of light and dark give a three-dimensional illusion of form to subject matter. Value is independent of its hue. This is a fundamental element in the impact of visual art whether abstract or representational. The above example is a painting ? en grisaille? – a painting done entirely in values of grey or another neutral greyish color. Grisaille was sometimes used for under paintings or for oil sketches. Rubens was noted for this. Today, many successful artists believe in keeping a narrow value scale – limiting their composition to approximately 4 values. In this case it seems, less is more and helps create a cohesive and harmonious work.Below is a contrasting example of the use of values. Whistler used ? lo w-key‘ values and Monet used ? high-key‘ values and achieved dramitically different results. The Hidden Meaning of Color in Your Art RED: It is the color of assertion, strength, romance, excitement, vitality, physical power, outgoing, ambitious and impulsive. It is a color that flatters the skin and can make an excellent background. Pale pink are warm and peaceful and combine well with greens. The deeper reds create an atmosphere of retrained opulence and power. Red elicits an uncomplicated nature with a zest for life. But, red can also connote danger or threats.Fire engines, stop signs and traffic lights are a perfect example. ORANGE: It is the Midway between red and orange. It is a cheerful color. It is a flamboyant and lively color. Orange can be assertive, dynamic, and spontaneous and signifies youth and fearlessness. Orange stimulates the brain and produces oxygen and mental activity. Dark-orange signifies deceit or distrust, whereas redorange can correspond to aggr ession, domination and thirst for action. YELLOW: We associate yellow with sunshine and it represents light. It creates a feeling of hope, happiness and wisdom. The color evokes an optimistic sense of wellbeing and natural light.It is airy, radiant and atmospheric. Yellow gives the feeling that all is okay with the world. An example of this is Luminism, an early generation of landscape painters who explored ways to depict light realistically on canvas by using color to depict a melodramatic or romantic mood. But, yellow is a complicated color. On one hand, it is considered ? light-hearted‘ and childlike, but actually it is known to make babies cry. Although, light-yellow represents intellect, freshness and joy, dull-yellow is associated with caution, decay, sickness and jealousy. Yellow at times is cowardice. The phrase, ? yellow-bellied-coward? ame into use around 1910 which probably derives from yellow‘s association with both treason and weakness. More than a millenniu m ago, Judas Iscariot was often portrayed in yellow garb symbolizing his betrayal of Jesus Christ – a cowardly act. In America‘s pioneer days, yellow dogs were considered worthless and the term ? yellow dog? came to be used to describe anything worthless. Our observation of the yellow of tree leaves as they age and die, as well as the yellowing of old books and papers, led to the association of yellow with old age and illness. But, yellow is very effective at attracting attention – think of a taxi cab.Yellow is also used as a warning symbol. In football, a ? yellow flag‘ issues a warning. When place alongside black, yellow issues a warning. Yellow is also used in traffic lights and signs to advise us of danger. GREEN: It is the color of harmony, balance and security. Green also has a calming effect and symbolizes hope, peace, gentleness and modesty. It is soothing, refined and civilized with great healing power. Green suggests stability and endurance, hope and growth. It sometimes denotes lack of experience, for example a ? greenhorn‘ is a novice. Pale greens are particularly restful.Dark greens remind us of money, banking and Wall Street. However, at times yellow-green is used to portray sickness, discord and jealousy. Remember the phrase, ? green with envy BLUE: It is the color of the sea and sky, having a quality of cool expansiveness and openness. Soft, soothing, compassionate and caring, blue is an introspective color. Blue is often a formal color which represents wisdom and steady character. Many superheroes wear blue! It is considered a masculine color and the choice of corporate America. But, the quiet character and poetic subtlety of blue can also be associated with melancholy and resignation.Remember Pablo Picasso‘s infamous ? Blue Period? of art? Picasso‘s personal trauma found expression in a series of deeply sentimental paintings which comprise his ? Blue Period?. I even dedicated a helpful post to artis ts who find themselves Feeling Blue†¦ PURPLE: A combination of red and blue, purples are regal and dignified to be used with discretion. Pale shades are restful and serene, but the darker shades make it difficult to focus. Lavenders signify refined things of life, creative, witty and civilized. Purples can be tiring on the eyes and cause a sense of frustration, but it can make an excellent foil for works of art.Gloom and sad feelings can be portrayed by using purples. BROWN: It is the color of living wood and the earth. Rich, subtle and extraordinarily restful to look upon, brown creates a feeling of coolness and warmth at the same time. It combines well with rich colors such as purple and gold (popular in the Victorian era). It is a steady, dependable, conservative, conscientious and reliable color. Brown evokes a sense of nostalgia and reminds us of the great works of Rembrandt, Titian and Rubens. Tonalism used rich earth tones and muted colors to create moody landscapes.Van Gogh‘s used lots of brown to set a somber and depressed mood in the famous painting The Potato Eaters. Think back on Soviet Russia and you might remember the common people usually wore shades of brown. GRAY: This color represents caution and compromise. Many beautiful grays can be made by mixing complimentary colors together. Grays give a sense of peace to the viewer. WHITE: It is a Symbolic of safety, cleanliness and purity. White emanates youth, perfection and innocence. Angels are usually thought of as white. White is simplicity and freshness, but too much can give a clinical feeling.Doctors, hospitals and sterility are associated the white. Low fat foods and dairy products use white in their packaging. But, in many Eastern cultures, white signifies death, mourning, funerals and unhappiness. Ghosts are white and giving white flowers to the sick is bad luck in many cultures. In painting, use white sparingly. It can make colors chalky and lifeless. BLACK: It is Mysterious and hidden, black can have a morbid feeling. It gives us a feeling of the unknown and negative connotations like, black-hole, blacklist, blackhumor or black-death. In most Western cultures, black is the symbol of grief.However, black can be dignified and showy with sophistication. Black will also punctuate color schemes that rely on strong contrasting colors. Try mixing your own blacks, rather than using it straight from the tube. CASE STUDY: One of the aspects that make the Mona Lisa such a masterpiece is da Vinci‘s use of oil as a medium. As the movie The Mystery of Jon van Eyck explains, the use of oil as a medium was not widely used for painting until van Eyck refined it ? by adding transparent colors in several thin glazes upon a white ground, creating a wholly new translucence as if lit from within.?Da Vinci used van Eyck‘s oil painting technique to bring lifelike qualities to their works. On the first sight of the portrait of Mona Lisa, you will see the physical feat ures of that painting essentially identically to how all other humans see them because the light reflected from the painting and the initial processing by one‘s neurophysiology are fixed by physical laws. For example, generally shadows tend to form large dark areas in a painting and as such contribute to the low spatial frequency information of the image. If hese shadows are placed in specific areas (near the mouth in Mona Lisa and under the brow ridge in the disappearing bust of Voltaire), they can lose their role as shadows and offer an ambiguity to the interpretation and the perception of the painting. The message, meaning and interpretation of art depend on your pervious specialized knowledge of painting and related phenomena. That knowledge along with your knowledge of the world, contribute to the context in which the painting is viewed. Choice of lighting: Faint illumination. Near twilight depicted in the Mona Lisa.Leonardo favored this type of lighting for portraiture. The responsiveness of the Mona Lisa to changes of lighting is unusual, perhaps unique. The Mona Lisa suffers little under light-adapted vision and gain little under dark adaptation. By contrast, the degree of change in the tonal range resembles that which occurs with a natural object. Painting style and other formal elements Leonardo explains color perspective this way, â€Å". . . through variations in the air we are made aware of the different distances of various buildings. . . therefore make the first building. . . its own color; the next most distant make more blue. . at another distance bluer yet and that which is five time more distant make five times more blue. † This principle is demonstrated in the background of Mona Lisa: the ground and hills directly behind the subject are painted in warm tones of reddish browns and tans. As the landscape recedes the mountains and water become progressively bluer. Leonardo also noted that air is denser closest to the earth, theref ore the bases of hills will always appear lighter than the summit; he applies this theory to the hills behind the sitter's shoulders which start out a tan color and become dark brown.His study of shadow can be related to his works in both compositional arrangement and in sfumato (Sfumato is the famous invention of Da Vinci – light and shade that allow one form to blend in with another leaving something to the imagination. He did this to the corners of Mona Lisa‘s mouth and eyes which explains why she may look different and different times. ) techniques, which are both demonstrated in the Mona Lisa. One method of composition employed by Leonardo involved focus and blur.In the Mona Lisa Leonardo uses shadow in the lowest areas of the picture plane, at the edges, and background of the landscape to blur detail and draw attention to the detailed focus area of the face. Leonardo also uses shadow as a primary element in creating sfumato or soft focus, which creates the illusio n of volume by allowing light to emerge from the darkness of shadow. The sitter's body in Mona Lisa emerges from the shadows surrounding her from the mid arm area down. Her hands are areas of light that emerge from the blurred shadows of her body and her face emerges from darkly shadowed areas of hair and eiling. Leonardo's study of the shape of shadow contributed to the blurred shadow edges that are a hallmark of the sfumato style. The Mona Lisa's body and face are enclosed within shadow, but no shadow edges ever become evident. In the Mona Lisa the subject comes closer to the front edge of the picture than had been customary hitherto: this smaller distance between sitter and viewer heightens the intensity of the visual impression while the landscape suggests greater spatial depths and atmospheric intensity.Craggy mountains disappear into the distance against a greenish-blue sky. On the left we can make out a stream and on the right we can see what looks like a dry river-bed, altho ugh it is not possible to tell quite how this connects, if at all, with a reservoir higher up. Individual outcrops in the landscape, bereft of vegetation, are reminiscent of similar rock formations in religious pictures that Leonardo had begun not long before.