Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Visual arts

Understanding the BCG Matrix: Product Portfolio Strategy

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix is a strategic tool used to analyze a company's product portfolio based on market share and market growth. It categorizes products into four quadrants, each with distinct characteristics and strategic implications.

Stars: High Growth, High Share

Characteristics of Stars

• Stars are products with high market share in high-growth markets.
• They are highly profitable and generate significant cash.
• Their high growth also means they require substantial cash to finance working capital and build capacity.
• Therefore, although profitable, Stars can have positive or negative net cash flow.
• Over time, as market growth slows, Stars often evolve into Cash Cows.

Strategic

Focal Length: Understanding Wide-Angle, Medium, and Telephoto Lenses

1. Wide-Angle Lenses

Wide-angle lenses capture a wider field of view, but they can distort straight lines near the edges of the frame, making them appear curved outward. Additionally, wide-angle lenses exaggerate depth, making objects in the foreground appear larger and those in the distance appear farther away. As a result, when figures move toward or away from the camera, a wide-angle lens makes them seem to cover ground more rapidly.

2. Medium Lenses

Medium lenses, typically around 50mm in length, aim to avoid noticeable perspective distortion. With a medium lens, horizontal and vertical lines are rendered as straight and perpendicular.

3. Telephoto Lenses

Telephoto lenses have... Continue reading "Understanding Focal Length: Wide-Angle, Medium, and Telephoto Lenses" »

To select colors, simply click on the color button. This action opens a window displaying all available colors within the Color Palette Panel.

Applying Colors to Text

To change the color of text within your document, follow these steps:

1. Select the text or text block you wish to modify.
2. Click the Fill Color option in the Properties Inspector.
3. Choose a color from the color window that appears.

Managing Color Palettes

To access and work with the Color Palette, navigate to the Window menu, then select Others, and finally Color Palette.

Creating and Swapping Color Palettes

1. Select the Mixers tab from the Color Palette Panel .
2. Choose the four base colors for your document using the fill color boxes.
3. Utilize the HSB Color Wheel on the right side of the panel

Pastels: Origin and Evolution

Pastel sticks are soft bars of dried powder made from mixing pigment with very little binder, usually gum tragacanth. The paste formed is molded into bar-like shapes.

Features of Pastels

• Pastels are mainly characterized by their brightness. Because they contain very little binder, their colors are exceptionally vibrant.
• The finished pastel painting has a soft, matte appearance. The pigment is finely shredded and delicately embedded between the fibers and grains of the support.
• Precisely because the pigments are only lightly bound to the paper's grain, if permanent colors and good quality paper are used, pastels can be one of the most permanent painting techniques, especially when protected with glass framing.
• Fixative

Line Projections in Descriptive Geometry

Oblique Line Projections

For oblique line projections, both the horizontal projection (r1) and the vertical projection (r2) intersect at the reference line (LT).

Frontal Line Projections

A frontal line is straight and parallel to the Vertical Plane (PV). Its horizontal projection (r1) is always parallel to the reference line (LT).

Lines Parallel to the Reference Line (LT)

For lines parallel to the reference line (LT), both horizontal (r1) and vertical (r2) projections are parallel to the LT.

Vertical Line Projections

A vertical line is perpendicular to the Horizontal Plane (PH). Its vertical projection (r2) is perpendicular to the reference line (LT).

Edge View Projections (Perpendicular to PV)

When a straight... Continue reading "Principles of Orthographic Projections: Lines and Planes in Descriptive Geometry" »

Types of Map Projections by Preserved Dimension

1. Equidistant Projections
These projections preserve distances along specific directions, typically along straight lines known as automecoic lines. Linear deformation occurs in other directions. The linear anamorphosis, calculated as the ratio of the projected distance to the true distance, equals 1 along automecoic lines. Equidistant projections are useful for measuring distances from a central point.
2. Conformal Projections
These projections preserve angles between intersecting curves and lines. The angular anamorphosis represents the difference between the angle on the sphere and the corresponding angle on the map. Conformal projections are commonly used for nautical charts, often employing parallel... Continue reading "Map Projections: Dimensions, Geometry, and Classifications" »

Donatello's David: A Renaissance Icon

Despite being a biblical character, Donatello's *David* is interpreted from a perspective consistent with the humanist view of the new times. David represents the triumph of logic and reason over the brute force symbolized by Goliath. This theme was highly favored in the Renaissance.

This is a freestanding sculpture, made in the round using bronze, and therefore created with the lost-wax casting technique. It represents a pensive teenager in a curious composition. He has Goliath's head at his feet and blatantly rests on his right leg, while curving his body to the left, smoothly forming an 'S' curve, in accordance with the classical model of Praxiteles.

The composition is in *contrapposto*. The body sways... Continue reading "Donatello's Masterpieces: David and Gattamelata Sculptures" »

Tangencies

Making Tangents

Two Circles

• External Tangents: Draw another circle concentric to the larger one with radius R - r. Join the centers. This is the bisector. Draw an auxiliary circle to the centers. Join the center with the points of intersection with the smaller circumference and extend. Where the lines intersect the larger circle will be the tangent points. Parallels are drawn to the smaller circle to find all points of contact.
• Internal Tangents: The process is the same, except that the circle is of radius R + r, and the parallels are drawn to the opposite side.

Tangent to a Circle Passing Through Point P

• If the tangent is to be external, a concentric circle of radius R + r is drawn. From P, an arc of radius R is drawn, which intersects

Elements of Visual Composition

Visual elements are fundamental components that help us represent shapes, compose designs, and create a sense of volume.

The Point in Art and Design

Characteristics of the Point

The point is often considered the simplest visual element, typically formed where two lines intersect. While often imagined as small and round, a point can have an irregular shape depending on the material used. Points can be employed to create a sense of chiaroscuro and depth.

Expressive Value of the Point

Its color and texture can also be altered within a composition to enhance expressiveness. In a composition, a point placed centrally conveys a sense of balance. Moving it away from the center, however, creates a feeling of movement and instability.... Continue reading "Understanding Fundamental Visual Elements in Design" »

Audio Visual Q1: Color Theory

Color Description

• Chroma: How pure a hue is in relation to gray.
• Saturation: The degree of purity of a hue.
• Intensity: The lightness or dullness of a hue (adding black or white).
• Value: A measure of the amount of light reflected from a hue.
• Shade: Produced by the addition of black.
• Tint: Produced by the addition of white.

Color Systems

• Subtractive Color: Used when mixing colors with paint. Begins with white and ends with black (CMYK).
• Additive Color: Used on computers. Begins with black and ends with white (RGB).

The Color Wheel

• Primary Colors: The basic essence; these colors cannot be created by mixing others.
• Secondary Colors: Colors achieved by mixing two primary colors.
• Tertiary Colors: Achieved by mixing primary and secondary