String Activity

The string activity was an interesting approach to a lesson on simple lines and the way they interact. While I found the concept of the activity rather enjoyable, the untangling ruined most of the fun I could have had. Everytime I went to tangle a string I found myself always thinking of how tedious it would be untangling the same string. Being a terribly lazy person I hesitated on knotting the string over and over purposely avoiding clean up. It was also nice because it was a good contrast to the lecture type style of teaching. The activity provied not only information but also provided a visual that was tangible.

Lines/Shapes

Which of the images are lines?
a,b, and c
Which of the images are shapes?
a,b,c, and d
What makes a line?
A line is a marking that can vary in size and thickness and also has a starting and ending point.
What makes a shape?
A shape is a form that has no recognizable starting and ending point, and in result is a more complex figure.

Kandinsky

Towards the center of the piece the forms are more round and the angles are less severe. The form with the purest and most vibrant color seems to be centered in the middle in a horizontal direction. There are about nine black lines all of which have a slight curve and vary in thickness. The black lines also contrast and overlap on the rounder more vibrant forms underneath. As you reach the edges of the canvas the forms seem to get larger and have less interference or overlapping. There are contrasting shapes, for instance there is a red half circle and a blue petal shape overlapping the purple rectangle. The black lines seem to be used as dividers in a shape by separating through the use of different colors. The artist used both warm and cool colors, but all colors used are very vibrant. Some shapes such as the red half circle and the blue petal shape have a bit of a white glow surrounding their edges.
The choice of vibrant colors makes me think the artist wanted to create excitment or an ecstatic feeling. But, because of the white glow and curved forms there is a sense of control which eliminates any frenetic thoughts the vibrant colors might arouse. This piece has an intentionally playful spirit that is shown through the color scheme as well as the rounded and loose forms. The color variation also shows the artist's intent to keep atenttion, which is also true with the variation of lines and forms. The piece as a whole has a laid back tone without being sloppy.
Personally I do not appreciate this piece. I find the bright randomness of the colors to be a somewhat shallow attempt at keeping the viewers' attention. While I like the idea of the contrast in shape and lines, the lack of symmetery and evenness made the black lines look like a careless after thought. The colors succeed at catching my attention, but stop short of making me interested in the meaning or concept of the piece. The playful facade is entertaining for a few moments but then I end up finding myself looking for something more tangible. I have trouble relating because the piece is so abstract, which again loses my attention.