Tuesday, 4 October 2011

Jewels: Present

Dictionary Definition: Jewel

n
1.a. A precious stone: a gem
b. A small or natural artificial gem used as a bearing in a watch
2. A costly ornament of precious metal or gems
3. One that is treasured or esteemed
4. (Clothing, personal Arts and Crafts / Jewellery) A piece of jewellery
5. (Fine Arts and Visual Arts / Ceramics) An ornamental glass boss, sometimes faceted, used in stained glasswork.

vb
-els, -elling, -elled US, -els, -eling, -eled

(tr) to fit or decorate with a jewel or jewels



Modern Day Jewels

The subject of Jewels is a very diverse one with many different meanings. It may refer to Gemstones or Jewellery, films and books going by this name (which coincidentally links it to my other topic of research - Theatre), Jewel bearings used in sensitive measuring equipment, jewel case which is the case that CDs and DVDs are held in, Jewel Beetles, Jewel Butterflies and Jewel Damselflies to be some examples of the various meanings of the word. Of course, the most common use of the word is in the description of gemstones and jewellery. (Enchanted Learning 2010)




(Even though this CD is from 2002, it is still being sold on amazon.co.uk today, therefore making it viable for my present day research because there is still an interest in the media)


[Blu-ray] [2011]



Gemstones and Precious Stones

A gemstone is also called a semi-precious, or precious stone. It is a piece of mineral which is used to make jewellery and adornments once it has been cut and polished. There are other non-minerals that are also used for gemstones such as lapis lazuli, amber and jet, but considering that they are used for jewellery too they are also considered gemstones. The stones are very valuable, and the value increases with the rarity of the gem. Often in society it is a major status symbol to be adorned with the most expensive and rare gemstones because only the richest people can afford them. Poorer people may only own one bespoke piece of jewellery that they received at an important event in their lives, such as a marriage or landmark birthday. (Enchanted Learning 2010) (Victoria and Albert Museum 2010)




After looking at gemstones the subject of the way status coincides with the value of the gems interests me. The first thought that came to me was to study diamonds because they are the ultimate status symbol in today’s society. Rich people buy them in their hundreds, poorer people can only dream of getting a real diamond on an engagement ring. This is due to their scarcity and the trouble that 3rd world people go to mine them out of the ground in dangerous conditions.

Diamonds

Naturally after the study of gemstones, this seems like the most appropriate topic because diamonds are the most expensive of all the gemstones. Most of its value comes from the rarity of the gemstone, but also because it is so hard. The hardness increases the optical clarity with makes it ‘sparkle’ more when cut, and it also means that few impurities will be found within the diamond itself. (Jewelry Central 2011)


A diamond ring, surrounded by smaller diamonds (Designs by Indigo 2010)

Dispersion in a Diamond (Jewellery Central 2011)

Structure of a Diamond (Jewellery Central 2011)





This is a trailer for the film 'Blood Diamond' in 2006.



Diamonds are huge in the news world, with drama surrounding the cartels in Africa, ‘Blood Diamonds’ and the sheer value and scarcity of the gemstones. I feel that diamonds are an incredibly relevant subject for state of the art media because people in the present day place much value on obtaining diamonds, and if they do they take care to show it off to people they know. Other people covet diamonds, even going as far as to steal them – in the knowledge that they will bring large sums of money at sale. Diamonds have a great power in the modern day world, blood diamonds are even used as bribes and ‘favours’ from diplomats whose countries are rich in diamonds. In 2010 the model Naomi Campbell attended a war crime tribunal at the Hague accused of accepting ‘blood diamonds’, and this was very thoroughly reported in the news at the time. (Taken from ‘Naomi Campbell's 'blood diamond' testimony at war crimes trial: live updates’ – The Guardian, Matthew Weaver 5thAugust 2010)

The Subject of Cameos

Cameos can be made from anything and everything; Hand carved shell, agate, ultrasonically carved agate, poured “agate”, coral, mother of pearl, turquoise, moulded resin, glass or painted porcelain. However, the most popular of cameos are made from shell or blue/black agate. (Espy Jewellery 2010) It is a method of carving an object such as an item of jewellery, which is the most popular form of cameo.

In modern day times they are no longer hand carved; instead they are carved with an ultrasonic mill. Occasionally an artist will also hand work a cameo to produce a portrait of someone from a photograph. (Epsy 2010)


Cameo of Sardinian conch, Ascione e Antonio Mennella  (Bellezzedinapoli 2011)
It seems as though cameos are very popular with consumers at the moment. Currently there are many shops set up online to sell these such as shops on Etsy (a website which allows people to set up their own ‘mini shop’), eBay and Amazon. There are also many websites dedicated to the making of cameos for jewellery makers, and they are increasing being seen in high street shops and in fashion.(Cameo Vintage 2011)





A cameo toy for young girls - it is a very popular format for jewellery (Hello Kitty 2011)



A video to show how to make a cameo - people are still making them as a hobby and therefore could still be viable in the present day.


After looking at different cameo sources and studying its presence in popular media, I am sceptical about its viability for the future. It looks like cameo lovers are obsessed with vintage fashion, and it seems as though there are no future advancements other than in the techniques used to create them. This might be more relevant in the history of jewellery, however if the trend carries on then it might evolve into something more modern in the future.

Ice

Dictionary Reference : Ice

ice
[ahys] verb, iced, ic·ing,
adjective
noun

1. The solid form of water, produced by freezing; frozen water.
2. The frozen surface of a body of water.
3. Any substance resembling frozen water: camphor ice.
4. A frozen dessert made of sweetened water and fruit juice.
5. British. Ice cream.

verb (used with object)

9. To cover with ice.
10. To change into ice; freeze.
11. To cool with ice, as a drink.
12. To cover (cake, sweet rolls, etc.) with icing; frost.
13. To refrigerate with ice, as air.

I decided to begin this section with the definition of ice. It is a very ambiguous subject and has many different interpretations associated with it.

Ice is water frozen into a state of solidness, which is the most common definition and the first idea that springs to mind when first considering ‘Ice’ as a topic. When looked at it appears transparent with an opaque bluish-white colour, but this all depends on the quality and purity of the air where it forms. (PRISM 2003) It can actually be likened to the ‘sparkle’ of a diamond.



This study of ice has led me onto the subject of snowflakes. From looking at the subject there seems to be much information about the topic, but not much actual media surrounding it other than the obvious global warming and ice melting issues. As I was researching, the appearance of the snowflakes intrigued me and I think these might be more popular in current media.

Snowflakes form in geometric patterns that form many, many different shapes, and there are many different types of snowflake. Most snowflakes fall in clumps to create snow, but some individual ones put underneath the microscope reveal amazing natural patterns. These snow crystals form when tiny cloud droplets super cool and freeze. (Kenneth G Libbrecht 1999)


Snowflake photo under microscope (Kenneth G Libbrecht 2008)

Snowflake photo under microscope (Kenneth G Libbrecht 2008)


The Many Different Types of Snowflake (Kenneth G Libbrecht 2008)

Looking at the current media, there are many examples of snowflakes. They are mainly examples from design, such as room and Christmas decorations and photography books looking at them under the microscope. However, the amount of products currently being sold show that there is an interest in this topic in present day media.






Treasure Trove

The first thing people think about when faced with treasure will most likely be pirates. In relation to present day media, it is practically saturated with information and examples of pirate books, movies, games, toys and many more. It seems like a really interesting subject to look into because of the massive present day interest, most likely coming from when the movie ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ was released.

I’ll begin with a quote:  

“The image of the open treasure chest with gold and jewels spilling from inside is deeply embedded in our cultural consciousness. Very often the treasure is only found following great adventure and risk - a fitting reward for bravery and heroism” (Trevor Mendham 2007 – 2011).

This sums up the very image of the word ‘Treasure’ in popular culture. It is lusted after and dreamed about, but most people know that they will never see that kind of wealth in their lifetime. It can also make people greedy, and there has been countless story mechanics focusing on the greed treasure causes and how people react to it. In popular fiction, treasure is often guarded, with the brave adventurer having to overcome pirates, dragons or tombs to get to it. In present day real life, treasure is often found buried in fields, in old burial sites and under the sea in shipwrecks. (Jonathon Franklin '600 barrels of loot found on a desert island' 2005) (Andrew Davies Rooting Around 2011)



From looking at treasure, the most relevant description is probably buried treasure, as there are many examples of this in news stories and websites dedicated to chronicling what has been found. (see below) One of the most recent examples of this was the horde of buried coins found in a Somerset field in 2010. There has been so much interest in these that they are now in a museum in Somerset for everyone to look at. In my opinion, this idea of treasure is still relevant today, but in a historical sense. Uncovering buried treasure is happening now – but the treasure is from as far back as AD286 so this could be more historical than state of the art.



After reading up more on ‘treasure’ I came across a very useful fact box on the BBC article about the coins:

WHAT IS TREASURE TROVE?

Where the owner of a find cannot be traced, it normally belongs to the landowner but anything declared "treasure" belongs to the Crown
Anyone making find that could be treasure must report it to a coroner
An inquest will then determine its status
Treasure must be at least 300 years old
Once something is declared treasure, the finder may be able to keep it, or an institution, such as the British Museum, may buy it
Objects are not treasure if their owners can be traced or if they are found on the shore but do not come from a shipwreck

This topic even proved so popular that the BBC television program ‘Digging for Britain’ featured it on the show. (BBC 2010) (360 production2010)

Pearls

Pearls grow naturally in the wild, forming when a grain of sand gets trapped inside an oyster or mussel. The shellfish coats the offending grain in a layer of a substance called ‘mother of pearl’ until the pearl as we know it is formed. (Pearls Only 2011) This process usually takes a number of years, and the unpredictableness of the pearl formation means that before pearls could be cultivated they were very rare and expensive. The word pearl has actually become a metaphor for something to be perceived as very rare, admirable, valuable and fine. (Pearl Guide 2011)



A ‘Cultured Pearl’ is the name given to those pearls which are grown with human intervention. This is a very state of the art way of producing pearls, because in the past people would have had to dive for the pearls in dangerous conditions, without any breathing apparatus. Now all they need to do is place the oysters in shallow beds and go round and harvest them once the pearls grow inside them. This is a modern solution to the problem – only possible with modern discoveries and technology. (The Cultured Preal 2011) (Pearl Guide 2011)






In my opinion it seems as though pearls have always been coveted by people, but like with diamonds, modern techniques are making them more accessible to the common market. I was reading an article from The Wall Street Journal about pearls, “The rare golden Palawan South Sea pearls it sells are plenty cool for tough guys — and it launched a new men’s line last year to prove it, employing actor Piolo Pascual for the ad campaign”. (Josephine Cuneta, 22nd November 2011). This made me realise that pearls are still viable in today’s market due to the state of the art way of making them and they still appeal to popular media in present day.

Conclusion
On completion of this present section for the topic of ‘Jewels’ I have come to the conclusion that the popularity of the subject makes it a viable research topic. I think that the subject areas of diamonds and pearls will continue to be popular in the future, but I am not too sure about the subjects of treasure and cameos. These have both been popular in the present day, but the popularity of these comes from the antiques being sold – so maybe I will discover what made them popular in the past, and why these antiques and their imitations (for cameos) are so popular in the present day. My research into jewels in the present day has determined that it is prominent in the media of today, and a popular topic in today’s society, I will now look into the past and horizon to see if this popularity has continued, or changed.
Posted by at 1 comment:

Theatre: Present

Dictionary Definition: Theatre or (US) Theater


1.a. A building designed for the performance of plays, operas etc
b. (as modifier): A theatre ticket
c. (in combination): A theatregoer
2. A large room or hall, usually with a raised platform and tiered seats for an audience, used for lectures, film shows, etc.
3. Also called: operating theatre a room in a hospital or other medical centre equipped for surgical operations
4. Plays regarded collectively as a form of art
5. The theatre, the world of actors, theatrical companies, etc: the glamour of the theatre
6. A setting for dramatic and important events
7. Writing that is suitable for dramatic presentation: a good piece of theatre
8. (US), (Austral), (NZ) the usual word for cinema
9. A major area of military activity: the theatre of operations
10. A circular or semicircular open-air building with tiers of seats


From looking at the definition of Theatre, it has inspired me to broaden my impression of the subject, and it will inspire me to research many aspects of this topic. The definition has shown that there are many different interpretations of theatre, and not just as an artistic medium (for example, military or operating theatre).


Word Map Showing The Possibilities of Theatre as a Subject


Theatre - A Present Day Story


Theatre is a form of art which uses live performers to present the experience of a certain event or story, real or imagined, to a live audience. These performances are usually held in certain buildings, called Theatres which have a stage and tiered seating so that the audience can see the stage clearly. The dynamics of the building will also be designed in order for the sound of the plays to reach the entire audience efficiently. The use of the word ‘theatre’ in the naming of the building comes from the Ancient Greek θέατρον (théatron, “a place for viewing”) and θεάομαι (theáomai, “to see", "to watch", "to observe”). (Stephen Fernandez 2011)


The concept of the performers conveying a story using just themselves and a few props really intrigues me and I might research into this further.


Madlenianum Theatre - Example of a Modern Day Theatre (Madlenianum 2011)

The performers in a theatre will use a combination of speech, gesture, song, dance and music to convey the story they are telling in the performance. The modern version of theatre comes from the Ancient Greek invention of live drama and many of its genres, themes, characters and plots are derived from this. (Pam Cook 2007)


A more modern idea is that the only requirement for Theatre is an audience, and an empty space. The author of play Empty Space, Peter Brook says, “I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged”. (Peter Brook - 02/2010)


Clearly this shows that modern day theatre is adapting to present day ideas to keep itself relevant. I feel that if it stopped doing this then it will fall behind in peoples interests because currently there are many things for people to do in their spare time, and theatre is still seen as quite expensive – so it needs to keep up to date in order to justify charging the price they do for tickets and to keep people attending the theatre. Keeping this in mind I will now research the subject of theatre in the current media to gauge how popular it is.


The director's craft: A handbook for the theatre [Paperback] (mitchell 2008)


Theatre [Paperback] (Mamet 2010)




Most of these books make it apparent that actually learning the art of theatre is the most popular subject currently. There are also some examples of dramatic fiction stories to do with the theatre but the most prevalent are guides to theatres and books for students so that they can learn the subject.

Madlenianum Theatre - Technologically Enhanced (Madlenianum 2011)


Going back to the modern day theatre, a typical example is the Madlenianum Theatre in Belgrade (See picture above). It seats 512 people and it has the “highest requirements of the utmost comforts and technology of a modern theatre”. The Large stage has new generation audio equipment and lighting, it also has translation equipment, sub-titling for display translation and for deaf people, and connections for internet and TV with a direct audio and video contact with the main hall. This is showing that the theatre is up to date with the latest technology and this is typical of present day theatre with the heavy use of technology to enhance the viewing experience. (Lyn Gardner, The Guardian 2008)


Examples of modern day theatre (bubbl.us 2011)


Today's Cinema


A more modern example of theatre is the invention of cinema. This came along with the technology boom responsible for the modern day lifestyle we have. The way a cinema works is that a moving image is projected by a movie projector onto a large projection screen at the front of the auditorium. In more recent years there has been the emergence of Digital Cinema Projection, further modernising the world of cinema. (Mark Fisher, The Guardian 2010)

A modern day cinema - much more minimalist than the typical theatre (Jon Lyus 2010)






"Immortals" trailer, showing that cinema is so popular in the present day that companies can afford to provide a huge budget for the productions.

Part of this research led me onto looking at the special effects that they use for theatre and cinema and this looked really interesting, so I have decided to continue my research looking at theatrical and special effects make up.

During my research I realised the relevance of 3D cinema in the present day. 3D cinema is becoming more and more popular, and most films released now are also released in 3D (IMDB 2011)

4D Cinema at Drayton Manor (Justine Halifax, Birmingham Mail 2009)



Currently existing as a ‘gimmick’ is a new innovation – 4D cinema. This is when you combine a 3D film with physical effects in the theatre to enhance the viewing experience. The popularity of this topic is not too great at the moment, mainly because not many places have 4D cinemas available due to the high price. 4D cinemas are currently only at special venues such as theme parks, but 4D cinemas may become commonplace in the future if the cost goes down and the popularity increases. (Han Sunhee 2010)

The role of cinema in society has gotten even larger over the past years, with the invention of 3D film. More and more people are attending and shunning the theatre. Although some people argue that 3D cinema is just a ‘fad’ and will not last – there is still potential for it to grow and expand in the future.


Makeup in the Theatre World


Within the performing arts world, makeup (or theatrical makeup) is used to help create the appearance of the characters that the actors play. This is modern invention, because in the past the Greeks and Romans wore various masks instead. The reason makeup was needed was because of the stage lighting – in the past with the oil lamps the makeup could look crude and unfinished because the audience would never see it in detail, now with bright electric lights a more skilful application was needed when it came to makeup. The typical makeup of choice is greasepaint. (Encyclopoedia Brittanica 2011)


An old bottle of Theatrical greasepaint, the same thing is used to this day (James Bennet 2010)

Modern Greasepaint Currently on Sale on eBay (air_on_a_shoestring 2011)

Red Greasepaint for sale on eBay (fancydresshack 2011)
As you can see, greasepaint in theatre in the present day is still used like it was in history. These two examples are taken from current examples of auctions on eBay.


An example from a current day make-up school for theatrical make-up  (Greasepaint 2011)
There are also many examples of media that exist because of the subject's popularity; this particular example is taken from a guide on how to apply makeup professionally:


"For an artist working in the theatre, film and television make-up is one of the most fascinating spheres of study. It can often demand all the disciplines of a fine artist; chemist; computer technician, biologist and diplomat rolled into one." (Paul Vale - 'Be a Makeup Artist')


From looking at the information available on greasepaint, it looks like the art of make up has evolved since its arrival many years ago. Now people devote their entire lives to the profession of providing make up applications for actors in theatres. This mostly only seems to appeal to women as a profession though, so it is not as popular as a subject that will appeal to both men and women.


Puppetry


This is a form of theatre that involves the manipulation of puppets to tell a story. It is essentially like theatre itself, yet instead of using actors, it uses puppets and a smaller stage. It follows the process of animating inanimate performing objects. Puppetry was supported by cinema, television and other filmed media. This let it be shown to a wide audience and increased its popularity, despite its popular and folk origins.  (Eileen Blumenthal, Puppetry and Puppets 2007)



Children using a Puppet Theatre Toy "Tellatale Hand Puppet Theatre and Shop" (Fiesta Crafts LTD 2011)




Scene of a puppet theatre taken from 'Paul Daniels Magic Show'


Puppetry has always been very popular with children and everybody is very familiar with the ‘Punch and Judy’ shows of the beach front in seaside resorts. However, to improve my knowledge of the subject I will have to look at something more modern to determine the popularity of the subject.


More currently digital puppetry has gotten incredibly popular. It is the digital manipulation of 2D or 3D puppets, rendered on a computer in a virtual environment. This allows production companies to create feature length films and TV shows mostly aimed at children, but it appeals to adults too (The Economist Inside Story 2011). Below are several examples of digital puppetry in popular media:




Gollum, from Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Animated using Digital Puppetry

The Polar Express [2004] [DVD]


Screen capture of the Animation Techniques used in Digital Puppetry  (The Economist 2010)

Animation of Gollum using Digital Puppetry (The Economist 2010)


From looking at the Digital Puppetry, this seems like a viable topic for the future because technology is getting more and more advanced. People love to watch films done this way because you can create a fantasy world whilst keeping the character movements looking real.


Marionettes


Marionettes are puppets controlled by strings from above, operated by a manipulator. They are used in theatres, film and television. Marionette means ‘Little Mary’ in French because one of the first Marionettes to be made was in the image of the Virgin Mary, thus how they got their name. They because popular during the Renaissance, but are still popular today and still used in current media. (Tony Sinnet 2011)


A stage featuring a Marionette Doll (marionettemaker 2011) 


Marionettes can be made from various types of materials and in many different styles although most commonly wood is used.






This video is a very odd looking video using people as marionette dolls. From an artist's point of view it is very interesting, and the fact that someone has made a song and music video titled 'Marionette' means that there is some interest in the subject.


Conclusion

The beginning of my research has shown that there is definitely an interest in popular media in the subject of theatre. This topic is worth researching in the past and horizon, and I feel that it will be an interesting topic to pursue. In my opinion the actual subjects of theatre and puppetry will be more popular in the past than they are now, and the subject of cinema will most likely become more popular in the future, as it is still gaining popularity in the present day. My upcoming research will prove or disprove these observations. My research into theatre in the present day has determined that it is prominent in the media of today, and a popular topic in today’s society, I will now look into the past and horizon to see if this popularity has continued, or changed.
Posted by at 2 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)