The scheduling of photography Essay Example for Free

The scheduling of photography Essay Photography, whether that being out sourced or in house, is an important aspect in advertising for any business. These options contain both pros and cons when discussing the financial and beneficial aspects in regards to the company effectively reaching target audience. The convenience of the in house photography and that of scheduling out sourced professional photographers will prove interesting and vital in detail. Also, the idea of the many uses of this imagery and accessibility can be a factor in the merchandising, advertising and business fortitude. The convenience associated with that of having complete access to the utilization of developing an in house photography staff is far superior to that of any other option. The fact is that the company can offer any schedule constraint to the imagery team and allow that task to be completed within the time sensitive request. Employees are more likely to understand the needs of the company when given the task of providing merchandising imagery. The company also has access to these images because the photographs are the sole property of the company. Alternatively, out sourced photography also has many beneficial aspects in regards to advertising. This is especially true when discussing the professionalism associated with the character, products, and services provided by a person with their own reputation at stake. A professional photographer will use various contracts, which are designed to ensure quality work in a timely manner. So that the company can rest assured that the services will be of high quality which in turn will benefit the company and reach consumers. The scheduling of photography sessions may cause some problems when accessibility is important, but impossible due to versatility. Some opportunities in which new photographs would benefit the company in advertising campaigns may include every new crop season throughout the year, special events, grand re-openings, before and after company renovations, new employee hire, promotions, etc.,. In house photography staff would have better access to locations before, during and after hours of operation. This opportunity depends greatly on the imagery necessary for that specific advertising campaign. While out sourced photography may find these times difficult to adhere to if his or her business is compiled of numerous clients and contracted services in various locations. Usage of the company’s stored imagery can be made useful in many areas of advertising, marketing and employee morale. For instance, displaying enlarged images of the store’s employee of the month near the front of the store tends to lift the spirits of the employees. This program is usually based on good customer relations, positive work ethics and great personal attributes. All of these aspects having been used to benefit the company’s reputation in the public’s view. Other employees will also strive to be rewarded for their efforts at work. Employees tend to show more pride in their work when the company displays graditude and appreciation of good work ethics. As far as advertising and marketing goes, showcasing products in magazine ads, commercial brochures, billboards, web page templates, so on and so forth the opportunities are endless, or so it may seem. Even when posting employment ads for new openings, the use of employee images of happy coworkers can inspire people to apply for the available position. Images of products can be displayed throughout the store to entice consumers while shopping. The same images can be used in training new employees to recognize the benefits of buying and upselling merchandise. This will also benefit employees in setting up displays that will better showcase the products available. Out sourcing and in house photography would work in either scenario. These types of images can be taken at any time throughout the year. Seasonal products, special events and holiday promotions would be the more stressful objectives to complete because they contain major time constraints. Thus, making the project more difficult for the out sourced photographer because of the scheduling issues with other clients. In house photography seems to benefit the company more because of the accessibility, being less of a financial burden than out sourced photography and training in what the company actually needs. The photographs can be used in an array of advertising arenas, including that of marketing and even training. The benefits of in house photography far outweigh that of hiring a professional photographer that is out sourced and less accessible.

Personal Values And Prejudices In Social Work

Personal Values And Prejudices In Social Work For this assignment I will explain personal values, prejudices, ethical dilemmas and the impact they have had on social work practice by reflecting on one of my beliefs and how I had to challenge myself to overcome it. Using Marxists and Feminists views of oppression I aim to identify, recognise, respect and value diverse individuals for which I will give an example of which happened to me and how I had to challenge discrimination towards others. I will also discuss theoretical frameworks to tackling oppression and discrimination by using the PCS model and how people can become empowered through groups, advocacy or legislation. Personal values, Prejudices, Ethical Dilemmas, Conflict of Interest and their impact on Social Work Practice A value is something that concerns someone or a belief they hold, this determines how a person behaves, values do not determine if something is said whether it is right or wrong in todays society. However, a persons beliefs can affect how they behave towards others. Prejudice is a term which has rather negative connotations and is normally taken to mean a hostile attitude towards a person or group (Billingham et al. 2008. Pg. 196) One of my values and a prejudice of mine is that any job I am employed in will eventually go to people working in a foreign country, especially India. This all stems from when I worked for a third party credit card processor, after giving them nine years of service I was going to be made redundant and my job would be actioned from people in India. For the next two months I would have to train people from there all the applications I was currently or had worked on. This gave me a dilemma do tell them all the information I knew or just some of it? I had to be professional, so I gave them as much information on the applications for which I knew about, I even created user guides to aid with the training and they could use when I had left the company. When talking to the people I found that we had things in common with each other and they were saddened that a person would lose their job. It wasnt their fault I was being made redundant but the companies in which we worked for. I had successfully challenged the new belief that had risen from a sad situation. Values are only as good as the actions they prompt (Preston-Shoot, 1996. Pg 31) When working with people from other countries I will need to put my own values and prejudices aside, as everyone deserves help and advice in their lives no matter where they come from in the world. If I fail to put my values and prejudices aside whilst working with them it will affect the help they will receive from me, I need to be open minded to all cultures. Thompson (2005) explains that there is a need for genuineness (congruence) to be achieved in social work, that a positive working relationship between service user and social worker is needed based on trust and respect for each other to develop. Identify, Recognise, Respect and Value Diverse Individuals Thompson (2006) describes discrimination as to identify a difference and is not necessarily a negative term. But when used in terms of legal, moral or in a political sense it is referred to as being unfair e.g. being unfairly treated for your sexuality or ethnic origin. If this occurs it can lead to a person being oppressed. When looking at oppression from a Marxists view DAmato claims that people are oppressed because of the class in which they live in, that women, homosexuals or people of non-white skin are subordinate to the Bourgeoisie and Capitalism is needed in society as it shapes and depends on oppression for its survival. Marxists argue that if racism, sexism or homophobia was to be embraced it will mean that a capitalist government would need to be overthrown and that oppression is essential to the struggle of socialism. From a Radical Feminists view Zeiber (2008) argues that women are oppressed within the patriarchal system, that marriage and the family are a result of capitalism. Holmstrom (2003) speaks about Socialist Feminism, agreeing that women are oppressed by the dominance of men and of the economic inequality because of the positions of power males have within society. I work on a farm where we often have Polish as well as British people working there. One year a colleague was making cruel jokes towards the Polish people, as others were making fun at their culture, and their Catholic beliefs were wrong. I could see that something was wrong, so I spoke to them; they told me they felt they were being discriminated against and started to feel very oppressed because they were not British. Then I spoke to my manager about the situation which was happening and he left me to deal with. I had to think about how I was going to approach it so both parties would be happy with the outcome. So I asked the perpetrator to come outside and talk with me. I told him that the Polish people were unhappy the way in which he was treating them. He was shocked as he thought they were all having a laugh with each other. It was hard for me to confront the perpetrator as it was my father, a man I looked up to. Reflecting on what had happened I knew I had said the correct things to my father as they continued to work with each in harmony, not wanting to offend each other, enabling a good working environment for all. Discrimination can be found in institutions like the church, prison or by a person in a position of power. It can be covertly actioned by using disguises like the Klu Klux Klan in USA wear masks concealing their identity or overtly actioned like apartheid in South Africa or the BNP in Britain. Theoretical Frameworks for Understanding Discrimination and Oppression Thompson (1997) shows how oppression can be analysed using the PCS model and there are three levels: Personal (P) an individuals views e.g. prejudice against a group of people. Cultural (C) shared values between others, what is wrong or right, this in turn forms a consensus. Structural (S) how oppression of society is formed through institution who support cultural norms personal beliefs e.g. religion, media or government. Here is an example of the PCS model in action: P: Young man in the club you work at makes offensive and derogatory comments about a gay man who attends also. He says that gay people are not natural or normal. C: Gay people largely repulse the community around him, and many of the community members are involved with the local church, holding firm views about sexual morals. S: Popular tabloid media berates the abnormal activities of gay people. Religious leaders of all faiths support the instatement of laws to stop equal rights for gay people. Legislation is passed by parliament that compromises the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual people. There is an overwhelming consensus of power used in all forms of structural life. (Wood, J. 2001) By using the PCS model it can help a person build an idea as to why others act the way they do e.g. the stereotype of a teenager wearing a hood, you believe they are trouble makers because of what the media have reported, but not every teenager is out for trouble. Another theoretical framework to tackling oppression and discrimination is through empowerment. By empowering someone means to enable a person to gain control over and taking responsibility for own their actions. The Humanistic approach by Carl Rogers (1959) encourages people to become empowered. As student social workers we are taught about empowering the service user, to focus on their strengths and to work together as equals, we also need to safeguard vulnerable people, to take into account a persons economic, political and cultural background at the same time. Groups also work to empower people as they offer support and if they act as one they can become powerful. An example of this is from the Times Online dated June 13th 2007 How football made us (see attachment 1), by forming a football team for mentally ill patients they each became empowered able to do things on their own without having help from others. Make use of Strategies to Challenge Discrimination, Inequality and Injustice There are strategies in place to help educate people about inequality, discrimination and injustice such as advocacy and legislation. As social workers we need to support and speak up for individuals that face being oppressed or discriminated against. By using advocacy to represent those who are unable to speak up for themselves. E.g. have learning or communication difficulties. Walker (2008) advises that advocacy has it strengths but also has its weaknesses. Strength from using advocacy are: People who have been socially excluded from mainstream society gain a voice, when a service user has a social worker who listens can be given confidence to speak for themselves, thus growing in self confidence and social workers can learn and understand more on how it feels to be disempowered when listening to a service user. But the weaknesses are: there is a danger that the social worker can put their own views forward and not those views of the service user, the advocate can take over, thus the service user can become disempowered and the social worker may find that by using advocacy it can put them in conflict with the organisation in which the work for, their loyalties can become split. The legislation in place is to help and protect people against inequality and discrimination, for example: Equal Pay Acts 1970 1983 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex relating to pay and terms of contract. Race Relations Act 1976 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin. Later amended in 2000 to include a duty on public authorities in carrying out their duties to have due regard to eliminate unlawful discrimination and to promote equality. (Brayne et al, 2010. Pg. 89-90) The British Association of Social Work (BASW) has a code of ethics relating to how social workers must become more cultural aware. Paragraph 4.1.6 (pg. 49) states that as a social worker you will: Recognise diversity among cultures and then recognise what the impact of their own cultural ethnic identity can have on others. Gain working knowledge and understanding of service users ethnic and cultural affiliations and the values, beliefs and customs associated with them, even though the service users may be different. Communicate effectively in a language in which both parties will understand, if needs be then by using an independent interpreter. By using the tools I have learnt through the course I will be able to challenge discrimination, inequality and oppression, I will be more open minded to people that need help from social services and no matter what their cultural background is I will be able to use this knowledge successfully. Words used 1622

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Theory and Applications

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Theory and Applications Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Assessment Introduction Definition of Cognitive behavioural Therapy The term Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) covers a number of techniques of spoken interactive therapy which are considered useful in helping people solve life problems such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and various addictive problems. (Beck A T 2005) Basic theoretical principles Cognitive behavioural therapy has arisen as a hybrid therapy combining the elements of cognitive therapy, which was originally conceived and developed to assist in changing dysfunctional beliefs, thoughts, attitudes, and expectations, and behavioural therapy (which is referred to as behaviourism) which was originally developed to change how people acted in response to various stimuli. Influential authorities such as Beck suggested that how one thinks about a situation determines how one acts and our actions determine how one thinks and feels. (Beck A T et al. 1979). This therapy endeavours to change elements of thinking (cognition) and behaviour together in order to achieve its beneficial effect on feelings. The therapy is based on an assumption that feelings and behaviour patterns such as anxiety and avoidance behaviours are related to the development of maladaptive beliefs and their related thought processes in an individual. Therapy is based on a series of collaborative interactions between the patient and the therapist in conjunction with specific cognitive and behavioural techniques such as Socratic dialogue, monitoring of beliefs, activity monitoring and scheduling, analysing advantages and disadvantages of avoidance, graded exposure assignments, behavioural experiments and role-play. The exact form of the therapy will depend on the presentation of the patient and the professional expertise of the therapist. (Hobbis I C A et al. 2005) Brief overview of the evidence base to support CBT There are two basic issues here. In order to define the evidence base for Cognitive behavioural therapy, one has to define the condition for which it is said to be efficacious. In the context of this essay, one can specifically consider Cognitive behavioural therapy in the area of anxiety treatment. A good place to start is the study by Stanley (Stanley M A et al. 2003). This was a small retrospective study which Cognitive behavioural therapy was contrasted with â€Å"usual care† and demonstrated a clear statistically significant advantage in the Cognitive behavioural therapy group on a broad battery of anxiety measurement tools. This correlates well with other findings from larger studies (viz Wetherell J L et al. 2005) and the meta analysis by Pinquart (Pinquart M et al. 2007) Principles and practices of CBT assessment Role and purpose of CBT assessment process related to relevant theory described previously. Describe the different stages of CBT assessment process. There are a number of different assessment models. For an illustrative example one can use the Williams Garland model (Williams C et al. 2002). This model uses five discrete areas of assessment which are described as:- Area 1: Situation, relationships and practical problems For example, Debts, housing or other difficulties. Patients may have problems in relationships with family, friends, colleagues, etc. Life events such as deaths, redundancy, divorce, court appearances may all be relevant. Area 2: Altered thinking An exploration of the typical characteristics of dysfunctional thinking that are commonly found in anxiety and depressive states, for example patients may display an ability to overlook their strengths and become very self-critical. Patients will often unhelpfully dwell on past, current or future problems; they put a negative slant on things, using a negative mental filter that focuses only on their difficulties and failures. They can catastrophise events and will typically mind-read and second-guess that others think badly of them, rarely checking whether this is true. (after Whitfield G et al. 2003) Area 3: Altered emotions There are a number of altered emotional states commonly found in anxiety states which can include feelings of anxiety, stress, worry, fear, panic and being ‘hassled’. Guilt, anger and irritability are common as are shame and embarrassment. Area 4: Altered physical symptoms There is a wide variety of symptoms commonly found in anxiety related conditions and these can include restlessness and an inability to relax, feeling of tension, shakiness or unsteadiness when standing, insomnia, palpitations and feelings of depersonalisation. Area 5: Altered behaviour In anxiety states one of the commonest symptoms is avoidance behaviour which can usually be elicited by asking the question ‘What things have you stopped doing since you started feeling anxious?’ Define and describe role and purpose of formulation in CBT assessment There are two major reasons for this type of assessment. Firstly it serves as a guide for the practitioner to determine the impact of the anxiety (or depression) on the patient’s overall subjective experience and thereby define goals and targets. Secondly it is helpful for the patient. The Five areas assessment model is easily grasped and understood by patients and thereby allows for an understanding of the effects that their anxiety state has on them. Often the act of writing down their symptoms under the headings allows for a degree of emotional distance which allows a patient the ability to examine their symptoms more objectively. Discuss the role and purpose of measurement in CBT model including psychometric and ideographic measures and problem and target statements Include relevant references and appendices (e.g. examples of measures) The academic determination of the evidence base for Cognitive behavioural therapy is ultimately based on studies that have measured the degree of response to the intervention. To this end there are a number of tools available for measurement. A comparatively new tool that has been described in the literature is the Questionnaire on Control Expectancies in Psychotherapy, (Jennings S 2008) which quantifies the degree to which responsibility for change is shared between therapist and patient. Other older tools include the state trait anxiety inventory, the graphic anxiety scale, the hospital anxiety and depression scale, and the anxiety-defining characteristics tool (Chuldham C M et al. 2008) Engagement issues Engagement with the patient can be a complex matter. A brief overview of the literature on the subject suggests that studies that have shown a poor patient response to Cognitive behavioural therapy have identified one of the causes to be inadequate expectancies of the patient specifically regarding the responsibility and the mechanisms of therapeutic change. Responsibility can be assigned to the therapist rather than the patient. In this respect, assessing control beliefs specific to the context of the psychotheraputic approach and specifically linking them to the expected therapy outcome can help highlight this specific aspect. References Beck A T (2005) The Current State of Cognitive Therapy: A 40 Year Retrospective Arch Gen Psychiatry, September 1, 2005; 62 (9) : 953 959. Beck A T, Rush A J, Shaw B F, Emery G : (1979) Cognitive Therapy of Depression. New York, Guilford, 1979 Chuldham C M. Cunningham G, Hiscock M, Luscombe P (2008) Assessment of anxiety in hospital patients Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol 22 Issue 1 Pg 87 93 208 Hobbis I C A, Sutton S (2005) Are Techniques Used in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Applicable to Behaviour Change Interventions Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour? Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 10, No. 1, 7 18 (2005) Jennings S (2008) Perceived responsibility for change as an outcome predictor in Cognitive behavioural therapy. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 47, Number 3, September 2008 , pp. 281 293(13) Pinquart M, Duberstein P R (2007) Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Older Adults: A Meta-analytic Comparison of Behavioral and Pharmacological Interventions. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, August 1, 2007; 15 (8) : 639 651. Stanley M A, Hopko D R, Diefenbach G J, Bourland S L, Rodriguez H, Wagener P, (2003) Cognitive–Behavior Therapy for Late-Life Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Primary Care Preliminary Findings Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 11 : 92 96, February 2003 Wetherell J L, Gatz M, Craske M G : (2005) Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in older adults. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, June 1, 2005; 18 (2) : 72 82. Whitfield G, Williams C (2003) The evidence base for cognitive-behavioural therapy in depression: delivery in busy clinical settings. Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., January 1, 2003; 9 (1) : 21 30. Williams C, Garland A (2002) A cognitive–behavioural therapy assessment model for use in everyday clinical practice. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2002) 8 : 172 179 ################################################################ 26.08.2008 Word count 1,439 PDG

Dracula :: Character Analysis, Renfield

While the character of Renfield is ostensively extraneous to the central plot of Dracula, he fulfils an important role in Stoker’s exploration of the central themes of the novel. This paper will examine how Renfield character is intertwined with the three central themes of invasion, blood and otherness. Firstly, through Renfield’s inner struggle we learn that he is ‘not his own master’ (Stoker, 211). The theme of invasion is revealed by the controlling and occupying powers of Count Dracula. Secondly, the recurring theme ‘the Blood is the Life’ (Stoker, 121), is portrayed throughout the novel and has been interpreted through Stoker’s character Renfield. Then finally, a look at the social construction of the ‘other’ in Dracula and how, through Renfield, who is ‘unlike the normal lunatic’ (Stoker, 52), the Count emerges as the ‘other’ of all ‘others’. Stoker has rendered the reader to see the Count as physically strong and powerful, through Jonathan Harker and his confinement and Lucy Westenra and her failing health. Although the reader does not understand all the omniscient powers and control that Count Dracula possesses over people, they are brought to light through Dr Steward’s accounts of his patient R.M. Renfield. The ‘strange and sudden change’ (Stoker, 86), that has happened in Renfield evokes the reader to contemplate the Count’s influence over people. Dr Steward suggests it is as though a ‘religious mania has seized’ Renfield (Stoker, 87), and is controlling him. The reader is aware that Renfield can feel the Counts presence and that there is a connection between them. This eventually leads Van Helsing to recognize the bond between Mina Harker and the Count, which helps them to find Dracula and finally kill him. Dracula’s invasion over Renfield also reveals a weakness i n the Counts power. Renfield, an obedient servant of Dracula, claims he is ‘here to do Your bidding, Master. I am Your slave’ (Stoker, 88). Renfield’s devotion is quickly reversed when he sees that the Count is taking life from Mina. It is his care for her that causes him to turn against Dracula and try to fight for her. Again Renfield’s actions mimic that of the other men as it becomes their goal to save Mina from the invasion running through her body. The key to this invasion is the blood. The central theme of blood in Dracula is paralleled through Renfield.

Invisible Man - Invisible to White Society :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason I chose," THE INVISIBLE MAN, "is because the black man in this story symbolizes the black the black man in society which is set up to fail. He is used, humiliated, and discriminated against through the whole book. He feels that he is invisible to society because society does not view him as a real person. Reading this book was very difficult, because the book was written in first person singular. I had to think hard on my opinion of Ellison's underlining message in this book. To do this I had to ask the question, what drives a man to believe that he is invisible to a society of people?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book starts out with a Negro boy shy and timid comes to a southern town to be awarded a scholarship. Together with some more Negro boys he is rushed to front of the ballroom were they witness a blond women dancing in the nude. This fiascle is frightening to the boys, because during this period in history a black man could have gotten hung for looking at white lady, not to mention a naked white lady. After this event the boys are blindfolded and made to beat each other to a bloody pulp. Afterwards the boy is made to give a speech of gratitude to the drunken white people while swallowing and nearly choking on his on blood. After this shocking opening the book kind of mellows out some. Next he goes off to college but while in school makes a mistake and takes a white donor through a Negro gin mill. Which from this event he gets expelled. Thinking he has a letter of recommendation, but it is really a document warning potential employers not to h ire him written by Dr.Bledsoe the same man who through him out of the college he adored so much. He travels to New York City. Once in New York his attitude changes it seems that all his misfortunes have taken an effect on him and his attitude changes. He joins a Communist group in which the reader can see the bitterness in his heart. Yet in the book Ellison talks about the party so bad it is a wonder they caught the I of his character at all. He later leaves the group. Yet, still it amazed me that a man could feel so out of place or even unwanted enough to join the communist party. Invisible Man - Invisible to White Society :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason I chose," THE INVISIBLE MAN, "is because the black man in this story symbolizes the black the black man in society which is set up to fail. He is used, humiliated, and discriminated against through the whole book. He feels that he is invisible to society because society does not view him as a real person. Reading this book was very difficult, because the book was written in first person singular. I had to think hard on my opinion of Ellison's underlining message in this book. To do this I had to ask the question, what drives a man to believe that he is invisible to a society of people?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book starts out with a Negro boy shy and timid comes to a southern town to be awarded a scholarship. Together with some more Negro boys he is rushed to front of the ballroom were they witness a blond women dancing in the nude. This fiascle is frightening to the boys, because during this period in history a black man could have gotten hung for looking at white lady, not to mention a naked white lady. After this event the boys are blindfolded and made to beat each other to a bloody pulp. Afterwards the boy is made to give a speech of gratitude to the drunken white people while swallowing and nearly choking on his on blood. After this shocking opening the book kind of mellows out some. Next he goes off to college but while in school makes a mistake and takes a white donor through a Negro gin mill. Which from this event he gets expelled. Thinking he has a letter of recommendation, but it is really a document warning potential employers not to h ire him written by Dr.Bledsoe the same man who through him out of the college he adored so much. He travels to New York City. Once in New York his attitude changes it seems that all his misfortunes have taken an effect on him and his attitude changes. He joins a Communist group in which the reader can see the bitterness in his heart. Yet in the book Ellison talks about the party so bad it is a wonder they caught the I of his character at all. He later leaves the group. Yet, still it amazed me that a man could feel so out of place or even unwanted enough to join the communist party.

Future of Our Education

Future of Our Education An average tablet filled with thousands of e-books weighs a billionth of a billionth of a gram more than if it were empty of data, rather than a single book that's manually read, cannot be updated, and contains only a specific published topic. Manufacturing a single tablet requires extraction of 33 pounds of mineral, 79 gallons of water, and 100 kilowatt hours of fossil fuels resulting in 66 pounds of carbon dioxide while a single tree cut only produces an average of 17 books.Proponents of tablets say that these are supported by teachers and students alike, because they re lighter and convenient to use than print textbooks. It can hold as many books as the owner wishes to have, plus homework, quizzes and other files, and actually improve one's ability to understand and learn. They say that tablets can save the environment by lowering the amount of printing and increase not only students' learning abilities but also their creativity. If there are Pros to tablet s, there are also Cons.Opponents say that these advanced technological necessities are far too expensive and can be a distraction for students. It can easily break and is time, energy and money consuming to fix. They say that these cause various health problems and other things that increase students' excuses for not doing their homework. Above all, it requires mostly of Wi-Fi connection to be able to update its data, since it becomes quickly outdated as new kinds of technology are released in the market.Some opponents of tablet may even use their practicality to counter the rapid escalation of the technologys popularity. But let's face it: who wouldn't want to use one? Generally speaking, it is obvious that there a lots of things a tablet has to offer than a plain old textbook. Using it is so intuitive that it makes learning more fun and easy. At the same time, it enables students to cut on corners instead of patiently browsing a textbook for meanings. Just one click and Voila!Ther e's your homework, your project, etc. Using a tablet has advantages and disadvantages. For an instance, it is slowly wiping out the textbooks existence since the world is on its way down the lane of modernization. But do we really need to have one in order to study? Replacing the use of textbooks in order to improve the quality of learning is a dire need but let's not forget what we did in the past and where we came from, for it is where we will predict the future of our education. By mynameismacey

Lifetime of Color Essay

In the 1900s, the world was suddenly enveloped by vagueness and uncertainty on what the future will bring. Prior to this period, the ambience was definite and secure. In relation to the art world, many artists were trying to outgrow the traditional styles that flourished all over the world. They wanted to create something different based from the conventional aesthetics popularized by the Renaissance. These artisans were considered as the founders of Modernism because they were trying to search for ways on how to display their new found outlook to ambiguity. This scenario laid the grounds for the founding of Cubism. This avant-garde art style movement began when a French painter called Paul Cezanne began to change his Impressionist style. Cezanne shifted from painting landscapes with pastel colors and soft brushstrokes to concentrating on portraying his own interpretation of the â€Å"shapes and forms† and he stayed away from rendering a realistic pictorial output. More so, he put more importance on the painting as a whole rather than focusing on the subject or the theme. Then, another artist came into the picture named Henri Matisse who also paved the way for the development of Cubism. Together with Louis Vauxcelles, an art critic and French journalist who â€Å"coined the term ‘les fauves’ (the wild animals) for the artists of Fauvism,† Matisse discovered an unusual painting by George Braque at the â€Å"Salon d’ Automne. † He said that the artwork incorporated â€Å"little cubes. † Braque’s painting showcased the landscape of the South of France with a surprising twist of including â€Å"two ascending lines meeting at the top and between several cubes. † This work of art provided artists who were looking for change with a new direction. Braque was the very first artist to create a cubist painting. Since then, despite the negative criticisms, cubism became an established style and art movement. The term â€Å"cubism† was developed by Vauxcelles when he was writing a report about the â€Å"Salon des Independants in 1909. † Through the ingenuity and innovation of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, cubism has gained a big following in France and rest of the world. According to Picasso, Cubism has tangible goals. We see it only as a means of expressing what we perceive with the eye and the spirit, while utilizing the possibilities that lie within the natural properties of drawing and color, That became a source of unexpected joy for us, a front to discoveries. (Gantefuhrer-Trier, Gantefuhrer and Grosenick 2004, 6) It is evident that Cubism is the brainchild of Picasso and Braque. They were responsible for the proliferation of a modern, radical and powerful art style that significantly influenced the 20th century. The main focus of this style and movement is the â€Å"complete denial of Classical conception of beauty. † The untrained eye evaluated the by-products of the cubists as perplexing but for the avant-garde, they perceived cubism as the way to the future. In cubism, many traditional elements such as proportions, lines, perspective and forms are distorted. As a result, the visual representation looked like â€Å"a field of broken glass. † Because of this, cubism became known for its â€Å"geometrically analytical approach to form and color, and shattering of object in focus into geometrical sharp-edged angular pieces. † To form these unusual shapes, a systematic deconstruction was employed to create an illusion of three- dimensionality. Many cubists doubted the integrity of â€Å"whole† images because for them these were the synthetic and conventional outputs of the past artisans. They believed that â€Å"perspective space is an illusory, rational invention, or a sign system inherited from works of art since the Renaissance. Moreover, cubism has two major branches namely: Analytical cubism and Synthetic cubism. The former is defined as the intellectual distortion of a subject matter producing hard to interpret and ambiguous materials. Meanwhile, the latter is more â€Å"experimental nature of a collage† and highly decorative. It is easier to comprehend than analytic cubism because the images and forms are not that distorted and abstract. Since its inception, Cubism became a worldwide phenomenon in the field of art. It continues to challenge artists even in the contemporary period to advance the art style and the movement to better reflect culture and society. Pioneers of Cubism The growth of cubism in the 20th century is accredited to Pablo Picasso and George Braque. Both worked hand in hand in exploring and at the same time experimenting with a technique aimed at flattening space. They utilized bold colors, raw shapes and flattened space to display their non-conformist approach towards art. It was the focus on conveying emotions rather than the â€Å"intellectual experiment with structure† that set cubism from other avant-garde movements such as Fauvism. Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso was a native of Spain. At an early age, he was already producing remarkable works of art. In the early 1900s, Picasso moved to Paris where he developed an artistic phase called the Blue period. This was the time when he used various â€Å"shades of blue† in portraying the darker side of particular place. By the time he met Fernande Oliver, Picasso’s gloomy works transformed into bright shades of red that became known as his Rose period. The circus theme seemed to be the favorite subject of Picasso during this period. By 1906, he went to Spain that marked another modification in his art style. During his stay there, he was greatly influenced by â€Å"African, Green and Iberian art. † He incorporated geometrical forms that made his paintings very forward-looking. Then, Picasso met another intriguing artist named George Braque. In 1908 to 1911, they developed a unique style of painting landscape wherein they included cube shapes or forms in the picture. This became known as analytic cubism. This style was formed by â€Å"by breaking down and analyzing a object† and utilizing a monochromatic earthy brown color scheme. By 1912, Picasso started to use other elements in his artworks that resulted to the creation of collages which is also known as synthetic cubism. This style is more for decorative purposes. In the late 1920s, Picasso moved to Rome, Italy where he got married. In this period, he painted â€Å"neoclassical pictures of women and pictures inspired by Greek mythology. † By the time WWI broke out, Picasso created Guernica, to demonstrate his opposition over the bombing of â€Å"Basque town of Guernica on April 26, 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. † The painting was filled with symbolisms that represented the wickedness attached with the bombing. By the time of the end of WWII until Picasso’s death in 1973, his paintings veered towards more somber theme dealing about death. Some of Picasso’s famous artworks include Woman with a Crow (1903), Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), Geometric Composition: The Guitar (1913) and many others. George Braque On the other hand, George Braque also lived a full life personally and professionally in the realm of art. He studied painting at the â€Å"local art school in Le Havre,† France. This was followed by a more formal training at the â€Å"Academie Humbert and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in the studio of Leon Bonnat. † Braque started out with impressionism wherein he was influenced by Matisse and Derain. By 1906, he got immersed with Fauvism and started to use light and bright colors combined with undulating patterns. But he stood out from the rest of the fauvists when he employed â€Å"architectonic solidity of composition and an emphasis on strongly defined volumes rather than color and brushwork. † The year 1907 became a crucial time for Braque and cubism. This was the time when Braque was once again inspired by Paul Cezanne and this was also the time when he met Pablo Picasso. Because of them, Braque’s outputs developed into something more radical. After only three years, the tandem of Braque and Picasso produce a new form art style called the analytic cubism which is described as the â€Å"nonillusionistic and nonimitative method of depicting the visual world. † The partnership of these two artists was mutual and their connection was so strong that their artworks cannot be distinguished from one another. The Violin and Pitcher (1910) is a very suitable example of an analytic cubism by Braque. Most of his paintings during this period were fragmented resulting to a â€Å"compact pictorial structure. † In 1914, Braque ventured into another phase of cubism which was called synthetic cubism wherein the artistic treatment included the use of â€Å"brightly dotted decorative passages. † Then, he moved to Normandy, France in the 1930s which have influenced Braque to shift his themes to seascapes. His painting style employed the use of â€Å"ornamentation and patterned surfaces. † From the 1930s to the 1950s, Braque grew interests on birds, melancholic themes, brilliant fauvist colors that were all seen in his â€Å"sculptures, graphics, book illustration, and decorative art. † Famous Cubist Artworks In the early 20th century, a new wave of artists have emerged that embraced a new progressive art style that had made a significant influence in the art world and the rest of the society and this was Cubism. This innovative movement aided in the development of contemporary art. More so, cubism led to the activation of many artists’ creative geniuses and induction of their bravery to go against the flow. Because of this, numerous masterpieces have emerged that embodied the unique principles and avant-garde style of cubism. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso (1907) This painting showed Picasso’s portrayal of sexuality and his defiance over the traditional rules on visual elements and principles of design. The images integrated illustrated five naked female â€Å"prostitutes in a brothel. † In terms of form, human bodies were deformed with distorted body proportions. Also, out of the five figures, three were wearing ancient African masks that made the painting more interesting. More so, the â€Å"bold, brash diagonal lines and angular planes added a sense of violence to the composition. † The colors used were a mix of bold hues of reds and blues that were combined with the subtle pink and flesh tones. Through this, each figure was able to stand out from one another. Another intriguing factor of the painting is the â€Å"two central figures† that appeared to be looking directly at the viewers. This was probably intentional on the part of Picasso to grab the attention of the viewers. The Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is one of the first models for analytic cubism that successfully demonstrated that three dimensionality can be achieved even without the employment of perspective. Violin and Pitcher by Georges Braque (1909-1910) This still life painting is another example of analytic cubism. Based on the title, the main focus of this artwork is the violin and the pitcher. Many believed that Braque developed a fascination with musical instruments even if he did not know how to play. For him, painting these instruments was his way of showing his departure with naturalism. The treatment on the primary figures was distorted in order to illustrate disintegration. The violin was twisted at the bottom to make the other parts more visible. On top of the violin is the pitcher that was also drawn in fragments to create an illusion of depth. The contrast of the shades of red and grey added more dramatic effect to the series of geometric shapes strewn all over the canvas. There is also a nail on top of the painting but it serves no real purpose unlike in Braque’s earlier painting, Violin and Palette. Underneath the nail is a â€Å"piece of paper† wherein the top right corner was folded that provided a flattening effect on the plane. This also projected a shadow that created an illusion of light â€Å"being beamed down from the top right corner. † Glass of Beer and Playing Cards by Juan Gris (1913) Juan Gris was part of the founding of Cubism together with Braque and Picasso. He pushed for the advancement as well as for the growth of this art movement. In his painting of the Glass of Beer and Playing Cards, it is ruled over by vertical lines that divide the canvas into several segments. A coherently silhouetted beer mug might be established by shifting the vertical band that constitutes the right side of the mug upward so that the white outline becomes contiguous with the outline of the fully modeled form of the mug to its left. But this realignment would in turn disalign the continuity between the blue curvature on the orange wallpaper and the edge of the sand to the right, both forms constituting a view from above of the beer’s foam. Changes or transformations in the appearance of an object seem to occur in a number of directions: they follow the alternating rhythm of vertical bands but also the contrapuntal system of horizontal bands. Occasionally there is also a sense of transformations occurring in depth, as if Gris had peeled away the surface of certain vertical bands to reveal an alternate mode of representation or point of view beneath. Still Life with Chair Cane by Pablo Picasso (1912) This is first painting of Picasso to represent synthetic cubism. It was one of the first illustrations of a collage painting. The elements present in the artwork are woven chair cane, various geometric drawings, newspapers, painted letters and wine labels which were all encapsulated by a rope around the oval canvas. In contrast with analytic cubism, this painting is less on deconstruction but more on juxtaposing different elements for decorative purposes. Since there is only a minimal presence of fragmentations, depth is nonexistent making the painting more flat. Art in the 1900s During the 1900s, several other art movements have emerged aside from Cubism. Some of these movements were the Abstraction, Fauvism, Futurism, Dadaism and Surrealism. The only common factor that binds these art movements is their ability to reject tradition and their flair for the modern aesthetics. In abstraction, the artists choose not to depict reality. The images are disfigured, the details are left out and the conventional perspective is altered. Meanwhile, Fauvism is known for its use of colors in portraying emotions. Fauvists created their masterpieces by imperfectly treating colors in an arbitrary style. On the other hand, Futurism is characterized by the abandonment of the â€Å"static and irrelevant art of the past and celebrating change, originality and innovation in culture and society. † This style celebrates the power and vivacity of machines. Moreover, Dadaism is another movement that garnered positive as well as negative feedbacks from art aficionados. This style is defined as â€Å"nihilistic, anti-aesthetic and a reaction to the rationalization, rules and conventions of mainstream art. † For Dada artists, their artworks are intended to be anti-art. The last movement is Surrealism which existed through the art style of Dadaism. Surrealist art was greatly influenced by the â€Å"theories of Dr. Sigmund Freud and the unconscious† which are represented in a dream or fantasy-like manner in paintings. Though cubism had a lot of competition, it still managed to continue to influence 1920s and even way beyond to the contemporary period. Today, many modern artists are using cubism in sculptures and architecture. Cubism had become more bold and experimental. It seemed like the artists have eliminated all boundaries for the sake of the enrichment of their creativity. Like in the 1900s, many modern artists are still faced with several challenges on how to make their artworks more pleasing to the public eye but at the same time they still want to render a significant importance to their own point of view in order not to compromise their artistic integrity for public support. The House of the Black Madonna in Czech Republic and Cal Poly Pomona University library in California symbolized that the spirit and philosophies of Cubism during its initial phase are still as intense and provocative as it is today. Conclusion In conclusion, Cubism has created a revolution in the world of art. It defied the conventions and traditional practices that have dominated in the 1900s. For many artists, it was not easy to challenge the existing status quo. But because of their yearning for change and their craving for stimulation, they were able to withstand the scrutiny and rejection made by society. Through the resilience and the drive of the cubist style for progress, it was able to endure the test of time that it continues to persist in the 21st century. Moreover, this art style and movement is an evident symbol of how human beings can perceive the world in a totally different way. More so, cubism has showcased the value of intellectual freedom and distinctive aesthetic, in which significantly contributed to the development of the visual art. Overall, cubism is a form of art that will keep on evolving for the expression and celebration of human’s vision, passion and imagination. BIBLIOGRAPHY â€Å"Art timeline. † 2007. A Lifetime of Color. http://www. alifetimeofcolor. com/study/timeline. html (accessed April 24, 2009). â€Å"Cubism. † 2007. Huntfor. com. http://www. huntfor. com/arthistory/C20th/cubism. htm (accessed April 23, 2009) Drinkwater, Lee. â€Å"Georges Braque Violin and Pitcher. † 2009. Lycos. co. uk. http://members. lycos. co. uk/cubist_movement/violin. htm (accessed April 24, 2009). Gantefuhrer-Trier, Anne, Gantefuhrer, Trie and Grosenick, Uta. Cubism. Germany: Taschen, 2004. â€Å"Georges Braque. † 1999. Discoverfrance. net. http://www. discoverfrance. net/France/Art/Braque/Braque. shtml (accessed April 23, 2009). Grisham, Kathleen. â€Å"Analytical Cubism. † n. d. West Valley College. http://instruct. westvalley. edu/grisham/1d_analycub. html (accessed April 23, 2009).