Friday, April 18, 2008
The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments
The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments by George Johnson finds beauty via science + it's a delightful book + I liked it.
The Cuboid Cut
(via Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry:1381-1910) Herbert Tillander writes:
The term Cuboid Cut has been given to diamonds which have all the six planes of a cube, even though they may contain combinations of the octahedron and the dodecahedron as well. Growth like this in the crystal was perhaps what first inspired cutters to produce these fancy shapes, though later Cuboid Cuts were probably also fashioned from rounded or oval dodecahedrons.
Depending on the outline of the rough, the girdle outline of a Cuboid Cut is either a regular or a slightly elongated octagon with four main square or rectangular facets in the crown sloping towards the girdle from the table. These facets, which form a cross, are separated from each other by triangular facets. The girdle, composed of eight high vertical facets, is very thick. The pavilion design is similar to that of one in a normal Table Cut. The culet is usually small and the same shape as the table. The table, the culet and four of the girdle facets form the cubic planes. The main facets correspond more or less to dodecahedral faces, and the triangular facets to octahedral faces.
Once they had achieved this original shape with very little loss of weight, some cutters ( such as the maker of the cuboid gem on the Burgundian Court Goblet) found that they had also, though probably by chance, produced a diamond of exceptional brilliance—such brilliance, in fact, that when I first saw the diamond on the Burgundian Goblet in Vienna, I thought it must be a modern replacement. Later, when I was allowed to study all the diamonds on the goblet, I was able to assure myself that this was indeed the original diamond and that it had never been replaced. The Cuboid Cut apparently became more popular than the Burgundian Point Cut in the fashioning of dodecahedral rough, but it did not survive nor evolve into any other design.
Hartley (1968) explained how to fashion, from synthetics, a Cross Brilliant. This is a design circular in outline, but with a square table—very similar, in fact, to the old Cuboid Cut. Hartley described it as being ‘very simple cut, but it has a surprising amount of brilliance’, and said that the table facet must be perfectly square adn 25-26 percent of the width of the stone. Perhaps the old Cuboid Cut has been revived!
The term Cuboid Cut has been given to diamonds which have all the six planes of a cube, even though they may contain combinations of the octahedron and the dodecahedron as well. Growth like this in the crystal was perhaps what first inspired cutters to produce these fancy shapes, though later Cuboid Cuts were probably also fashioned from rounded or oval dodecahedrons.
Depending on the outline of the rough, the girdle outline of a Cuboid Cut is either a regular or a slightly elongated octagon with four main square or rectangular facets in the crown sloping towards the girdle from the table. These facets, which form a cross, are separated from each other by triangular facets. The girdle, composed of eight high vertical facets, is very thick. The pavilion design is similar to that of one in a normal Table Cut. The culet is usually small and the same shape as the table. The table, the culet and four of the girdle facets form the cubic planes. The main facets correspond more or less to dodecahedral faces, and the triangular facets to octahedral faces.
Once they had achieved this original shape with very little loss of weight, some cutters ( such as the maker of the cuboid gem on the Burgundian Court Goblet) found that they had also, though probably by chance, produced a diamond of exceptional brilliance—such brilliance, in fact, that when I first saw the diamond on the Burgundian Goblet in Vienna, I thought it must be a modern replacement. Later, when I was allowed to study all the diamonds on the goblet, I was able to assure myself that this was indeed the original diamond and that it had never been replaced. The Cuboid Cut apparently became more popular than the Burgundian Point Cut in the fashioning of dodecahedral rough, but it did not survive nor evolve into any other design.
Hartley (1968) explained how to fashion, from synthetics, a Cross Brilliant. This is a design circular in outline, but with a square table—very similar, in fact, to the old Cuboid Cut. Hartley described it as being ‘very simple cut, but it has a surprising amount of brilliance’, and said that the table facet must be perfectly square adn 25-26 percent of the width of the stone. Perhaps the old Cuboid Cut has been revived!
Realism And Impressionism In France
(via The Outline of Art) William Orpen writes:
4
Camille Pissarro (1830-1930) was born at St Thomas in the Danish West Indies and came to Paris with his parents when he was twenty five. He became a pupil of Corot, and his earlier works show the influenec of Corot as regards style and color and of Millet in subject adn drawing. He was the eldest of the Impressionists, being two years older than Manet; but throughout his life Pissarro was an ardent student, never ceasing to investigate and experiment, always ready to listen to the theories and to observe the practice of a junior who claimed to have discovered a new truth. Though darker in color than his later work, a small landscape now in the Musée des Arts Decoratis at Paris, painted by Pissarro in 1869, shows that even at this time he was experimenting in the division of tones. Unfortunately nearly all the earlier paintings of Camille Pissarro are lost, for his home and studio were in the line of approach of the destroying Prussians in 1870. Owing to the war Pissarro and Monet came to London in 1871, and there they saw the later paintings of Turner, which confirmed their ideas about color and encouraged them to paint brighter and still brighter.
Claude Monet was ten years younger than Pissarro. Though born in 1840 at Paris, where his father was a merchant, he spent much of his boyhood at Havre, where he learnt a good deal about painting from Boudin. After completing his military service in Algeria, Monet returned to Paris and entered the studio of Gleyre. Here he formed a close friendship with two fellow students, Renoir and Sisley, and became acquainted later with Manet, as has already been related. Monet’s earliest paintings, however, are not lighter than those by Boudin and Corot, and he was first influenced by these and others of the Barbizon School.
Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was born at Limoges, where his father was a tailor in a small way of business, and at the age of thirteen young Auguste began to earn his living as a painter on porcelain. This early apprenticeship left a certain trace on his art which was always decorative adn evel elegiac in spite of its later realism. In time Renoir saved up enough money to go to Paris and become a pupil of Gleyre, but while his friends were landscapists Renoir was first and foremost a figure painter.
Alfred Sisley (1839-99) was born in Paris of English parents, and his development was parallel to that of Monet, whose work his own pictures closely resemble. We may say that all these young men, together with Pissarro, were discontented with the state of painting before 1870. They looked at their pictures and they looked at Nature; but while they realized how far their painting fell short of their intention, they had not yet found the way to secure greater brilliancy and truth. That way was discovered during the ‘seventies, after Pissarro and Monet had seen the Turners in London and returned to Paris. It is possible to exaggerate the influence of Turner on the new movement, for it had really begun earlier with Delacroix, but the sight of the Turners undoubtedly hastened its accomplishment as far as Pissarro and Monet are concerned. Not the beginning of Impressionism, but the first public revelation of Impressionism, was an exhibition held at Nadar’s galleries, Boulevard des Capucines, in 1874. Here were gathered together works by many of the ‘rejected’ of 1863, Manet being the best known of them and generally considered the leader of the movement, and also works by new adherents to Impressionist doctrine. The exhibitions provoked much controversy, but it was sufficiently talked about to be something of a success, and thereafter for several years a Salon des Impressionistes was an annual event. But in 1874, the science of color was still in its infancy, and if the exhibitors were ‘Impressionists’ they were not all ‘luminists’. Even Renoir’s famous picture of people in a theatre box, painted about this time, is sombre in color, in comparison with the scintillating canvases he was to paint later.
Realism And Impressionism In France (continued)
4
Camille Pissarro (1830-1930) was born at St Thomas in the Danish West Indies and came to Paris with his parents when he was twenty five. He became a pupil of Corot, and his earlier works show the influenec of Corot as regards style and color and of Millet in subject adn drawing. He was the eldest of the Impressionists, being two years older than Manet; but throughout his life Pissarro was an ardent student, never ceasing to investigate and experiment, always ready to listen to the theories and to observe the practice of a junior who claimed to have discovered a new truth. Though darker in color than his later work, a small landscape now in the Musée des Arts Decoratis at Paris, painted by Pissarro in 1869, shows that even at this time he was experimenting in the division of tones. Unfortunately nearly all the earlier paintings of Camille Pissarro are lost, for his home and studio were in the line of approach of the destroying Prussians in 1870. Owing to the war Pissarro and Monet came to London in 1871, and there they saw the later paintings of Turner, which confirmed their ideas about color and encouraged them to paint brighter and still brighter.
Claude Monet was ten years younger than Pissarro. Though born in 1840 at Paris, where his father was a merchant, he spent much of his boyhood at Havre, where he learnt a good deal about painting from Boudin. After completing his military service in Algeria, Monet returned to Paris and entered the studio of Gleyre. Here he formed a close friendship with two fellow students, Renoir and Sisley, and became acquainted later with Manet, as has already been related. Monet’s earliest paintings, however, are not lighter than those by Boudin and Corot, and he was first influenced by these and others of the Barbizon School.
Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was born at Limoges, where his father was a tailor in a small way of business, and at the age of thirteen young Auguste began to earn his living as a painter on porcelain. This early apprenticeship left a certain trace on his art which was always decorative adn evel elegiac in spite of its later realism. In time Renoir saved up enough money to go to Paris and become a pupil of Gleyre, but while his friends were landscapists Renoir was first and foremost a figure painter.
Alfred Sisley (1839-99) was born in Paris of English parents, and his development was parallel to that of Monet, whose work his own pictures closely resemble. We may say that all these young men, together with Pissarro, were discontented with the state of painting before 1870. They looked at their pictures and they looked at Nature; but while they realized how far their painting fell short of their intention, they had not yet found the way to secure greater brilliancy and truth. That way was discovered during the ‘seventies, after Pissarro and Monet had seen the Turners in London and returned to Paris. It is possible to exaggerate the influence of Turner on the new movement, for it had really begun earlier with Delacroix, but the sight of the Turners undoubtedly hastened its accomplishment as far as Pissarro and Monet are concerned. Not the beginning of Impressionism, but the first public revelation of Impressionism, was an exhibition held at Nadar’s galleries, Boulevard des Capucines, in 1874. Here were gathered together works by many of the ‘rejected’ of 1863, Manet being the best known of them and generally considered the leader of the movement, and also works by new adherents to Impressionist doctrine. The exhibitions provoked much controversy, but it was sufficiently talked about to be something of a success, and thereafter for several years a Salon des Impressionistes was an annual event. But in 1874, the science of color was still in its infancy, and if the exhibitors were ‘Impressionists’ they were not all ‘luminists’. Even Renoir’s famous picture of people in a theatre box, painted about this time, is sombre in color, in comparison with the scintillating canvases he was to paint later.
Realism And Impressionism In France (continued)
Hormones And Market Crises
I found the article Hormones may fuel market crises @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7342923.stm interesting because the Cambridge University team found testosterone levels were directly linked to the profit City of London traders made during trade sessions.
I think the diamond/colored stone dealers + auctioneers worldwide are no different from City of London traders + the team should have gone the extra mile to conduct similar research in diamond bourses + colored stone markets + auction houses worldwide to learn a bit more about testosterone levels + the impact.
Useful links:
www.nasonline.org
www.cam.ac.uk
I think the diamond/colored stone dealers + auctioneers worldwide are no different from City of London traders + the team should have gone the extra mile to conduct similar research in diamond bourses + colored stone markets + auction houses worldwide to learn a bit more about testosterone levels + the impact.
Useful links:
www.nasonline.org
www.cam.ac.uk
Kurt Masur
Kurt Masur is a German conductor, noted for his interpretation of German Romantic music, is one of the most widely admired and respected musicians of his generation + I think there is brilliance and that otherness in his music, which I like.
Useful link:
www.kurtmasur.com
Useful link:
www.kurtmasur.com
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Champagne Diamonds Update
The world's largest supplier of champagne diamonds has released its latest range of champagne diamond promotional materials @ http://www.riotintodiamonds.com/ENG/media/media_releases_1078.asp
Useful link:
www.riotintodiamonds.com
Useful link:
www.riotintodiamonds.com
Art Update
(via NYTimes) I liked the video art collections at Ubu + Franklin Furnace’s online archive
They were educational + entertaining.
Useful links:
www.ubu.com
http://www.ubu.com/film
http://acorn.forest.net/franklin/search.html
They were educational + entertaining.
Useful links:
www.ubu.com
http://www.ubu.com/film
http://acorn.forest.net/franklin/search.html
Jill Bolte Taylor
I found Jill Bolte Taylor's story about her stroke @ http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/229 inspiring + it's amazing how our brain connect us to the world and to one another.
Random Thoughts
'The one thing you do know when you hold an all-you-can-eat buffet, the heavy eaters show up first.'
- Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com
- Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com
Google Earth 4.3
The lighting effects + panorama streets of Google Earth 4.3 version @ gearthblog.com are superb + as I was watching the YouTube demo by Google of 4.3 I thought this would be a great tool for jewelers and colored stone dealers to communicate colors with their clients and customers no matter where you are.
I liked it.
I liked it.
McMafia
McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld by Misha Glenny is a fascinating book on powerful criminal networks that have linked across continents and become sophisticated money making machines + the impact.
A must-read.
A must-read.
The Great Florentine Diamond—A Fancy Sancy Cut
(via Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry:1381-1910) Herbert Tillander writes:
The Great Florentine diamond (fashioned in 1615) has several names. It has been called the Tuscan, the Tuscany Diamond, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and even the Austrian Yellow Diamond—an unfortunate name, since it creates confusion with another lost diamond, the Austrian Yellow Brilliant.
The stone was drop-shaped with both the front and the reverse more or less similarly faceted. The center of the front had trihedral faceting, but the mactching area on the reverse simply had nine basic facets. Both front and reverse were stepped twice, producing nine rows, each containing nine facets in the front, and seven rows of nine facets on the reverse—144 facets in all. The overall impression is of a nine-rayed star.
Through the works of Speranza Cavenago Bignami, Guido Gregorietti and others, I have been able to trace the history of this stone. P.Aloisi stated in 1932 that the rough stone was ‘acquired’ in the late sixteenth century from the King of Vijayanagar (modern Narsingha) in southern India by the Portuguese Governor of Goa, Ludovico Castro, Count of Montesanto, after the king’s defeat by Portuguese troops. The crystal was deposited with the Jesuits in Rome until, after lengthy negotiations, Grand Duke Ferdinand I of Tuscany succeeded in buying it from the Castro-Noranha family for 35000 Portuguese scudi crocati.
Duke Ferdinand’s son, Grand Duke Cosimo II (who ruled from 1609 to 1621), finally entrusted his father’s purchase to a cutter, Pompeo Studentoli, a Venetian working in Florence. The finished gem was delivered on 10 October 1615. An inventory drawn up on Cosimo’s death confirms the acquisition of the rough diamond by Ferdinand and describes the gem as ‘faceted on both sides and encircled by a diamond-encrusted gold band.’
Dr Heinz Biehn reproduced a sketch of a pendant containing the Great Florentine with a caption reading, ‘Il Gran Diamante del Serimo Gran Duca di Toschana , Pesa 138 Carati.’ Despite extensive investigation, the origin of this drawing remains obscure. The correct weight and the exact faceting indicate that it was probably drawn just after its fashioning in 1615. The outline differs slightly, most likely because the artist wished to show a perfect and therefore pleasing symmetry.
Thomas Cletscher, who must have seen the gem in Florence, produced a clearly recognizable sketch of it in about 1625: neither the faceting nor the outline is aboslutely correct, which indicates that it may have been done from memory. The faceting of the central trihedrally faceted section is fairly accurate, but the surrounding steps, which he depicts as being similarly fashioned, cannot be correct. Cletscher also gives the weights of the rough and the finished gem as being 170 ct and 120 ct, neither of which would appear to be accurate.
The next specialist to describe and sketch the diamond was Tavernier, who claims to have seen it in 1657 and on some other occasion. The outline he gives differs from the actual shape of the stone, although he reproduces the faceting correctly; but he gives faceting of the reverse of the gem with its six basic facets in the centre, instead of the trihedral faceting of the front. Max Bauer gives more plausible proportions. Other authors have either reproduced these same illustrations or drawn from their imaginations.
My own line drawing are based on the only available photograph, but this is so poor that the faceting cannot be clearly seen. The correct girdle outline is, however, found. As to the design, I have studied the sketches carefully and am convinced that this is how the faceting must have been. At first glance it looks as though the gem was almost symmetrical, but in fact this was not so. The drawings show the actual shape of the stone and a symmetrized version.
Little is known of the jewel once it was set. No doubt it remained in the Medici family ans was worn occasionally, even though there are no portraits in which it appears. It was mentioned in an inventory of 1740, after the death in 1737 of Giovanni Gasto, husband of Duchess Anna Maria. The jewel remained in her possession until her death without heirs three years later, when it became part of the Tuscan duchy treasury.
Meanwhile, in 1736, Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, had been obliged to renounce his duchy because of his marriage to Maria Theresa of Austria, but had been given Tuscany instead. In 1747 he became Holy Roman Emperor and he took the Florentine diamond to Austria as one of his own personal possessions. It was set, first in a crown and then in a hat jewel. When the Austrian empire came to an end in 1918 the jewel was removed from the treasury by the ex-Emperor Karl, and disappeared.
Surprisingly little has been written about the Florentine, perhaps because it was in a private treasury and not easily available for inspection. The only known analysis was by Schrauf, who gave its weight as 27.454 grams (i.e. 137.27 ct). J Cohn, basing his statements on undisclosed sources, said that the Florentine was of a light greyish-yellow color and displayed quite exceptional dispersion (fire), which strengthened this color. He added that it was flawless and of a good make and, taking all factors into consideration, classified it as being of ‘second water.’
The Great Florentine diamond (fashioned in 1615) has several names. It has been called the Tuscan, the Tuscany Diamond, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and even the Austrian Yellow Diamond—an unfortunate name, since it creates confusion with another lost diamond, the Austrian Yellow Brilliant.
The stone was drop-shaped with both the front and the reverse more or less similarly faceted. The center of the front had trihedral faceting, but the mactching area on the reverse simply had nine basic facets. Both front and reverse were stepped twice, producing nine rows, each containing nine facets in the front, and seven rows of nine facets on the reverse—144 facets in all. The overall impression is of a nine-rayed star.
Through the works of Speranza Cavenago Bignami, Guido Gregorietti and others, I have been able to trace the history of this stone. P.Aloisi stated in 1932 that the rough stone was ‘acquired’ in the late sixteenth century from the King of Vijayanagar (modern Narsingha) in southern India by the Portuguese Governor of Goa, Ludovico Castro, Count of Montesanto, after the king’s defeat by Portuguese troops. The crystal was deposited with the Jesuits in Rome until, after lengthy negotiations, Grand Duke Ferdinand I of Tuscany succeeded in buying it from the Castro-Noranha family for 35000 Portuguese scudi crocati.
Duke Ferdinand’s son, Grand Duke Cosimo II (who ruled from 1609 to 1621), finally entrusted his father’s purchase to a cutter, Pompeo Studentoli, a Venetian working in Florence. The finished gem was delivered on 10 October 1615. An inventory drawn up on Cosimo’s death confirms the acquisition of the rough diamond by Ferdinand and describes the gem as ‘faceted on both sides and encircled by a diamond-encrusted gold band.’
Dr Heinz Biehn reproduced a sketch of a pendant containing the Great Florentine with a caption reading, ‘Il Gran Diamante del Serimo Gran Duca di Toschana , Pesa 138 Carati.’ Despite extensive investigation, the origin of this drawing remains obscure. The correct weight and the exact faceting indicate that it was probably drawn just after its fashioning in 1615. The outline differs slightly, most likely because the artist wished to show a perfect and therefore pleasing symmetry.
Thomas Cletscher, who must have seen the gem in Florence, produced a clearly recognizable sketch of it in about 1625: neither the faceting nor the outline is aboslutely correct, which indicates that it may have been done from memory. The faceting of the central trihedrally faceted section is fairly accurate, but the surrounding steps, which he depicts as being similarly fashioned, cannot be correct. Cletscher also gives the weights of the rough and the finished gem as being 170 ct and 120 ct, neither of which would appear to be accurate.
The next specialist to describe and sketch the diamond was Tavernier, who claims to have seen it in 1657 and on some other occasion. The outline he gives differs from the actual shape of the stone, although he reproduces the faceting correctly; but he gives faceting of the reverse of the gem with its six basic facets in the centre, instead of the trihedral faceting of the front. Max Bauer gives more plausible proportions. Other authors have either reproduced these same illustrations or drawn from their imaginations.
My own line drawing are based on the only available photograph, but this is so poor that the faceting cannot be clearly seen. The correct girdle outline is, however, found. As to the design, I have studied the sketches carefully and am convinced that this is how the faceting must have been. At first glance it looks as though the gem was almost symmetrical, but in fact this was not so. The drawings show the actual shape of the stone and a symmetrized version.
Little is known of the jewel once it was set. No doubt it remained in the Medici family ans was worn occasionally, even though there are no portraits in which it appears. It was mentioned in an inventory of 1740, after the death in 1737 of Giovanni Gasto, husband of Duchess Anna Maria. The jewel remained in her possession until her death without heirs three years later, when it became part of the Tuscan duchy treasury.
Meanwhile, in 1736, Francis Stephen, Duke of Lorraine, had been obliged to renounce his duchy because of his marriage to Maria Theresa of Austria, but had been given Tuscany instead. In 1747 he became Holy Roman Emperor and he took the Florentine diamond to Austria as one of his own personal possessions. It was set, first in a crown and then in a hat jewel. When the Austrian empire came to an end in 1918 the jewel was removed from the treasury by the ex-Emperor Karl, and disappeared.
Surprisingly little has been written about the Florentine, perhaps because it was in a private treasury and not easily available for inspection. The only known analysis was by Schrauf, who gave its weight as 27.454 grams (i.e. 137.27 ct). J Cohn, basing his statements on undisclosed sources, said that the Florentine was of a light greyish-yellow color and displayed quite exceptional dispersion (fire), which strengthened this color. He added that it was flawless and of a good make and, taking all factors into consideration, classified it as being of ‘second water.’
Realism And Impressionism In France
(via The Outline of Art) William Orpen writes:
Various names have been given to this technique. It has been called ‘Divisionism,’ because by it the tones of secondary and tertiary colors were divided into their constituent elements. It has been called ‘Pointillism,’ because the color was applied to the canvas in points instead of in sweeping brush strokes. It has been called ‘Luminism,’ because the aim of the process is primarily to express the color of light with all its sparkle and vibration. This last is the best name of all, because it serves to emphasize the new outlook of the new painters. The tendency before the Impressionists was to regard color from the standpoint of black and white. Thus, in considering a grey, it would have been asked is it a dark grey or a light grey, does it approach black or white? The Impressionists took quite a different attitude and asked whether it was a bluish grey, or a greenish grey, or a purplish grey, or a reddish grey: in a word, not whether it was light or dark, but to which color in the solar spectrum it most closely approached.
To the Impressionists shadow was not an absence of light, but light of a different quality and of different value. In their exhaustive research into the true colors of shadows in Nature, they conquered the last unknown territory in the domain of Realist Painting.
To sum up, then, it may be said the Impressionist Painting is based on two great principles:
1. The substitution of a simulataneous vision that sees a scene as a whole in place of a consecutive vision that sees Nature piece by piece.
2. The substitution of a Chiaroscuro based on the colors of the solar spectrum for a Chiaroscuro based on Black and White.
This new technique, with all the research and experiment which is implies, was not the invention of one man, but the outcome of the life studies of a whole group of men. Most prominent among those who brought Impressionist painting to perfection in theory and practice were Camille Pissaro, Claude Monet, and Auguste Renoir.
Realism And Impressionism In France (continued)
Various names have been given to this technique. It has been called ‘Divisionism,’ because by it the tones of secondary and tertiary colors were divided into their constituent elements. It has been called ‘Pointillism,’ because the color was applied to the canvas in points instead of in sweeping brush strokes. It has been called ‘Luminism,’ because the aim of the process is primarily to express the color of light with all its sparkle and vibration. This last is the best name of all, because it serves to emphasize the new outlook of the new painters. The tendency before the Impressionists was to regard color from the standpoint of black and white. Thus, in considering a grey, it would have been asked is it a dark grey or a light grey, does it approach black or white? The Impressionists took quite a different attitude and asked whether it was a bluish grey, or a greenish grey, or a purplish grey, or a reddish grey: in a word, not whether it was light or dark, but to which color in the solar spectrum it most closely approached.
To the Impressionists shadow was not an absence of light, but light of a different quality and of different value. In their exhaustive research into the true colors of shadows in Nature, they conquered the last unknown territory in the domain of Realist Painting.
To sum up, then, it may be said the Impressionist Painting is based on two great principles:
1. The substitution of a simulataneous vision that sees a scene as a whole in place of a consecutive vision that sees Nature piece by piece.
2. The substitution of a Chiaroscuro based on the colors of the solar spectrum for a Chiaroscuro based on Black and White.
This new technique, with all the research and experiment which is implies, was not the invention of one man, but the outcome of the life studies of a whole group of men. Most prominent among those who brought Impressionist painting to perfection in theory and practice were Camille Pissaro, Claude Monet, and Auguste Renoir.
Realism And Impressionism In France (continued)
Heard On The Street
Customers want three things: the best selection + the lowest prices + the cheapest and most-convenient delivery.
Ian Fleming
I am a Ian Fleming fan (a famous British author, journalist and Second World War Navy Commander), who is best remembered for creating the character of James Bond, who loves cars, diamonds, girls and guns.
Quantum of Solace: November, 2008
Useful links:
www.ianflemingcentre.com
www.ianflemingcentenary.com
www.ianflemingfoundation.org
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7346971.stm
www.007.com
www.mi6.co.uk
www.cubbybroccoli.com
Quantum of Solace: November, 2008
Useful links:
www.ianflemingcentre.com
www.ianflemingcentenary.com
www.ianflemingfoundation.org
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7346971.stm
www.007.com
www.mi6.co.uk
www.cubbybroccoli.com
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Innovative Carver
The Carver = Motorcyle + Automobile, is just a brilliant concept. I don't drive a car, but take a look at this video
I really fell in love with the Carver.
Useful links:
www.flytheroad.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg8KDHfr14w
I really fell in love with the Carver.
Useful links:
www.flytheroad.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg8KDHfr14w
Dyson Product Design Award
Dyson Product Design Awards are awarded annually for inventions that demonstrate exceptional ingenuity and function + it was amazing/inspiring to see talented designers with their concepts from all corners of the world in New York on April 9, 2008 for the special event.
Useful links:
www.dyson.co.nz
www.jamesdysonfoundation.com
Good design is about how something works, not just how it looks.
- James Dyson
Useful links:
www.dyson.co.nz
www.jamesdysonfoundation.com
Good design is about how something works, not just how it looks.
- James Dyson
Hermann Scheer
(via Wiki) Hermann Scheer, a physicist, a member of the German Bundestag, President of the European Association for Renewable Energy, and General Chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy believes it is technically and environmentally feasible to harness enough solar radiation to achieve a total replacement of the fossil/nuclear energy system by a global renewable energy economy.
I think he was spot on + the benefits are huge.
Useful links:
www.wcre.de
www.eurec.be
www.hermannscheer.de
www.rightlivelihood.org
www.internationaldialogues.nl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nq2iLnAETA
I think he was spot on + the benefits are huge.
Useful links:
www.wcre.de
www.eurec.be
www.hermannscheer.de
www.rightlivelihood.org
www.internationaldialogues.nl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nq2iLnAETA
The Art Fund Prize
I liked the purpose of The Art Fund prize because it does increase public appreciation of art via museums and galleries, and now a shortlist for the 2008 Art Fund prize for museums and galleries in the UK will be announced on April 18, 2008.
I also think other countries should follow the UK model to stimulate interest in museums and galleries for wider appreciation and participation, which I think benefits all.
Useful link:
www.theartfundprize.org.uk
I also think other countries should follow the UK model to stimulate interest in museums and galleries for wider appreciation and participation, which I think benefits all.
Useful link:
www.theartfundprize.org.uk
Pu'er Tea
Pu'er Tea from Yunnan, has become a fashionable, must-have variety in the tea shops of Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing + I think in a way to appreciate Pu'er tea is similar to enjoying wine because you need to understand the different areas where tea grows to differentiate flavors + among the wealthy, health-conscious Chinese there is also a belief that Pu'er tea lowers cholesterol, cures hangovers, helps fortify teeth and trims away fat + like with many other products in China it is difficult to tell the real from imitations.
I think buying Pu'er tea is like buying rubies and sapphires--you must have product knowledge.
Useful links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh
www.pu-erh.net
http://community.livejournal.com/puerh_tea
I think buying Pu'er tea is like buying rubies and sapphires--you must have product knowledge.
Useful links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh
www.pu-erh.net
http://community.livejournal.com/puerh_tea
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