Rochester Institute of TechnologyRIT Scholar Works

Theses Thesis/Dissertation Collections

7-10-1996

Visual encyclopedia of art historyDanielle Goueta

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.rit.edu/theses

This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Thesis/Dissertation Collections at RIT Scholar Works. It has been accepted for inclusionin Theses by an authorized administrator of RIT Scholar Works. For more information, please contact ritscholarworks@rit.edu.

Recommended CitationGoueta, Danielle, "Visual encyclopedia of art history" (1996). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from

Rochester Institute of Technology

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of

The College of Imaging Arts and Sciences

in Candidacy for the Degree of

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Visual Encyclopedia of Art History

by

Danielle D. Goueta

July 10, 1996

Chief Advisor: Robert Keough

Date: -; - I,' ~ C/b

Associate Advisor: James Ver Hague(

Date: ----------

Associate Advisor: Jack Slutzky

Date: 7 U-I----'CJL..:b"""-----

Mary Ann Begland, ChairGraphic Design Department

I, Danielle D. Goueta, hereby grant permission to the Wallace Memorial Libraryof R1T, to reproduce my thesis in whole or in part. Any reproduction will not befor commercial use or profit.

Date: -----------

Sign: --7-+-+-/.......,1D~/~q--,=(-,,---, _I I

Table of Contents:

Introduction 1

Visual Encyclopedia ofArt History 2

General Styles Menu 5

Specific Styles Menu 8

Biography Menu 9

Artwork Menu 10

Dictionary Menu 1 1

Software programs 12

Signs/Pronunciation 14

Brushwork sign 15

Color sign 16

Composition sign 17

Form sign 18

Impressionism sign 19

Interactivity Flowchart 20

Conclusion 2 1

Acknowledgements 22

Bibliography 23

Introduction:

The purpose of this thesis was to

respond to a request from Professor

Sidonie Merkel Roepke. I worked

closely with her in developing aninteractive Visual Encyclopedia ofArt

History, with menus for five different

topics: General Styles, Specific

Styles, Biography, Artwork and

Dictionary menus. This encyclopedia

has been designed as a

comprehensive guide of art historystyles, artists and their artworks,

along with a dictionary featuringvisual examples, appropriate

representation of terms in American

Sign Language, pronunciation of

terms, styles andartists'

names.

This program is created for a variety

of users, from the novice to the

expert. Users can browse through the

encyclopedia and find

information in a variety of topics

which will help them gain a better

understanding of terminology

through this multimedia approach.

This in-house educational program

allows students (primarily students

who are deaf) who go to Professor

Sidonie Merkel Roepke for assistance

in tutoring to develop a complex art

history vocabulary. This project offers

flexibility and is user friendly.

Visual Encyclopedia of Art History:

The illustrations on the right were

designed for the introduction

section. The cropped images shown

vertically represents a series of art

history styles through an animated

sequence, from prehistoric to modern

times. Music is played throughout

the introduction.

^^___^gg?f

"-->--*,__:V

_______2_a___a\rP L4__0___T7J

8H_nn

As the music fades out, a brief

description about the Visual

Encyclopedia ofArt History is beingdisplayed.

The Visual Encyclopedia ijArt Historyha_ Keen destined ,is a comprehensive ituide of

ni history styles, arrisrs .mJ their artworks, along

with a dictionary featuring visual examples, appropriate

representation ot terms in American Stjjn Language,

pronunciation ot terms, styles and names. 1 his

multimedia encyclopedia is created for a variety ot

users , trom the novice to the expert.

Enjoy your journey through the art historic.J past.

This is followed by a simple click on

the mouse or the keyboard which

move to the next the frame.

A timeline of styles trotn prehistoric to

uuxjern times welcomes the user to browse.

Clicking on a specific time period, a style

timeline will appear wirl.artists'

works.

Choose .in artist and explore.

Each screen provides the user with a

variety of options to access at iny point duringthe exploration, including: timeline, history, styles,

dictionary, biography and artworks.

Words in italics can he clicked on, taking the

user directly ro the dictionaty for a complete

description with visual examples.

Caansulr the HELP button for specific

information on how to use each menu.

Again, a click on the mouse or the

keyboard will prompt to the next

screen. A brief statement below

gives instructions before going into

the General Styles Timeline menu.

GENERAL STYLES TIMELINE

Move the cursor to the arrow on the far left to scroll

the screen .Linni; hack ro prehistoric time period.

Move the cursor to the arrow on the far riffhr to scroll

the screen to advance toward the nuxlern time period

Click on ;uiy mi.ny u. tfo to a specific style.

General Styles Menu:

The General Styles Timeline menu

consists a timeline with the art

history styles. Users can easily move

the cursor to the far left or right of

the timeline. As the cursor touches

the far right or left of the screen, it

will immediately change to a

transparent arrow. This indicates

the scrolling part is in working order.

On the timeline, the cropped images

for every style shown are represented

as icons. To browse, the user can

click on any icon. For example,

clicking on Impressionism icon will

go to an animated introduction of

Impressionism before going to the

Age of Impressionism timeline.

A.D.

REALISM

l*5C A.D

1AL

IW. A.D

EXPRE_|

191)'. A.D

HT ^"-

1*50 A.D. 190C A.D

IMPRESSIONISM

1855 A.D. - it.86 A.D.

POST - IMPRESSIONISM

1&-G A.D. -

NEO - IMPRESSIONISM

ISSD A.D. -

f: -'.'v

The style timeline in close-up view.

_M*nr/_V_.1tl.4 AKI

raw.

lit. Vo - i?*. *_!'

?___ ,-

uim~\--.><- -,'*-..

lafc^r^bJ

| ^_ -_^WI .__*%..-, .._

rv'is__i_ jIK__9^_!_E I*?l i

.A .1 ts^. AJB : ,V

:..Tf !.>=-._. J*.i_-K 'J::-il_n AST

__--.M:5=*_*T*.SI

""r.-.

J

_,!...._

H_^.-.. _* o- -Wi

*..._. law ivm

mrie.'Bff?i

IPT^Kiai

l

UETM 1

The style timeline in full view.

Brahms music is played through the

animated sequence of Impressionism.

The music was picked out specifically

because Johannes Brahms, a

composer (1833 - 1897) was from

that style period.

pX-

.&

k1ft IP

>'&?*'.

x%~

Cf*4'"

IMPRESSIONISM

IMPRESSIONISM

IMPRESSIONISM

IMPRESSIONISM

IMPRESSIONISM

Specific Styles Menu:

The illustration below is the style

timeline for Impressionism with the

artists'

work. Normally, theartists'

names are hidden. When the cursor

is moved over the images, the name

pops up. This is called a rollover.

Users can click on any image to see

the artist's biography and their

artworks. The History button is only

visible under the style timeline

section. When it is clicked on, the

Timeline button will appear. This

simple navigation will help the user

remember the last screen, the style

timeline (Age of Impressionism

timeline, for example) to avoid

confusion.

The Dictionary button is available.

The user may also click on words in

italics taking them directly to the

dictionary for a complete description

with visual examples.

The Styles button is also available.

At any time, the user wants to

change a style period, they can go to

the Styles button. The navigation is

very simple and straightforward. This

will encourage users to enjoy the use

of interactive multimedia and not

feel frustrated or afraid to try new

things that technology has to offer.

Age of Impressionism Timeline

MillerDegas

Caxsatt

U5C IX6Q 1870 1880 tsw 19C0

Manet Monet

Courbet

History j Dictionary! StylesI

HfjP \ Qui*,

Biography Menu:

As the user clicks down on one of theartists'

paintings, the image changes

to black and white momentarily

before going into the biographysection. Notice the Artworks button

on the biography menu below. This

will take the user to the artworks

menu where a gallery of the artist's

works is displayed. The same routine

is applied to the Artworks and

Biography buttons being swapped

back and forth when clicked on. The

user can click on the Next/Previous

buttons to move through the pages as

if it were a book.

On page 1 1 is diagram of the

Artworks menu. Like the Age of

Impressionism timeline menu, the

user can move the cursor over the

painting and the title pops up.

Clicking on the painting will prompt

the user to go to the specific artwork

screen, giving a more detailed

description of the painting. An

illustration of a specific artwork

screen is also shown on page 1 1 .

Biography ofMary Cassatt

* 'PP'.'P1

i # *. ; -r

', A

1 r 2. -

Mother and Baby, lr_$K)

Pastel an 1-iiM.t. 16tp."

x

.I'-Potirtkti

Cassatt and Degas met in 1874. When Degas saw rhe

work of Cassatt he stated: "There is a person who teeLs

as I do". Beginning in 1879 the two artists worked in

close collaboration.

Cassatt never married, yet a majority of her work

centers around the theme oi maternity. Most often

works portray scenes of her family and friends.

Victorian women were forbidden to be in a room alone

with a man except a family member, thus her only male

subjects were her father and brothers, with rumors of a

painting of Degas which she destroyed, ('assart's deep

sympathy for her hallmark images of mothers and

children are shown naturally with realistic gesturing,

sharing embraces, caresses, and kisses. In a review

of artwork exhibited by Cassatt, a critic wrote

describing her Impressionist style: 'Like her brothers

2 of 5

Timeline Dictionary Styles Artworks Pr Next 1 lelp Quit

Artwork Menu:

Artworks of Mary Cassatt

FiveO'

Clock Tea. 1 880

Au theatre, IS7"

Young Woman

in Black, KS80 Children on

i__*_r.

Mother and Baby, 1880

the Beach, 1 .1.4

The Garden, 1880

The Bath. 1891

Baby Reachins; for an Apple, 1 89 .

Timeline I Dictionary j Styles I Biography I Help Quit

MARY CASSATT

(1844-1926)

BABY REACHING FOR AN A. .Lli

i,_ x ;i j.'.

While her art became increasingly devoted to the

maternal theme, by the mid-1 880's, Cassatt, along

with many of her French Impressionist colleagues, was

mewing away from the dissolution of form in terms of

loose, colored brusfnvori and began ro reemphasize a

strong concern tor emphatic design. The direction in

her painting was fostered also by her greater awareness

of and fascination with the principles ot Japanese arr,

especially after she attended an enormous exhibitionof

ukiyo-e prints held at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in April

of 1890, which led her, in her subsequent oils and

graphics, ro emphasize strong outlines, flat areas of

ci>/i>r, and spatial compression. Without sacrificing her

interest in presenting the figure out-of-doors in bright

and rich sunlight, these qualities were abundantly

1 of2

Timeline I Dictionary I Styles I Artworks Next Help Quit

10

Dictionary Menu:

The Dictionary button takes the

user to The Dictionary ofArt Terms

shown below. The illustration on

the far right is from the Visual

Encyclopedia ofArt Historyintroduction. Clicking on

alphabetical letters shows a wide

variety of art words. A simple click

on a word will prompt the user to go

to a specific word with a definition

and demonstrating visual examples

including sign language and

pronunciation features.

Dictionary of Art Terms

CalligraphyCantilever

Canvas

Cartoon

(Casein

Cassatt, Mary

CastingCauterium

Chaolof'ist

ChasingChiaroscuro

China

(._hroma

Classicism

Closure

(..oiling

(.Collage

Color

ComplementaryComposition

A B;C D E! F;G

Timeline

_..._LiLi____L__LiLiLiiAJiJ_JlX___.J___L-L

jStyles | | | | Help Quit

11

Software Programs:

Several computer software packages

were used to make this thesis a

success. The software programs were

Macromedia Director 4.0.4, Adobe

Photoshop 3.0.3, Avid Videoshop

3.0, and Soundedit 16.

Adobe Photoshop 3.0.3 was used to

scan the images into the computer.

It was the most time consuming

aspect of the entire production. All

images were scanned using a Mustek

color flatbed scanner (MFC-600S) at

150 dots per inch (dpi) for smoother

resolution and then resized at 72 dpi

to match the screen's dpi which is 72

dpi. Images were then cropped,

adjusted for brightness/contrast.

Color was reduced from RGB mode

to indexed color mode to save space

in disk. After all the adjustments

were made in Photoshop 3.0.3, the

images were then transferred to

Macromind Director 4.0.4, an

interactive/animation program.

The font, Goudy is consistent

throughout the entire program and

for this report. Goudy emphasizes

simplicity to the overall design of the

encyclopedia since the formats for

every menu are practically the same.

The best color chosen for the text is

navy blue out of concern for those

who are color blind. All the text

were done in Adobe Photoshop 3.0.3

for anti-aliasing and then

incorporated into Macromind

Scanned at 150 dpi

*

Reduced to 72 dpi

in Photoshop

12

Director 4-0.4 later. Titles were set

in 36 points and the text for

description at 14 points with the

leading (vertical spacing of lines in a

paragraph) at 17 points. This makes

it easier for the user to read

comfortably spaced sentences.

Another aspect of this production

was making digital movies. A sign

language interpreter was used to do

this segment. It was videotaped using

a camcorder. The tape was then

transferred from the VCR which was

hooked up to the computer ( Power

Macintosh 7500/100) with A/V

capabilities to be digitized.

Avid Videoshop was used to edit the

movies. Each movie was 20 to 30

seconds long depending on the

length of the terminology

represented. The video was set to

320 x 240 pixels since this helps

enhance the visibility of the video.

A compressor in Avid Videoshop was

chosen in Cinepak because it keeps

the file size smaller and to run

smoother. Quicktime format is used

to save the video before transferring

to Macromind Director 4-0.4 since it

can only read this format. A black

background with a fade in and out

filter is used for the beginning and

ending of the movie.

Oil.*

*. | r>tm____l

'. J. \ . > . . _. . '_ .1 cmJtu ii.nui.il cianeius

-ailed

' f-i_aje___i"

v_Kf _j|___dIcJlnl

1 1-;.-

in|"

J r i. 1. i *il Netor J___ovcr_J,jA A

ik_r or.Iir-iri .Uylteh- ._.<. 1. -Id >. _.___. A^ ^ 5k.[_e_oJ i

__\f_._ 1 i1-

'... __4.i__j__i imo MF ^...nJ_iiu__t ..4...til^w TJ_.* W T*gwii, Hut. _.*__?>*nJ *>(_>. L>.i, ___._ S 2|r_n trwer .-r__r__i_n_T* h_i_- iru__..!cAr,

_.-_. __ trfl __.,__.._. T ifoi.rr tf'c.A_tl. 9_nJvalue (the. j_d_____ _ ohm: ta _____ 2l ^Hl_Hill_l_tl_ _.-_.l m__ m?Vr,,._-f p___. jjc. *Imi b__* .

<___

a ^9__k_^yl-._lt> Itmil _ _ui__cri *1 hl-b lh__T_ ^9|0Pw power- I * b l.i in i].-. . >

_t. Bbck

-. . 1-

. i ,. a ,..(., ,-

_ t h", I'hr

c^^r> in ir_.-tfYvrruai

)<_". __,__

Virj_-li.-..- I _"__...__r\ _*>-!__| a__ | | s,_ iidr 1 0- 1

This is the color term screen. Clicking on sign orpronunciation button goes to the video shown below.

1Cera...

l~_j___ a.muhIkii _._Mll(aufjl ._______

_aJoJ

*f_-'__i'_-ts"

wlfcT. &.4__. 1 reflect

IfefV tr rwt.._Lr _ , N--_ r .W.v.-r.-.l

I-. > ..-4_t.._rv

i__t___r_t wblb. L<ht), --- n

p_._l 1-Mfc^riMIl. -"^_ .& .J_il__._.

._. J_M,__.1 -.4-.--1 -u _._.yet.--.

.T_vrNuv. _r_J>--;.i. .wryOil*

h_* ihrer .barj-ti-rif-

__h _. r.-J.. :__ -J....<* tr" T ... ...!.1.

_nd Uhe .mb.hi.iI

m__i*uh__.t .1

S<IH__I -piAiUp. _tm

.. ___ek

li.4_:>

.*>ul--li.*-._>uiU.n _.__ > ihrfi. _.

I_r> -1-t-i.t.i t-tf (tth'i, re/lrvt .t ,4 _.-.

r.;ra__lr.Ti-_iffalY l-soriwi - ai-h.

.. ^i._.

1 >*t^

Tu___itu_ | i.-*JU.-..j >.>. ] ______[ | s_. .,* O.. |

This is where the video comes up with a black

background.

t .uL. _ m_oi k_ Lemm -__ii-_Jdcn_n^

______

'rvutilU*

rirr___ luxiiuI-.rilcU

I. i ji r-im__fcn -j> Siyud <fc_j-_twi

thjt . _._r_ir>

._>!::_! ( _ ltd. riehi'. wEk.-n

r_B*-.li-_-^el_jrTBi. _. i . utJ c.J.

v-va^-viict^-kn. ibI-mw.^^

Cicvii. Mite. r,_i:... __i ., k. L.nt _._n

tvr iKri-r .rh-^sn. r_H_.\: t*_ (r_r_-.l.-. *

<4_ch 4n red I. jn a>t_n. it\ Irutb, >i* , ,A*

ml r_L__ (fhc _R_-_f_rel tu__ .j >>!__.-_

.1 -1 1 . 1 i. j ..L .>

't'Ktl, -r".__ i.-

white - [1 _ lu_ j. _

rouh . u :__ . viriatcmi _ .- I. .. . i

n> [.! _lti!t. r !i -te r> rvf__a .id *. _. L__L

rrxJr. tr.-m i _irta___K.hu_aJi ilv

LHetnnuri-l Strrlc I Rrti_r_ Not j lk_(> I Qm

Interpreter is doing the sign for color.

a_k_:"[T)_______*

j-_tti .-._toJ rciic__t

rti__ .-_-_>> .InLaHt (arait <u^_: ;, k.i

ratml tlu> -_*! _ r<(->__.* Ji. _.-J_,i<i

Ey.-tn. -tutaiJl.v- mJ .i,'l_i tv-fi _otr

Kb lbj_e .-K_n_ti-n_n;v hn tf_nnoJ ,:'.,*.

. li :> ToJl, ."_jir.lclurt> ifnl:<, l4 ^_i*'

U_ ua_B_ tilit JL... ui'. ._: li_i- ... ____

auxcJ witli .-_.)

^lfc_U -vettiM;. -iuie _______c*_; u

..-._F, lr,. ., .,., uo -Skh liur ,

r_.p rr-.-n*

1.:- ! +if (, -rH-.t .t( it.-

,1

-.^jb-. Ir._t _ iitf*3__ j-B^B-fMm; al! _,

I ^"- 1

Interpreter is saying the pronunciation for color.

13

Signs/Pronunciation:

Since this project focuses on art

history, art signs can be confusing

with the signs that are not related to

art because words can have more

than one definition. It is important

for the deaf user, fluent in sign

language, know the appropriate signs.

Form (noun)

Trace an imaginery form (shape) in front of

you with the"A"

hands.

The primary audience are deaf

students, interested in art history,

and pronunciation of vocabulary

words can be confusing for them.

Included in this project are phonetics

to help with pronunciation.

Phonetics is a study of speech sounds

and their production, classification,

and transcription. During the

Word

Brushwork

Color

Composition

Form

Impressionism

-<-

Phonetics

BR-UH'SH werk

KULer

kahm pah-ZISHun

FORm

im PRES shun-iz um

Form (verb)

Trace an imaginery document in front of

you with the"F"

hands.

pronunciation stage, phonetics is

shown under the video. This enables

the user, especially hearing impaired,

to pronounce the word more

effectively than diacriticial markings

that are found in dictionaries for

pronunciation purposes. Comparision

between phonetics and diacritical

markings are shown below.

Diacritical Markings

brushwurk

kul'si

kom'p 3zish'

3 n

form

impresh'

sniz'

a m

14

Brushwork

? _

Using the fingertips of the right open hand as a brush, draw them back and forth

across the left palm hand. Or, use two fingers if indicating with a smaller brush.

15

Color

Place the"FIVE"

hand in front of the mouth and wiggle the fingers as the hand

moves away very slightly

16

Composition

Place both"C"

hands in front of you, palms up; move both hands downward in a

curvature motion.

17

Form

Trace an imaginary form in front of you with the"A"

hands.

18

Impressionism

\

T

^

\

'^

i

M

R

S

S

I

o

N

I

M

The word, Impressionism is

done by fingerspelling.

19

Introduction

Styles

2tior.Lary ^^ Artists ^^ HistoryMenu

i j i , i

i

-*

BiographyMenu

Artwork

Menu

i i

20

Conclusion:

Computer Graphics is the future.

It was not too long ago, when it was

first introduced. Computer Graphics

has been a tremendous advantage to

the graphic industry because of its

ability to provide us with endless

possibilities. The role it plays is very

broad. There are numerous

applications to learn. Designers can

go into different directions such as

interactive multimedia, animation,

art, photography and electronic

publishing.

The overall purpose of this thesis was

to learn about interactive multimedia

and its possibilities. The final

project was satisfactorily completed.

I can say that from this thesis, I have

become more aware and

knowledgeable. This project has

been a tremendous advantage to my

learning in that area. I am happy to

have chosen to be in the field of

Computer Graphics. I can pursue my

goals in learning new applicatons

that I find challenging and fun and

would highly recommend to anyone

interested in Computer Graphics or

Interactive Media to go to RIT.

I feel my work will reflect a whole

new beginning for people who have

no experience or familarity with

computers. I love making interactive

educational programs and hope that

it will enable people to feel

comfortable and know learning new

things can be fun.

21

Acknowledgements:

Special thanks to Professor Robert P.

Keough and Professor James C.

Ver Hague for their tremendous

technical expertise, sharing of their

knowledge, great support and sense

of humor.

Thanks to my Associate advisor,

Professor Jack Slutzky for seeding the

idea for this project.

A great debt and admiration to my

client and mentor, Professor Sidonie

Merkel Roepke for her timeless

efforts and encouragement for

making this project a reality. Her

inspiration and guidance were crucial

to the completion of my work.

Thank you to Joy P. Duskin for her

assistance with sign production and

word pronunciation.

And thank you to Scott P. Leone

for his assistance with the sound

production.

22

Bibliography:

H.H. Arnason. History of Modern Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,

Publishers, 1978.

Majorie Elliott Bevlin. Design Through Discovery, An Introduction to Art and

Design. (6th ed.). New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1991.

Horst De La Croix., et al. Art Through the Ages. (9th ed.). New York: Harcourt

Brace College Publishers, 1991.

William H. Gerdts. Lasting Impressions. Illinois: Terra Foundation for the Arts,

1992.

William H. Gerdts. Masterworks of American Impressionism. New York: HarryN. Abrams, Inc., 1991.

Frederick Hartt. Art, A History of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture. (3rd ed.).

New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1989.

UlrichW Hiesinger. Impressionism in America. Munich: Prestel-Verlag, 1991.

Robert Hughes. The Shock of the New. (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill,

Inc., 1991.

Lottie L. Riekehof. The Joy of Signing. Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1978.

The Editors of The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. The New Painting:

Impressionism 1874 - 1886. Switzerland: Richard Burton, 1986.

Musical Scores:

Brahms, Allegretto grazioso. Symphony no. 3 in F Major, Op. 90.

23