Jamie: Gothic Architecture…

The gothic period began in France and went from the 12th Century to the 16th century. This period brought along many new styles and characteristics. This period brought many new styles that have made Europe iconic for such buildings. The period emerged after the renaissance period which made architecture more of an art form than a way to make buildings, all deriving from their roundness arches.

New characteristics that were brought about were higher ceilings, pointed archways, and the ribbed vault. Many architectural buildings that are connected to the gothic architectural period are cathedrals, churches, town halls and even universities. Within these buildings, it is here that the style of gothic really shined to the public.

During the 12th century, Europe was a lot less united and their was peaceful competition between such communities. Much of this was between Germany, France, Italy and Venice during their boom in trade each trying to outdo one another with more technical architectural structures.

Much of their materials to make such beautiful buildings are limestone, granite,

sandstone and marble. Many of the plans are made from the Latin cross base, meaning
that the central design is in the shape of a cross. Another factor of the architecture is the height, generally the churches and cathedrals were taller than they were wide. The new and higher arches began to become the skeleton of the building. With the development of these arches, new styles emerged, the most common being, the Lancet Arch, the Flamboyant Arch, the Depressed Arch and the Equilateral Arch, each holding their own purpose.

These beautiful buildings have become the iconic architecture to Europe during the Gothic period. Such famous buildings include, Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral, Milan Cathedral, and the Chartres Cathedral. Each building holds its own beauty, and power to entice its onlookers.

Bibliography:
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/ent/A0821376.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/architecture/gothic
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/gothic/gothic.jpg
http://historylink101.com/lessons/art_history_lessons/ma/gothic_architecture.htmhttp://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/org/orion/eng/hst/gothic.html

P N G-Face Painting-

Papua New Guinea is one of, or if not the most diverse nations in the world, due to it’s climate and geography
There are hundreds of ethnic groups indigenous to Papua New Guinea, the majority being from the group known as Papuans, whose ancestors arrived in the New Guinea region tens of thousands of years ago.



Papua New Guinea has more languages than any other country in the world, with over 820 indigenous languages, representing twelve percent of the world's total.



A spine of mountains runs the length of the island of New Guinea, forming a densely inhabited highlands region.

People of the highlands engage in colourful native rituals that are called "sing sings".
They paint their faces and body’s, and dress up with feathers, pearls and animal skins to represent birds, trees or mountain spirits.



Sometimes an important event, such as a legendary battle, is
Re-enacted at such a musical festival.



Face and body painting is a complex process of preparation requiring the combined efforts of whole families and tribes.



Formerly, most pigments came from natural clays in yellow, white
and rust colours. Sometimes these were baked in leaf packets to intensify the colour. Other sources were vegetable dyes, charcoal and powdered white lime from shells.
Paint brushes where originally made from chewed up twigs,



Now day’s stores sell packets and bottles of commercial paints, which are favoured for their ease of use and more brilliant colours.



The culture of Papua New Guinea is many-sided and complex. It is estimated that more than a thousand different cultural groups exist in PNG.



Because of this diversity, many different styles of cultural expression have emerged; each group has created its own expressive forms in art, dance, weaponry, costumes, singing, music and architecture.



BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea
http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts/nuguinea/bilas/bodyart/pigment/pigmenta.htm
http://www.artforconservation.org/cristina.htm
http://encarta.msn.com/media_461531274/papuan_mask.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Papua_New_Guinea

Josh - OCEANIA - New Zealand

Tiki
The word Tiki means Penis and is regarded as a good luck charm when worn and in some areas is also regarded as a fertility symbol. It is a very ancient symbol. The greater meaning isn’t understood, so there are a number of legends about its meaning. Some say he came from the stars and that he was the first man of the world. He is also often depicted with webbed feet which suggest a strong link to the creatures of the sea.

The Maori carvings have special significance. The pre-European Maori had no written language so tribal history and the stories of the gods were kept with the complex wood, bone, shell and jade carvings that were handed down through generations of tribal elders and became sacred objects "Taonga" in telling the history of a tribe and taking on the spirits of past great leaders and warriors.
Pendants, jewelry and various tools such as needles, spear tips and fish hooks made from bone developed into a fine art form with great importance being placed on every piece, many of which took years to make using stone tools. Some have inlays of precious stones or colourful shell. Every piece has a meaning behind the design.
The Maori have a great respect for nature and have many legends about the creation of the earth. Many of these legends revolve around the spirits or gods who created or protect each part of their world such as the mountains, the forests, the lakes and the creatures of the sea. This is seen in the smooth curves of the tiki’s
There are two kinds of Jade, Jadeite and Nephrite. The common names for Nephrite are Greenstone. Nephrite is found in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Russia. Nephrite is a silicate of calcium and magnesium and Jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminum.


http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/tiki/about.htm
http://jadefactory.com/wa.asp?idWebPage=16512&idDetails=106
http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/M/MaoriArt/MeaningAndSymbolism/ENZ-Resources/Standard/3/en
http://blog.humuhumu.com/category/australia-new-zealand/
http://www.aotearoa.co.nz/tiki/gallery.htm

ALEC: Hawaiian Tattooing

Imagine having a sharp claw, beak or fish tooth dripping with ink plunged into your skin. Feels comfortable? Well to early Hawaiian society this was just a simple part of life. Whether it be for celebration or self expression tattooing with these quintessential tools has deep roots within the Hawaiian and wider Polynesian culture. It is also form of identification and a representation of a particular tribe.

Traditional tools used for the art of tattooing were mainly found objects from nature; whatever the tattooist could get their hands on. There was no set tool. Tattoo artists would sharpen the object against rocks to achieve and maintain optimal sharpness.

Not only were tattoos eye catching but often had a deeper more personal meaning than their Polynesian neighbours. Hawaiian tattoos on a mans body signified a benchmark of status. The defining characteristics of a high status tattoo included the quantity of ink applied to the face as well as the intricacy of the patterns. Being a chief or part of a chief’s family with in a society meant that you were worthy of ‘getting ink’ from highly skilled artists. Tattoos were mainly reserved for the face but it was not uncommon for women to display tattoos on their hands, feet, fingers and calves Women’s tattoos and the general public got their tattoos from apprentices’ artists.

The designs involved in Hawaiian tattooing evolved from flowing geometrical and symmetrical artworks into more pictorial forms as European influence began to infiltrate their culture.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/29/65056523_72396ea0a6.jpg

www.indianchild.com/art/traditional_hawaiian_tattoos

JADE_Samoa

Samoa

Samoa was first settled some 3,000 years ago when people from South East Asia began to migrate towards the Pacific islands.

Samoans had gods of their own. The Samoan culture is centered around the principle of vāfealoa'i, the relationships between people. These relationships are based on respect, or fa'aaloalo. When Christianity was introduced in Samoa, most Samoan people converted. Currently 98% of the population identify themselves as Christian. The other 2 percent either identify themselves as irreligious, or do not belong to any congregation.

As with many Polynesian islands with significant and unique tattoos, Samoans have two gender specific and culturally significant tattoos. For males, it is called the tatau and consists of intricate and geometrical patterns tattooed that cover areas from the knees up towards the ribs. A male who possess such a tatau is called a soga'imiti. A Samoan girl or teine is given a malu, which covers the area from just below her knees to her upper thighs.

One area of Samoan design, which really stands out, is in the construction of Samoan fale. The roof of the building was made from a very complex arrangement of rafters and beams, bound together in a special way with rope made of sinnet. This method of construction leads to the formation of superb patterns on the inner surface of the roof.
The graphic arts seem to be equally devoid of activity with the exception of one area, that of tapa. Tapa is a material usually made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree. In Samoa it served as clothing, sail material and a way of expressing wealth. It was usually decorated with a reddy-brown or black pigment in intricate geometrical designs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1842.htm
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ws.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108149.html
http://www.samoa.co.uk/
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1842.htm
http://www.janeresture.com/samoahome/index.htm
http://www.samoa.co.uk/history.html
http://www.janesoceania.com/samoa_chron_history/
http://history1900s.about.com/library/world/blxsamoa.htm

Govinda - Maori Greenstone Pendants

Maori Greenstone Pendants

The pre-European Māori had no written language so their tribal history and the stories of the gods were kept using many forms of fine arts and crafts. Pendants, jewellery and various tools such as needles, spear tips and fish hooks fashioned through greenstone (jade) carving developed into a fine art form. Great importance was placed on every piece, many of which took years to make using stone tools.

The Maori word for greenstone is Pounamu. The stone is also known as Nephrite (jade) and Bowenite (serpentine) and is semi precious. The New Zealand variety is found only the rugged west coast of the South Island. Colours vary considerably from a light green to almost black.

The greenstone designs, which all have special meanings to the Maori people, range from very detailed Heitiki (human like) carvings to the simple, yet beautiful spirals and fish hooks. The fish hook for example represents strength and determination and brings peace, prosperity and good health. It also provides a safe journey over water.

The greenstone is polished to give a smooth and shiny finish that is beautiful to touch. They are usually around 5cm in length. Some older Heitiki carvings have red wax added around the eyes and others have New Zealand paua shell eyes. This Heitiki design is also used throughout Polynesia wooden sculptures and paintings.

Greenstone carving today is a strong as ever and is taking on many different forms as it fulfil the demands of the jewellery industry.

http://www.jadegallery.co.nz/maori_traditional.htm

http://www.nzgifts-souvenirs.co.nz/maori-greenstone.htm

http://www.nz-maori.com/

http://www.luxury-new-zealand.com/maori-jade-carving.html

http://www.fromnz.co.nz/catalog/category_170_Greenstone_carving.html

http://www.maori.info/maori_tiki.htm

http://jadefactory.com/wawcs0116514/tn-pendant-meanings.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki

Govinda - European Egg Painting

European Egg Painting

The tradition of decorating eggs goes back to pagan times in Europe where eggs where painted and given as gifts and used in celebrations, especially at the beginning of spring. Decorative eggs were also an aspect of the Christian church with the painted eggs being exchanged at Easter as a sign of new life. Painting and decorating eggs became a popular tradition in Russia and the rest of Europe.

There are various techniques that can be used to decorate the eggs, which are usually those of a chicken. They can be hand painted using a fine brush or the pattern can be applied by the process of wax-resist, similar to batik. While the chicken egg is still full, the design is sketched on. The egg is then dipped into a series of dyes starting with the lightest colour. In between the dips, more wax is applied and the pattern slowly builds up. The wax is then removed and the egg varnished. The inside is removed by drilling a small hole in the bottom and blowing it out.

The Ukraine is especially known for their egg paintings. Different regions of the Ukraine have their specialties for egg ornamentation. For example, Kiev painted eggs are multi-coloured (beginning with light pastel colours to dark ones), Podil eggs are decorated with delicate plant ornamentation, Lvov eggs are more geometrical, Gutsul eggs astonish by the difficulty of their thin geometrical ornament and bright yellow colour range. There are no limits to the possibilities for creativity.

Egg decorating made a revolution in 1884 when Peter Carl Fabergé, a Russian jeweller crafted a splendid egg for the Tsar of Russia to give to his wife, which became a tradition each year. These pieces are in museums and private collections worldwide.

http://www.passportmagazine.ru/article/211/
http://www.travelwithachallenge.com/Ukrainian-Eggs.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Carl_Fabergé

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_decorating_in_Slavic_culture

http://russian-crafts.com/egg.html
http://home.hiwaay.net/~christel/index.html
http://www.enchantedhen.com/eggart.html
http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/History-of-Easter-Eggs-AEasterEggHistory/