This is an illustration by one of my favorite artists, Arthur Rackham. When I was in Midsummer Night's Dream a few years ago, the fairies had to hold up branches and cover themselves whenever they were supposed to be hidden onstage. For my fellow tree dancers, we had a mantra: "Be the bush"
~marissa

I just realized I have a webcam! Also realized that I can use it to take pics (since I don't have a camera), so I can finally put up my collage:) The theme is activism: one side represents the peaceful protesters fighting for nature's rights, the other side is far more militant and I used images with a lot of black, white, and red. In the center, there is a burst of brilliant color, with a small platform and a picture of Pete Seeger performing back in the 60s, before he was blacklisted for antiwar lyrics.
~marissa

Here are some sketches I did while we were planning out our Environmental design project.
~marissa

The Wave- Paul Gauguin

 I went to the Paul Gauguin art exhibit when I was in Tahiti a few years ago. This was my favorite painting, however I really enjoyed many others. His work really reflected the culture of the south pacific islands. The colors and the way he depicted the people are very pretty. This is my favorite though because I love that he used the colors red and yellow in a wave.

 -Stacy

paint.

I stumbled upon this painting through google images. It reminded me of our theme of seasons. I think the colors that were used are really interesting in addition to the shapes used to form the trees. It's really neat that a bunch of squiggle shapes and circles can come together and form the figure of a tree, and I like the way that the artist used circles on top of circles in different colors to make them stand out more.

-Stacy

Different Doors

I was looking at this and it made me think about how something so simple as a door can represent so many different things. Each door in this is completely different, and the design of it gives the viewer an idea of what lies behind that door, what type of room it is etc. Its just cool how just the color, or shape can give away so many other clues about something you can't see.

-Stacy

The Scene as Machine

- If the stage scene should no longer exist in order to imitate or impersonate a pre-existing material reality, then what should it look like?
- Metaphor of the scene as a machine (a physical construct that theatrically locates and enables the public act of performance)
- Buhnenbildner - The stage picture-maker
- The metaphor and the implications of the scene as machine still have considerable contemporary relevance.
- Edward Gordon Craig
- Craig emphasized the mechanical reality of the stage constructions.
- Craig's screens function within performances, firmly established the idea of the scene as machine.
- Represents places that the act of performances are indicated. In this way, the screens created a place for performances that might represent imaginatvely simultaneously responding to the movements of the actor.
- Craig's belief in the aesthetic and functioning of the screens underpinned his shows.
- The act of living performance as it encountered the imagination of the audience. He suggests that the act of theatre takes place upon this liminal place of meeting, and that therefore the arts of scenography and architecture must combine to create these places that generate the potnetial for performance.
- Appia's drawings reveal little.
- Appia's scenographies for Wagner's music dramas are machinese for performance and like any good machine they work in intimate partnership with those who control their perception in time.
- The artist must explore seemingly abstracted neutral surfaces. The should understood that the physical scenography would be given form, colour, texture and possibly even dimension by the use of light. While light gives the actor the life of the story on stage.

The Stage is a Dangerous Machine

by Aronson

George Tyspin has emerged as the primary designer of the postmodernism movement.
His range of work is astonishing. a film that he has designed is called The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez.
He also recreated an environment for a one man show of his design-inspired sculptures at the Twining Gallery in New York.
He was awarded an Obie for his design work.
Metal is his favorite material because it is a material capable of sleek beauty and strength but also capable of distortion and decay.
There is usually a physical danger on his sets. A good example of the way he uses metal is in the Opera "The Electrification of the Soviet Union".
He received an MFA in design from New York University in 1984 at age of thirty.
His work style is the hallmark of the so-called postmodern style. His approach is organic.
His set design is different, he concentrates on the architecture or the props and the buildings on the stage.
Tyspin would rather do theater than movies because theater is more imaginative and film is more realistic. The imaginary space that you don't see onstage is the actual life essence of the show. He take time to create his sets and this sets him apart from all the American designer.
He puts a lot of love into his models of the sets.
He thinks European productions are more daring than American productions and he wants to get away from safe.
Glass has a lot of poetry in it ans goes to the heart of theater it take light in such a beautiful way.
Directors and actors envision the world differently.

The World on Stage notes

- the stage is a reflection of the world
- In theater it might not show the whole life cycle of the character
- In both life and on stage every object has a meaning to it or a representation
- How the viewers view an object might be very different then the actors
- Viewers might have knowledge that the actors don’t
- illusions might be presented to the viewer for an in depth view of the actors mind
- Macbeth is one play that used these styles of creating illusions
- Wording in theater is written to express the up most feeling to show the audiences
- A stage show might not be realistic to real life yet the similarities is around every corner
- Usage of “double vision” help enhance the effects
- Various effects has been put to use such as smokes and mirrors
- With drama, there is a more usage of suspension and disbelief
- Stage animals are used to reflect the real world
- Animals might be trained or put to sleep for the set
- Some people are surprised by the fact that a real dog is in the play
- With all the props and stage its always up to the actors to tell the story
- An act could be viewed as a piece of art if one choose to see it that way
- The process of preparing for the stage is not seen but only what is shown to the audience
- To create a play as if it was a reality show whit you along every step
- Montigny begins insisting that the stage is resubliming more and more like the real world
- With more knowledge of the play would then the actors be able to present it more realistically
- Each of the ideas and knowledge behind theater can be trace be in history

Notes: Richard Foreman as Scenographer

Richard Foreman as Scenographer:

¨     Said to be like “no other design work of the American theatre, now or in the past”

¨     Text, Character, language, sound, space, thought, décor are all aspects of a single entity in Foreman’s world.
¨     Sets evoke a sense of wonder and exhilaration because of his attention to detail and juxtaposition of images and objects.
¨     Likes to make the entire stage ( every inch) participate in the moment because he assumes the spectator is watching the whole stage at all moments of the play.
¨     Tends to direct “ frontally”. Which is achieved in part through the employment of multiple framing devices, setting the stage off from each the audience as well as differentiating objects and performers from each other within the stage space.
¨     Likes to have his sets with a homemade quality about them.
¨     Somber, monochromatic color schemes are common, such as browns, blacks and grey.
¨     When he uses bring colors, such as red, they are muted and flat.
¨     The somber quality is reinforced by strange and eerie lighting that helps illuminate the darkness of the stage
¨     He typically has elements of Victoriana- lamps, overstuffed furniture, fringe etc, that create haunting echoes of a bygone era. Which is supposed to make the audience feel a sense of nostalgia and a sexual aura.
¨      “ props play a crucial role in the productions and it is often individual props that will linger in the spectators mind ling after seeing a play, such as dolls heads, skills, legal pads on clip boards, and armoire, globe etc.”
¨     Making the familiar strange lies at the root of his theatre, not terror, per se.
¨     Element that is most identified as Foremanesque: String.
¨     Strings crisscross the space of the stage and even the auditorium to connect objects and points within the space.
¨     Strings frame, focus, they function as line of force or energy, and inevitable, they disrupt the field of vision.
¨     Foreman’s most ideal set is his living room. “ I wish I could just get it (the stage) to feel visually, like this room where I am sitting”
¨     His designs all establish two forms of energy, two tensions. There are reverberating ideas and images that bounce around the contained space of the stage.
¨     Thrives for the state of involved observation, “ being at a party but not being involved in the festivities”
¨     1970’s- 1980’s used devices such as shining lights into the spectators eyes and harsh noises. More recently has started using sheets of Plexiglas hung in front of the stage. Clear, but gives the sense of its presence. Like viewing the play through a window.
¨     Claims many of the intent or meaning to particular visual choices is purely just by accident.
¨     Compares the process of designing is similar to the process of writing, “ the scenographic environment evolves through thumbnail sketches, to a rough model to the final version.
¨      If he could have it his way, he would prefer to start rehearsing with out any set, and then later decide what the set would be, but he can’t accomplish this because of time constraints.
-Stacy

Video of Seasons

So I was trying to find a clip that I saw on Planet Earth of the transition of summer to fall to winter from an aerial view of a forest. I haven't had luck yet finding that specific clip but I'm going to keep searching because it was truly AWESOME.  But, I did find this video that was just cool in general but it also had a similar scene of the tree transformation. Make sure to watch around 6 min 45 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcCXYU8Gdg0

enjoy!- Stacy

getting work done!

The Mad Patterns had a very long meeting tonight to work on our live design project some more. I think we accomplished a lot but still have a lot to do to make sure that we blow you away with our presentation. :) I hope everyone caught my pun. ( I am the wind...)

Good Job today group!!

-Stacy

A few more random drawings

Here are a few more that I drew. 

I drew a snowman because we were doing our presentation on fall to winter and I had been thinking of wintery things. The flower is just because I was thinking about spring time.

-Stacy

Random Drawings Done In Class

These are random things I have drawn in my sketchbook in class. Very random.

Can anyone tell I like the ocean??:)

-Stacy

Didn't have a camera, but then, there was bluetooth. :D

Soooooooo
I don't really own a camera, but I have a dvd recorder.. but I needed a picture of my collage on the blog. Recently, I found out how to set up bluetooth on my blackberry, and now, I used my phone to put up my picture!! I was very excited when I realized what I did, and now, I can post my beautiful collage. :D

It was fun doing it. I chose a few things I thought was what represented me. Even the cosmetics on the collage, I've either use them now, or used them before. And others, I thought that it was important, especially in a girls life. So, this collage is either I was interested in it, I use/used it, or just made me agree with what they had to say. I hope this collage shows a few things about me, and also following the assignment, :) but, I heard just make a collage, and I did, and made it relate to myself a bit too. Thanks everyone!!

~Celia

Here is a picture of out group, picture taken when we were meeting up one Wednesday night at the library =D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdsZT7WKjW8

Merry Unbirthday Bus Stop!

Picture of the bus stop

So right after we decorated the bus stop, I was one of the last ones to leave, because I was literally waiting for a bus at our decorated stop. I went on the bus, and there were about 5 people, all of them staring at the beautiful set we did. One got off the stop, and went to the box, and they were asking if the person that did this, forgot the presents. The guy that got off the bus went towards the boxes, and pushed it, making sure if it was heavy or not. Well the box fell and he picked it back up. People were smiling and asking what was this about, but I thought it was a very good idea. Many people enjoyed it, and when I heard all these comments, I smiled. Well, here's a picture for right now. Video is hopefully coming! I just need a desktop of some sort..
Thank you for the people that came!! It was a brilliant idea overrall and was enjoyable!!

Birthday At The Bus Stop

The Mad Pattern's environment design project was a success! The family student housing bus stop was decorated head to toe on Friday the 15th for a bus stop birthday party complete with paper chain streamers, balloons, cupcakes, presents and party hats! Hope everyone was able to catch a glimpse of it!

-Stacy

Ps. Videos to come shortly! 

Interview with Thomas Choe

Thomas Choe, a 4th year student at UCSC, graduating this year, was nice enough to answer a few questions we had about the film program, which was very interesting..

1. Why did you choose Santa Cruz?
-Because it was that or Merced.. or the Military..

2. What inspired you to get into your major?
-I like movies but I don't like studying.

3. When you work in the environment what kind of materials do you use?
-Cameras, lights, action?

4. What student films/ activities have you done?
-5 or 6 student films, helped in a ton of them and part of Moxie, a student run organization

5. What is your most interesting film production that you have done?
-Filming in a garlic warehouse and the garlic powder was so strong, that our eyes was watering, nose running, while trying to make a movie.. ridiculous.

6. Who is your idol?
-Justin Lin

7. Do you want to stick with this after you are finished with school?
-Fuck yeahhhhhhhhh..

8. Why do you focus more on film rather then stage work?
-Because theater acting lacks subtlety because that's just what theater acting is. Plus if you mess up in film, you can re-film it.

9. What is the first thing you usually think about when starting a film?
-Usually the story. Not many film makers in Hollywood think about the story first.

10. What advice would you give to a future film major?
-Ummm.. find one point of aspect in film making and pursue it. Whether it will be writing, filming, etc, stick with it.

Seeing someone from the film production gave us a quick view of how the film program worked.

We thank Thomas for his time and hope for the best in the future!!

Part of our plan to decorate the bus stop by Family Housing was to make it a fun, enjoyable space. It seems like they had the same idea here.

Art & Life Underground

I saw this and it immediately reminded me of our environmental design project. The designer used these cute pieces of art that he created to give a little more life and fun to a rather boring and dirty environment, the subway station in New York City!

-Stacy

http://www.tomotterness.net/exhibitions_subway.html

Dance Of 1,000 Hands

This is a really cool video that my mom sent me! What makes it so amazing is that all 21 of the dancers are deaf. They rely on signals from trainers at the four corners of the stage. The first major international debut was in Athens at the closing ceremonies for the 2004 Paralympics.

-Stacy 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHmSdpjEIk

Stacy's collage

Hey everyone! Here are two pictures of my collage, (a full and an up close picture). I decided to do a wave pattern because I love the ocean. The waves help represent the idea of metapatterns because it is a repetitive shape. Also I stuck with a color theme of many shades of blues and some grey, purple, and green! Each part of the wave is a different pattern in itself which is shown through the different designs and textures of the pieces of magazine! I drew in a sun in one corner using oil pastels, and tried to keep the shape of the wave in mind when drawing each ray of the sun! Hope you like it!- Stacy

Ps. The pictures are backwards, whoops!

Random Thought

Today I was walking to class and i saw a door slightly open to the hallway i was about to go into. I stopped and thought about how this could be used in a potential set design. I figured that it would be in a dramatic play because the way that the door was opened it gave and eerie feeling to the environment. 

Meeting 5-6-2009

Today we all got together and discussed our environmental plan and our interview. We figured out what we wanted to accomplish with the environmental plan (see post below) and what we wanted to focus on. We chose a date that we will be doing it and how we are going to do it. We also decided who we are going to interview and the questions we will be asking them. We were able to collaborate and get things done this evening. 

Interview Questions

1. Why did you choose Santa Cruz?

2. What inspired you to get into your major?

3. When you work in the environment what kind of materials do you use?

4. What student films/ activities have you done?

5. What is your most interesting set design that you have done?

6. Who is your idol?

7. Do you want to stick with this after you are finished with school?

8. Why do you focus more on film rather then stage work?

9. Is the set that you will be working with the first thing you think about?

10. What advice would you give to a future film set designer?

Environmental Design

Here are some of our ideas for our environmental design:

Balloons

-purple

-blue

Table Covers for the benches

Plastic- ware for wind chimes

Chalk

We want to focus on three points. We want everything to be in a triangular shape. We want them to reflect the shape through everything that we put up. We plan to do this on the Family Housing bus stop. 

Hullo! I was just thinking about our bus stop plans and I found this online:

retroyakking.today.com/2009/03/09/happy-bus-stop-destruction-day

I thought it was interesting, especially that some police join in.

My Collage

This is my collage of the stage from the side angle. It shows off stage, stage right.

Member Bio

Hello :) my name is Nancy but I dislike that name very much, so all my friends call me Tricia. I am the costume designer of The Mad Patterns. This is my second year at UCSC and I am affiliated with College Eight. I am originally from LA and Orange County areas. I am majoring in just plain Biology and plan on being a zoologist. I am a really bad speller and my favorite color is green.
- Tricia

To whom it may concern....

Hii!! My name is Celia and I am the stage manager of Mad Patterns. I am 18 years old as a first year at the University of California, Santa Cruz, affiliated with College Eight! My hometown is good ol' Bakersfield and I was born and raised there, and really, Bakersfield is not that bad. A lot of people think that it's really boring and there's just cows and fields, but there's more to it! We have some bomb candy and ice cream, in my opinion.. anyway, my major right now is Music Major and is considering Business Management Econ, and I would LOVE to do a do something in the theater major/minor also. Throughout my high school, I've done theater productions and many theater projects, so I have a few theater jobs (like stage managing) that I have experience with. Hm.. I think that's basically it. Oh yeah, hopefully in the future, I want to do something in the entertainment business as a manager, or really anything behind the camera.

For our environmental design project we, the Mad Patterns, propose to decorate a bus stop with balloons and streamers. We will use them in a manner that accentuates the proscenium-like structure of the bus stop, the open entry and exit ways on either side of the bench, and its function as a meeting place, path marker and point of transition (from one location to another). Hopefully, the party decorations will serve as a lasting reminder of the life that is constantly passing through the bus stop.

We just need to decide on the Who:

What: (what specific decorations will we use?)

When:

Where: (which bus stop exactly?)