Tree Of Life Art History Project

Tree Of Life Art History Project

(Some of the below is my opinion because it cannot be found)

Do you know what is the tree of life? Tree of life is a big part of most human cultures, but what does it mean? It alludes the connections of every life in the world, or on the planet. It is a metaphor for descents of different cultures in evolutionary sense.

What is the tree of life actually for? What is its most important function? I think the most important function of the Tree of Life is to tell people how the world works. It is to tell people how the things are connected and related, and how everything is a part of the world. It is a philosophy of people in the past. I think it is really important in the past- people use it, follow it, learn it, agree with it, believe it. They have a better idea of the world with the tree of life.

The tree of life is important in the past. However, I think it is no longer important or useful in modern life, especially in more advanced places. I think so because now that we have science, now we know better than before about how the world works. And how we understand it is somehow different from the concepts of the trees of lives. The tree of life in some ways is a mythology for modern people. Science was against sayings like the tree of life. And Science seem to be taking over- Like you won’t think that there is really a Yggdrasil that connect the nine worlds together.

There are some tree of life that are really detailed and full of symbols. Why? This is because some cultures has a lot of ideas about how things work. They want to say so many things that they have to draw many things to represent them, in order to express all their ideas. That eventually bring the tree of life a lot of details and symbols. Some are really beautiful and decorated because the culture value their tree of life. Others are simple because they have one main based concept. This is why there are some tree of life that are very detailed while some are simpler.

Why is it the tree of life? Why would it be “tree” of life? Why would it be tree of “life”? Also, how are they created? Life is complicated, in the past, people might not understand about life. Therefore, they start to think about what is life, they want to use something to represent life- about how life works, how life is related, what is life… They chose trees. Why? Different cultures choose different things actually. There is a representation of life I like which is a tree. How and why was it created? It is created because people want to have a better understanding of life, they want to express ideas of life. How is it created? Frankly, there is no specific ways. Different cultures created the tree of life with different ways. I will tell you about the tree of life I like and how it is created.

I like the Celtic tree of life because it is simple and it is really meaningful to me. It is designed by a Welsh artist, Jen Delyth, in the 1990s decade. This is one of the celtic tree of life drawings:

What does it actually mean or represents? How is it created? Why is their crosses and knots all around the tree? The tree of life is found in many culture including the celts. The crosses of Celtic origin incorporate tree symbols in their designs. The celtic tree of life represents the concept of nature’s forces that converge to create harmony and balance: It can be thought as how individual trees go together to form a whole forest. The trees are so tall and expansive they spread widely. They link together, forming knots and crosses, combining their forces of nature. Their existence provide home for thousands and thousands of species. The knots and crosses are also how everything in the nature connects and relate to each other. And they also represents cycles of stuffs. These are how the concepts of the celtic tree of life built, and how its design people thought of came out. These are also why the celtic tree of life is so important to celts. How does it connects to human? It is very simple, this tree of life shows us how nature gives us homes and how they nature is important to us. The celtic tree of life also represents how nature and human are related. I like and agree with the celtic tree of life and it’s concept. Why would I agree with it? It is because I like the nature very much and how it works by itself by its cycle. I like how nature is so pure and how they provide us resources and homes. I like how they form their big forest and let so many species live in it. I like how they fight through extreme and worst conditions. Therefore, I think trees in the nature is really important like how the value it. I like the design and the drawing of the celtic tree of life too. Why? I like how the lines connects and intersects. I like how the tree is so neat and its pureness in its design. I like it that it doesn’t have all messy symbols all over it, but it has one main design that shows everything.

By now, I hope you have a better understanding in the tree of life. Which tree of life do you like most? Why?

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

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tree-of-life-meaning.html

http://firstlegend.info/thetreeoflife.html

http://www.astrologyoftheancients.com/celtic-tree-of-life/

Reflection - Les Filles Perdues Á Paris

REFLECTION - LES FILLES PERDUES A PARIS  

Q 1 - YOU WORKED AS A WHOLE CLASS TOGETHER ON THIS PLAY. DID YOU FIND COLLABORATING EASY OR WAS IT CHALLENGING? EXPLAIN WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THIS PLAY WRITING PROCESS

I found collaborating okay. It wasn’t a big challenge but sometimes all of us have different ideas about: what scene to do, who are the characters, what should happen… Although we may have some disagreement, we all come up to agree with one. I think the most challenging part of the play is to think about what should be in the play (that was also when we were writing). We had quite an idea about what to happen, but then we had some changes because it’s a bit too complicated. That’s why we needed some time to think about what should we do.

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Q 2 - WHAT PART OF THIS PROCESS DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

I actually enjoyed creating the script. Although it was the most challenging part, we could put a lot of creativity in it, and we could also enjoy the fun of making a story/ plot by our own. I enjoyed it a lot.

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Q 3 - DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE A MORE CONFIDENT SPEAKER OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AT THIS POINT IN YOUR SCHOOL YEAR? GIVE REASONS FOR YOUR ANSWER

I still don’t feel very confident speaking in French. However, I feel much more confident reading (out loud) in French now than from the start of the year. I have a better management of pronunciation and vocabularies. I still don’t feel very good in speaking in French with myself. It’s because I still don’t have enough vocabularies I can express many things. Also, I can’t manage thinking the conjugation of verbs that quickly.

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Q 4 - IF YOU WERE TO DO THIS AGAIN WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE AND WHAT WOULD YOU KEEP AS IT IS

I don’t really have anything I want to change… I would like to change the plot a bit if we get more time to practise. We couldn’t do a long play because we didn’t have much time. I would like to make the plot more exciting/ thrilling where they may be lost with each other and then gather again; They can also explore more tourist attractions so it seems more completed. That would be more of a storyline where there’s a problem and it’s resolved at last. The whole play was really good and I liked it very much, and I think we all did a great job to make the play as good as possible.

Perdu Á Paris - Brief Introduction and Script

Brief Introduction: For the French Theatre Night, we, as grade 7 students, have prepared a play. We decided the topic and the scene of the play, made the characters, planned the plot, wrote the script, and performed it, all in French. The below is the script we wrote for our play: It is about two girls lost in Paris and exploring the place. We performed it with costumes and props.

Perdu á Paris

LES PERSONNAGE

LE NARRATEUR - ARNAV ET MATTHEW

LE POLICIER - SHAURYA

DEUX FILLES - IDA ET JESSELYN

LE MARCHAND DU CAFE - MICHAEL

LA TOUR EIFFEL - REX

BOUTIQUE DE CHANEL - UMAIR ET KAI

LE LOUVRE - KAJSA

Les Narrateurs: Bonjour nous sommes à Paris, il y a deux filles perdues. Les filles s’appellent Maria et Jess. Elles veulent aller au café avec des amis.

Maria: J’ai faim, je veux manger un croissant. Où est le café?

Jess: J’ai faim aussi, le cafe est à côté de la Tour Eiffel.

Maria : Oui!! Je bois du chocolat chaud et je mange un croissant aussi.

Les Narrateurs : Les filles entrent dans le café.

Michael: Bonjour! Je peux vous aider?

Jess:  Oui!  Je veux manger une crêpe et je peux boire un chocolat chaud?

Michael : Et vous madame? Que voulez vous?

Maria: Je veux manger un croissant et je peux boire un café?

Michael : Oui, attendez cinq minutes s’il vous plait.

(Jess et Maria parlent)

Michael : Voila le café, le chocolat chaud, le croissant et la crêpe. Bon appétit!

Jess et Maria : Merci!! (Elles mangent) L’addition s’il vous plait.

Michael : Voilà l’addition, ça fait 20 euros.

Jess et Maria : Voilà de l'argent!

Le Narrateur : Jess et Maria marchent et marchent et marchent. Elle sont fatiguées.

Maria : Où sommes nous Jess?

Jess: Je ne sais pas, nous sommes perdues! Oh non !

Les Narrateurs: Elles marchent vers le policier.

Jess: Excusez-moi! Où sommes nous?

Le Policier: Bonjour, Je suis le policier, quel est le problème? Je peux vous aider. Je protège des innocents!! Nous sommes à coté de la Tour Eiffel.

Jess et Maria: Où est la Tour Eiffel? Quel est le chemin?

Le Policier: Allez tout droit, tournez à gauche et voilà la Tour Eiffel!

Rex : Je suis la Tour Eiffel, je suis construit en 1889, pour célébrer 100 ans de la révolution française en 1789, je suis en fer et en acier. Je suis très très grand et très beau. Tout le monde monte la Tour Eiffel et apprecie la belle vue sur Paris, surtout les amoureux!

Jess: C’est magnifique, j’aime la vue.

Maria: Regarde là bas, c’est la boutique de Chanel. Allez , j’adore Numéro 5!

Les Narrateurs : Les filles entrent dans la boutique de Chanel. Elles sont tres excitées.

Kai et Umair: Je peux vous aider? Vous désirez le Numéro 5 ou Coco Chanel? Voulez - vous un sac à main? Il y a une solde!

Maria : Je désire Numéro 5 et Coco Chanel, deux parfums s’il vous plait!

Jess: Je préfère le sac à main!

Umair: Vous préférez un sac de quelle couleur? Un petit sac ou un grand sac?

Jess: Je préfère le grand sac noir.

Umair: Ah ce sac est très elegant. Je peux danser avec vous?

Jess: Absolument pas !!! Ca coûte combien le sac et les parfums?

Kai : Les parfums coûtent 100 euros et le sac coûte 250 euros!

Jess et Maria: Voilà la carte de credit!

Kai : Merci mesdames, à bientôt, au revoir!

Les Narrateurs: Les filles sont très contentes.

Jess: Ah voilà le policier encore!

Maria: Monsieur le policier, où est le musée ??

Policier: Bonjour madame! Le Louvre est à droite de la fontaine. Marchez tout droit, continuez  après le café bleu tournez à gauche et voilà - Le Louvre. Amusez - vous les filles!

Jess: Merci monsieur!

Les Narrateurs: Les filles marchent vers Le Louvre.

Le Louvre: Je suis le Musee du Louvre, le musée est tres grand, le musée est immense. Chez moi, il y a un chateau et une pyramide. Le tableau fameux de Leonardo da Vinci , Mona Lisa  habite chez moi!! Il y a beaucoup de visiteurs chez moi. Je suis magnifique!!

Jess et Maria: C’est fantastique, Paris c’est une tres belle ville.

We enjoyed the process and the performance. It was a great experience on stage. We also needed our creativity and good language for this. From the final product, we can see the good process we made.

3D Modelling - Evaluating

3D Modelling - Evaluating

The Product

Feedback from Peers

Good: It is very awesome and amazing. I kept the structure simple but had what people would want for a desk.

Bad: It is very modern but the flames on the side give it a kick. The flames make it look good and creative. It is good but the colour aren't that good and it is not suitable for adults and elders probably.

Improvements: The cabinets (shelves) can have a glass to make them look better. If it should be more for studying, the flames should be taken out.

I agreed all of the feedbacks. They all are true and very useful.

Feedback from Myself

How much did I fulfil the Design Specifications?
What I am making (the desk) is for myself. I think it is pretty good and I like it very much. It turned out better and more amazing than what I expected. Although the model is not printed and made into a physical desk yet, I can see that it is really usable, and it is practical. From how it looks and the design of it (that it doesn't stand with table legs but a huge solid bottom), it should be able to support properly. The thickness of different layers should be thick enough, so it should be durable. It is also made accurately to scale so it will fit where I'm putting it. It is also a unique desk with styles that I like and colours that matches the area. It also have most of the things mentioned needed in the design specifications. However, it is still missing the "thing for putting arms" thingy, and the "statue" of my head (which is also mentioned needed in the design specifications). I couldn't make it in time because couldn't figure out how to get it in sketchup before we are done with Creating the Solution. Still, that isn't the most important part of what I wanted and it wasn't the main idea of the project, so it is fine for me. All I want is a desk which is useable, practical, suitable for me, and specially designed for myself, which is done. I am satisfied and happy with the product.

The next step is to improve it. To take it to the next level, I would like to add what's left - my (statue of) head - which will make it much cooler and much more remarkable. I would also make it a little higher, because I realised before it just fits me. When I grow (which should be soon), it's too small and short for me. If I have a taller one now is ok, but a smaller one in the future is not. From the feedbacks, I think I will make the glass for the shelves although it is not printable (just to make the digital model look good). I would also re-consider the flames and fix it. To take it to the next level, I can also use like meshmixer to add names. And then the next step is of course to print it out. It would take a lot of cardboard and time though. Maybe I can do it in the holidays.

The Process

The process was pretty good. I used my time wisely and have made great decisions. The inquiring and analysing phase really helped me understand more about the softwares (which I used afterwards) while we are telling others about it. I also liked the developing ideas phase, and I did pretty well on it. It let me think precisely again and again about what would be the best choice for the best product I want most. It also make up my mind and I had a much clearer idea about what I was going to make. It also let me set a goal and have a high expectation to myself. I guess I did well because I really put some effort thinking and considering. I liked the Creating the Solution part the most. It was so fun to make it and so exciting waiting to see the final product. It was surely tough and I was struggling to do my best and to do most of the design specifications as I can. However, you know what happened.

In order to prevent that to happen again, I think the next time I do another project, or to continue this one, or to redo this one, I would surely learn everything and make sure I know them before creating the solution. That can make sure I wouldn't go into struggles and rushes again, then I can enjoy creating the solution more and have fun relaxingly.

My Peak Moment at Excursion

My Peak Moment at Excursion - Elephant Nature Park

     The peak moment at excursion is when we went to the elephant nature park. It changed the way I think about some animals. Before, I knew that animals are being abused and hunted down, but I didn't really pay attention that I was contributing to the problem. I went to zoos and watched shows and I enjoyed it. Maybe I know they are trained, but I maybe thought: "The training made the elephants so intelligent and let us enjoyed!" Now, after I have went to the elephant nature park, watched the documents and heard the stories. About how elephants are poked by sharp stick and hit by hooks; About how they don't get enough food from their owners from only feeding on the streets... Now that I see how glad the elephants are to be free in the park, I finally paid attention to that I was actually contributing to the solution, stoping them to get their freedom that they wanted - I was going to the zoos and paying for the zoos for souvenirs, and for going in; I was watching elephant and dolphin and different animal shows and I enjoyed it.

     Now, after that, my relatives came to visit us and to take a tour around Singapore. We went to the Singapore Zoo. I saw the amazing animals, but they were not in their homes. Although they get regular food and Singapore Zoo wasn't that bad to put animals in cages, they might not like the limited space and the limited amount of same species they are living with. Then we went to watch the Elephant Show. The elephants are trained to bow and to answer and to follow all kinds of different instructions. They are also asked to pull logs. I still don't think pulling logs are really difficult for them, but the trainings are should be tough. They are trained to do what they aren't born to do. They are trained to follow instructions of the manhoods and to do different actions and postures at specific moments. Those are not what they naturally do.

     I really learnt something during the peak moment in excursion.

3D Modelling - Creating The Solution

3D Modelling - Creating The Solution (Steps)

In this phase we will be creating the solution. In this post, I will be teaching you how to make a desk (my project) with the steps. In the next post (it's too long), is my process journal, including my problems in it.

NOTE: Please change the measurements depending on what you want and your size. Mine are just for references.
NOTE: Erase every extra line along the way.

NOTE: You may want to read some of the suggestions and reminders at the bottom first before you start.
NOTE: I don't suggest you to start until you finish reading the steps and instructions.

Step 1 - Download, Explore and Learn How to Use Sketchup

First, you would need google sketchup to do this project - making a desk for yourself (or someone). You would not need versions like pro or 8.0. The link would bring you to where you should download Google Sketchup: http://www.sketchup.com/download

After downloading google sketchup, you should explore it. Or if you want some tutorials to learn it directly, here they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjh9_iWiKeQ&list=PL12C9BABFE3C49962

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=workshop+addict+sketchup&sm=3

You might want to have a look at both and choose which series is more suitable for you.

Step 2 - The Basic Model of the Desk Without Anything

Accurately draw the 2D shape of the desk, and then pull it into 3D.

If you want to make the same desk as me,  follow the scale of the above drawing. It should be 70cm tall.

Step 3 - Going Into Detail And Making Shelves, Small "Wall", Pencil Container

a) Shelf

As it will be really hard to explain and read the measurements of the shelf, watch this screen recording. When you watch, please pay attention to the bottom when I type down the length.

This one shows you the thickness of the walls, and the depth of the shelf.

For the walls and the top layer, they are all 3 cm thick. For each layer separating top and bottom of the shelf, it should be 10cm thick. From the left one, to the one next to it, and to the closest one, the depth are: 17cm, 12cm, 29cm - respectively.

b) Small "Wall" on the Table Edge

Now it is time to make the small "wall" on the table edge. This is for preventing things from falling off the table. If you don't need it, you can skip that part. Draw a 2D shape with the height of 5cm and the thickness of 1 cm, at any point at the edge of the table (recommend to draw it on the side of shelf). Then use the "follow me" tool:

 to pull it all the way down to the corner of the table, and move the curser down the other side of the table edge (do not click when at the corner of the table edge).

c) Pencil Container

This is how you make the built-in pencil container. In the screen recording, it doesn't mention the location of the pencil container, it is up to you, but I recommend as close to the edge as possible.

You can choose to not do it five cm out and five cm in. It's because it may make the pencil container intersect with the drawers below.

Step 4 - Drawer, Paper Rack, Book Holder

a) Drawer & "Space for Putting Things Under the Desk"

NOTE: " " means "Space for Putting Things Under the Desk"
The next thing you should make is the drawer and the " ".

The video below is to show you the measurements for the drawer and the " ".

The thickness of the wall above and under is 3cm. The thickness separating the drawer and the " " is about 2cm thick. To make them, draw the 2D rectangle shape on the side of the table (with the separate distances to make the correct thickness of walls). Then use the push/pull tool to create the depth. If the pencil container is done going under, beware that the drawer might intersect with it, don't let that happen, so make the depth according to the pencil container.

To make the actual drawer (not the hole for it), make it 1 cm smaller than the hole in every dimension. Make sure all the wall are at least 1cm thick, otherwise, it might break easily. You may not want to make it too thick as it would take away the inside-space. Make the handle the way you like.

Actual Drawer

b) Paper Rack

You can decide the size of the paper rack depending on yourself. I'll teach you according to mine.

If you can see the brown area, that is the area of my paper rack that things can be put on - not including pillars is what I mean. The brown area is is 26cm wide, 33cm long - A little bigger than A4 paper.

Pull the back of the paper rack so that is ON the edge of the table (the red circle).

Each space (the red rectangles) is 8cm high. The two layers (the blue rectangles) in between are 4 cm thick. The pillars are 2 cm from the side, 3 cm from the front. All the pillars are done equally - either in the middle or a quarter from the edge (according to the top width - the pulled out one).

c) Book Holder

The below video is about all the measurements of the book holder.

Draw the 2D shape shown at first, and then pull it into a 3d shape. There are other instructions you might want to follow in there. You need to use an unfamiliar tool here - the protractor - Please learn it before using it.

That two thingy for "holding the book open" is not necessary.

Step 5 - "Place for Putting Legs", Hook, Cable Holder

a) Place for Putting Legs for Comfort

The measurements for this one depends on the length and size of your legs and feet. Make sure you don't make it too high: about half-way to your knee, almost to your gastrocnemius. I recommend the interior angle as you can see, to be 110º.

If you want to make a girder across to make it more stable, it should be around 2.5cm thick, and 8cm high.

b) Hook

The hook should be located at that part of the table.

Use the arc tool to draw the 2D shape of the hook. The 2D shape should look like this.

Use the "push/pull" tool to make it 4 cm wide.

c) Cable Holders

Cable holders are probably the hardest part of this. Watch the tutorial below and learn how to make one. Make it according to the size you want. Make one, copy-paste it and place it wherever else you want.

NOW ADD ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT (YOURSELF).

Step 6 - Style and Decoration and Colouring

Flames:

Draw the flames with the arc. And then draw two more inside the big one (or you can copy-paste and reset then size if you want). Then, pull the three 2D flame shapes into 1cm, 2cm, 3cm. You can do that inside to outside, or outside to inside. Then do more of them. You can colour it like how I did (look at the image) or you can choose your own colour. The back of the desk where you can't see is in red because it will match with the red cabinet in my home. You should choose your own colours and styles though to be more creative!

HOPE YOU ENJOYED MAKING IT!

Changes from previous phase:

1. The thingy for putting my arms on is pretty useless so I didn't make it.
2. I was struggling putting my head (statue) in sketchup and on the desk. I have decided that is not an important part of it. Therefore, I now skipped it.

Suggestions and Reminders:

1. Plan your work and time wisely and make sure you know everything before you start working on it.
2. Delete every extra line along the way, regularly or immediately.
3. If you find out there are hollows or surfaces disappear, try to undo it and erase the extra lines and do it again.
4. If you aren't sure what you're actually trying to make, re-read the passages again carefully. If what you're making is an idea of yours, not in these steps, stop and think carefully. You can also use these tutorials to help you:

http://www.sketchup.com/learn/videoshttp://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=workshop%20addict%20sketchup&sm=3http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjh9_iWiKeQ&list=PL12C9BABFE3C49962http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/73815

If you want to make a statue of your head (which is not shown is these steps), you can visit this website and learn how to use 123D catch:

http://www.123dapp.com/howto/catch