*BLEAT*

[Poofiemus]

It's primarily about how cultural and circumstantial perspectives affect both the way we view artwork and how such artwork is presented. I had to read it for my communications class, but it was actually interesting.

[Venomeye]

So what's a chapter about corrupt enterprises and advertising doing in there? Uhhhhhhhh. Still it sounds interesting, and that sounds like something to actually write about. Though sometimes I think some artists leave their work best to be conveyed by the bee holder (someone holding a bee). All seriousness aside, though that's probably not true for most of everything, and alot of it is straight-forward, sometimes without meaning and just a presentation of skill or just as itself. At least that's how I see it.

[Poofiemus]

Well, actually, Berger argues that, due to the comission process by which many famous paintings were made, certain allowances had to be made in order to satisfy and glorify the customer. Those paintings later became the classics, the standard by which most modern works of art are judged, and so those allowances are still frequently cropping up. Even when artists are just doing art to post for free on Deviantart, they still bow to those standards, and even add new ones to satisfy their devwatchers, such as a proliferation of fanart.

What publicity images are doing in Berger's book is to show how the art's purpose can affect what it's like, only to an extreme in advertising. It's different from most things written on advertising in that he doesn't tell you how to make a successful advertisement. Instead, he talks about the underlying viewer-picture dynamic that is present in all advertising.

[Venomeye]

I feel like we're kind of talking about two different things here. At least for the first half.

I understand what he means about their methods of exeucution and snakey ways of throwing a message on the screen. Half of buying anything is lookism (and is absolutely true and it's purpose in the point of things like toys/movies/adopted children), while things like cover art or flashy words can conceal anything you want it too, because I am absolutely convinced 90% of earth's population does not have the logical reasoning ability or common sense to really make any judgement in life.

[Poofiemus]

Pretty much Berger is saying that all art is subversive in a way. However, he explains in what way it is subversive, and even elaborates a bit into what sort of cultural ramifications those subversive messages have. If you read the book, it makes sense, I swear. Of course, for the sake of my class, I also read the book through the lens of the ritual view of communication, i.e. "Communication is the symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed." It's scary that I can quote that off the top of my head like that, isn't it? O.o

[Haruo]

Man, Poofie. I think you absorbed a lot more from your Comm Class than I did from mine. We didn't even get into artwork! ;

[cory5412]

I liked the com101 class, but COM200 is WAY interesting. Comm Theory for the win!

[Poofiemus]

I take 200 next semester. And really, all you have to do in my Comm class is memorize that phrase, and then warp everything until it can be described by it. Voila, instant A. XDD

[Pipe Organ Wolf]

Reminds me of my Psych 101 class. All you had to do was add some twisted Freudian interpretation, and the teacher would just adore it.

[Poofiemus]

Exactly! Except this is even easier, as you only have to memorize one concept.

[Pipe Organ Wolf]

And you probably don't feel like some kind of pervert when you're writing essays for your Com class.

[cory5412]

Hmm... If you're taking 200 next semester, I suggest Houser. She teaches in the morning, 8:a.m. and 9:10 a.m., but she's a really good professor - she's in it for the teaching, and she told us she has no interest whatsoever in tenure track.

As far as essays go, with Houser I actually only had to write one, there were one or two application activities, and other than that, it's just the reading+outlines (no big deal) and, y'know - using your brains.

[Poofiemus]

I've already laid out my schedule and squoze in the only one I could fit. ^^; My schedule next semester's going to suck. -_-

It's too bad, too, because she sounds cool.

[Venomeye]

*is wondering what courses to take for college*

I'm thinking about majoring in physics and computer animation. If "computer animation" is a major that is. I'm also going to 5-star general in a couple of things, and commander too. But I would never corporal in math.

That does sound like a good teacher. I have a bad habit of making good friends with almost every teacher I've ever had, I guess that's kind of geeky... but I miss them now.

[Poofiemus]

Venom, that's almost creepy. My original plan was to major in animation and minor in physics. O.o But in the end the closest to animation I could come was Visual Communications, and I ended up with a Japanese minor because the college physics courses apparently get scary quick. ^^; I think the only place where you could major in animation is at a hard-core art school.

I've made friends with some of my teachers too, though not neccessarily good friends. It's even easier in college because there's less of that "Me adult you child" barrier.