Emotional Gesture
"There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. "
 Martha Graham.:(The mother of modern dance,)


"Anger"
S. Clemente. 2000

Gesture is about the emotional meaning of the human body in space. It is fundamental in all of the visual arts and music. Gesture's expressive power springs from our natural ability to interpret others' emotions from the postures and movement of their bodies. Our emotional state affects our bodies, especially our muscles. The quality of their movement reveals our emotional condition. If we are happy, it is apparent in our gait. If we are sad, it is heard in our voice.
 

"Sad" 
Cat Webster. 2000

Almost all artist-made lines are made by moving a hand-held marker across a surface. The line is the record of that movement. Traditional graphic tools are well suited to record the subtleties of theat action. The hand's speed, pressure and direction of movement generally affect the look of the resultant line. In addition to facial expressions, quality of muscular movements instinctively communicates emotions. Thus line has the ability to convey emotional meaning. Furthermore, because lines are commonly "read" this way, Lines made by means other than the human hand are imbued with emotional meaning related to their dynamic qualities.

      "Sex" 
Kelly O'Hara. 2000 
Do This:

Use black crayon (Conte' is nice, but any kind will do.) on 18" x 24" white paper for this exercise. Find a place and time when you will be alone, undisturbed. Tape your paper to a wall or on a table. Close your eyes and think of something that makes you personally very angry. When you are feeling the anger, open you eyes and scribble in an angry manner. Do not draw a picture. Do not make a pattern. Keep the scribble free and varied. Scribble as long as you wish but for a minute at least. Experiencing more intense feeling once you start scribbling is normal. Should you stop experiencing the strong emotion, stop scribbling until it returns. Label the paper "anger".
Repeat this exercise with five other emotions including joy.
 

    "Ineffable" 
Anonymous. 2000 

 "An artist is only an artist on condition that he neglects no aspect of his dual nature.  This dualism is the power of being oneself and someone else at one and the same time."
(Charles Baudelaire)

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