Lecture 5: Visual Art Part II

Question 1

Pictures
Static vs 2D

Answer 1

Static: can have a sense of implied motion
2D: implied depth

We perceive depth in 2D objects using monocular depth cues

Question 2

Ventral vs Dorsal system

Answer 2

Ventral stream = “what” pathway: object identification (shape, colour)
STATIC aspect of pictures
- Object recognition
- Shape perception
- Colour perception

Dorsal stream = “where” pathway: object location and motion
DYNAMIC aspect of pictures
- Overall spatial layout
- Implied depth
- Implied motion/emotion

Question 3

“how” pathway

Answer 3

visually guided action

Question 4

Modules in the Ventral Stream

Answer 4

Fusiform face area (in temporal lobe and responds strongly to faces)
Extrastriate body area (occipito-temporal cortex and involved in visual perception of human body and body parts)

Question 5

Results from study: creating a copy of a drawing vs watching a drawing form

Answer 5

First Phase: asked to recreate a drawing
Drawing system includes all the visual streams (what, where, how pathway)

Addition to study: rather than drawing themselves, watch another person drawing
Watching a drawing emanate activates full drawing system expect for the motor cortex –still activates what and where pathways

Emanation during drawing is about perceiving MOTION, not perceiving static object

Question 6

Production vs Perception

Answer 6

Production (dynamic process) –instrumental gestures
Perception (static objects) –emanation (visual motion)

Question 7

2 stages of art’s evolution

Answer 7

1) Geometrics (77 000 yrs ago)
2) Figurative (45 000 yrs ago)
- imitative arts

Question 8

Mark Making

Answer 8

Objects (shape): patterns ON objects
Zigzag patterns 77 000 yrs ago
Parallel lines 60 000 yrs ago
Neanderthals 65 000 yrs ago

Question 9

Theories about origins of geometrics in rock art (4)

Answer 9

1. Visual System Primitives
2. Hallucinations
   - “form constants” during mescaline hallucinations –see spiral patterns when taking drugs
3. Phosphene Theory (perception of light, seeing light w/o light entering the eye)
   - Altered state of consciousness
   - Said to be able to see distinct shapes
   TMS (magnetic pulse can stimulate/inhibit functions) –if put on occipital lobe, could cause phosphene
   - Tried it; only saw clouds/blob shapes, no distinct geometric shapes
4. Axes of limb movement (most likely the source)
   - Easy up/down and side to side movement in arms
   - Children’s drawing:
   Earliest stage: linear
   2nd stage: circular
   3rd stage: linear and circular combined (ex: sun, tadpole

Question 10

Geometrics as the building blocks of… (6)

Answer 10

1. Earliest Human Rock Art
2. Object Recognition
   - Recognition by components theory: images/common objects can be broken down into geometric shapes (common objects perceived as geons –basic building blocks)
3. Object ornamentation (of human-made objects)
   - Checkers on a shirt
4. Architectural and interior design
   - Ceiling in a cathedral (symmetrical stained window)
   - Nature is not geometric, human-made is very geometric
   Geometric patterns are not derived from nature. They are a feature of human design and production.
5. Notation Systems
   - Musical notation (staff and notes)
   - English Writing (lines and circles)
6. Configurations of Human Social Interaction
   - Face-to-face configuration: triangular arrangement
   - Dance (couple dancing): face to face, side to

Question 11

The recursiveness of visual art

Answer 11

Visual art objects are:
1) objects that
2) represent other objects

Question 12

iconic vs arbitrary

Answer 12

Visual arts: static, mainly iconic
Dance (mainly iconic) & theatre/storytelling (mainly arbitrary): both dynamic

Question 13

3 manners of generating figurativity
(origins of figurative art)

Answer 13

1) From memory
2) Tracing
3) Copying

Question 14

2D vs 3D examples

Answer 14

2D: picture (painting) vs emblem (road sign)
2D: single images vs multi-panel images
- Multi-panel: comic strips, graphic novels
- Geoglyphs (earth etchings) –the Nazca lines (Peru)

3D: Figurines
Lion man figure 40 000 yrs ago
Venus figure 35 000 yrs ago (fertility figures)

Question 15

Petroglyph vs Pictograph

Answer 15

Petroglyphs=rock etchings
Pictograph=rock painting

Question 16

Gestural Model of Drawing Origin vs Pantomime

Answer 16

DRAWING
Object Perception (“what” pathway)
Tool use (“how” pathway)
Mark-making (emanation)
Object depiction (re-creation)

Object Perception to Object depiction (internal model of object –memory)
Output: Static display (visual arts)

PANTOMIME
Object Perception)
[“how” pathway]
[re-creation]
Object depiction

Object Perception to Object depiction (internal model of object)

Question 17

Drawing/Pantomime Hypothesis

Answer 17

The representational capacity of drawing evolved from that of pantomime

Question 18

Writing Systems (2)

Answer 18

Phoneme
- Speech sound
- Consonant or vowel
/k/ -sound “keh”

Grapheme
- Written sign
- Some are phonemic
- Some are pictorial
K, c, ck, ch, x, qu –represents the sound “keh”

Question 18

3 types of writing systems

Answer 18

1) Pictographic/logographic (ex: Egyptian hieroglyphics)
- Each grapheme represents a complete word
- Graphemes are generally iconic
2) Syllabic
- Each grapheme represents a syllable (e.g., ba)
3) Phonetic
a. Consonantal –each grapheme represents a consonant
b. Alphabetic –each grapheme represents a consonant or vowel