Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Last Project Pictures at Last
Here is a Picture of the first big project that we worked on for about a week or week and a half. It was a study on Sixtus V's urban plan for Rome and our interpretation a certain point of interest. The church in the center is Santa Maria Maggiore, and we focused on 2 Axis that came off of it as our thesis. We used a variety of techniques like hand drawing and water color, as well as acetone ink transfer.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Venice on the Water Bus
Here is a video of Venice when we were heading
to the train station on our way out!
Long Weekend!
Phew! We had a 5 day weekend, and we took advantage of by hitting the road!
We left Wed. after we got back from Ostia, and headed on a train to Florence. From Florence we took day trips to Pisa and Sienna. We stayed in a hostel in Florence that was really nice, and very much enjoyed our stay.
Day 1 Pisa!
We traveled to Pisa on a local train that was about 6 dollars from Florence, and spent about a half of a day there. We visited the Chapel, Baptistery, and famous leaning tower of Pisa. We had lunch and gellato to finish off the visit.
ps. it was warm and cozy this day
Day 2 Sienna!
Friday we took the local train out to a hill town south of Florence, Sienna. It was so cold when we got there, and the wind never stops blowing! We didnt stay there too long because we were miserable and cold when not inside the buses, but we did go to piazza del Campo and the Cathedral/Baptistery before making our way back to Florence enjoying the Tuscan countryside.
Day 3 Florence!
After traveling to the train station and spending our nights in Florence, we thought it was befitting to see the city a little more in depth. We got up early to visit the statue of the David, which was amazing! We all stopped in there to sketch him, but sculptures are really hard to draw we found.... We went to the Duomo of Florence and climbed about 5000 stairs to the top to see the view. This was incredible and well worth the 2 following days of soreness.
Day 4 Venice!
We capped off our trip with a night and half day in Venice. We again stayed in a hostel here, but was not quite as lucky with the nicety. There was about 10 people per room, 30-40 people in the hostel, and 2 bathrooms amongst us. Drunken people wandering in at all hours of the night ended in a few light hours of sleep at best, haha. We got up early and waited in line with 8 people in front of us to take showers, but then finally got out to see the city. We took the water bus to the Doja Palace and went to across the channel to the glass furnaces, and watched a demonstration of how to blow glass. We then made our way back to the station to ride the train 5 hours back to Rome. Home sweet home, our own beds felt good after that.
We left Wed. after we got back from Ostia, and headed on a train to Florence. From Florence we took day trips to Pisa and Sienna. We stayed in a hostel in Florence that was really nice, and very much enjoyed our stay.
Day 1 Pisa!
We traveled to Pisa on a local train that was about 6 dollars from Florence, and spent about a half of a day there. We visited the Chapel, Baptistery, and famous leaning tower of Pisa. We had lunch and gellato to finish off the visit.
ps. it was warm and cozy this day
Day 2 Sienna!
Friday we took the local train out to a hill town south of Florence, Sienna. It was so cold when we got there, and the wind never stops blowing! We didnt stay there too long because we were miserable and cold when not inside the buses, but we did go to piazza del Campo and the Cathedral/Baptistery before making our way back to Florence enjoying the Tuscan countryside.
Day 3 Florence!
After traveling to the train station and spending our nights in Florence, we thought it was befitting to see the city a little more in depth. We got up early to visit the statue of the David, which was amazing! We all stopped in there to sketch him, but sculptures are really hard to draw we found.... We went to the Duomo of Florence and climbed about 5000 stairs to the top to see the view. This was incredible and well worth the 2 following days of soreness.
Day 4 Venice!
We capped off our trip with a night and half day in Venice. We again stayed in a hostel here, but was not quite as lucky with the nicety. There was about 10 people per room, 30-40 people in the hostel, and 2 bathrooms amongst us. Drunken people wandering in at all hours of the night ended in a few light hours of sleep at best, haha. We got up early and waited in line with 8 people in front of us to take showers, but then finally got out to see the city. We took the water bus to the Doja Palace and went to across the channel to the glass furnaces, and watched a demonstration of how to blow glass. We then made our way back to the station to ride the train 5 hours back to Rome. Home sweet home, our own beds felt good after that.
Ostia Antica
On Wed. last week we took a class trip to the coast, where there is one of the best preserved cities from Roman antiquity along with Pompeii. Ostia was the port in which all the goods came into, and were then transported to the center of Rome via horse or boat by river. All the marble that comes into Rome that covered so many famous 
buildings came through this port.
buildings came through this port.
First Project = Finished
This is a space saver for when I get the pictures back for the last project we completed.
We took the Sixtus V urban plan, and analyzed it, forming different hypotheses about more localized portions of the map.
We chose to focus on two roads leading up to the main center point of the plan: Santa Maria Maggiore. We formed our theory based on one of the two major axes in particular: Via Panisperna and how Sixtus aligns the dome of his chapel on axis with the street he created, that connects the political and economical centers of medieval Rome: the Forum, to the center of his new urban plan; and when more closely examined, himself as well.
We used a variety of hand drawing techniques including water color, inking, and acetone transfer to create this piece.
We took the Sixtus V urban plan, and analyzed it, forming different hypotheses about more localized portions of the map.
We chose to focus on two roads leading up to the main center point of the plan: Santa Maria Maggiore. We formed our theory based on one of the two major axes in particular: Via Panisperna and how Sixtus aligns the dome of his chapel on axis with the street he created, that connects the political and economical centers of medieval Rome: the Forum, to the center of his new urban plan; and when more closely examined, himself as well.
We used a variety of hand drawing techniques including water color, inking, and acetone transfer to create this piece.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Studying Santa Maria Maggiore
Here are a few pictures and a video of when We got to go up to the top of S. Maria Maggiore.
Here is a short video of the view we had!
Front of S. Maria Maggiore
Here is a short video of the view we had!
Front of S. Maria Maggiore
On the Move
Hello everyone!
Sorry it has been a few days since my last post, but it has been a busy week! We are just now getting into the core of our first project with visiting professor Karen Rogers, and she has been cracking the whip!
We have been looking more in depth at the "first urban plan" for Rome done by Pope Sixtus V. In particular the area around Santa Maria Maggiore, which is the center point for the plan. Allen, Evie, and I walked the straightened streets of Sixtus and formed our theories as to his intentions. After all that was done, we got lost on the transit system going home and it took us almost 2 hours to get back. =*(
Since then we have been working on a presentation board to display all of our research! We have been doing everything by hand, using water color and acetone transfers. Yes, even I helped water color, and had fun with it. Hopefully I can get a post of the finished product to put up here soon.
We went to the zoo that other day as well, which was very fun! The animals there all looked pretty sad though.... They had sections for injured animals in recovery as well. I thought it was funny that they had a cow there, haha.
The Class at the base of the Spanish Steps.
Sorry it has been a few days since my last post, but it has been a busy week! We are just now getting into the core of our first project with visiting professor Karen Rogers, and she has been cracking the whip!
We have been looking more in depth at the "first urban plan" for Rome done by Pope Sixtus V. In particular the area around Santa Maria Maggiore, which is the center point for the plan. Allen, Evie, and I walked the straightened streets of Sixtus and formed our theories as to his intentions. After all that was done, we got lost on the transit system going home and it took us almost 2 hours to get back. =*(
Since then we have been working on a presentation board to display all of our research! We have been doing everything by hand, using water color and acetone transfers. Yes, even I helped water color, and had fun with it. Hopefully I can get a post of the finished product to put up here soon.
We went to the zoo that other day as well, which was very fun! The animals there all looked pretty sad though.... They had sections for injured animals in recovery as well. I thought it was funny that they had a cow there, haha.
The Class at the base of the Spanish Steps.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Davide Vitali
Italian Instructor that we are lucky enough to have.
He seems very knowledgeable about architecture
and has a cool accent to boot! Turn up the volume
to hear it in the video!
Davide giving us a short lesson on the architecture
of the palace on the Palatine, and the progression
of additions through several different
emperors.
He seems very knowledgeable about architecture
and has a cool accent to boot! Turn up the volume
to hear it in the video!
Davide giving us a short lesson on the architecture
of the palace on the Palatine, and the progression
of additions through several different
emperors.
Visit to the Colosseum
Today we went to the Colosseum and spent a while walking around admiring this massive structure. We had free tickets left from our Roman forum visit yesterday and decided to go take advantage of the free visit to the symbol of Rome while we had it. Us college students can still be economical you see... We all pretty much split our separate ways and cooked in, which we had pasta with a cheese on the inside, yum. A great day overall!
Culture Shock
Here is a bit of the culture we miss out on in
the states. These Piazzas stay filled almost
at all times of the day with people sitting around
talking, laughing, and sometimes dancing.....
Here we were on our way to the Colosseum
on a street that closes for Sunday only, and
we came across this...
There and Back Again...
Were still walking, and there still aren't bathrooms... modern toilets are yet to be installed in the ancient roman forum, who knew.
Day 3
Today we visited the Campidoglio, Roman forum, and Palatine hill where all the past emporers of Rome had their Palace. We started out with a talk at the Campidoglio, by Michaelangelo and then moved on to an extended stay and lecture at the Ancient Roman Forum (which is apparently where our project for the semester will be held).
We walked up and down, up and down, and up and down again all the stairs that Ancient Rome has available, so needless to sa
y, my feet hurt.
Day 3
Today we visited the Campidoglio, Roman forum, and Palatine hill where all the past emporers of Rome had their Palace. We started out with a talk at the Campidoglio, by Michaelangelo and then moved on to an extended stay and lecture at the Ancient Roman Forum (which is apparently where our project for the semester will be held).
We walked up and down, up and down, and up and down again all the stairs that Ancient Rome has available, so needless to sa
y, my feet hurt.
Pantheon Video
Here is a view of the inside of the Pantheon
for those of you feeling left out!
It seems to be running kind of slow, so you
may need to refresh the page to try to get
the entire video.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Bathrooms are a Myth
Apparently Romans do NOT go to the bathroom.....like ever.
We've went over 8 ours of walking and talking and no bathrooms are in sight, nor is it mentioned by any of the professors.
Day 2 in Rome!
We've went over 8 ours of walking and talking and no bathrooms are in sight, nor is it mentioned by any of the professors.
Day 2 in Rome!
Today we went on a tour of the Campus Martius region of Rome, where the Pantheon and Piazza Navona are located. We started from the UoA (University of Arkansas) studio and had a brief orientation followed by a guided tour by our instructor Davide Vitali and archaeologist friend Emilo.
We ate lunch at a pizza stand around the Pantheon for 1.5 euro a slice, and I also got left in the bathroom after lunch and had to catch up with the group after about 15 minutes of wandering around. It was a good introduction to Rome overall and was a fun day!
We ate lunch at a pizza stand around the Pantheon for 1.5 euro a slice, and I also got left in the bathroom after lunch and had to catch up with the group after about 15 minutes of wandering around. It was a good introduction to Rome overall and was a fun day!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Apartment Virtual Tour
Here is a little tour of the amazing apartment in which we are living in for the next 2 months! Im a little tired at the time of taking this so don't mid me if I'm looking a little rough! The name of the apartment is natalia del grande 51 by the way and we are apartment 12.
Finally in ROMA!
Today is the first day in Rome! We arrived today at 12:30 p.m. Roman time and got to our apartment in Trestevere around 2 p.m. We took an airport shuttle with all 5 of my arriving crew to our individual places and met the apartment lady that gave us keys and a tour.
THE APARTMENT IS HUGE!!! (pictures will come soon!) I was blown away at how big the apartment is considering the photos we saw of last year, which consisted of our American equivalent of a one bedroom hotel room with kitchenette holding two people per room. Pretty much dorm room all over again.....but not this year!! Our place is WAY bigger than any of my apartments Ive had in auburn. There are 2 other guys living with me and we drew straws to see who gets the one bed room (versus the larger 2 bed room), and I was lucky enough to get the single!
Im all moved in now, which is a relief to not be living out of a suitcase for once. We ate at a small gelato (icecream) shop today with a nice Italian owner named Georgio, who then reccomended a pizzeria to us that all the locals enjoy. We ate there and were impressed at how good the food was, and the house wine was amazing!
Now its time to catch up on some sleep that is much needed for our big day tomorrow!
THE APARTMENT IS HUGE!!! (pictures will come soon!) I was blown away at how big the apartment is considering the photos we saw of last year, which consisted of our American equivalent of a one bedroom hotel room with kitchenette holding two people per room. Pretty much dorm room all over again.....but not this year!! Our place is WAY bigger than any of my apartments Ive had in auburn. There are 2 other guys living with me and we drew straws to see who gets the one bed room (versus the larger 2 bed room), and I was lucky enough to get the single!
Im all moved in now, which is a relief to not be living out of a suitcase for once. We ate at a small gelato (icecream) shop today with a nice Italian owner named Georgio, who then reccomended a pizzeria to us that all the locals enjoy. We ate there and were impressed at how good the food was, and the house wine was amazing!
Now its time to catch up on some sleep that is much needed for our big day tomorrow!
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