Definitions of weblogs (blogs)
- “a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser” (Harvard dictionary)
- “a discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web and consisting of discrete entries (‘posts’) typically displayed in reverse chronological order” (Wikipedia)
- a journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption; informal; grouped by date; with links to older posts; informative and/or inspiring; frequently linked to other sites; addictive for bloggers (adapted from Blogger Forum)
- “a meandering, blatantly uninteresting online diary that gives the author the illusion that people are interested in their stupid pathetic life” (Urban Dictionary)
Previous research:
Susan Herring (Indiana University, 2004)
•Neither fundamentally new, nor unique genre
•Appeared in 1996 as a format, and 1997 as weblog (even 1991)
•A bridge between the multimedia HTML documents and text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC)
•A hybrid genre with multiple sources
•Made possible by free software (Blogger, Wordpress)
•Exponentially increasing in number (from 2.1 millions in 2004 to 181 millions at the end of 2011, our note)
•Classification: 4 main types (personal journals—70%; filters = reviewing other blogs—12%; k-logs= offering information on certain subjects, and mixed)
•Generic features: archives, badges, images, comments, links, calendar, guest book; frequency of posting cca. 5 days; reverse chronological order
Miller & Shepherd (North Carolina Univ.): the social function of blogs = the need to establish relations between selves
Herring & al. (2006): gender and age study of weblogs (women and teenagers are active bloggers)
Laurie McNeill ( Univ. of Michigan, 2005): the journey of the written diary to the new web genre; the community of “netizens”
Jan Schmidt (Bamberg Univ. Germany, 2007) compares the different uses of the blog format
Cornelius Puschmann (Humboldt Univ. of Berlin, 2009) focuses on corporate blogs; in his 2010 published Ph.D. thesis he compares personal and corporate blogs; the “supergenre” of the personal blog; “the genre of the people”; “the blog prototype”
Art blog vs. artist's blog
Art blog vs. artist’s blog: art blogs may be written by other persons than artists (even institutions) and refer to art more or less in general; artist’s blogs are written by artists themselves and refer to art in particular; art, here = visual art
An occupational-type of blog: occupations may include professional activities as well; art may or may not be the profession of the artist, but it certainly is his/her occupation; a “professional” blog may suggest that there are other blogs that could be negatively tagged as “unprofessional”
Communicative Purposes:
Keeping up-to-date with the art world (artists as readers and writers of blogs; their audiences)
Keeping in touch with the latest successful practices in your own field
Establishing oneself as an expert in the field (with possible professional and market benefits)
Marketing oneself (a cheap way of displaying own art and gaining public)
Advertising oneself (cheaply and efficiently)
Advertising another personal website (dedicated to sales)
Selling own works directly (“buy now” button)
Creating a successful artistic practice = creating art, showing it, telling people about it, interacting with the public and fellow artists; blogging as part of the practice
Arousing and maintaining interest in own art and practice (through frequent posts and good content)
Increase visibility in the art world (the networking of blogs, blogrolls, links)
Sharing own experience(s) and techniques
Getting to know oneself better (in-depth writing and thinking)
Recording thoughts, experiences, and practices (a kind of personal history)
Communicating with audiences (comments and replies)
Getting feedback (to keep, change, better market own art)
Adding to other writings about art in different media
Macrostructure:
•The software structure is usually maintained with some alterations; web-design graphic artists create their own blog designs
•The titles (not always the same as the URL) tend to contain the artist’s name; sometimes they offer information about the artist (“Belinda Joynes: Artist, imaginarian and daydream believer”, “Kelly Kilmer. Artist and Instructor”), sometimes they try to be as catchy as possible (“The haunted hollow tree”, “adripndrop.blogspot.com: Artsy fartsy life”, “Notes from the Voodoo Café”)
•Most of the blogs are independent; very few are part of other websites or homepages
•Information about the artists is provided in almost all of the 30 blogs (more or less overtly), mainly through the “About” button (sincerity, authenticity)
•Credentials and assuming some degree of expertise – present in the great majority of the blogs
•Information about the intended content of the blog is offered in more than a half
•The life expanse of the blogs (from 3-5 years to 8-9 years) and the frequency of posting (from once to six-eight times a month) prove that blogging is perceived by their authors as part of their art practice
•All of the typical macro features of the blog are present (reverse chronological order, archives, blogrolls, badges, tags/labels, sharing tools, statistics of visitors) to a great extent, proving that the artist’s blog is a sub-type of the blog prototype
•The intensive use of images (photographs, drawings, sketches) and other visuals (videos) is a particularity of the artist’s blog, very consistent with the nature of art itself
Microstructure:
Headers: title of the post (reflecting the work/event) + information about the date of post + reverse chronology
Footers: author + exact time of posting + tags + sharing tools + comments ( = a typical blog microfeature, re-creating a conversation type of discourse)
Links: IntraLinks (to own posts) +/- hyperlinks (to other blogs/sites)
Intensive use of images
Texts/words are used to explain the process of creation, the progress of a work, are complementary to images
Artist blog types:
Mixed = journal entries + tutorials + reviews + advertorials + news
Filter = review of exhibitions and other blogs
Other = a “blogazine” (blog + magazine + forum + TV section + newsletter)
Discourse particularities:
Register: none of them was formal; they tend to range from neutral to different degrees of familiarity (consistent with the communicative purposes)
Modes of discourse: all of them, with a prevalence of the narrative mode (personal experience, descriptive narrative of the process of creation, of work-in-progress, reporting events); descriptions of the type “recipe-giving”; describing a work of art; expository and argumentative – mainly in the reviewing type of blogs
Discourse strategies: analyzing works (describing + interpreting + evaluating), reviewing, recipe-giving, labeling, story-telling, commenting, confessing, reporting, interviewing (taken from journalism), quoting, paraphrasing, acknowledging sources as footnotes (taken from scientific writing), monologuing
Rhetorical devices: metaphors, similes, hyperboles, rhetorical questions, repetitions, colloquialism, humor, (self-) irony, imprecation
Morphological features:
The 1st person pronoun “I”, expressing subjectivity is used to give the feeling of authenticity; in the relationship with
The 2nd person pronoun “you”- to re-create an “authentic” speech situation; the reader is part of the whole process of creation, actively involved
Very few cases of the 3rd person pronoun (with self-reference), trying to suggest some detachment and objectivity
Qualifiers are largely used (some less formal superlatives)
Tenses: mainly past (for narratives); present (for descriptions); future (e.g. for plans to develop certain themes, to use a new technique, etc)
Interjections (colloquialism)
Text entries:
A relatively small number of paragraphs, coherently sequenced, accompanied by many images
Rather short (some exceptions range from no text at all to very large texts)
Special typing (upper case in some words to stress upon)
Unusual spelling (“little birdie in da house”, “y’all”)
Internet slang /Acronyms (XOXO=hugs and kisses; X=kiss; O = hug; XX = two kisses; LOL = laughing out loud, OMG = oh, my god!; DIY = do-it-yourself)
Repetitions of some letters (“Yiiiiii!”), suggesting some emotional state
Emoticons: J - smiley face; =)) - laugh; L - sad face
Why should artists blog?
Task1: Answer the above question, after following the link (click on the question).
one more tip: (you need to click)
Deadline: May 25
g work of art, event
Orban Izabella- Anul 2, Design
ReplyDeleteArtists should blog because blogs help them promote their work and connect with people in the art world. An artist’s blog is more than just a place to post images. It allows artists to share ideas, creative processes, techniques, and personal experiences related to their art. This creates a stronger connection with the audience and makes the artist appear more authentic and approachable.
Another important reason is visibility. Blogging helps artists reach larger audiences online and attract possible buyers, galleries, or collaborators. Frequent posts keep people interested and help artists stay active in the online art community. Blogs can also direct visitors to personal websites or online shops where artworks can be sold.
Blogging is also a useful marketing tool because it is inexpensive and easy to update. Artists can advertise exhibitions, workshops, or new projects while also building a professional image. By writing about art, reviewing exhibitions, or sharing tutorials, artists show their experience and knowledge in the field.
In addition, blogs encourage communication through comments and feedback, helping artists understand their audience better.
In conclusion, blogging is an important part of modern artistic practice because it combines self-promotion, communication, networking, and creative expression in one platform.
Hodiș Thomas-Design-AN 2
ReplyDeleteArtists should blog because a blog gives them a space where they can show more than just finished works. For an artist, the process is also important: sketches, experiments, ideas that change on the way, materials used, small failures and final results. Through a blog, people can understand better how an artwork is made and what stands behind it, not only what it looks like in the end.
Another reason is that blogging helps artists stay visible. If an artist posts regularly, the audience can follow their activity, see what projects they are working on and find out about exhibitions, events or new works. It is also a simple and cheap way of self-promotion, especially for young artists who may not yet have access to galleries, large exhibitions or professional marketing. A blog can work almost like a personal archive, portfolio and communication tool at the same time.
I also think blogging can help artists build a closer relationship with their audience. The tone of a blog is usually more personal than in an official website, so the artist can write in a more direct and honest way. Readers can leave comments, ask questions or give feedback, and this can create a small community around the artist’s work. This is useful because art is not only about producing objects, but also about sharing ideas and creating dialogue.
For a design or visual art student, blogging can also be helpful because it makes you reflect on your own work. When you write about a project, you are forced to explain your choices: why you used a certain form, color, technique or concept. This can make the project clearer, both for yourself and for others. In this sense, an artist’s blog is not just a place for promotion, but also a tool for thinking, documenting and developing an artistic practice.
Peterfi Maria-Sara , moda
ReplyDeleteArtists should blog because blogs help them communicate with the public, promote their work, and become more visible in the art world. Through blogging, artists can share their creative process, experiences, techniques, and ideas in a personal and authentic way. Blogs also allow artists to keep audiences interested through frequent updates, images, and discussions about their projects or exhibitions.
In addition, blogging is an inexpensive and efficient form of self-promotion and marketing. Artists can advertise exhibitions, sell artworks directly, and establish themselves as experts in their field. Another important advantage is the interaction with readers through comments and feedback, which helps artists improve their practice and build connections with audiences and other artists. Overall, blogging has become an important part of contemporary artistic practice and online identity.