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Dress And Womanhood Of Ancient Rome, Eliza Burbano

Honors Theses

Fashion transcends its own role of imagery, as it becomes the medium through which individuals express their place in society. Fashion history would not consider the ancient world as part of the history of the discipline. Nevertheless, the function of dress in ancient cultures like that of Rome has definitely helped shape social hierarchies that are still present today. Clothing structured Roman society deeply, just as class, race, and sexuality did. Scholar Kelly Olson (2002) defines the function of clothing as part of a sign system. This study argues that dress in ancient Rome goes beyond this idea, in that …

Voices Trapped Within The Portrait: Annetje Kool Pieter Vanderlyn And The Expectations Regarding Gender In Public And Private Spheres In A Burgeoning Nation, Abigail Hollander

Honors Theses

The main subjects of this study, Pieter Vanderlyn, the attributed artist of “A Portrait of Annetje Kool” (c.1740), and Annetje Kool, the sitter, both had subversive identities relative to the sociocultural expectations of New Netherland, a Hudson River Valley based settlement. The oil portrait on canvas depicts a young woman in an elaborate dress with lace and gilt embellishments. To understand this portrait’s historical context, this thesis examines how male and female voices functioned on the margins of the moral boundaries that shaped expectations of gender appropriate thought and action during the colonial, revolutionary, and post-revolutionary eras in New York …

Tanzanian Art: Attracting Tourism And Constructing A Packaged African Image, Ben Washburn

Honors Theses

Over the past thirty-or-so years, there has been a large increase of tourism in East Africa. In the coastal town Bagamoyo of Tanzania, many young men have made a career out of the tourist-industry – by producing tourist art. In this paper, I analyze the lives of local artists in Bagamoyo, as well as argue that they brand their art in particular ways that align with their ideas of tourist expectations and preconceived ideas of Africa. I argue that these artists practice different types of branding – primarily depicting Africa as primitive and wild, as they see producing art as …

Modern Interpretations Of Ancient Roman Mosaics, Emily Pastore

Honors Theses

Ancient Roman mosaics have much to offer the modern viewer. This thesis takes into account modern archaeology and conservation techniques in studying and classifying these works of art. Since the thesis is focused on comparing the histories of and the mosaics found in the Ancient Roman port cities of Populonia and Ostia, it begins with the historical background of both cities. With close ties to the sea and to various religious cults, both cities held much in common, which can be seen in the mosaics they designed. I then discuss mosaic conservation and classification techniques in chapters two and three. …

A 3d Modeling Perspective: The Juxtaposition Between Nature And Technology, Caroline Grace Brustowicz

Honors Theses

For my senior thesis I explore the juxtaposition between nature and technology. There is beauty in the ubiquitous contrast and coexistence between these two entities, which we encounter on a daily basis. My work has been inspired by Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist, naturalist, and artist from the early 1900’s. His artwork includes over 100 detailed drawings, prints, and multi-colored illustrations of animals and sea creatures with a focus on representing the intricate details found in nature. I’ve emulated this attention to detail within nature by modeling (using Cinema 4D software and 3D printing with a MakerBot printer) sculptures that …

Sustainable Design: Can Eco-Friendly Be Beautiful?, Melanie T. Santiago

Honors Theses

Graphic design students and professionals experience an enormous amount of pressure in regards to their final printed pieces. In the effort to produce flawless work, they print several versions of a piece—often comparing dozens of copies for slight differences in ink variation, color saturation and paper quality. While this trial-and-error process undoubtedly accomplishes its intended effects, it also produces outrageous amounts of wasted paper, ink and cardboard among other products.

Graphic design has implemented computers to increase efficiency in the design process while ignoring the impact of obsolete hardware on the environment. In its perfectionism, it has sent countless pounds …

Graphic Design And The Cinema: An Application Of Graphic Design To The Art Of Filmmaking, Kacey B. Holifield

Honors Theses

When the public considers different art forms such as painting, drawing and sculpture, it is easy to understand the common elements that unite them. Each is a non-moving art form that begins at the drawing board. Using line, color and shape to evoke a particular response from audiences is what ties these fine arts together. Graphic design, however, tends to separate itself from the fine arts. Because of its later development in the art world, as well as, its operation within modern technological developments, graphic design is driven by the idea of communicating to large audiences. In this way, although …

Aggressive Gaming: A Correlative Study Of Game Preference And Trait Aggression, Andrew Hagler

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Alcoholism, Domestic Violence, & Mental Illness: As A Graphic Novel, Abigail Jackson

Honors Theses

My inspiration for my project, “A Day on the Back Forty”, came from my personal experiences with domestic violence and alcoholism and my interest in not only sharing and hopefully lifting the taboo of having these experiences cast a negative light on my life, but to expose these issues and hopefully bring awareness to those who are not close to domesticviolence or alcoholism and to also offer a connection to those who have experienced these issues. My thought process for this project was to be able to create a thought-provoking familiarity that could be experienced on both an intimate and …

Historical Corsets Retrospective 1558-1890, Jacquelyn Marks

Honors Theses

Women and men have worn corsets for centuries, primarily in Europe. Throughout the years, the style of the undergarment changed. A corset was an undergarment that served the purpose of adding warmth or coverage, gave support to the wearer’s body, gave structure to outer garments and created visual appeal. As styles transitioned throughout history, undergarments had to accommodate to the changes. Modesty prioritized the garment’s purpose but the late 1800’s encouraged more attractive corsets. After researching an archive of historical patterns, I selected several corsets that I would create and conduct research for a gallery display in Korhman Hall’s Design …

Looking Anew At The Rothko Chapel: The Future Of Interfaith Space On The Catholic Campus, Krista Bondi

Honors Theses

The University of Dayton is among many Catholic institutions that are experiencing the need for multi-faith accommodation as its student body becomes more diverse in the 21st century. While the majority of the University’s population is Catholic, there are growing numbers of Muslim, Jewish, and Protestant students as well as others of undeclared faiths or of no faith traditions who must interact on campus. In view of the history of Catholic higher education and the current practice and philosophy of interfaith dialogue, how should the University of Dayton approach this new multi-cultural reality in terms of dedicating space and designing …

Illustrated Dante’S Inferno, William Melancon

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Making Meyers Clear: An Exploration Of The Chemistry And Art Of Ceramic Glazes, Sara Catherine Williams

Honors Theses

For both seasoned potters and students, looking at a line of unglazed bisque-ware can be a terrifying moment. Terrifying because you know that if you choose the wrong glazes, all of your hard work up until now could be wasted. The form of any clay creation, be it functional or artistic, is equal in importance with the glaze. Bad forms cannot be covered with good glazes, but good forms may be ruined with them. It is through the pairing of the two that a truly beautiful piece is made.

During my undergraduate years and much of my life I have …

The Technician Behind The Artist: Where Science Meets Art, Joella Vaughnn

Honors Theses

The thesis has two purposes: to evaluate the difference between oil, acrylic, gouache, and encaustic paint for the purpose of glazing and to integrate engineering and artistic principles into this thesis. My final evaluation across the four paints is that oil has the highest performing glaze. I believe it is the best glazer because time is not a constraint for me as an artist. If an artist has a time constraint on their painting, I recommend using acrylic mixed with an acrylic polymer medium as a glaze because the drying time is much faster than oil. I discovered that gouache …

Creating Color: Unearthing The Chemistry Of Ceramic Glazes, Jessica Mariah Hargis

Honors Theses

There is something magical about taking lumps of cold clay and turning them into a functional form. The transofrmation process is what first peaked my interest in ceramics. I turned this visual art form my junior year of college after being completely overwhelmed by my chemistry major. Not only did Ceramics 1 teach me basic hand building and surface design techniques, but it allowed me to literally pound out my stress. I've gained a strong adoration for ceramics because it relieves my stress and gives me the opportunity to express myself.

After taking Ceramics 1, enrolling in Ceramics 2 was …

Transients, Hunter Rose Johnson

Honors Theses

My exhibition Transients is an attempt to embrace the process of growth and decay that comes with being human while at the same time showing the beauty in temporary things. Each piece in Transients is a battery-powered lightbox containing a translucent image with light shining through it. The process of making the pieces was a complicated and meticulous method of paper cutting. The combination of the difficult process and the translucence of the products reflects the difficulties and impermanence of life.