2D Art Final

       To be honest, art is probably my worst subject.  I am NOT creatively-excelled... at ALL.  However, that doesn't mean that it wasn't enjoyable.  Every single piece of my art had to do with something I'm passionate about.  My Bengals shattered drawing is the best example of that, since I LOVE the Cincinnati Bengals.  My goal was just to make my my art look somewhat decent and reflect me well, and I think, even if it wasn't the best in the class (ever), I at least met my own goals.  Art, to me, is the reflection of one's self in a physical form, which just goes along with what my goal for my artwork is/was.  

       Like I said in the first paragraph, I'm no master artist.  I didn't come into a project with an exact plan of how it was going to look and how I was going to make it happen. I only knew that I wanted it to reflect me in some way or form.  So, as a result, I went through my projects with very few end goals in mind.  Whatever I thought would make my project better, I would do.  Whether that meant creating my own style or copying a well-known artist's technique, it didn't matter, just so long as the look of what I made improved.

       Over the past semester, I think that my artwork has DEFINITELY improved.  It went from hastily-put together to somewhat-planned out and carefully executed.  The most challenging part of making art is trying to make EVERY little thing perfect.  There are going to be a few rough edges; I can't make everything go exactly where I want it to go, and I have to accept that.  Unlike many other people, I wasn't influenced by any famous artists or artworks.  I wanted everything I did to be solely my own.  Finally, my strengths were definitely when creating projects that had to do with things I personally enjoyed... The tennis hand in 3D art and the Bengals shattered drawing in 2D art were definitely my two favorites, and they both were themed by two of my favorite things.  My weakness was the paper relief project, because it was the first project we did, and I did it sloppily and it looked really bad... But I learned from the mistakes made then, which will hopefully make me a much better artist in the future. 

3D Art Final

       To be honest, art is probably my worst subject.  I am NOT creatively-excelled... at ALL.  However, that doesn't mean that it wasn't enjoyable.  Every single piece of my art had to do with something I'm passionate about.  My tennis plaster hand and headphones made of cardboard are the best examples of that, since I love both tennis and music.  My goal was just to make my my art look somewhat decent and reflect me well, and I think, even if it wasn't the best in the class (ever), I at least met my own goals.  Art, to me, is the reflection of one's self in a physical form, which just goes along with what my goal for my artwork is/was.  

       Like I said in the first paragraph, I'm no master artist.  I didn't come into a project with an exact plan of how it was going to look and how I was going to make it happen. I only knew that I wanted it to reflect me in some way or form.  So, as a result, I went through my projects with very few end goals in mind.  Whatever I thought would make my project better, I would do.  Whether that meant creating my own style or copying a well-known artist's technique, it didn't matter, just so long as the look of what I made improved.

       Over the past semester, I think that my artwork has DEFINITELY improved.  It went from hastily-put together to somewhat-planned out and carefully executed.  The most challenging part of making art is trying to make EVERY little thing perfect.  There are going to be a few rough edges; I can't make everything go exactly where I want it to go, and I have to accept that.  Unlike many other people, I wasn't influenced by any famous artists or artworks.  I wanted everything I did to be solely my own.  Finally, my strengths were definitely when creating projects that had to do with things I personally enjoyed... The tennis hand in 3D art and the Bengals shattered drawing in 2D art were definitely my two favorites, and they both were themed by two of my favorite things.  My weakness was the paper relief project, because it was the first project we did, and I did it sloppily and it looked really bad... But I learned from the mistakes made then, which will hopefully make me a much better artist in the future. 

Andy Warhol

I like Andy Warhol's printmaking works of art because their bright, contrasting colors make the pieces visually-appealing, and his use of pop-culture in his art makes it more relatable to the average viewer.

About Me

Okay, I’ll go ahead and say that I am THE biggest Cincinnati Bengals fan in all of Indiana.  I’m pretty sure that that’s not a true fact, but hey, not everything on the internet has to be 100% accurate. Anyways, I’m just a freaking huge Bengals fan who’ll talk about them to literally anyone. This blog isn’t about me… It’s about making a CONNECTION with all of us who are the same in that we have a drive towards our Cincinnati team.  The word “Bengals” is in every username of mine, black and orange can be found on anything I own, and during the best 17 weeks of the year, that team basically never leaves my head.  I’m sure that there are plenty of other people like me out there, which is what this website’s for (Plus I had to make it for my English class, but that’s beside the point).  Read what you want to, write what you want to, and hey, lets come together for the Who Dey Nation!!

Being a Fan

If you read my About Me post, you know that I’m a guy living in Indiana, surrounded by a million (or at least it seems that way) Colts fans. I can tell you first hand, it’s NOT easy sticking to your guns when you’re always engulfed in an ocean of blue and white, especially when you cheer for a team like the Bengals, who haven’t won a playoff game in 24 years (the longest stretch of time of any team in the league). “Dalton can’t come in clutch, that defense is overrated, nobody cares about your stupid Bengals,” I hear it all the time, and unless you live in Cincinnati, I’m guessing that you guys do too. Because of all the hate towards our black and orange, I’ve decided to come up with a few ways to help you stay strong for the Who Dey Nation.

1. Know your facts… I found out really quickly that the more you know about the NFL as a whole (not just knowing about the Bengals), the better off you’ll be. When someone is downgrading Cincinnati, or talking about how unclutch (I think I just made that word up) they are, throw some numbers in their face. Tell them that the Bengals are 3-0, and that the teams that lost to them have a perfect record otherwise. Tell them that last year, Andy Dalton held a top five position in every quarterback stats category except for one. Tell them that this year, Cincinnati’s defense is the best in scoring defense, only allowing eleven points per game, and that the Bengals have a scoring differential of +47, the highest in the league. Or, if you want to, give them some statistics about their team, and in what ways Cincinnati is better than them. Hopefully, they’ll shut up while they’re chewing on the facts.
2. Visit Paul Brown Stadium on a Sunday… Okay, I get that you probably don’t have the money to travel to Cincinnati every weekend for all the games, but try to make it to at least one per year, and you’ll see why it’s so important. The atmosphere there is unimaginable and unexplainable, and you remember why you’re a Bengals fan. You’re surrounded by like-minded people, yelling and screaming and shouting for the same team as you. Being at PBS is the only time that I've been around more than two other people who love the Bengals like I do, and it’s really an exhilarating experience, trust me.
3. Wait for it… Yeah, this is a tough one, but Cincinnati fans have been dealing with the drought of success for years now, and the wait is about to be over. If you can hang in there for just a bit longer, you and the rest of the world will see them shine. Their time is coming, if not here already, and we know it, we just have to be patient and then the rest of the world will too. Then we can rub it in their face and be the happiest we’ve ever been for a full year, simple as that.

So yeah, probably not THE most expert advice, but hey, it’s worked for me so far. If you can follow even just two of the steps, you should be set for an easy(er) life as a Bengals fan. Wishin ya the best of luck..! Who Dey?!?!?!

Bengals Injury Update, Future Impacts

The Cincinnati Bengals have been labeled as one of the deepest and feared line-ups in today’s NFL, but what happens when they lose so many players that they don’t have a single 1st string player starting???  That’s an overstatement, as that obviously will never happen.  However, Cincinnati has had to fight through some pretty impactful injuries thus far.  

    Let’s start with the offense.  A.J. Green, widely regarded as a top 3 receiver in the league, has been plagued with foot problems all year so far. It’s all been minor, I realize that. Even minor injuries, though, can add up and contain catastrophic results. Say A.J. were to have to miss time, because his ankle and toe got worse as the year progressed. The Bengals are going to have some serious matchups down the stretch, including New Orleans, Denver, and Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh, and doing that without their fiercest offensive weapon is frightening. It’s possible to win, as demonstrated with their whomping of Atlanta, but tougher than us fans want it to be.

    Besides A.J., notable losses in Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert have occurred. Eifert and Jones are both red zone threats, which is exactly what Dalton and his Bengals need. Their one weakness this year has been the red zone, with Andy having NO touchdown passes beyond the 20 yard line so far this year. That’s 100% unacceptable for a team that wants to be considered the best in the league. However, that could all change with the return of Jones and Eifert. Marvin had nine red zone touchdowns last year, and is projected to return week five for the Sunday Night showdown against the Patriots. His presence alone should spark the offense into not only one that’s functional and well-tuned (like it has been so far), but one that absolutely demolishes other teams’ defenses. Eifert, expected to come back week seven or eight, will only add fuel to that fire, making the Bengals a truly dominant team in every aspect of the game.

    The defense so far has held up better than the offense has, only really losing two major components. Vontaze Burfict, all-star linebacker, has had two concussions in two consecutive games this year, resulting in him finding a new home on the Cincinnati bench, at least for a few weeks. He’s officially been cleared for week five, but it’s likely that he will be held out unless he’s desperately needed in order for him to recover to full health. The other notable loss was Margus Hunt, defensive lineman. In his second year in the league, he’s risen from the title of “talented rookie” to “definite starter,” and has undoubtedly proven that he earned the spot. He’s lifted 320 lbs of linemen off of their feet in order to get to the quarterback, and if that doesn’t impress you, I’m not sure what will. He left the game in week three but is expected to play against the Patriots, only adding to the amount of pressure Brady is gonna face.

    The Bengals have major talent in EVERY single position on this team, and even their backups have enough ability to fill in their shoes effectively when need be. The constant injuries, however, are going to cause a major setback. Week three against the Titans, Cincinnati had six starters leave the field and not return, which is not a promising sign, especially given that it was all in one day. Their key to success is staying healthy, and if they can do that, there’s not a team out there that they can’t beat. Go ahead, quote me on that, I’ll be happy to rub it in your face when I’m right.  Who Dey?!?!

Helpful Sites

Hey guys, I know that you all obviously love my writings, and think that I'm a blogging wizard or genius or something like that, but there are other sites I recommend for more Bengals updates, advice, and more.
www.bengals.com
http://bleacherreport.com/cincinnati-bengals
http://www.cincyjungle.com/