Being Myself

 Agneya's response to the Country Parkway PTA's call for submissions for the 2020-2021 Reflections theme, "I matter because ...". A 14 in X 22 in mixed medium (mosaic and colored pens) poster for the Visual Arts category.

The Game Of Go: Read this and you can play!

The Game: A game of Go starts with a Go board that is empty. One player takes the black stones, the other takes the white. Players take turns, putting stones on top of the board.

Once a stone has been placed down on the board, the move cannot be taken back. To win the game, a player needs to have more territory than the other. In this figure, count where the lines intersect in the middle of the black stones. The lines intersect in 15 places, so black gets 15 points of territory. Stones that have been placed on the board do not count as points.

Picture Credits

The Capturing Rule: In this figure shown below, if black plays at the A, the white stones gets taken prisoner and must be removed from the board, also giving white points. In this case, 2 points. You can capture stones by surrounding them, from top to bottom, and left to right. If black plays at the A, this prevents the black stones from being captured. Captured stones are called “Agehame”. The stones that are a move away from being captured is called “Atari”. If black plays in the places that are open in the second figure, these stones would be immediately captured.

Picture Credits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)

The Ko rule: The Ko rule describes when 2 single stone captures repeat.

If back plays at the empty space, the white stone will be captured.

White could play at the x also and capture the black stone. This could result in an endless exchange. To prevent this from happening, Black cannot immediately recapture the white stone on the right shown in the figure above. The Ko rule forbids each player to immediately recapture the other’s stones when his or her stones have been captured.

The Komi rule: By going first, black stones have the advantage. So, to compensate, white gets 7 ½ points.

Handicaps: The game of Go may be played with a handicap for player strength differences. The weaker player takes the black stones, and either moves first, giving white only a handicap of ½ points.

Passing: On his or her turn, you may pass your turn by handing your opponent a stone.

Illegal moves: If a player makes an illegal move, it is not allowed and is counted as a pass move.

The Game Ends: If both black and white pass their moves, the game ends.

The Last Move: White must make the last move. If necessary, another pass move may be made.

Counting Points: There are two methods of counting points. One is based on territory, the other, area. Although the player’s scores will differ under these two methods, the outcome will be the same.

Countries That Play Go:

Japan
China
Korea
Tibet
America
Austria
Germany
And Many more!

Origin: Go originated in China about 4,000 years ago. It is of East Asian origin. The game was taken to Japan in about 500 CE and became popular during the Japanese Heian period (794-1185 BC). It is also played in Korea, and many more countries.

Stones: Go is played with 181 Black stones and 180 White stones. They are placed on intersection on the board.

Development in the West: Go has been slow to spread to other parts of the world not like other games of Asian origin. Oskar Korschelt brought the game to Europe, especially to Germany and Austria.

Thanks for reading! You can find more information here -- https://www.usgo.org/sites/default/files/pdf/W2Go8x11.pdf

Wood Block Designs

I used markers to create these wood block designs. The first and third have geometric patterns, the second is a mixture of colored lines and fourth uses a comma shaped pattern.

Magic Mirror

This is a magic mirror I made on Sketchbook. 

You can access it here: https://sketchbook.com/

The mirror looks like it has a hall inside it!

I chose this because it uses Sketchbook extras, 

so then it looks really cool in a black background.

I used brushes that are bright and easy to see.

The Wild Robot's Mission -- A story inspired by "The Wild Robot", by Peter Brown

The Wild Robot’s Mission

By Agneya Dutta Pooleery

Chapter 1

There was a robot. Not a very special one. “Hello, my name is ROZZUM- unit 717, but you may call me Roz.” he said.

He was in a huge factory, where there were numerous robots hard at work. Suddenly, an announcement blasted through the comm. “ROZZUM-unit 717, please report to the office. Someone will see you shortly.” “What could it be?” he thought as his computer brain was deep in its thoughts. He marched down the corridor and into the office room at the center of the building. A man stood there waiting for Roz to arrive. The robot studied the man. He had a scar on his face. “What could it have been from?” he thought as another man marched in. “Hello Roz. I am here to give you a top-secret mission. My name is Max.” the man said. Roz asked, “What is the mission about?” “It is about the study of animals,” replied Max. “You will be stranded on a remote island to gather information about the animals and their habitats!”  “Okay I’ll do that!” said Roz. although he was not very interested in the mission!

Chapter 2

“That sounds fun!” thought the robot as he went back to his normal work of assembling the robots so his owners could make money. The work there was very harsh, but he didn’t mind it at all. He was programmed to obey orders and do all the dirty work that humans couldn’t have done. The robots thought humans were lazy and couldn’t do anything on their own. But our robot did not care at all! The day of the mission came and he slid down the rope reaching down from the helicopter.

Figure 1: the island

Roz dropped down and observed his surroundings. He thought it was interesting. He walked down to the shore and saw several ducks swimming in a small pool of water. He wanted to go in, but he knew that water could damage his sensors. Lots of animals crowded around him to look at the curious creature. After a while, he began to understand and speak the animal language. “Hello, Fox! My name is Roz the robot. What is your name?” asked Roz. “Uh, Hello Roz the robot! My name is Foxy. You don’t look like any of the animals on the island.” said Foxy. “I know. I was sent here by the humans to learn about the animals on this island.” said Roz. “Roz, I have no friends. Can I be your friend?” asked Foxy. Roz agreed, and the two of them set out to explore the island, Foxy being Roz’s guide. They climbed cliffs, went in the jungle, until it was growing dark. “Hey Roz, I have to sleep. You can stay at my cave until you need to go back to the city. ZZZZ!”

Chapter 3

Roz felt at ease. He turned off himself and lay down in the warmth in the cave. Foxy was already fast asleep. The robot wondered what would happen the next day while he lay in the darkness of the cave. The next day, Roz and Foxy went out to talk about the things they wanted to do and what they already did. They chose a mountain and hiked up to the top.

“How about we go back to my den to eat some food?” asked Foxy. “I do not need to eat, Foxy. Remember, I am a robot.” said Roz. He didn’t feel hungry, and even if he did, he couldn’t. There was a beaver hopping by the duo. The beaver stopped and stared at the curious sight. Then he said “Oh, you must be Roz! Nice to meet you! My name is Chopper.” “Hello Chopper! How are you doing?” asked the robot. “Very well. And you?” said Chopper. “I’m doing well too! This is my friend Foxy.”

Chapter 4

Their new friend Chopper knew the island grounds very well. They hiked through the mountains and leapt over puddles and jogged through the jungle. Roz knew that all the island animals would think of him a strange animal or one of those lazy humans. Roz decided to take a little walk while Chopper and Foxy rested. They were very tired. The robot never got tired, so he marched a little bit until he came to a cave like the fox’s caves. He wanted to peek in a little.

Chapter 5

Roz walked down the mountain and stared through the cave entrance. “Hello? Is anyone there?” he called. The cave seemed to be empty, so he hiked back up the hill to where Foxy and Chopper were. They were finished resting and so the trio continued with the cheery little hike. But something was waiting…… The travelers met many animals on the way. Some were tall and some were short. They met some bears, too! They sat and ate and told jokes to each other. “Why did the tiger throw the clock out the window?” asked Roz. “What’s a clock?” asked Foxy. “Oh, never mind.” said Roz. They sat up very late in the night.

Clang! Rumble! Something was rumbling in the night sky. What could it be? A ship passed by in the distance. A boat was being paddled by other robots. There were 3 of them. “ROZZUM-unit 717, how is the work coming along?” said the robots. “We are the WRECK. We are here to hunt some animals for food.” Roz was alarmed. “I will not let any of you hurt the animals on this island!” he said.

Chapter 6

The robots were angry. Roz did not want to let any of the animals get hurt. He convinced the WRECK robots not to hunt the animals. The animals were grateful to Roz. But they still were on their guard and more WRECK robots could come to the island. Turtles, beavers and raccoons and all types of animals on the island went about their normal things, like hunting and playing. The little ones stumbled around, ran after each other, and played their animal games. As time passed, Roz knew more animals on the island. He still had to carry out the mission, and he made a daily report to that scarred man. Once in a while, he saw a helicopter soaring through the sky. The helicopter had 3 robots. The robots were too high in the sky to notice the robot staring up at them from the island. A year passed, and everything was going on normally. Roz still played with Chopper and Foxy. He learned about all the animals, their behavior and activities. After a while, he began to call the island home. He made new friends like turtles and dolphins.

One day, a huge wave came splashing down beside Roz. A storm was coming. Roz and his friends huddled up in a cave. It was very windy. Whoosh! Whoosh! The winds blew high and low. It was very severe! But eventually, the storm died down, bit by bit. Finally, it was over. The animals had survived.

Chapter 7

A few days later, when the robot ran up the mountain he saw a plane in the sky. It was a fighter jet, and was soaring overhead. What would happen next? It looked like it was going to land. It swooped and made a bumpy landing on the ground. The animals scurried down to their homes. Some humans climbed out of the ship. One human approached Roz. “You have completed your mission. You have to return to the factory with us.” said the man. Roz tried to resist, but the humans pressed the button on the back of his head.

Click. The robot did not say anything. The humans put Roz in the airship. The animals peeked out of the hiding spots. “We have to save Roz!” they said. But the humans had taken him in the plane and flew him back to the factory.

What happens next? Wait until book two ….

THE END

Reading Edgar Allen Poe

An excerpt from "The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaal", Edgar Allen Poe. 

Quote:

"As to the shape of this phenomenon, it was even still more reprehensible. Being little or nothing better than a huge fools-cap turned upside down. And this similitude was regarded as by no means lessened, when upon near inspection, there was perceived a large tassel depending from its apex, and, around the upper rim or base of the cone, a circle of little instruments, resembling sheep-bells, which kept up a continual tinkling to the tune of Betty Martin. But still worse. Suspended by blue ribbons to the end of this fantastic machine, there hung, by way of car, an enormous drab beaver hat, with a brim superlatively broad, and a hemispherical crown with black band and a silver buckle. It is, however, somewhat remarkable that many citizens of Rotterdam swore to having seen the same hat repeatedly before; and indeed the whole assembly seemed to regard it with eyes of familiarity; while the vrow Grettel Pfaall, upon sight of it, uttered an exclamation of joyful surprise, and declared it to be the identical hat of her good man himself. "

Imaging the balloon ...  (Drawn using Sketchbook )

Termite nest at home

Lego Battleship, in the time of Corona Virus.

                                               Mega Battleship -- Ready to Fight.

Ninja Band

Les gars Ninja jouent de la guitare et du tambour