Dia: Beacon

I really enjoyed the trip to Dia: Beacon because it was nothing like I had expected. All of the artworks in the museum were amazing, but I especially enjoyed the sculptures by John Chamberlain. They were not only large in size, but they had a definite presence because you had to walk around, in front, or behind them. This quality was also evident in the work of Richard Serra. His pieces were gigantic but also engaging; walking through them was both scary and intimidating, but I loved it. The trip as a whole was a success because it inspired me.

Final Project- Poem Visualization

In the visualization of my poem, I attempted to convey the message that adults, as well as children, call each other silly names whether it is in their heads or out loud. These names seem childlike, but adults think in these terms as well. This type of vocabulary makes name-calling seem humorous instead of harming and if we all accepted these types of words instead of our usual jargon, the world could be a much happier place. I chose this particular book structure because I wanted it to seem like a book for adults at first glance, but open up to be a more childlike interpretation. 

I created a briefcase for the cover because I wanted it to seem as if it were for adults when in fact it is full of words used by children. I used a tablet and pen to draw sketches on the computer in Illustrator and printed on the Phaser. I had a lot of trouble constructing the book because of the binding and the material. I purchased this fake leather fabric to cover the book in and I figured I could place the staple bound book under the fabric that covered the front and back cover. The pages did not flip correctly, so I cut a slit into the center and slipped the pages into it and hot glued it in place. I then glued more fabric to cover the glue for appearance. I had a lot of trouble with the typefaces as well because they were not available on every computer in the lab. The typefaces I ended up using were Hardwood lp, Bellerose light, and ItcKabel light.

Word Visualization

This is my word visualization, I am happy with the way it came out. When I picked out the word, I thought it would be easy because letters can easily be distorted to flow like snakes. I added texture to create the illusion of scales and tongues so you would know they were snakes.

Final Self-Visualization

This is my Self-Visualization Project. I wanted to create something with many different parts, and I also didn't want it to look exactly like me. When looking at an individual square, although some portray recognizable features, the viewer cannot point out that it is me. I am very happy with the way it turned out, but I wish I had time to make more squares so they would not have to repeat. 

Project 3: Handmade Book/ Poem Visualization

Child Development

As sure as prehistoric fish grew legs and sauntered off the beaches into forests working up some irregular verbs for their first conversation, so three-year-old children enter the phase of name-calling. Every day a new one arrives and is added to the repertoire. You Dumb Goopyhead, You Big Sewerface, You Poop-on-the-Floor (a kind of Navaho ring to that one) they yell from knee level, their little mugs flushed with challenge. Nothing Samuel Johnson would bother tossing out in a pub, but then the toddlers are not trying to devastate some fatuous Enlightenment hack. They are just tormenting their fellow squirts or going after the attention of the giants way up there with their cocktails and bad breath talking baritone nonsense to other giants, waiting to call them names after thanking them for the lovely party and hearing the door close. The mature save their hothead invective for things: an errant hammer, tire chains, or receding trains missed by seconds, though they know in their adult hearts, even as they threaten to banish Timmy to bed for his appalling behavior, that their bosses are Big Fatty Stupids, their wives are Dopey Dopeheads and that they themselves are Mr. Sillypants.  Billy Collins  My high school English teacher introduced me to Billy Collins and he has always been one of my favorite poets. He has a way of expressing informal, childlike occurrences in a sophisticated tone that brings humor to the poem. It's always funny to hear some of the things that come out of children's mouths, good or bad. I believe that although we grow up and get jobs and families of our own, the humor of our childhood should never be lost. I will always enjoy tickle fights, calling my mom a "meanie", or eating ice cream for breakfast. As I go through life, I will never forget to keep on laughing.  My idea for the Handmade book is to create a children's book full of fun colors, and playful images. I want it to have a childlike appearance that still relates to adults and can be enjoyable for all ages the way the poems of Billy Collins are.

Self-Visualization

This project seemed difficult when I first heard it because I could not think of a way to describe myself in three pictures. When I think about myself, I am overwhelmed with characteristics that I could use to describe myself. I have a lot of different groups of friends of family that I love to spend time with, but sometimes I feel as though I spread myself too thin amongst all of the people and activities I am involved with. I think I live a very hectic life with every moment planned, but I enjoy it that way. Relaxation is important, but too much is just plain boring. I’m always moving, even during Spring Break I managed to pick up 49 hours at the restaurant I work at. I love to be busy, to spend time with everyone, but most days when I finish my work at around 11pm, I’m too exhausted even to sleep. Sometimes I feel guilty for taking time away from my family and boyfriend, but I always seem to tell myself it will get better, maybe during spring break or summer but sure enough, it never does.
I’ve always been fascinated with close-ups because they tell part of he story, but the viewer can never truly understand the whole without looking at everything. I think I want to incorporate this concept into my Self-Visualization project. I will take a lot of close-ups of my body and alter them in Photoshop and Illustrator, then place them like tiles in a large frame. By looking at the small individual pieces, the viewer might not know who or what the figure is. I was thinking of taking this idea even further and arranging the small tiles to make a larger image or symbol, but I’m not sure if this is appropriate for me. I think the random pieces of me arranged next to one another represent me better because I am always in different places thinking about other things.

Illustrator Image for Project 1

This is my final illustrator image. Working with illustrator was difficult for me because I do not have much experience with the program, but I think I was successful. I changed the mood of the photograph with green water and added a peacock for contrast.

Photoshop for Project 1

This is my final photoshop image. I am really happy with the outcome because it is similar to how I had imagined it. I liked the photo to begin with, so I did not want to change the beauty of it. The colors became more dull when I posted it on the web, so in print the image seems brighter.

Cui Xiuwen, CIndy Sherman, and Frida Kahlo

The art of Cui Xiuwen was very inspiring to me because she focused on the female body and women’s issues. When looking through her works, I was impressed with the variety that still produced something that appeared to be a series. All of her photographs told different stories and brought up different issues, but some uniting force like a white dress or the color red tied them all together. The simple choice of colors adds to the meaning of the photographs; black, white, red, and blue help portray the scene of abuse and later, lonesomeness. Digital Art is a difficult medium because sometimes a photo looks either too real or too reconstructed. I think Cui Xiuwen creates a perfect balance in her photos because they are done skillfully and transition well from digital art to reality. 

When viewing the photographs of Cindy Sherman, there is a wide range of reactions I get from different collections. Some bring nostalgia, others a sense of glamour, and a number of the photos arise a feeling of fear and disgust. I can definitely see the importance of these gruesome photos because they raise emotion and bring your attention to issues, but I particularly enjoy the Untitled Film Still series. Black and white high contrast film photography has been so mass-produced lately, it seems as though anyone with a digital camera and a computer can do it. Sherman’s works appear to be beautiful and seem to resemble a model photo shoot, but her facial expressions tell a different story. The way she looks at the camera reveals something different; in all of these shots, the main figure seems to be hiding something from the camera lens. You can see it in her eyes that there is something else going on in the scene and this is what makes the photograph interesting. 

Frida Kahlo’s self portraits focus on point of view. She painted herself the way she envisioned, unlike the idealized self-portraits that are so common in our culture. When viewing her artwork, it reminds me of the magical realism present in the novel “Like Water for Chocolate,” because it has a strong presence of Mexican and Native American cultures. The bright colors and almost magical scenes create something beyond reality that is still comprehendible. Kahlo uses these elements to reveal a masculine image of herself that she feels is stronger than the feminine. I enjoy the works of Frida Kahlo because she breaks the boundary of perfection and femininity present in culture. 

Illustrator Excercise 1

This is the Illustrator icon GIF drawing.

Exercise

Original Pictures

These are the original photos i chose to work with. I thought they would make a more interesting image when pasted together.

Gregory Crewdson, Teun Hocks, Jeff Wall, and Cindy Sherman

The works of Gregory Crewdson were unlike any photographs I had ever seen before. He managed to create an erie feeling while using color photos and lonesome figures. I enjoyed his artwork because it was anything but boring; I consider any work that evokes emotion art, so Gregory Crewdson's photos are definitely pieces of art. 

Teun Hocks is one of the many artists I was so glad to be introduced to. His art is humorous, but original. Sometimes I begin to think that art is repetitive, but Teun Hocks definitely brought something completely new to the table. The way he paints on canvas and inserts his figure into various settings is funny, but is also successful in making a statement. 

I did not enjoy the artwork of Jeff Wall as much as the other artists. There was something about the meticulous set up of the scenes that made them seem almost unreal. I think there is something special about photos taken of a scene that the artist just came across and experienced. Everything in our modern day life is pre planned enough, and I just don't see the need to set up a scene when there is so much set up by nature and mankind by accident just waiting to be discovered.

I loved the works of Cindy Sherman mostly because I love looking at portraits. It is one thing I kind of wish I had the courage to do. She never fails to capture the feeling of the subject (usually herself) in the appropriate setting. Her photos don't seem as planned out as Jeff Wall's and the everyday feeling is something that adds to the photos. It is the figures that take the stage, not the background.

My Inspiration

Black and white photography is a huge inspiration because it invokes so much feeling. I enjoy looking through photographs because they each of them represent an experience that the photographer has had. Each picture tells a story and that fascinates me.

One of my favorite medias to work with is clay. Like computers, you can work and rework it until you find something good. I like to experiment with different glazes and metallic paints to create a unique finish. Ceramics is a hobby I can turn to when I'm stressed or tired because it just comes. You can let your hands go and for me, they always seem to create something magical.