Outside Art Experience

I missed last week's lecture with Sarah Zwerling, but to make up for it, I will being doing something art related this weekend in New York City. One of my good friends from high school's mother is a hair stylist in NYC. She owns a regular salon, but also has worked on a few fashion shoots. She is actually working on one this weekend with an upcoming photographer and my friend said I could go with them (The photographer is Scandinavian. I would put his name, but I can't pronounce it, let alone spell it. I don't even think American keyboards have the right letters for his name haha).

Needless to say, this is an amazing opportunity and I am extremely excited about it. My friend hasn't told me much about the concept yet (I think he wants to be a bit of a surprise...), but I know its on location in Brooklyn and Soho rather than in a studio. It's low budget and by no means a shoot for Gucci or Louis Vuitton, but watching the behind-the-scenes production of my specific field of interest is so exciting. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to give some input!

I know today's our last day, but I'll post my reaction after the shoot anyway.

Routine Project

I had a lot of fun with this project. Getting weird looks from people when I asked them to kiss a square of paper for me was the best. I really had no idea where I was going with this project when it was first presented to us in class, but I just went with it and it took the form of a color study. These are all from Halloween night (hence the blue and black). I would like to compile all of the prints I have (over 100) into a huge print out when I get the money. As for continuing this concept or working like this again, I doubt that I will. It was fun while it lasted, but I grow bored easily. Working long term isn't an interest of mine at all. Not to mention I'd run out of places to stash random collections!

Melinda Steffy

The main point of Melinda's lecture was marketing yourself successfully (through technology of course). She promoted Etsy.com which specializes in hand-made goods and crafts. She told us how to be successful on websites like that (good photographic imagery is the key, as well as reposting regularly so you pop up in searches). She did note that the site isn't geared toward fine art sales though and pieces like that don't sell well on Etsy. She also told us about in-person sales and selling your items in other stores, elaborating on the pros and cons of each. Selling in-person builds a bond with your customer base that keeps them coming back for more and it also plays upon their impulse buying. They will buy just because they may never catch you again.

I've explored Etsy some before and they have really unique products, but I can tell that it wouldn't be useful to my market, unless vendors hired me to shoot their products...

Oh yeah, the Details

Final Tank Man Image and Reaction

I actually really enjoyed this project. It was fun to play with images and effects next to each other and figuring out which effects looked good next to each other. Running out of ideas was an issue, but I think it worked out okay. I definitely stuck with the serious nature of the image rather than making it playful. The only thing I don't like is how each image doens't flow into the connecting pieces.

Lipstick and Scanners Don't Mix

So after many ruined pieces due to scanner issues, I finally figured out how not to ruin them! Here's a small sample of what I've gotten so far. Half-way edited.

Photoshop Morphs

tubra

swine flew. ha ha ha.

raspbanana

These need some cleaning up, and I still plan on doing one or two more.

Tank Man

Tiananmen Square

I was aware of the incident at Tienanmen Square; I've been assigned tons of humans rights and communism projects in my high school career and also did a photojournalism stint for a photography class. Even though I was no stranger to the events, they hit me like a brick wall every time I see them, especially in video form. It's one thing to read about the events in a textbook, but to watch the video, see images, and hear from the survivors is a whole other level. It really makes you realize that not everyone has those basic rights for freedom. It's also hard to believe that a government can mow down their own people; innocent, peaceful, and unarmed people. It's a culture shock every time I revisit the subject.

Doug Bucci

Doug Bucci, a metals and jewelry artist and professor at Tyler, spoke to the foundation students on Tuesday. His main focus was that technology liberated him from physical constraints. As a metal worker, he was limited to what he was able to physical make, but digital imaging and 3D printing eliminated those shackles.

I found this lecture pretty inspiring. Not only did he not try and force the technology factor, he was comical as well. He touched on so many things that have been running through my mind with foundations year, especially because I'm now wait-listed and behind... It was pretty reassuring. Not to mention he made metalwork look awesome and I'm thinking of taking a class in it next year.

It Feels Good to Be Back In Photoshop

Old: 6.25 x 9.375
75 ppi
New: 3 x 4.5
150 ppi

Old: 12.5 x 9.583
72 ppi
New: 6 x 4.6
150 ppi

Old: 12.5 x 9.125
72 ppi
New: 4.709 x 3.28
175 ppi

Lecture with Eileen Neff

Eileen Neff received her Master's in painting from Tyler 30 years ago, however she left her painting behind her when she discovered photography. Since she comes from a painting background, she approaches photography in a completely different way than people from a strict photography background; people like me I guess. I originally started playing with art with a similar framework: drawing and painting. I didn't formally study photography until late in high school, but that is my favorite medium now. I didn't really care for Eileen's work or perspective from any point of view though. I felt it was really simple and having such a wide variety of training, she could take it to a much higher level.

Photoshop Penguins

Sharon Louden

Once again, technology and art. I was glad that this one was less technology oriented in the way of networking and some of her fiber optic and glow in the dark work was pretty cool. I'm kind of confused on my opinion of her; I did like some of the work, but as for the drawings and animations, call me a snobby artist, but I don't find repetitive squiggles appealing.

I'd definitely get that kitchen glass spike installation thing though!

self portrait. finished??

This is my Salvador Dali style self portrait. I like it, but I don't feel like it's successful in completing the project. For me, Dali is much more surreal and I couldn't find patterns in the shapes and colors to put in subtle images as Dali did with Lincoln in Dalivision. It doesn't seem surreal enough to me, but then again, I'm not much of a surrealist. I also had a really hard time getting smooth strokes. In Dali's work, you can barely see the beginnings and ends of his brush strokes but in Illustrator, the strokes were obvious.

Salvador Dali

Just about everyone is familiar with Salvador Dali. Born in 1904 in Spain, Dali is most highly regarded for his surreal images. Symbolism is rampant in his works. What I love most about his pieces is that nothing is ever what it seems to be. You can take his paintings literally or formulate your own ideas, but whenever you come back to them, I always find something new. For the self portrait, I'm mostly going to imitate this: Lincoln in Dalivision.

Swatches

Weekly Collection

I FINALLY FOUND ACETATE!!!
I'm hoping to do a massive amount of scanning either tomorrow or Monday between classes.

I have them, I swear!

Illustrator Self Portrait

I couldn't get the little fringes off, and I got way too irritated with it to figure out haha.
This was fun for about 10 minutes at a time or if I really got the hang of a feature. My favorite thing creating was the lips and the area around them. Other than that, I'm really not happy with how any of it came out. I like paper version much better. I absolutely cannot stand drawing on a computer. I'd much rather get my hands dirty with some charcoal and pastels.

Bradley Litwin

This week's lecture was on kinetic machines and redrawing them using computer programs; kind of technology within technology. I found it kind of interesting. I would NEVER have the patience to sit there and piece together all those wacky machines, so I definitely give him props for that ability. What I found most interesting was the evolution of the computer programs. I use Photoshop all the time, so for me to think of a 16 color program is weird. It's fun to look in retrospect and marvel at what people did without special effects and computer editing. It definitely humbles my work

Catching Up!!!

Fresh off the bus from Williamsport, here's stuff I couldn't post since I couldn't pick up internet service.

Logos:

And Tucker, the ugly dog:
I've also decided that Illustrator and I don't work well together...

While I was there (visiting friends at Lycoming) I got lots of fun kiss prints from either friends or random students. Getting odd looks is fun. Hopefully I'll get a chance to put them up here soon, but I got about 10 new ones, including blue and green. Thank you Halloween stores!

A Really Late Helvetica

Oh my gosh jille, I'm so sorry this is so late...

I was only able to watch the clips on youtube, but even so, I definitely got the feel of how passionate they were about the type-face. I personally am not so connected to it, but I do understand the importance of everything meshing well, from the colors, to the image, and the type. Everything just has to fit.

Lecture this Week

A lady (I didn't catch her name =/) who works as a conservationist in the Philadelphia Museum of Art spoke to us Tuesday about art going obsolete and decaying. I actually found this pretty interesting. I've never contemplated my work disappearing, whether intentionally or unintentionally. I'm also considering a double major in art history, so hearing about how ancient pieces are dated and reconstructed interested me.

My Stick Figures

Rediscovering Their Hands

Digital designers have been rediscovering the importance of their hands. This is quite surprising because people in the digital field work... digitally. With so much technology and simulation, manual labor has just about died out in many fields. However, as this article points out, the use of hands to feel and manipulate is still incredibly important and is a skill that still needs to be honed. not everything can be done via computer.

Dennis Keronun

I was semi-interested in this article. I like the way that Keronun hasn't renounced traditional art for digital art. I think there's still immense value in learning traditional techniques. I also like that he displays them side by side in his exhibitions, showing that digital art can contend with fine art. There tends to be a "class" division between fine and digital art and many see digital art to be beneath fine art.

Ikea's Veranda

Okay, after hearing about Helvetica, I was skeptical. Honestly, how could people get their knickers in such a twist over type. After watching it and actually thinking about it, it made more sense. Ikea's switch to Veranda upsetting so many makes some sense. It does look cheaper. Not to mention it's iconic. How irritated would we be if Coca-Cola randomly changed to Times New Roman?? Type definitely does send a message, even more so when the same type has been used for 50 years.

Memoir

Alright, I think I'm done... there were a few others, but I'm pretty sure this is my final one

Week 3 Lecture: Scott Rigby

Co-founder of Philadelphia's own BaseKamp came and spoke to us Tuesday. Although I'm getting slightly sick of the "TECHNOLOGY IS IMPORTANT" theme that they're drilling into my skull, he had some stuff to say that I found interesting. He and the rest of BaseKamp put on potluck dinners for anyone and everyone that wants to walk in and they discuss random stuff. Well, to connect with people outside the immediate area, they're starting to incorporate skype. I've never considered a web video chat to be used in that kind of manner. Pretty spiffy guys!

10 Found Items

Sorry all these photos are late. I've had serious camera/computer issues all week. Every time I'd upload them, the camera card was erased... ugh, technology sometimes... and there's still a few that I need to retrieve

A nearly daily habit of mine is drinking Arizona Iced Tea. Apparently, its a daily habit for someone else too. I like to do my homework in the courtyard behind Peabody and more often then not, I found crumpled Arizona Iced Tea cans.

These are just the raw photos, no color correction or editing yet... just cropping.