Blog #5

1. My most significant accomplishment in photoshop this year was my final project. I used new pictures and attempted to make them look old fashioned. I also used new photoshop techniques to change the lighting effects. Just in general, I developed many new tools that I had previously never used.

2. My most challenging project was working on the bonus project that I received. In that project, I created a new paint brush that was my name and created a mask to transform a picture of myself by using the brush to fill in the shadows of my face. I was able to follow along with the instructions for most of the project, but a few steps required me to use my own style. In the end, it turned out pretty good.

3. My quiz #2 I did a good job of adding layers to create an air force battle in the sky. However, there was no meaning to the art. There was just surface level images. Now when I compare that to my midterm, they are completely different. My midterm was comprised of images of Lincoln and Hitler. It demonstrated the ability of an individual to either grant freedom or take it away. The image went much deeper than the surface level quiz #2 went. Quiz #2 was just a demonstration of my photoshop abilities, while my midterm was a demonstration of my artistic abilities.

Final Project

My big idea for the final project is college life. This is an important idea for me considering the fact that I am currently a college student. I have explored this through two pictures. In the first picture, I have a student studying for an exam while his future aspirations lie ahead of him. His focus is on his future and the benefits, such as money and a good job, which hopefully come along with getting his degree. I used a picture of Columbus and added shadows to the buildings, darken the foreground trees, and used lighting effects to add a bright area behind the buildings. The second picture is of a college student holding his degree. Behind him are pictures from his past. This is a representation of his memories from his college life. When we look back on our college experience, we do not look back to the tough, long nights of studying, rather we look back to the fun, exciting nights that we shared with our friends. I made the pictures of the student’s memories in and old-fashioned style to emphasize the fact that these pictures are in the past. In both of these pictures, the big idea of college life is explored by using common experiences that the average student either has experienced themselves or will one day experience.

Blog Assignment #4

1. My big idea in this final project is freedom. I have explored this idea through two pictures. The first is a student who is trapped at a desk studying for an exam. While he is studying, his thoughts are looking ahead of him towards his future. In front of him is a city and two hands. One of these hands is filled with money and the other is reaching out accepting it. This is a symbol for why the student is studying. He wants to do well in school so that one day he can get a good job and earn lots of money. By earning this money the student will be able to also earn his freedom to be able to do as he pleases. The second picture is of a student who just recently graduated. Now all his long hours of studying are behind him, but that is not what he remembers. The images that are behind him are of all the good times he spent with his friends. This represents a change from the locked up student as seen in the first image. The whole time the student was locked up, he was actually free, it was only his mind at the time that was telling him otherwise.
2. One artist that influenced me was Jonny Mcgurn. I followed one of his photoshop techniques to create my city backdrop.
Another artist is Pierre Beteille. He is the artist that I choose in blog #3. His work helped to re-inspire my own photoshop skills. I had hit a bit of a wall, but by looking at his work, I was able to regain my enthusiasm for discovering new techniques.
The last artist that helped to influence me was one called LadyMin on the website worth1000.com. I followed along with her tutorial to create an aged photo.
3. I am trying a few new techniques, one is trying to create a futuristic photo of a city by using gradients and color effects. Another new techniqe is creating an old fashoned photo by using grains, noise and texture features

Quiz #4 blog

My two movie posters are The Devil Wears Prada and The Deer Hunter. In both of these posters, design is used to speak to a target audience in two very different ways. However, these posters do share some things in common. First, the backgrounds in each poster are very plain. One is white and the other is black, but there is nothing happening beyond the main image. This forces our attention to the shoe and the man. Another common trait is the use of the color red. Without the red, both posters would be black and white. Even when looking at the red in each picture, both the shoe and headband have some black mixed in allowing the objects to look more realistic and three dimensional. One final common trait is the actress Meryl Streep appears in both of these films and her name can be seen on both posters. This allows the audience to know that these two movies share a common actress.

These two posters may have several things in common, but overall, they are vastly different. These two posters speak to two very different audiences, one to females (The Devil Wears Prada) and one to males (The Deer Hunter). In The Devil Wears Prada, there is a big red high heel shoe that is the only image in the entire poster. This relates to another female dominated genre of fashion. Another indicator of the role that fashion plays in the movie can be seen in the title with the use of the word Prada. This is a reference to an upscale designer company. This poster is geared towards females because the actresses that appear on the poster are both females. The actors/actresses whose names appear on the poster typically play the lead roles. So in this case, in The Devil wears Prada, the two lead roles are both female. Now one image that can be masculine is the pitchfork, however it is depicted as part of the heel of the shoe. If this were meant to be a masculine, there would probably be fire behind it or a devil holding it. So being that it is a part of the shoe, it cannot be viewed as masculine.

In the poster for The Deer Hunter, there is a man who looks very masculine. His face is covered with dirt, his hair is messy, and he has a red headband on. He is holding a gun to his head and he has an almost crazed look on his face. The gun relates to the targeted audience because the majority of gun owners are males. Another connection to the male audience is the title. Again, just like gun owners, most hunters are males. By looking at the poster, one can tell that a crazed man will play a lead role and that guns will be used in the movie. Both these details speak to the male gender.

Blog Assignment #3

the Birth of Venus:

la Primavera:

My first artist is Botticelli. He is a very famous Italian Renaissance painter who appeals to me because his big idea is similar to mine. He uses the big idea of freedom and grace to paint some of the all time human masterpieces. In his two most famous paintings, La Primavera and The Birth of Venus, I find the way Botticelli depicts the free spirits and the winds to be very inspiring. He is able to get his big idea across without using typical cliches as so many other artist do. one question I had originally had while first viewing these painting was who is the lady in the middle of the pictures? I later found out that is was Venus, the goddess of love and fertility. I will use this artist to aid in my final project by trying to bring out the color range of Botticelli and use it in my final project. Also, I will have one central image and surround it with multiple images that will aid in the connection to my big idea.

Second two images found on: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandro_Botticelli

My second artist is Pierre Beteille. He is a photoshop artist who takes ordinary photographs and transforms them through photoshop. I felt inspired while looking at his work, because many of his images are ones that I feel I can do myself. Many photoshop artist are out of my league, but Beteille's work provides an example to me that a great piece of photoshop art does not need to be done by a photoshop expert. His big idea is altered realities. He takes ordinary images and by adding photoshop features, he changes the image from something ordinary to something extraordinary. I will use this artist to aid my final project by realizing that I do have the ability to make great art with the skills that I currently have and the ones that I will continue to develop through this final project. Things that I need to continue working on are mask and adjustment details that will make my art more realistic.

First two images found on: pierrebeteille.com

Finished Artist Statement for Midterm

My big idea is freedom. As an American, I have the right to choose what I want, when I want. However not everyone is as lucky. I explored the idea of freedom through powerful political leaders. Although leaders like Lincoln and Hitler have power to control the freedom of thousands, people can still change their country's future. Out the window is a view of what the country will become under the leadership of these men. I want everyone to see if people want to change the image, freedom enables them to achieve their goal like Mandela in South Africa.

Midterm Artist Statement Rough Draft

1. My big idea is freedom. I looked at two polarizing historical figures one being Lincoln who used his political position as president to free the slaves and unite a country. Then I looked at Hitler who used his political power to fight wars and kills thousands of people. So power is a big theme in my project.

2. When I began exploring the idea, I thought of Nelson Mandela who was able to united South Africa after many years of war. I replaced his face from a very famous picture taken of him from prison and replaced it with Lincoln and Hitler and I replaced the window with lasting images from their countries history. It represents the different paths that individuals can lead a grup of people.

3. Freedom is important for me because I am an American. I have have lived my life with the ability to choose what I want to do and where I go. It affects me everyday of my life.