Reading Reflection

Parts of the Letter:
After reading 'Parts of the Letter' it is apparent that there is a lot of things we take for granted with type.  The individual characteristics of a typeface give the text different readings.  This is very useful when considering the effect of the word written.  A serif font is traditional and formal while sans serif is more modern and simple.  The way the information is presented in the document was easy to understand and useful.  

Steve Edwards Photography:
This reading was very informative on how photography came into existence.  Artists back then were looked down upon by society.  When they pit intellectual ideas into their work they began to gain respect.  Photography has evolved in both subject matter as well as use.  Then photography turned into a way to exploring the world beyond the obvious.  Seeing things that one might not see on a regular basis.  This will help us when photographing our word in an environment.  

Photo Ops: 
This reading reinforced my knowledge of composition for photos.  Photography is more than just point and shoot.  Many elements can combine to make an effective composition.  We will utilize this information in our photographs.  

Save pens. Use Garamond font

Well since we are talking about font and words and such I thought that this would be relevant and interesting.  It is from followingdata.com!

Save pens. Use Garamond font

Designers Matt Robinson and Tom Wrigglesworth looked at ink usage of some commonly-used typefaces, by hand-drawing them with ballpoint pens.

Scribble, scribble, scribble, and they got this simple bar chart with ink usage measured by, well, ink:

Impact font is such an ink hog. Such a drama queen.

My Word!

dis·place/disˈplās/Verb

1. Take over the place, position, or role of (someone or something).

2. Cause (something) to move from its proper or usual place.

Reflection on project 3

I actually really enjoyed this project. Granted it was repetitive, and we killed a few forests in the process, I feel that I have progressed as a designer.  I have learned that you are never out of ideas.  That no matter how many times you have drawn that same exact object, there is always another way that you have not thought of yet.  I have also learned to not dwell on the details.  I was able to simplify my object to an extent that I never thought possible!  I am very pleased with my finished product.  I feel as though I have worked very hard to come to this final poster and I have chosen each image with a careful eye.  This choosing process was a big factor in my confidence in my piece.
I feel like the project was clearly laid out to us and I always knew what I should be doing.  The instructions on Blackboard were very easy to follow.  I also feel that this project had relevance to my major!  I know that during the process I might have been aggravated because of sleep deprivation or creative blockage, but the final project has made it all worth it.  I feel as though I have learned something important.

What Color should I choose???

So after the lecture on color, I began thinking about what color best defines my object.  Ballet is characterized by grace, elegance, and poise.  I wanted to go for an abstract color but green and blue were really not working out for me.  I decided to go with pink.  The shoes are a faint pink and pink is stereotypical of girls.  Since pointe shoes are classically only used by the wonen in ballet, I figured this color was perfect.  I'm deciding to brighten the color however inorder for it to read on the poster.

Reflection of "Understanding Comics" reading

I enjoyed this reading.  It really gave me some insight before the project and helped me throughout the sketch process.  At the beginning of this project, I think I was caught up in representing my object realistically because of it's emotional importance to me.  I was concentrating on representing every detail.  This reading helped me realize the beauty and readability of simplified images.  This was how I was able to "let go" per se.  I enjoyed the various examples that the author gave.  It made it easier to understand when there were visual examples.

LAST GROUP!!! specific meaning (adjective), extreme abstraction, making marks on "another surface", type!

Adjective: This was surprisingly  hard for me!  I had a difficult time thinking of adjectives and applying that to my drawings.  I finally thought of a few adjectives and applied them to the line quality I used... I guess that works

Extreme Abstraction: Why is it that the most abstract ones that I love the most? I loved simplifying my object and challenging the viewer's perspective of my object.  I could do these all night!  I loved using the brush and ink to get that great dry brush quality!

"Another Surface": I used bubble wrap, paper towel, and watercolor paper as my textures.  It was exciting and challenging to do this. Although I am nervous that they will fall out of my process note book.... however I think it is important to see the sketches as their original because there is textures and lines that simply do not come up that clearly in the scanner.

Type: At first I used straight fonts to convey words that are associated with my object.  Then I started distorting the text.  I do not think these are as abstract as some of my other sketches... we will see if it makes it all the way to the bottom right corner

Specific Meaning (functional characteristic), texture, hybrid, and index.

Specific Meaning: I kept getting this mixed up with index but I think I understand now. To tell you the truth this was very exciting to draw something other than my direct pointe shoe! haha I drew many dancers which has been my favorite thing to draw forever. I am like a lame Degas!! (He is my hero!)

Texture: This was difficult too! Lots of confusing topics this week! At first, I struggled with conveying the exact texture of my object. Pointe shoes are smooth... alas they are covered in satin. But the texture changes when one considers the materials used to create it. Paper mache, wood, canvas... I then began to explore these textures. I feel that these sketches were more interesting because they convey the hidden textures of my object

Hybrid: This was another topic that I enjoyed.  I started out combining categories that made sense to me and then migrated to choosing random categories to challenge myself.  I really worked hard on the painterly dancers.  I think they turned out great!

Index: I LOVE this one.  I created word lists to create many different interpretations of my object.  I feel like this got me thinking creatively and expanding my view of my object!

Shapes, photocopy collage, abstract painting tool, and one line

Shapes: I started out with this method using as many shapes as possible to make a literal shape of the pointe shoes. Then I eventually diminished the number of shapes I was using. I don't know if it was sleep depravation or creative genius but near the end my 20 sketches I was down to two shapes. I ended up liking these the most ironically. I enjoy the simplicity and the cubist style.

Photocopy collage: I got really into this one. I picked textures which I thought were relevant. For example, I printed out the sheet music for the Swan Lake Finale! It was a long and tedious process to make these 'sketches' and I got glue stick all over my table :( But I still thought it was fun.

Abstract Painting tool: Yet another messy project! Good thing I covered my desk with newspaper for this one! I used a lot of different items: candle wax, pine cone, leaf, straw, lipstick, and makeup just to name a few. I loved this creative process and abstract thinking! Although messy I did enjoy this process. I like my more abstract and less perfect ones better. I think I'm starting to let go of my tendency to formally draw the object

One line: I LOVE blind contours! I love the reveal of my finished drawing! I love the abstractness... is that a word? I think being forced to use one line lets me explore the fluidity of my object. Pointe shoes are used for ballet dancing.. maybe the most fluid type of dance I partake in. These sketches have explored that aspect of their use.

Photography, gestural, painterly, and right angles & straight lines

Photo: I have honestly little to say about this one... It is pretty straight forward.
Gestural: I really enjoy gesture drawings. I know others can get really frustrated with the 'sloppyness' but in regards to my pointe shoe I think it has great potential to show the movement and weight of the object.
Painterly: I love this approach with my object. I feel that it conveys the soft qualities of the shoe and its use. Varying the weight of the strokes mirrors the varying styles and movements made while wearing the shoe.
Right angles: This was the hardest for me in this grouping. The shoe is so soft and made up of curves so it was hard for me to approach it in this manner.

Progress

As I sketch countless pictures of my object (pointe shoes) I have begun to realize the subtle things that could go unnoticed. For example, as an audience member it is hard to imagine the sturdiness of the shoe because the dancer's job is to make it look effortless. I would like to show this contrast in my final project. When many of my classmates held the shoe they exclaimed to me that they hadn't imagined that they would be so hard. This contrast appeals to me and I think I will try to magnify this point.

Amazing Vid!

My Inspiration

You are always asked when you are little "What do you want to be when you grow up?" My friends would answer with the stereotypical doctor, fireman, astronaut, and mommy.  However, being the difficult little me that I was, my answer was always a bit different.  I wanted to be an artist.  Claude Monet to be exact.  That's right, this little girl pictured below wanted to be Claude Monet when she grew up.

Ever since I could hold a crayon I was always drawing.  My father would give me his rough drafts of important lawyerly documents so I could draw without getting my masterpieces on the walls.  My parents always encouraged me to do what I wanted, but what ever it was I had to give 110%. When I was in fourth grade my parents signed me up to take private art lessons from a wonderful woman named Lee Halliburton.   Lee has made me the artist I am today.  Her expertise and encouragement made my love of art become what it is today.  

When I attended the Missouri Fine Arts Academy in the summer of 2009, It sealed the deal.  I learned to question the boundaries of art.  It was then when I finalized my dream to major in graphic design.  

My goal right now is to work in an advertising or design firm when I graduate although I am open to new opportunities and ideas.  I want to do what I love for a career.  I always knew I would be miserable in a high paying job which I did not enjoy.

So here ends my rant about me.  

IDEO video..... belated

So I know this is late but I do need to review this IDEO video.  It was about the development process that the IDEO company goes through to develop a product.  In this video the company was redesigning a shopping cart.  I liked their process from their brainstorming to when they made the prototype.  I liked how they interviewed people to see what the problems were in addition to coming up with what they thought were it's problems.  In the brainstorming process no one shot down any ideas.  In fact, the crazy ideas ended up leading to good ideas in the future.  Also, no one person was the leader of the project.  All of them had an equal part in the project.  I feel that this system was a very effective way of going about this project.  

Working Away!

So our group has been hard at work with this project...

Tonight we are getting together to print and mount the poster.  Soon the new and improved kitchen tongs will be displayed to the world!!!! well at least our class...

Here is our poorly designed object we decided on:

Tongs!

They are uncomfortable and they are not long enough to handle the food and avoid heat or other dangerous situations

YAY BRAINSTORMING!!!!

What is ART?

So I love this song.  I just saw the video tonight and I love it even more.  What is Art? Think about it.

Ahahahahaha :P