As a follow up to this blog (and course,) my book has been published on blurb.com, and ordering information can be found below. Since the course I've already used my new found book making knowledge to make two books in my workplace - I'm glad to have picked up a real world skill.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Artist #5: Matt Gardner
Matt Gardner is both a talented illustrator/animator and a talented geek as well. Together, he uses his powers to create some seriously awesome and hilarious comic book flash parodies.
One of the things I noticed right away about his style is that his characters don't have any limbs- their arms and legs just kind of hover. I suppose this probably makes for easier animation, but it also adds some humor to the proceedings.
His cartoons mainly serve to poke fun at the comic book universe, often breaking the fourth wall to do so, and it is clear that his has a vast knowledge of the source material by the many obscure references he throws into the mixture.
Find his work at www.floatingheadstudios.com .
One of the things I noticed right away about his style is that his characters don't have any limbs- their arms and legs just kind of hover. I suppose this probably makes for easier animation, but it also adds some humor to the proceedings.
His cartoons mainly serve to poke fun at the comic book universe, often breaking the fourth wall to do so, and it is clear that his has a vast knowledge of the source material by the many obscure references he throws into the mixture.
Find his work at www.floatingheadstudios.com .
Artist #4: Andea Chewiwie
Fan videos are a testament to our recombinant culture. It's an example of taking work, cutting it cut, putting it out of context, and saying something new with it. YouTube is crawling with such videos. Many fans clamor to take their favorite movie, show, or any other type of video and re-edit it to say something completely new.
I figure this would be a good time to mention my sister in this series of artists blogs, as she is among the many who take part in this cultural phenomenon.
Andrea Chewiwie is painter, illustrator, musician, and fan video editor as of recently. While many of her works have yet to go online, the above is a good example of both recombinant culture and her work. She's taken Linkin Park, a popular rock group, and fused it with FMV's from Final Fantasy, a popular video game series, to create something entirely new.
Artist #3: Jenny Barnes
Jenny Barnes, or "Dumpysaurus" as she would rather go by, is an artist whose work seems to draw mainly from sci-fi and fantasy roots, with some inspiration by the likes of Jhonen Vasquez (creator of Invader Zim and the Squee comic series.)
I like her work particularly because there's so much variation; some of her work evokes a sense of adventure and wonder, and some really make me feel like I'm losing my mind when I look at it- either way, I feel something.
Here's here DeviantArt: http://dumpysaurus.deviantart.com/ Check it out.
Artist #2: Andrew Kepple
Andrew Kepple is known online as TmsT, which stands for Too Much Spare Time. This may or may not be true, but it is true that Kepple has put his collegiate knowledge to good use in producing some of the net's most wacky and vibrant animations.
Kepple often joins forces with Neil Cicierega (covered in the last post), acting as unofficial music video animator for many of Lemon Demon's songs. The following, entitled "Geeks in Love," is Andrews artistic vision over Neil's music:
Andrew has also created many of his own interesting works, such as the Vertically Continuous Image, or his Up Skit Creek series of cartoons.
In general, Kepple's work features classic humor (occasionally bordering on the risque), which animation reminiscent to the saturday morning cartoon style. As a fan of flash animation, and having done a few myself, I hope eventually to make animations as good as his.
His work can be found at tmst.twu.net/sluggy .
Kepple often joins forces with Neil Cicierega (covered in the last post), acting as unofficial music video animator for many of Lemon Demon's songs. The following, entitled "Geeks in Love," is Andrews artistic vision over Neil's music:
Andrew has also created many of his own interesting works, such as the Vertically Continuous Image, or his Up Skit Creek series of cartoons.
In general, Kepple's work features classic humor (occasionally bordering on the risque), which animation reminiscent to the saturday morning cartoon style. As a fan of flash animation, and having done a few myself, I hope eventually to make animations as good as his.
His work can be found at tmst.twu.net/sluggy .
Artist #1: Neil Cicierega
Neil Cicierega may be the prime example of the effects of home schooling and having too much time on your hands... or he may just be a creative prodigy. Neil appeared on the online scene in 2001 with flash cartoons "The Japanese Pokerap" and "Hyakugojuiichi", which introduced the world to animutation. Animutation was a new form of online art that usually consists of foreign music, a senseless array of random imagery, and an adundance of the actor Colin Mochery. That sounds completely nonsensical, and that's the point. It's a mutated melting pot of pop culture and obscurity. His most recent animuation, entitled "Wizard Power", which features a strip-teasing Benjamin Franklin, GW Bush hypotizing the country with a planters peanut, and Gandalf in a bunny costume, is a testament to the absurdity.
Neil is not just an animator, however. His music project, entitled "Lemon Demon" is a mostly one man operation, with him playing most of the instruments in the band and synthesizing the rest. The music ranges from the thought-provoking "What Will Happen Will Happen," a comment on our society and where we're going, to the nonsensical "Gonna Dig Up Alec Guiness," which is about reanimating the corpse of actor Alec Guiness and using him as a side show attraction. Keyboards seem to be his specialty, with his keyboard solos often being a highlight of many songs. Many may recognize a fan favorite of his entitled "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny," which was been made into a popular flash cartoon.
Recently, Neil has seemed to focus more on his amatuer filmmaking projects. He has recently gained some mainstream attention on major news networks by winning the 2007 YouTube award for best comedy video. The video, entitled "Harry Potter Puppet Pals and the Mysterious Ticking Noise," is part of a series of Potter Puppet videos and has earned over 41 million views on the site.
Neil is not just an animator, however. His music project, entitled "Lemon Demon" is a mostly one man operation, with him playing most of the instruments in the band and synthesizing the rest. The music ranges from the thought-provoking "What Will Happen Will Happen," a comment on our society and where we're going, to the nonsensical "Gonna Dig Up Alec Guiness," which is about reanimating the corpse of actor Alec Guiness and using him as a side show attraction. Keyboards seem to be his specialty, with his keyboard solos often being a highlight of many songs. Many may recognize a fan favorite of his entitled "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny," which was been made into a popular flash cartoon.
Recently, Neil has seemed to focus more on his amatuer filmmaking projects. He has recently gained some mainstream attention on major news networks by winning the 2007 YouTube award for best comedy video. The video, entitled "Harry Potter Puppet Pals and the Mysterious Ticking Noise," is part of a series of Potter Puppet videos and has earned over 41 million views on the site.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
More Pages
Here's some more of my progress. Right now I'm at about 65 pages finished, so about 8 more speads 'til the minimum. I should reach that easily, as many sections of the book have yet to be fleshed out... gettin' down to the wire, though.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Art Event 3 - WGI West Power Regional Prelims
If you've ever seen a marching half time show, a winterguard show is that, but without the musicians. Winterguard consists of a colorguard, usually made up from about 20-40 performers, who design their show on a basketball court sized tarp. Because of the lack of live musicians, the show is set to a piece of music that is played via cd or mp3 player. This allows for any type of music to be used. Like figure skating, this is a competitive activity, where each guard is marked by a set of judges, and trophies are rewarded to the highest scoring groups.
Winterguard, like marching band, blurs the line between performance and sport. A performer in guard is required to be in outstanding physical shape, while the same time, required to be able to convey a wide array of emotions through their work. Shows are graded both on artistry and precision. It's competitive, yet it serves to send a message to the viewer.
This past Saturday I attended the WGI West Power Regional Prelims at CSU San Bernadino with a couple of my friends. I used to go to shows often in high school, mainly because my friends had friends in the guards and I would tag along with them. Now, not having been since graduating, I was able to go just for the sake of enjoying the performances. I was glad to see that the art of winterguard is not only still alive, but improving. The one that stood out for me the most was performed by the "Fantasia" group. Their show centered around a white table, and seemed to me about life and death. The fact that they caught every rifle toss and performed each choreographed move with precision allowed me to focus on what the show was trying to tell me. I was pulled into the story of the performance and felt truly moved by the end. It was simply awe-inspiring; I don't really know how else to describe it.
This was a fun night out an a nice change of pace from what I typically do on Saturday nights. I'm glad to see this sport is still alive and will probably try to go to shows more often.
Art Event 2 - Luann: The Musical
I've never really been a fan of the "Luann" comic strip, or comics in general, but I had at least a working knowledge of the comic before seeing the musical stage adaptation at Palomar College on March 8th. Truth be told, I went to see it because I had a friend who was cast as Luann's mother.
Luann is pretty much a comic about an ordinary girl, who has ordinary friends and faces ordinary, everyday situations and problems. The play never deviated much from this- Luann goes to school, hates gym class, has a crush on a boy who doesn't know she exists, hates the pretty girls, and doesn't know what to do when she accidentally plans a party without her parents knowing about it. There was nothing really shocking or surprising about the story, yet it still had a kind of charm to it.
The stage was something to be admired. Using very minimal props, they were able to create a living room, bedroom, fast food restaurant, and several different school locations. This was achieved by using a few strategic set pieces, such a prop center stage that could be converted from a seat to a table, and a bridge that served as a backdrop to the stage. There was also a large, back lit projector screen, which was used for scene transitions, as well as a few creative scenes, such as where Luann is dreaming about the guy she likes. She stands on the left of the stage, while the actor who plays the guy is up on the bridge, with a thought bubble appearing in the projector screen. His confused acting made this scene that much funnier, and the whole thing was pulled off very well.
None of the songs really stood out for me, but great performances by the ensemble made them easily likable. I think, on the whole, Luann the Musical capture the feeling of the comic strip- kind of easy going, and something everyone can find enjoyment in.
Art Event 1 - Blast!
On Wednesday, February 6th, Blast! performed at the Orange County Performing Arts center, which I attended with several of my friends.
There is no premise or story to Blast, nor is there an easy way to describe the show. The show originates from the sports of marching band, drum corps, and colorguard. Drum corps combines an ensemble of brass instruments, along with a skilled collection of colorguard dancers to create a sort of music in motion. Blast takes this idea a step further in that, rather that performing on field, a smaller number of performers (approx 30 brass players and 20 dancers) take to the concert stage. Their attire is much more formal, with the musicians in all black, and dancers in simple costumes that match the color of the number they are performing.
But play music is not all they do with their instruments. Just as flags and rifles are tossed up in the air by the guard, trumpets and horns are tossed around, drummers are playing the drums with their ears, performers are running around the auditorium, and crazy things in general are happening all around. This is not your ordinary night out at a concert.
Color seems to be the main theme. The show opens with a single snare drum on the stage, which builds to a much larger musical ensemble. This is followed by the number "Color Wheel", which establishes that the audience is about to take a trip through every color, exploring the potential meanings behind each one. From there, the first act shows us purple, blue, green, and black, and the second act picks up with yellow, orange, and then red. All the benefits of being on stage in an auditorium come into play, mainly with the use of theatrical lighting effects. This is helpful in a show about color.
The theme of color gives for a nice backdrop to the musical selection, and allows for a good amount of variation. For instance, the blue segment features jazz, followed by an original piece about losing a loved one. In contrast, the green segment features a classical piece "Appalachian Spring" by Aaron Copeland, which is about the beauty of nature and living a life of simplicity. The mood of the songs are often representing by the subtle acting of the dancers and musicians. Though there is no dialogue, they convey the message of the musical through body language, even while playing music.
The color theme also allows for a contrast between the two acts. The first act, dealing with the "cool" colors, is mostly classical music, featuring very organized choreography. As we get more into the "warm" colors of the second act, we start to see more popular music ("Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione, and even a techno song), and the performers start to break away from the confines of the stage and perform in the middle of the audience. The last number, which is about the color red and explores the ideas of passion, ends with a snare drum in the center stage, much like how the show began. This signifies that we've made a complete trip around the color wheel.
After the curtain call, the performers danced off the front of the stage and led the exiting audience into the lobby, where we were greeted with a big percussion dance party with all the cast members. This was a terrific way to end the show. All in all, the show was very high energy and a great way to spend an evening.
There is no premise or story to Blast, nor is there an easy way to describe the show. The show originates from the sports of marching band, drum corps, and colorguard. Drum corps combines an ensemble of brass instruments, along with a skilled collection of colorguard dancers to create a sort of music in motion. Blast takes this idea a step further in that, rather that performing on field, a smaller number of performers (approx 30 brass players and 20 dancers) take to the concert stage. Their attire is much more formal, with the musicians in all black, and dancers in simple costumes that match the color of the number they are performing.
But play music is not all they do with their instruments. Just as flags and rifles are tossed up in the air by the guard, trumpets and horns are tossed around, drummers are playing the drums with their ears, performers are running around the auditorium, and crazy things in general are happening all around. This is not your ordinary night out at a concert.
Color seems to be the main theme. The show opens with a single snare drum on the stage, which builds to a much larger musical ensemble. This is followed by the number "Color Wheel", which establishes that the audience is about to take a trip through every color, exploring the potential meanings behind each one. From there, the first act shows us purple, blue, green, and black, and the second act picks up with yellow, orange, and then red. All the benefits of being on stage in an auditorium come into play, mainly with the use of theatrical lighting effects. This is helpful in a show about color.
The theme of color gives for a nice backdrop to the musical selection, and allows for a good amount of variation. For instance, the blue segment features jazz, followed by an original piece about losing a loved one. In contrast, the green segment features a classical piece "Appalachian Spring" by Aaron Copeland, which is about the beauty of nature and living a life of simplicity. The mood of the songs are often representing by the subtle acting of the dancers and musicians. Though there is no dialogue, they convey the message of the musical through body language, even while playing music.
The color theme also allows for a contrast between the two acts. The first act, dealing with the "cool" colors, is mostly classical music, featuring very organized choreography. As we get more into the "warm" colors of the second act, we start to see more popular music ("Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione, and even a techno song), and the performers start to break away from the confines of the stage and perform in the middle of the audience. The last number, which is about the color red and explores the ideas of passion, ends with a snare drum in the center stage, much like how the show began. This signifies that we've made a complete trip around the color wheel.
After the curtain call, the performers danced off the front of the stage and led the exiting audience into the lobby, where we were greeted with a big percussion dance party with all the cast members. This was a terrific way to end the show. All in all, the show was very high energy and a great way to spend an evening.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Fravit Companion
Since the last WIP update, I've changed the format of my book from 8.5x11 to 7x7. I've had to reconstruct some of the older pages, but I've also been working on defining the look and color scheme of the rest of the book. So far I have 3 re-imagined pages from the old book, and 3 brand new spreads, which will serve as the entry pages to each section. The majority of each sections contents will be photos with captions. I'm still fiddling with master pages and text styles, so these are the only "complete" pages I have.
More to come soon.
More to come soon.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
First Six Pages
OK, so here's the first 6 pages. Well, technically pages 2-7. Page one is non existent at the moment.
These pages will still need some tweaking. I haven't finished the master pages yet (and when I do, I'll probably have to move some stuff around,) and there are still a lot of things I want to do with the text, like text styles. But this should suffice for the time being.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Test Page Export
Voila. An InDesign page. Probably similar to something that will eventually be in my book, but this exact page won't be there. It's not very good, and I don't like it.I should probably catch up on my Lynda tutorials :\
Oliver Herring
Again, another experimental artist. He said that his art was about connection. It's very process-oriented.
A lot of times when I make something, I look back and don't remember how I made it. I can guarantee that any photoshop work I've done I couldn't replicate if I was asked to. Maybe I don't pay enough attention to the process. For me, the end result is the payoff. Maybe I have a thing or two to learn about art.
It seems like for Herring, the process is entirely the focus, with the end result just being a side effect, which he then looks at and goes "hmm, isn't that neat, I wonder what this can mean..."
I don't know if either approach to art is necessarily wrong, but his approach is definitely different than mine. Still, the results are really cool.
A lot of times when I make something, I look back and don't remember how I made it. I can guarantee that any photoshop work I've done I couldn't replicate if I was asked to. Maybe I don't pay enough attention to the process. For me, the end result is the payoff. Maybe I have a thing or two to learn about art.
It seems like for Herring, the process is entirely the focus, with the end result just being a side effect, which he then looks at and goes "hmm, isn't that neat, I wonder what this can mean..."
I don't know if either approach to art is necessarily wrong, but his approach is definitely different than mine. Still, the results are really cool.
Reza Abedini & Saed Meshki
Reza Abedini
I think I'm more fascinated by the look of the language than the design. It looks very violent yet very elegant. It doesn't even need to be text at all- the shapes of the letters tell their own stories.
I, too, noticed the abundance of negative space. White space, to me, gives an image a very sanitary, very organized feel. It's almost like a "live in the moment" type of thing. It calls for immediate and extreme focus on whatever is put before you. It's something I'd like to play around with a bit more.
Saed Meshki
A little more contemporary, I thought. They feel like advertisements (I think they are, in fact.) Again, I don't really need to know what the text says, because the patterns and colors bring about a certain feeling. And it's pretty cool.
I think I'm more fascinated by the look of the language than the design. It looks very violent yet very elegant. It doesn't even need to be text at all- the shapes of the letters tell their own stories.
I, too, noticed the abundance of negative space. White space, to me, gives an image a very sanitary, very organized feel. It's almost like a "live in the moment" type of thing. It calls for immediate and extreme focus on whatever is put before you. It's something I'd like to play around with a bit more.
Saed Meshki
A little more contemporary, I thought. They feel like advertisements (I think they are, in fact.) Again, I don't really need to know what the text says, because the patterns and colors bring about a certain feeling. And it's pretty cool.
Arturo Herrera
His process is not something we can do in Photoshop. Despite our best attempts to replicate the look and feel of his photographs using digital imagery, we can only come close at best. For one, he uses film to produce his works. Secondly, he is not really sure what he's after until the pictures are exposed. It's very experimental. That's something that I've always been curious about; how do you say something with your work in experimental art? If it's experimental, and you are unsure of the outcome, how do you know it will get the message across? Maybe there's no message, or maybe a message is assigned afterwards. I know I don't always need a message, sometimes I just do things because I think it will be cool or entertaining. Maybe Herrera is the same way.
Probably not, though.
Probably not, though.
Tom Scott
The concept of time keeps coming to mind when viewing the color sand photos. To quote the videogame Prince of Persia, "Many believe time to be a river, flowing in one direction. But I have seen time, and I can tell you that it is a vast ocean." I've never thought of time as something that can be traced forwards or backwards, but as something fragile. I believe the slightest change in mind or action can create an entirely different future. Even my train of thought as I write this is determining my future- should I write something else, it may trigger an entirely new thought process in my mind which, in turn, may cause me to think or act different later on, which will provide new consequences. I see this concept represented in the images made by the sand and the water. Single strands branch off into new ones, which branch off into even more, until we see the visual representation of what the timeline of the universe probably looks like. It's also notable that these images are fleeting, soon to be washed away and begin anew, as a victim to time itself.The black and white images were even more stirring. The one that caught my attention most of all was the flash flood image. I do not mind being told what to see in the image, because it gives me insight into what the artist saw. It may be a bit gimmicky, but I may have missed the connection to a flash flood without the title, and it amazes me that he took this photo and related it to that idea.
Beautiful work.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
More Ideas
As a continuation to my last post, I realize that most of the "items" my mind first went to when trying to discover who I am have some kind of connection to events of the last year. I think the time period between now and exactly one year ago has been the most important and life altering year of my life thus far, for reasons I don't care to explain in this blog.
I think that if I should walk away from this class with something I am about to put this much work into., it should be something I truly care about. Last semester, I needed to create a piece of installation art, and I dedicated it to a friend I lost last year- something (or someone) I really cared enough about to dedicate an entire semester's work on.
I guess a year is probably not too bad an idea for a book. Like a "yearbook". Except instead of documenting a calendar year, it would be more a documentation/tribute/reflection on what will probably go down as one of the most significant periods in my life.
The list I made earlier wouldn't be a bad place to start. Anecdotes could easily turn into pages. I would just need to figure out some kind of narrative for the book so that it makes sense to viewers.
Or, maybe not. Who is it for, anyway? Me, and the people in my life. It would be a piece of art, after all. In art, I'm always right. So I guess I can't really fail at this.
Definitely NOT a possible title: A Year in the Life
As much as I want to call it that, I must resist the urge.
I think that if I should walk away from this class with something I am about to put this much work into., it should be something I truly care about. Last semester, I needed to create a piece of installation art, and I dedicated it to a friend I lost last year- something (or someone) I really cared enough about to dedicate an entire semester's work on.
I guess a year is probably not too bad an idea for a book. Like a "yearbook". Except instead of documenting a calendar year, it would be more a documentation/tribute/reflection on what will probably go down as one of the most significant periods in my life.
The list I made earlier wouldn't be a bad place to start. Anecdotes could easily turn into pages. I would just need to figure out some kind of narrative for the book so that it makes sense to viewers.
Or, maybe not. Who is it for, anyway? Me, and the people in my life. It would be a piece of art, after all. In art, I'm always right. So I guess I can't really fail at this.
Definitely NOT a possible title: A Year in the Life
As much as I want to call it that, I must resist the urge.
Ideas
I guess if I'm going to make a book about who I am, I need to figure out who I am first.
What makes up me? ? Social life/personal life, school, work, interests. Well, I'm just going to start writing and see what happens.
social/personal:
laura, laura, ryan, vince, ben, lona, john, liz, amy, ted
relationships
hardships and goodtimes
laura
movies
bowling
spa movie nights
penguin surfing
disneyland (a lot)
extreme cops and robbers
extreme hide and seek
lazer tag
vegas
cirque du soleil
gambling
buffets
team regal
team bake a cake
teamwork (do it together)
teamwork (friends forever)
hard times
suicidal friends
suicide attempts
successful suicide attempts
sleepovers
late night tv
adult swim
futurama
lazy town and yo gabba gabba
non-spa movie nights
perseverance
school:
mira costa
brakfast burritos (is it weird that the first place my mind goes to on the thought of mira costa is their food?)
tech lab
library
student center
views of the ocean
csusm
stairs
parking
cesar chavez
food not as good as mira costa
music lab
DJ Shadow
new laptop
wireless internet
VSAR vs VPA ?
ARTS 239
art show
stars fall from the sky
corinna (i miss you)
work:
movies
popcorn
mess
teenagers
immature staff
friday nights
profanities
sneak ins
theatre checks
ushers
concessions
projections
film
splicing
start times
management
drama
popcorn with glass
filming on the roof
roofscapades
promotions
regal crown club
surfing penguins
G-dog
meetings
Tim Hinson
save payroll
glueboards
maintenance
stress
marquee
mini marquee
preview nights
zombie patrol
IHOP
the golden era
"minimum wage, minimum effort"
the regal movie
six flags
john, kyle, corinna (miss all of you)
good times
interests:
theme parks
disneyland
disney
movies
film
film editing
photo editing
photography
web design
cops and robbers
video games
fps
action
adventure
sonic, tomb raider, mario, prince of persia, half life, halo, fear, far cry, many many more
friends
having a social life
I guess this is a pretty accurate semi-description of my life at the moment. What about the past, though? Things that have gone. How much of an effect have they had on me, how much have they molded who I am? Have they at all? Wow, the list could be 5 times longer. Even now, it doesn't feel complete, like I've only scratched the surface, without taking the rest of my life into account.
Wow, I'm a mess. Hopefully this is a start though.
What makes up me? ? Social life/personal life, school, work, interests. Well, I'm just going to start writing and see what happens.
social/personal:
laura, laura, ryan, vince, ben, lona, john, liz, amy, ted
relationships
hardships and goodtimes
laura
movies
bowling
spa movie nights
penguin surfing
disneyland (a lot)
extreme cops and robbers
extreme hide and seek
lazer tag
vegas
cirque du soleil
gambling
buffets
team regal
team bake a cake
teamwork (do it together)
teamwork (friends forever)
hard times
suicidal friends
suicide attempts
successful suicide attempts
sleepovers
late night tv
adult swim
futurama
lazy town and yo gabba gabba
non-spa movie nights
perseverance
school:
mira costa
brakfast burritos (is it weird that the first place my mind goes to on the thought of mira costa is their food?)
tech lab
library
student center
views of the ocean
csusm
stairs
parking
cesar chavez
food not as good as mira costa
music lab
DJ Shadow
new laptop
wireless internet
VSAR vs VPA ?
ARTS 239
art show
stars fall from the sky
corinna (i miss you)
work:
movies
popcorn
mess
teenagers
immature staff
friday nights
profanities
sneak ins
theatre checks
ushers
concessions
projections
film
splicing
start times
management
drama
popcorn with glass
filming on the roof
roofscapades
promotions
regal crown club
surfing penguins
G-dog
meetings
Tim Hinson
save payroll
glueboards
maintenance
stress
marquee
mini marquee
preview nights
zombie patrol
IHOP
the golden era
"minimum wage, minimum effort"
the regal movie
six flags
john, kyle, corinna (miss all of you)
good times
interests:
theme parks
disneyland
disney
movies
film
film editing
photo editing
photography
web design
cops and robbers
video games
fps
action
adventure
sonic, tomb raider, mario, prince of persia, half life, halo, fear, far cry, many many more
friends
having a social life
I guess this is a pretty accurate semi-description of my life at the moment. What about the past, though? Things that have gone. How much of an effect have they had on me, how much have they molded who I am? Have they at all? Wow, the list could be 5 times longer. Even now, it doesn't feel complete, like I've only scratched the surface, without taking the rest of my life into account.
Wow, I'm a mess. Hopefully this is a start though.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Stephan Sagmeister
"Umm, what???" is my official response to Stephan Sagmeister.
About all I took away from the clip about Sagmeister was that he was another artist who likes to break tradition and defy convention and such and such. Although I did cringe a bit when I saw this picture.
I'm not sure if there was a clever way of creating this skin effect, or if it really is flesh carving on the skin (as it appears,) but either way, it's effective. And even though I may not understand it, it gets a reaction out of me.
Interesting guy, even if above my head a little.
I'm gonna sing the doom song now...
Gir is a little robot on the cartoon show "Invader Zim", who provides much insanity and comic relief.
While fooling around with the text tools in InDesign I create an image of Gir's head, and used quotes from the cartoon show to outline his face.
Looks pretty cool I think.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
David Carson
It seems to me that art, as well as pretty much most other things, works in a way where we buildup and then breakdown. Its the concept behind modernism vs. post modernism, and its pretty much what David Carson was talking about when he stated how mad everyone got at him for his work. Even in music we see the same thing- buildup and breakdown. Songs begins with one or two musical concepts, and then add more and more gradually until we reach a point of stasis. Once that point is reached, the song starts to mess with you a bit, either changing up the pre-established patterns or taking them away one by one, much like they were added. I think that's kind of what Carson was talking about when he said that the people he angered as spent so much time trying to define the standards of typography, only for him to come along and destroy them. Not only has he destroyed them, he's created something that's genuinely cool and interesting, and that people like (...well, that I like at least. But it's easy to assume that other people agree.)
The wall of random words really got me to think a bit more than I'm comfortable with. Words don't mean anything unless we give them meaning. It's like in math, with variables. Words and letters are essentially variables. You can write down the word "explosion" and tell someone whose illiterate what the word says, but nothing says "explosion" more than if someone were standing next to one when it happened. Because words are so flexible, it really makes using the for art pretty easy. To me, art means I'm always right, so something that I can make mean whatever I want is pretty danged convenient.
The wall of random words really got me to think a bit more than I'm comfortable with. Words don't mean anything unless we give them meaning. It's like in math, with variables. Words and letters are essentially variables. You can write down the word "explosion" and tell someone whose illiterate what the word says, but nothing says "explosion" more than if someone were standing next to one when it happened. Because words are so flexible, it really makes using the for art pretty easy. To me, art means I'm always right, so something that I can make mean whatever I want is pretty danged convenient.
Something New...
This is the inaugural post for my new "artist books" blog. Though given the option to use pre-existing blogs, I've decided to keep this separate from my main blog.
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