i know class is over....

but oh my goodness - is this worth seeing. good gravy!



and with that, have a daring summer.

a short story...

by j. robert lennon, from his 2005 book Pieces for the Left Hand, a collection of 100 anecdotes which are terrific.

Brevity

A local novelist spent ten years writing a book about our region and its inhabitants which, when completed, added up to more than a thousand pages. Exhausted by the effort, she at last sent if off to a publisher, only to be told that it would have to be cut by nearly half. Though daunted by the work ahead of her, the novelist was encouraged by the publisher's interest, and spent more than a year excising material.

But by the time she reached the requested length, the novelist found it difficult to stop. In the early days of her editing, she would struggle for hours to remove words from a sentence, only to discover that its paragraph was better off without it. Soon she discovered that removing sentences from a paragraph was rarely as effective as cutting entire paragraphs, nor was selectively erasing paragraphs from a chapter as satisfying as eliminating chapters entirely. After another year, she had whittled the book down into a short story, which she sent to magazines.

Multiple rejections, however, drove her back to the chopping block, where she reduced her story to a vignette, the vignette to an anecdote, the anecdote to an aphorism, and the aphorism, at last, to this haiku:

Tiny Upstate town
Undergoes many changes
Nonetheless endures

Unfortunately, no magazine would publish the haiku. The novelist has printed it on note cards, which she can be found giving away to passersby in our town park, where she is also known sometimes to sleep, except when the police, whose thuggish tactics she so neatly parodied in her original manuscript, bring her in on charges of vagrancy. I have a copy of the haiku pinned above my desk, its note card grimy and furred along the edges from multiple profferings, and I read it frequently, sometimes with pity but always with awe.

it's unrelated...

but fantastic stuff. if you guys have an hour to burn, put on some headphones and listen up while you work on something.

one show about emergence, talks about groups and systems and how patterns form, and meaning & value develop. astounding.

another show, about morality, uses science as a basis for discussing morality - our ability to make decisions about right & wrong, and what factors in.

at the end of both, or either of these shows, you should find yourself asking lots of questions. and questions, we have learned (i hope) make for good art.

did i mention that these shows are free? and they have a radiolab podcast. for free.

Luis Bunuel & Dali

here's that link to watch Un Chien Andalou online. thanks to Lauren and her familiarity with ubuweb.com - it's great!

http://www.ubu.com/film/bunuel.html

it's hard to believe....

...but i screwed up.

turns out that we have one extra class, so next week is not our final class. we'll use next week to work (all day) on our Do It project, and have a final crit the following week.

i'll send out email updates this afternoon, but i wanted to at least post something for those of you who are looking.

here's a timely couple of images..

hey - look what i found! artist Linda Nochlin must have been thinking about our gender swap project!

photoshop file formats

follow this link (http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/misc/graphics/formats/formats.html)to find out more about file formats. for our purposes, we'll only be using .psd and .jpg files.

keep in mind that all your projects should be 300 dpi - never less.

anybody willing to help out a mate?

David from our thursday class didn't collect portraits to use for the memory project. if anybody out there reads this note, send me an email if you're willing to send something to him. i'll pass along his email by request.

thanks a million! i'm sure he'll appreciate it.

i'm sure you saw this....

but it's still kind of neat. (2.15 minutes)

safety in artmaking....

i wanted to address a common theme that i noticed with our triptych projects: safety.

safety is terribly important in artmaking - when you weld, or wield powertools near loved ones.

but safe images and safe thinking can limit us as artists, and certainly affect your audience. the triptychs that we saw were largely safe, revealing little about who you are, or insight into what makes you so astounding.

so i dare you guys to push harder, dig deeper, and find a way to reveal your thinking processes. please - don't expose yourself in ways that we can exploit or take advantage of - i'm not asking for us to become a group therapy meeting. but i want your work to be more meaningful, more potent, more striking, and that means taking some real risk, and possibly using examples from your own life that you can communicate with real visual power.

let me inspire you with this image by artist John Baldessari:

weird posting images

hey there! you may have noticed that your image uploads in a strange way - looking something like this:



if you find that you have some weird dead space, and that your actual image is awfully small, it means that there were some tiny stray marks on your artboard. to clean it up, open up your illustrator file, select all (apple a) and see what you find. that will show you all the shapes and objects on the page. go around and delete any extraneous marks that extend your composition.

forget how to save as a jpg? it's easy! go to file, find export, and change the format to jpg. remember to save it as an RGB color file, and bump up the image quality to 10.

text project...

hello gang!

Min Jung thought it might be a good idea to pass along the idea of downloading fonts for this text project. if you think you're interested in locating more exciting fonts than your computer has, or that our lab has, you can search pretty easily for free download-able fonts, but here's one place to start: http://1001freefonts.com/

keep in mind that you'll be unable to load any new font on the lab computers - we don't have access.

however, if you plan to pop some new fonts on your own machine, and you can't figure it out, give a shout and i'll help you out. or you could probably cut to the chase and ask Min.

this american life - camera man

here's a great, short animation that you might get a kick out of. it's an excerpt from This American Life, a radio show turned tv show. it's animated by Chris Ware, who you may want to look up - he's responsible for Jimmy Corrigan, Smartest Kid on Earth, which our bookstore sells. it's worth reading.

it's a terrific example of the content matching the style - it "looks" as strong as it "thinks." that's something i'll squawk about a thousand times...

ahoy there!

this semester we're trying something new. every foundation computer student is being asked to create a blogger.com blog, and to post every project that you work on. we also need to create a student list, so that every blog links to every single student.

this will let all of you see all the work of everybody else. yow!

the upshot here is that you can see other solutions to similar projects, you can ask each other technical questions based on what you see, and you can share ideas to solve common problems.

when you complete a project, and we finish up your crit, not only do you need to submit your project to me for grading, but you need to upload a jpg version to your blog. you won't receive a grade until you've completed both requirements. when you post your jpg, you also need to jot down a short statement explaining your thoughts, approach, and reaction to that project.

i ask that your comments & posts be cruelty free and kind. be critical & honest, but not mean spirited.

nat

uploading images

here's a little test. i ran this at 500 pixels, 150dpi which was a 244k file. not big at all. it took a short spell to fire up, but not a very long wait at all.

let's try to keep things consistent in our uploads. make the width for all files 500 pixels, and keep the resolution at 72 or 150.

1 - who are you?

Class assignment – who are you?

Go to blogger.com and create a new blog for yourself. You need to have a gmail account in order to do this, so if you don’t, run to google.com and find the gmail icon.

Write an introduction to yourself, upload a couple of pictures and add a handful of links that we ought to visit. Tell us a little bit about yourself, things you like to do, read, see, hear—whatever. Let us know what your thoughts are about art—why you’re going to Tyler in the first place, the sorts of images that you’re attracted to, the kinds of things you’d like to accomplish as an artist. Think and write like an artist – avoid cliché, be dynamic and creative.

When you finish this up, send me an email with your name and your blog address. I’ll add them to my blog so that you can find them. Before class next week you need to create a new page element that is a list of links to all students.

Homework— truth, lies, laugh – who do you say you are?

Today you wrote about who you are. Now I want you to think about who you say you are. For next week I need you to make me an artwork/s that includes:

1. a lie about yourself
2. a truth about yourself
3. a laugh—something that you write specifically to get a laugh out of the class

We’ll scope these out next week, since we need to get to know each other anyhow. This is an art project, not just a writing assignment—it’s important that you begin to think in terms of content. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it (especially the lying part), but do think about content—art isn’t worth making if there isn’t a reason. You don’t have to tell us which part of your paper (truth, lie, a laugh) is which—feel free to let us work it out…

2 - illustrator still life

In-class assignment:

1. Launch Adobe Illustrator

2. Review the terms & tools we covered in class

3. Run outside and collect 5 items – 2 that are inorganic and 3 that are organic

4. Create an interesting still life on your desk and use the basic tools to draw your arrangement

5. Be mindful that this could be wicked boring, so exploit color, line and composition in order to make a compelling image

Homework:

Complete this still life for next class.

Next week we’ll work on a 3 panel drawing (a triptych) based on how you were taught. Consider who told you what, what you believed or didn’t, and how that affects who you are now. Come prepared to start work on this topic – any sketches or plans will help you immensely.

3 - triptych

Illustrator triptych – what were you taught?

Create a triptych that uses at least 3 frames. Use the brushes, text tools and shape tools to recreate the sketches that you made for today. Use color & text to enhance your initial drawings, and you may want to mess around with gradients & some distort tools. Start by drawing the frames in which the story is to take place, and go from there.

Thematically, we’ll make this project about your upbringing. Think about how your upbringing and the place that you come from affects the way you see things. Perhaps your community or region has particular nuances, or your family pushed you in certain directions, and you think in a manner unique to your family. What were you taught, by whom, how did you react, and how does that affect your sense of vision?

Also consider what you saw in Waking Life—how did they fill backgrounds, illustrate the human form, or advance the narrative? The movie has such an interesting visual approach to storytelling—what can you borrow for your own comic?

Whatever you do, make it interesting and avoid cliché. This is due next week.

Homework:

1. Complete your triptych
2. Locate some text – a poem, song, quote or something that you wrote – that addresses your thoughts concerning where you are going. What do you expect for yourself as an artist, a student and/or a human?

4 - illustrator text

Text illustration – where are you going?

Locate some text – a poem, song, quote or something that you wrote – that addresses your thoughts concerning where you are going. What do you expect for yourself as an artist, a student and/or a human?

Part 1: Use the text, distort and gradient tools to transform the body of text that you brought to class so that it visually represents the content. Copy (or type) the text into layer one of the document, which should be letter size (8.5x11”). On the same layer, type in your intention: ask yourself why you chose the text that you chose. Now simplify the meaning of that text to one phrase, and try to communicate that idea using text as imagery. Create a second layer and copy the same text onto it, then lock layer 1 and hide it—I’ll look at layer one to get an idea of what text you used and the idea that you want to communicate.

It isn’t important that the text is legible—instead, use it as a starting point and see where you end up. Make sure that your end result supports and illustrates the initial text & intention in a significant manner, while still maintaining a sense of interest.

Save the file as “your name text.”

Part 2: Now that you’ve got a text-only drawing that fully illustrates the original body of text, lock layer 2 and create a new layer to work on.

Add an image to the text drawing that adds a new dimension to your text drawing, and enhances the point of the text. You might want to copy some layers of text from layer two so that your imagery isn’t entirely on the top surface of the drawing, and you might want to rely on layering and grouping to create a more integrated look.

This is due next week, and will be critiqued at the start of class.

Homework:

1. Complete the text assignment.
2. Bring a digital photo of yourself to class next week. We’ll be working on a self portrait, and you’ll need an image to start with. If you forget this, we’ll snap a quick shot in class.

5 - self portrait

Self portrait x2 – how do nurture your image?

1. Read the short story by Charles Bukowski.

2. Using the photo that we took at the beginning of class, trace, autotrace and draw to create a self-portrait that’s relatively photo-realistic on one layer.

3. Create a second layer and alter your image. Add elements that capitalize on the availability of layers, and that alter the original self portrait in a significant manner. Think about how Beckett’s life was altered radically, just by the addition of color and pattern—how can you alter your own portrait in a meaningful and interesting way? Also consider your use of self portraiture in your own life. How many prom, party, vacation pictures have you thrown out, and which ones do you keep? How important is your image to your identity, and what happens when you can’t control it perfectly? Play around with this second layer and see what happens when your image doesn’t match your expectations and needs. Make sure that this second layer creates an image that is drastically different than the first layer.

These self portraits are due at the start of next week’s class.

6 - memory book

Book of life/Day of memory – how did you get here?

Read the chapter of Einstein’s Dreams that talks about a Book of Life and memory. Swap self-portraits with a classmate and create a short Book of Life for yourself that explains how you got here – either here physically, mentally or emotionally – or all three.

Make sure that you have at least 6 entries/pages/images for this book. You can make a story-board or a comic strip, you can make 6 different pages and bind it like a book. Feel free to piece your images together on a different surface. The only size constraint: it can’t be printed on a traditional sized paper; 11x17, legal or letter. This is a pretty open assignment; you can use text if you’d like—whatever you do is fine as long as there are 6 different images, one of which is the portrait you got from a classmate.

To paraphrase:

• You must have at least 6 entries/pages/images for this book
• This book must be physical – it cannot be viewed on a classroom monitor
• It cannot be printed on a traditional sized paper: 11x17, legal or letter
• It can be black & white or color – whatever you want
• If you can figure a way to use the illustrator images in another media, feel free to do so (ie, printing image to use as a pattern for cut cloth/quilt project)
• You must use images from classmates—only one can be your own self-portrait

You must significantly alter all borrowed portraits

7 - exaggeration

Photoshop drawing – exaggeration

Using basic brush, eraser and paint bucket tools, mixed with transparency and color choices, create an 8x10” digital drawing at 300dpi. Use five different layers to construct your drawing, and let objects/forms overlap from layer to layer. You can use photographs that you take or sketches as references, but you cannot trace them as you did in illustrator. Save as “your name exaggeration.psd”

I want you to illustrate something that you’ve exaggerated. While I know that you are (of course) strictly tellers of truth, I’d like you to consider a point in your life, or a single event where the exaggeration of a simple truth ended up being significant. Consider the use of visual exaggeration as a way to emphasize the aspect of that moment that mattered. Try to avoid clichéd imagery – long noses for lies and things like that.

Homework:

1. Complete the drawing assignment.
2. Bring an object from home to scan – preferably a 3D object that has some interesting edges, shapes or lines.

8 - isolate & repeat

Isolate & repeat

Transform an everyday object

With only one basic household object, try to create a visual design of interest, being mindful of balance, scale, unity & variety. Using multiple images of only this one image, create a composition in Photoshop and take advantage of the tools we learned so far – selection tools, color & contrast adjustments. You can also explore filters and effects, but you may have more success if you avoid cliché effects. Your file size should be 5x7” at 150 dpi, and should be saved as a photoshop document (.psd) and not a jpg. It might be helpful to take a look at some of Andy Warhol’s silkscreen images for basic ideas & inspiration.

Homework:

1. Complete the transformation assignment.
2. Next week we'll use the basic collage tools that photoshop has to offer to create a digital collage. The collage will be made of imagery that you draw, paint, sculpt, scan or photograph, and will create a compelling documentation or expansion (tall-tale style) of something that you actually did (or will do) in real life this semester. Think over various actions you've taken this semester and be prepared to illustrate one that seems striking to you. Look online at performance artists Yoko Ono (Cut Piece), Joseph Beuys (How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare), Jean Tinguely (Homage to New York), Allan Kaprow (heck, anything at all) and Chris Burden (Shot) to get some possible ideas.

9 - do it

Using the basic collage tools that photoshop has to offer, I'd like you to create a digital collage that exploits two (or more) of the following commandments. The collage will be made of imagery that you draw, paint, sculpt, scan or photograph, and will create a compelling documentation or expansion (tall-tale style) of something that you actually do (or did) in real life this semester.

To guide us, we'll use the 10 Commandments as defined by Gilbert & George:

I. Thou shalt fight conformism

II. Thou shalt be the messenger of freedoms

III. Thou shalt make use of sex

IV. Thou shalt reinvent life

V. Thou shalt create artificial art

VI. Thou shalt have a sense of purpose

VII. Thou shalt not know exactly what thou dost, but thou shalt do it

VIII. Thou shalt give thy love

IX. Thou shalt grab the soul

X. Thou shalt give something back

You must use at least 2 of those commandments in your 'action' and following artwork - it doesn't matter which you choose - let yourself latch onto the ideas that are most engaging for you personally. You must be able to explain your thoughts during our crit, and will explain your intent, your choice of commandments, your methods and your hopes for audience reaction.

To paraphrase:

1. Choose 2 commandments that will help you perform some 'action' or that relate to an 'action' that you have already taken this semester
2. Document that 'action' through photos, drawings, paintings, sculpture, scans - whatever
3. Weave those images together in a fashion that creates a compelling and dynamic digital collage, 8x10" at 300dpi
4. All 'actions' must be safe, legal and friendly - no fire, no injuries, no cruelty
5. We'll continue working on this next week

10 - gender swap

Gender swap – how does your gender define your identity and your actions?

John Berger in his 1972 book Ways of Seeing contends that there is an essential use for women in traditional oil painting & art history:

Women are depicted in a quite different way…because the 'ideal' spectator is always assumed to be male and the image of the woman is designed to flatter him. If you have any doubt that this is so, make the following experiment. Choose…an image of a traditional nude. Transform the woman into a man. Then notice the violence which that transformation does.

For next week, create a transformed art historical artwork. Locate a traditional image that employs women and then substitute a man (friends & family) in their place. Reconstruct the whole image from scratch, and be sure that your replacement man matches the original woman in tone, expression & posture. Clothing & environment will of course be modernized, but try to capture the essence of the original composition & woman.

Build this image as a composite. Take photos of yourself or friends, scan fabric, sketches, found objects etc to help build the environment. Whatever you do, a simple photograph isn't enough - we need multiple layers to construct this project. While you work on this project, consider how your own gender defines your identity and actions. If possible, use yourself in the imagery, and challenge who you are and what you know of yourself – in short, experiment.

Save as "replacement your name.psd" - be sure to save it as a psd file, with all the layers existing. Make your file 8x10" and set the resolution at 300dpi.

final - artist presentation

Final – artist presentation

For our final project you’ll have a chance to reflect on questions that we’ve asked ourselves this semester: Who are you? Where do you come from? How did you get here? What have you done since you arrived at Tyler? What makes you who you are? Where are you going?

All of these things define who you are, how you make your art, and who you make art for. Now you’ll collect images of any artwork made in any foundation class this semester, and create a simple powerpoint presentation that highlights your work. You’ll walk us through an 8 minute artist statement showing examples of your work and explaining how these pieces relate to your identity, telling us why you think they best describe you as an artist, and describing your intentions for each piece. Your slideshow will be no longer than 12 slides and will be projected on the big screen. After your presentation, your presentation will be collected and archived by the Foundations department.

As an artist, you’ll be called on to explain yourself and your work for the rest of your creative life, and getting used to this format now is incredibly helpful. I want you to consider what you expect in a slideshow presentation, what you hate about these things, and what makes an artist’s talk spectacular. Finally, I’d like your own presentation to be credible, professional, thoughtful, and dynamic. Avoid cliché, be honest, spark conversation and challenge your audience.

Your images should be saved as jpgs (no psd files) and the largest dimension set to 1000 pixels – any larger and the slideshow will be bogged down.