Reduce, Reuse, Refinish. Final Post of the Semester

Hello All! Well I decided before the end of this spring semester to refinish both of my individual projects. So here is my final update for Design for Media:

The first project is the "figure as landscape" project. I re-configured the composition, removed all of the yarn, then reapplied it all in a much more specific fashion. I think it looks immensely better and I am very happy with it now. Here are some product shots of the refinished project:

The second project I refinished was my free choice project, which was also the final project of the semester. I literally started from scratch with only 24 hours to complete it, which deemed to still leave me with difficulties in the craftsmanship. I am still not completely satisfied with this project, but I do know it would be very successful if I was able to spend time on it and not rush the creation. So maybe this project will be re-finished yet again. Here are the product shots of the current version:

Well... I am exhausted. This has been a wonderful and trying semester. Summer is here! This may be my last blog post because one of my projects for the summer is to create a legitimate website somewhere. Who knows?! I'm going to go enjoy this beautiful day. Adios!

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Final Project: Post 5

Oh my god. I am so tired. I finally "finished" the yoga cloth. I put that in quotations because I feel far from honestly complete with it. I will be creating an adequate hanging method and adding small lights to it before thursday. I was not able to manage my time for this project very well at all. I think my biggest mistake was how many new materials I was working with. Even though I tested all of the materials, it was on such a small scale I never realized how much time it would take on such a large scale. If I was to continue this project I would completely remake this one, then figure out a way to create a consistency between each cloth.

Here is an image of my test section of fabric:

I tested the iron-ons, painting the fabric, coloring the fabric, and applying yarn. 

Here are all of the detail shots of the product as of now. I ended up hand painting the figure due to a lot of issues with lining up the iron on as well as unexpected discoloration. I would like to redo all of the chakras with as perfect precision as I possibly can because I think that would really add to the craftsmanship of this product, but the amount of time that would have taken I did not have for this specific piece. Also, some of the colors on the product shots got a little funky, so I will upload new product shots soon. I will also include an "in use" shot with the next phase of images.

Hopefully this will not be the last you see of this idea, but for now I must call it a night.

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Final Project: Post 4

Almost there!

Since production truly began in the past week I have found myself hitting a few road bumps. After speaking with one of my professors about the liquid light process, she suggested I use iron on transfers instead due to photo emulsion processes cracking when put on material. I also decided to change my figure from a photograph to a drawing of a figure.

I decided to use ink and quill pen. I like the organic aesthetic to it and not having such an obvious form allows for the figure to appear more as an aura. Also, since it is a generalized female figure, it is much more relatable for the general viewer (or user) of the product. After experimenting with drawing this figure, I was able to visualize the possibility of continuing with the idea of a "yoga cloth" by drawing the figure in different yoga poses creating all shapes and sizes for more product options.

Here is the figure drawn and then slightly edited through photoshop:

 

I broke up the figure into printable sections, printed them on transfer paper, all ready to put together

I put everything together and now it's time to iron! I placed pieces of yarn on the figure to represent where the chakras will be placed. 

Now all that's left is ironing and adding the chakras and final details! 

I am really excited for the finished product!!! Here we go!

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Final Project: Post 3

Well things are definitely coming together! I officially have all of my materials, my image, my plan for making the negatives (that showed to be much more difficult than I had planned), and sketched out my chakra designs.

Here are my materials:

 I totally forgot to buy the blue yarn. I'm such a dummy... Oh well, another trip to Joanns.

I had to make sure that I got a natural fabric for the liquid light process so I chose a very simple cotton. I  decided to buy three yard so I had a bit of wiggle room just in case. After I print the image I will be using the yarn to create the design for each Chakra in the appropriate placement. Once these are completed I decided to color them in with fabric dye using that applicator bottle pictured in the bottom left corner. I am getting SO excited to start this part of the process!

Here are my sketches for my Chakra designs. I will be creating more detailed and exact sketches to create a pattern for myself so I don't go in blind.

 Here is the image I have decided to use for the print:

I want to make the figure life size, so about 6 feet from the toes to the finger tips. This means the fabric will have to stretch beyond it slightly both ways to create a visually pleasing composition. Since creating one digital negative this large has been extremely difficult to figure out, I decided I will be breaking my figure up into a multitude of 8x10 digital negatives which I will cut up, arrange, and tape down during my exposure process. I plan to create an example in photoshop to give an idea of this look.

Well, I still have a lot to do, so I better get back to it. *Don't forget the blue yarn, don't forget the blue yarn, don't forget the blue yarn.* More next week! Good night all!

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Final Project: Post 2

So, I tend to find myself often over ambitious and pushing myself to the limits. I realized in the short amount of time we have left this semester, I have taken on two extra projects in two of my classes in the video genre in which I have never had any experience. In coming to grips with my stress level for the next four weeks, I have decided to eliminate both of these video projects from my game plan and make the summer projects so I can really spend time and work on them. On that note, I have changed my focus for the final project in this class solely to my Yoga Cloth, or whatever you want to call it!

This week I did a lot of research and planning on what exactly I wanted to do and how I'm going to work out all of the details. I am contemplating which pose I would like myself or the figure to be in. These are the three (two very similar) that are still in the running. I am also deciding how detailed I want the image to be or if I just want a silhouette. Either way it needs to be high contrast in order for the printing method to work.

 Here are some examples of rough ideas for the figure:

(All of these images were taken off the internet then manipulated)

While brainstorming I also decided I would like to incorporate the chakras. For those of you who are unfamiliar:

Anyways... I want to incorporate them by using yarn to embroider them into the material in the correct placements on the figure. I will be creating my own unique symbols inspired by different ones I have found on the internet to represent each chakra. Here is some information I found:

So after this decision I began getting worried about color scheme. The plant based dyes I was wanting to use are only bright colors and each option I had would end up clashing with one of the chakra colors, and the colors of the chakras are very important to their symbolism. This made me come to the conclusion of using liquid light instead of plant based dyes. Using this method also gives me the ability to paint the light sensitive liquid onto the material giving me more control over the appearance. I am thinking about giving it obvious brush strokes and letting it appear very organic.

I still have a few details to work out, but I feel solid enough to begin shooting and editing the image as well as gathering my materials. Once I have my materials I can make a set color scheme and develop final drafts of the project layout. I am feeling much more excited and enthusiastic about this project idea now!

Also, Here is an updated, more finalized calendar:

- Stay Positive My Friends! -

Final Project: Post 1 - Preliminary Sketches & Project Proposal

So excited to begin a new project. The hardest part of an open choice project though is deciding what to do. Currently I am between two ideas. My first idea I feel more excited for and even though it may be involved, I would really like to try it. The second idea is something that I would like to do mostly because it uses an alternative photographic printing process and it would be more hands on in the creation. I think I may begin working on both and see which one seems to fall into place. Let's let fate decide!

These are some preliminary sketches and planning I did in my sketchbook. Since it is still in the rough stages, these are a little rough, but as these projects come to fruition it will become much more refined, obviously.

Project Idea #1: A music video for a cover of the song "Darden Road" by Beta Radio. I have never really done video work, so this project would most definitely be a learning experience.

Project Idea #2: A multiple use piece of fabric with an inspirational print made with organic dyes and a hole to allow light to come through.

Enjoy and as always...

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Pipeline Project: Post 5

Oh my goodness! The past week has been extremely stressful. We have gotten to the point in this project where everyone is really exposing themselves for how much they truly care about the final product.

Lately I have been reviewing everyone's progress through this entire project and how much work they have contributed. I then discussed this with Richard in order to get his point of view on it as well. At this point in the process my newest task is deciding how well everyone did individually, and luckily I feel like the right person for this job. I am unbiased and do not expect people to do the impossible, but I do expect them to pull their weight and keep communication lines open. Some people were able to work with this expectations without any trouble, others seemed as if they would rather be anywhere then helping with the project.

Other than that, this job has proven to be a HUGE learning experience. It was SO much more involved than I realize it would be. I did my absolutely best in sending out multiple obsessively detailed e-mails each week, talking to people personally about what they needed to be doing, keeping all of the details organized to the best of my ability, along with all of the other odd jobs and overseeing everything. I found a lot of my time was also spent problem solving and making things happen for people. If someone was having an issue and let me know, I would make sure it got solved. I stressed every time I talked to everyone or sent out an e-mail that is anyone had absolutely anything they had questions about or anything to please contact me.

At this point, I am trusting other members from the team to carry us into tomorrow's viewing of the final product. I have done all that I can do and I honestly do believe that we will have a video tomorrow that we are proud of as well as a documentary of the process that we are also proud of! Like I said, this whole process was a HUGE learning experience, and I can definitely say I am still not a fan of group projects, especially in this case where the majority of people had to step outside their comfort zones and learn about new things in a short amount of time in order to contribute. This proved to be a very difficult task, but I am really proud of everyone who stepped up to the plate and tried there best. Wish us luck for tomorrow!

- Stay Positive My Friends - 

Pipeline Project: Post 4

Spring Break has been a week of work for me. This project was one of the things I spent my time on. First of all, filming went great. We got a lot of scenes shot and they looked really good. We arrived at 7am on campus to begin preparing for shooting. We arrived on location around 8:30 and it was absolutely freezing, but it was the perfect place for the film. We got all of the zombie shots done, and since our director is out of town until the end of the month, our director of photography stepping into the directing role and finished the last scenes over spring break.
Since the conclusion of shooting I have sent out some updates as well as telling everyone to be sure if their part is coming to a close due to filming being over, then they need to see if anyone else needs help with what they are doing. We will be further discussing this on tuesday. Other than that, I updated the look of our group blog. So check it out by clicking here!

Pipeline Project: Post 3

Oh me, oh my. Well, being in Chicago for the SPE conference (Happy 50th Anniversary SPE!) sure put a damper on getting work done, but now I am back in the saddle! I have been catching up with everything myself as well as trying to catch up on what I have missed while I was gone. So far it seems as if everything is up to date even though we have run into a few road blocks, but thats bound to happen. Tomorrow will be a big meeting day (we are actually meeting at 8am. Gross!) and we really need (and hope for) everyone to be there!
As for me, I am working on call sheets for filming and break down sheets for each scene which is proving to be an involved process that I have a limited amount of time to accomplish. Shooting begins Thursday!! So, wish me (and the whole group) luck!

Here are quick previews of the sheets I am working on:

Script Breakdown (obviously):

Call Sheet:

Pipeline Project: Post 2

Update:
Hello All! I have come to realize my position involves a lot more responsibility than I realized, so now I am being put to the test. I have created an attendance sheet for each meeting, I have begun compiling everyone's personal schedules, I have updated contact information, I have sent out a few more e-mail updates to the group, and I have created a sheet to properly organize each meeting's agenda.

Here is our first "agenda sheet" as well as the finalized calendar for this project. 

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Pipeline Project: Post 1 (officially)

The projects I chose to work on for the Pipeline Assignment was an idea created by the collaborative masterminds Richard Smith III and Brad Heaton. Their names are linked to their personal blogs where the proposals for their idea can be found.

I am lucky enough to have been chosen for the monumental task of production manager for this kick-ass idea and I believe I will excel in this position. Some of the tasks I am in charge of is keeping everyone up to date and filling them in on what they need to be doing and when it needs to be done by. There are definitely more tasks to come considering we are still in the preliminary stages of the project.

So far I have collected everyones' contact information, sent out a general e-mail with that contact information as well as the information to access our group blogs and e-mail accounts. I also included assignments due for the following class. I have also sent out update e-mails since then. Along with keeping everyone in the loop, I created a general calendar for the tasks we have so far. It will obviously get updated along the way, but for now this is it!

- Stay Positive My Friends -

Peer Projects:

Here are the blogs I commented on:

Kyle Blume

Beth DuBoe

William Rolman

Richard Smith III

Kenneth Taylor

Pipeline Project Proposal: The Psychology of Nightmares

A stop motion film exploring the psychology of nightmares

I envision this video being an artistic interpretation of those physical feelings humans get when experiencing nightmares such as the inability to run away from something, the inability to scream when in danger, the feeling of falling, etc. I would like to put all of these ideas together into a narrative that leave a lot of information up for interpretation in order to allow the viewer to see the video as if they were remembering bits and pieces of a nightmare they had had the night before. I would like to include the mediums of photography, illustration, and animation for the imagery, as well as fashion and fine arts in the creation of props and costumes.

Oops! I forgot to publish my post with timelines and project rolls!

Project Rolls:
Since I am new to this campus and am unfamiliar with peoples strengths I am open to the positions and would like to pick them out once I know who is interested in the project.

Timeline:
Week 1: Brainstorming/Planning
Week 2: Preparing/Gathering Props
Week 3: Create storyline/Begin Shooting
Week 4: Complete all images/film
Week 5: Compile/Edit/Finish Film

Some inspirational films:


THE GENERAL RETURNS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER from Michael Robinson on Vimeo.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT from Michael Robinson on Vimeo.

-Stay Positive My Friends-

Hiroshi Project - Post 4: Finished Product

Finished Product:

Other Views:

Detail Shots:

Process:

I began the final piece by photographing a female body in a variety of positions. I then edited the images by generalizing them and separating them from the background. Once I had the simplified female body images, I created a collage in photoshop and printed it on matte paper. I mapped out the landscape design on a piece of poster board, pasted the collaged image to it, then cut out the shape of the landscape. After that was complete, I began adding pins to the board in order to create shape for the yarn I would be attaching, but they also functioned as a way to attach the landscape to the background. I wove the yarn around the pins in order to create shapes, add detail, and create the sense of shadows on the landscape. I would like to go back and rework a few issues that I faced in the creation of this project, but ran out of time to solve as adequately as I would have liked.

*Side Note: Due to technical difficulties, I was unable to post my more adequate product shots as well as my process images. As soon as I am able to get obtain a working card reader, these images will be updated/added.

-Stay Positive My Friends-

Hiroshi Project - Post 3: Deciding on an Idea

So my ideas are coming to fruition. All of the plans are decided and kinks are worked out. Now the creation is within sight and I am very excited!

Here is my final color scheme:

The grey tones on the left are the 9 zones of grey in black and white photography. These tones will be from the black and white figure images I will collage together. The colors on the right side of the color scheme will be my added geometric details creating the idea of shadows in my created landscape.

This is the general shape and outline of my landscape design:

These images are a map of the landscape I will create out of the collaged black and white body images. I want to create extremely clean lines, paste the images onto a poster board, then use black string and a series of pins to create the visual of a drawn outline.

Example Sketch:

 This sketch shows the geometric shapes I want to draw on the landscape and the sketches of body parts are an example of the collaged photographs I will be applying to the board. The color will be created in photoshop or physically created and pinned down to the collaged poster board. There is still a bit left to be determined.

Additional Ideas:

After being inspired by the animation presentation, I thought about creating an animation in which the shadows (colors) changed in the landscape while the sun moved across the sky. We will see if I am able to create it in time for the assignment, but if not it will definitely be re-visted at a later date.

Hiroshi Project - Post 2: Color Schemes

With my color schemes I decided to create swatches for some of the images created by the artists I am using as inspiration for this project. I felt that this would help me better decipher the "themes" more or less of their images.

Dan Mountford Color Schemes:

I noticed in Dan Mountford's work that he tends to use a lot of natural, light skin tones of a sort. This is then paired with a pop of color which I feel adds interest and also helps the pop color stand out beautifully. This is also evident in his prints lacking color where he adds his stamp in the corner of the image.

Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison Color Schemes:

With the ParkeHarrisons' photographs I noticed they use a muted, yet vivid color scheme for most of their images. Usually complimentary colors are evident in their work, as well as almost 'drab' colors creating a lively, but old and used feeling in their images. Their color schemes give me a sense of familiar discomfort, like an abandoned house that should feel haunted, but instead feels loved, missed, and full of stories. 

I used the themes I noticed from both of these artists in order to create a starting point for my own color schemes. While I feel I need to develop a solid foundation for my ideas before I can be set on a color scheme, I do know the mood I would like to portray. I want to combine the neutral pop of Mountford's work with the vivid drab of the ParkeHarrison's work. We will see how successful this is as the project continues to develop.

Here is what I have so far:

-Stay Positive My Friends-

Hiroshi Project - Post 1: Mood Boards

-Update-

I think my ideas are changing, or I guess developing more or less. I am beginning to lean toward the idea of still using photography and double exposures, but finishing it a cut and paste style creating a landscape out of a physical collage of photographs. Hmm, this idea is inspiring me... we shall see!

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Idea 1: Double Exposure - Bodies/Wilderness Landscape

Inspirational Artist: Dan Mountford

Idea 2: Photographs of Bodies Becoming Wilderness Landscape (Preferred Desert)

Inspirational Artists: Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison

For this project I am really leaning toward the idea of double exposure. Creating these mood boards and brainstorming really helped me focus my ideas onto what I would like to do. I find double exposures visually intriguing, technically challenging, and a beautiful way to interpret 'Figure as Landscape' through photography. The actual subject matter is still developing, but I have a few ideas I would like to develop.
Because I really enjoy building scenes, I would like to build different recognizable landscapes or skylines, such as a city, the desert, mountains, a forest, etc. I would like to choose different body parts that I can some how connect to these scenes, maybe more due to visually connections instead of conceptually. I would photograph the scenes as well as the body parts creating double exposures. Depending on the technical difficulties I run into, I may end up creating these double exposures digitally.
This idea needs quite a bit more development, but it is beginning to take form and inspire a creative spark, so now it's time to let it burn...

Here are a couple of examples of my own experimentation of multiple exposure:

Here are some experimental images I created digitally with some of my old photographs:

- Stay Positive My Friends -