Part 1:

Kim Garza was the graphic design presenter–of course, but I wasn’t so interested in her work so much. The idea that graphic design is an investment into liberal arts for life was very interesting to me–the idea that you’re constantly learning about other filed is interesting, that is. But I really was rocked to sleep by her work. Perhaps I didn’t get enough sleep (but that’s not the point). I suppose I really appreciate more dynamic graphic work but the repetition of the film and music really bored me.

Ms. Tammie Ruben, the sculptor, really interested me. She really demanded my attention. I really enjoyed listening to the way she viewed the way she grew up and the reasoning behind how that effected her work. Her move and my move from our hometowns did put into perspective the way we view nature and I dig that, even though the outcomes of our mindsets are opposite. And even though I do not plan to have showcases of sculpture work, I really got interested in this medium.

James Lanshuren’s work seemed almost mundane but I really enjoyed that. I like the idea of finding beauty in everyday life and forced perspective and the idea of finding beauty in fault. His photos were really funny in some sense and the situations that caused the circumstances were really interesting to hear about. The quote “having been there”, the tense of photography, really captures his work, and I enjoyed that.

Part 2:

I really enjoyed this seminar. I really felt on fire after almost every class to dive into my field even further: get internships, do some outside work, get a job. I felt like i got a better grasp of what I want to do career wise. The only critique i have about the class is its length. I feels so long and it’s on a Monday at the end of the day.

Part 1

Throughout all of the professor’s presentations, I gathered that the common thread is development. I felt like all three of them, explicitly or implicitly, advised to develop certain aspects of your work in order to get better–do not be afraid to practice, make a mistake, or explore something about yourself and?or your work.

I feel like Tuan’s presentation just taught me to not be afraid to just work. He really worked himself by working for his father. He experimented with different ideas and conceptualized a lot of ideas, and although a few of them were not put into use, he still found value in creating, working, and developing his style in many different types of mediums.

Hollis’s presentation really got me to think more about myself. Throughout her artwork, one could see her voice clearly, and throughout time that voice became more definite it seems. I think that I should really study what’s my drive to work (what am I try to say through my work). And I feel like that the more I explore my interests, and learn more about myself, my voice will become clearer.

Bill taught me to just do what I want to do. He was making commercial work–work that seemed to provide himself with reliable source of money, but he abandoned that in order to explore different means of work. He developed a style through extracting color and shape to make new images. He developed a technique. I feel like in order to do any work, especially if you want to do something that isn’t done before, you have to refine and develop a technique in order to do so.

Part 2

My goal beyond college is to possibly go to graduate school for design. I ultimately want to work with fashion and/or concerts. I especially like dealing with motion and live performances so concert performances and runway shows are ideal. I’m still learning the conventions of how one gets integrated in designing visuals for those type of shows but in order to be marketable and attractive to employers in this work field, I would probably want to work with motion graphics, continue to work for the school’s fashion magazine, probably the Sorin Oak review as well in the future, get internships in dealing with performance, graphic design, and/or fashion, explore the Adobe Suite, just continue to make and display work, and ultimately develop my voice.

This is my work for Visual Studies I–dealing With collage and harmony.

Collages

From the beginning of this project I was infatuated with the idea of a building block, and this idea relates back to my theme in the Gestalt project. Nature has it’s very complex and unique set of building blocks that differ from man’s constructs. Even though man is a product of nature, his constructions are not as intricate or complex as nature. I demonstrated this idea by using fractals to form natural constructs. I scanned rocks and plants I found on S Congress, put them into a pattern, and produced a figure that resembles something in nature– collage 1 being a tree (scanned plants) and collage 2 being a mountain (scanned rocks).

Practice

Process

Who did you most relate to? and why?

I related Alex the most because he was a fellow graphic design major, and he was working towards a very interesting project. However, his style greatly contrasted the aesthetic I want to develop. He appreciated making very vintage, crafted piece while I am really interested in more modern looking designs. I checked out the Preacher project and I was interested in getting involved somehow. I tried to get in touch and somehow work with Mr. Roka but he was unaware about the amount of first years in the lecture so I was shot down–I even suggested doing some cleaning work…but no. Shot down.

Who surprised you? and why?

I surprised by Ms. Rebecca Marina because of that grand entrance she made. Also, because I later figured out that she was the late one and I was really hoping that I’d only have to hear 3 presentations, but I was really interested in her work. The fact that she got to work with NASA was pretty amazing. She was also pretty interesting when I spoke to her. She was really vocal about what she was involved in and happily informed and invited the crowd around her to volunteer and check out her work, which was amazing.
What was the most valuable piece of advice you heard today?

The most valuable piece of advice I heard is a very repetitive one–just persevere. Even if it is not explicitly said, through many of the speakers anecdotes, I gather that they had to persevere. They have to dedicate time to invest in themselves, in their craft, be patient, and possibly hear “no” a million-one times before a door of opportunity opens.

SKILLS INVENTORY

1. My greatest strengths in Visual Studies I include: My note taking skills and my retention.
2. For greater success in this course, I need to: Practice the computer skills, time management
3. My greatest strengths in Rhetoric and Composition I include: My creativity
4. For greater success in this course, I need to: Read the material more attentively, time management
5. My greatest strengths in Sex, Drugs, and Counterculture include: Study skills
6. For greater success in this course, I need to: Take more notes
7. My greatest strengths in Visual Studies Seminar include: Doing the work, listening in class
8. For greater success in this course, I need to: Try to apply the habits and skills shown in class
9. My greatest strengths in Spanish III include: Doing the homework, listening in class
10. For greater success in this course, I need to: Participate more, speak more
11. My greatest strengths in Drawing I include: Participating, doing the classwork
12. For greater success in this course, I need to: Practice the skills, spend more time on homework

Computer skills:

1. My computer skills include: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, typing
2. I still need to learn: The Adobe Suite more extensively

Research & writing skills:

1. My greatest strengths as a researcher/writer include: language used when writing, creativity
2. I need to work on these aspects of research and writing: time management
3. I learn best & accomplish most when: I get enough sleep

ACTION PLAN

Sex, Drugs, and Counterculture

1. I can take better notes.
2. I need to get better rest before this class.
3. I can review the material after each class.
4. I can go to the professors’ offices.
5. I can sit closer.
6. Be more attentive.
7. Ask questions.
8. Check for homework more avidly
9. Keep an agenda.
10. Study more

I thought that this Ted Talk seemed like the most dry humored Ted Talk I’ve watched yet. The Texan native, Dan Phillips, discussed the detail that goes into designing and building houses–something I don’t find too exciting but older Texans are in love with. He would mock and parody his own work by making comparisons between the architecture and appliances and objects or human acts. He either builded upon the narrative of a room, object, or group of objects or he deconstructed the narrative to make his own. Then it was a bit interesting when he began to talk about how culture shapes how we assign different things narrative based on culture or perspective. Then I got a bit bored again as he went through  the factors of being a good architect, but I really liked how he tied the rest of his speech to human interaction and says that everything has a narrative or a backstory.

Part 1:

These images are two of the photos from my Gestalt project from my Visual Studies I class. The prompt was simply, ‘how do you make an image?’. My transition from Hāwala, Honolulu, HI to Austin, TX allowed me to notice, more clearly, the clutter of manmade constructs but also how they mimic nature. So I based my project on the idea of an ‘urban forest’ or a ‘concrete jungle’. I shot photos like I would shoot nature, and I focused on how figures directed the viewers eye around the photo and how figures framed negative space.

Part 2:

My Gestalt Project:

GESTALT

The birds in this photo create continuity through their formation, leading one’s eye diagonally across the photo. There is also similarity and repetition between many of the birds as some have birds have similar forms to other birds in this photo while the flock as a whole showcase the many forms of a bird in mid-flight.

The intersecting lines in this photo frame the negative space within the photo contributing to figure ground. There is also repetition of upward constructs and symmetry between the the two bigger poles towards the foreground and the poles upholding the Subway sign in the background.

The upward constructs in this photo create repetition, and the many cluttered figures in the photo like: the busy traffic, the power lines, or the security cameras lead the viewers eyes all around the image.

The bus leads the viewer’s eye towards the skyline, and the buildings are in close proximation to each other, which creates a new shape…ergo skyline.

The poles in this photo get smaller in size and the proximity from one construct to the next get closer, which reminds me of the golden ratio.

The poles and wires in this photo frame the negative space, and the negative space create various linear shapes. The figures in this photo are also in various proximities of each other.

The utility poles in this photo repeat into the background, and the web of converging power lines lead the eye into the background as well as across the photo. The trees frame sky as the the power lines form shapes out of the negative space in the sky.

This photo displays the continuity; the power lines guide the viewer’s eyes back into the photo.

In this photo, the gas pump is one of the main focal points: it’s illuminated by light, it’s in the foreground, and it is one of the bigger objects. However, its lines and the lines of the roof above it point towards the convenient store. The focus then leads towards the illuminated top of the store which has lines that lead to the seven. Continuity.

Self-Critique:

The strongest aspect of this piece is my purpose for all the photos. Although some photos are more pleasing and engaging than others, I would argue that all my photos showcase the intellect of a developing artist. The weakest aspect, I would say, would be lack of emotion connectivity. Some photos do appeal to the audience’s emotion but it’s not consistent throughout the collection which would have made my project stronger. These photos, however, were intentionally taken from a more intellectual standpoint. I thought that my composition was pretty good already. The only way I could think of having better composition is to make more apparent comparison between nature and human construction in an urban setting, which is how I could also conceptually make this project better. Technically I could have edited my photos a bit more. Even though some the photos I took weren’t necessarily bad, Joe is weary of seeing a good looking gas stations. I could be a bit more original and creative I suppose.

Part 1:

One of the biggest pieces of advice I got from the speakers is to dive into my field right away. Although I may not have a totally complete assortment of skills, I can still involve myself by taking on minor internships and going to many different galleries. There are various opportunities, on and off campus, that can fulfill my need to get more exposure in graphic design and promote my success.

Rachel Broussard does not show much of her own input on her blog but more of her inspirations. But nonetheless it’s still interesting to see the how many different elements make up an artist.

Caelan Navarrete’s blog is more analytical of different artists and their work and she’s being critical about it.

Shelby Savage’s blog is more about her growth as a graphic artist, and she explains her past projects and her style. He enjoys simplistic and systematic styles of design and it definitely shows in her work.

Paul Young IV has a posted his portfolio online and it seems very good. He likes to play around with text and his design are a bit more dynamic as he toys with text and pattern.

I’m a bit impressed that Crissy Smith has her name as her web domain. She is a photo and communications major and her latest focus were firefighters. In this collection she showed their rugged and selfless occupation.

Juliana Ramirez also has her name as her web domain. This is also more of a portfolio. Her photos are loud and striking.

Part 2:

I liked Caelan’s blog: https://sites.stedwards.edu/cnavarr7/ because it is a critical of other’s art, and I get to see a critical outlook on art.

Paul’s portfolio, paulyoungiv.squarespace.com, displays a style of design I admire. There is excitement, pattern, texture, and color, but there is also a simplistic edge to his work.

Crissy’s portfolio, http://www.christinfsmith.com, is striking because of how naked she seems displays her environment.

Juliana’s blog, http://www.isabeljuliana.com/, is more conceptual photography and I love it. Her images seem less conventional and more attractive to me. I like her use of form and color. It greatly attracts my eye.