Image Methodology
ELEMENTS SEQUENCE
The elements and principles of design are embodied in this work. Each picture represents a different element of design and transition to the next image with a different element/principle. I chose to photograph natural things, as nature does the best job of showing these ideas in my opinion. I took quite a bit of care in making sure the images had cohesion. I kept a consistent muted color palette throughout and arranged the images in a way that flowed together fluidly. I created this project in Photoshop with and made sure the grid was consistent. From left: Line, texture , shape, size, space, value. Joined together with pattern, repetition, scale, rhythm, emphasis, and balance.
SCALES
The scales project was a series of quick iterations made in Photoshop. These scales were a part of the Russian constructivism unit we studied, so the pieces are more abstract as the topics were very abstract as well. We had a week to put these four pieces together, but I am most comfortable working in Photoshop since it was the first adobe program I learned, so I was able to put a lot of detail into these pieces. From top left: Redesign a clock face, sickness, combine French curves and rainbows, and children’s names.
MATERIAL STUDIES LETTERFORM
For my material letterform, I chose to work with cardboard, wire, and ink. We were to make the letter that corresponded to the first letter of our first name and make the letter match our personalities. I made the letter S make to look like a snake. I decided to go with a more geometric shaped S rather than a fluid, organic, traditional S mostly because of the cardboard material I chose. Cardboard is very versatile and malleable, but it isn’t very sturdy. So I chose to create a more geometric S with a supportive base so that it could almost double as a Z. I used microns and black, yellow, red, and orange ink to decorate the letterform. Snakes have a slightly sinister, dark vibe, so I made my snake match that. I also peeled back some of the cardboard to expose the under layers of cardboard; this made the snake appear to be shedding scales. I also used thin gauged wire for the snake tongue and wrapped wire around the base of the snake belly for my additional material.
DADA EXPERIMENTATION
This project experimented with Dadaism and the creation of non-art. Unexpected styles and combinations are a trademark of Russian constructivism. I appreciate the aesthetic of Dadaism, but for this project I found it was rather hard for me to get a grasp of how to put things together in a hodge podge fashion rather than in a methodical, deliberate way. Non-art made from the stance of art seems like an oxymoron. I started with the idea of how women are expected to dress—much like a paper doll—and layered old dress patterns on top with images of the anatomy of a human body and legs and heels and muscles and pocket watches. It is a frenetic interpretation of feminist ideals in put together in a Photoshop, Dada-esque format.
CRITICAL MASS ANIMATION
The final for image methodology was to create a movie in Aftereffects that tells a story. It was a very abstract assignment since it was very vague. I decided to create a movie about the vicious cycle of how natural things are dominated by man-made opposition. Plants are often displaced by the concrete jungle of modern urbanity. Highways are preferred to greenspace. Skyscrapers are preferred to forests. But When things go wrong and fall (kingdoms, dynasties, nations, power) as they inevitably do, the natural is able to once again rise and take over. Motion design is difficult concept for me to grasp. 2d and print design I have a handle on. Even 3d isn’t unobtainable. But when you add motion into the mix and make things move, it gets complicated. I drew the flower with microns, scanned it in, and then used various pixelate and explode effects to get the motion to look how I wanted it to. The timing is the most finicky thing about after-effects, but I am satisfied with the video I put together.