Old School

Launching the Imagination Chapter 5&6

Problem seeking and problem solving... Now, that's a subject I can sink my teeth into. I have lived the vast majority of my life running away from problems. I always thought of problems as something to avoid, at all cost. Funny, how when you live your life like that, you end up with nothing but a big huge pile of unsolved problems. In my former life, it never would have occurred to me to actually seek out problems (on a conscious level, anyway). Through my experiences with education and, more specifically, my growing experiences with the world of creating art, I have recently become aware of the powerful opportunities for growth and experience associated with problem solving.

Before, I always just created art because I thought it looked cool and it was something to do, to occupy my time. As a graphic designer, I will be chiefly in the business of solving my clients problems; namely, how to communicate their ideas and promote their desired corporate identities, visually. As an artist, I am starting to recognize the power that artists have to raise social consciousness. This can only be done by defining a problem and seeking a creative solution that expresses the idea/philosophy you wish to communicate. In Chapter 5, the author states "When a problem is too easy or the solution is too familiar, little is learned and nothing is gained". This goes for life, as well as art and education, I believe. By defining a problem, doing research, using divergent and convergent thinking to devise and execute a strategy, we can create better art, as well as learning and growing, as individuals. Two other concepts that were discussed in this chapter are both things that I think will be very useful, in the creative process; journaling and brainstorming. Both will be added to the repetoir.

Chapter 6 discussed the development of critical thinking. This is an important part of our growth process, as artists. Critical thinking combines evaluation, analysis, and exploration of alternatives. A big part of this process is accomplished by critiques, of our own work and of other's. We have done a little of this, in class. Honestly, I feel like our critiques were a little "touchy feely". I think that we could all do with a little more constructive criticism. When I look at other students work, I am hesitant to point out what I see as weak points, not wanting to be offensive, or hurtful. As artists, we need to develop open minds and thick skin, if we are to achieve our full potential.

Chapter 4, Cultivating Creativity

This chapter focused on the principles and practices that promote the cultivation of creativity. While reading this chapter, I was pleasantly surprised to find that all the basic characteristics of the creative individual were very much a part of my personality and over all makeup. I have never considered myself to be an exceptionally creative individual, when compared to the artists I admire, but the first part of this chapter pretty much described me to a tee. I guess I just have to keep working at it. There are certainly a couple of the practices described in this chapter that I could use a little work on. Namely, goal setting and time management. I guess one of my goals needs to be improving my goal setting ;) Maybe I should set aside a specific time to work on goal setting? ;)

The Principles of Two Dimensional Design

I really like this book. There is so much invaluable information. This chapter focuses on composition. There is so much packed into this chapter, that I don't have time to talk about it all. Rather, I'll just focus on a couple key elements that really caught my attention. When discussing the various principles of composition, the principle of Closure "the minds inclination to connect fragmentary information to produce a completed form" reminded me of a piece I created using a similar effect used in the example given in the book (3.14) In this piece, I created a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, using the text from his famous speech "The Gettysburg Address"

The concepts of balance and symmetry have always had a special place in my heart. While I was out shooting some pictures of the winter landscape the other day, I came across what I feel is a good example of radial symmetry and balance. The second image was adjusted in Photoshop (levels and exposure).

The twisted bush seems to swirl in a counter clock-wise motion. This effect is heightened by the grass in the lower portion of the canvas being blown to the right, by the wind. The focal point of the bush is balanced by the symmetrical division of the soft gradient sky and the harsh winter landscape.

Photography

I just joined the Tri-Cities Digital Photography Club, on Face Book. Click herehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201164490905911&set=gm.10151544969496646&type=1 to check it out.

Photography

I'm taking a LOT of pictures, for my design classes, right now. I don't have a lot of previous experience with this medium of art. A photographer buddy of mine hipped me to this site. If you need some inspiration and some idea what other photographers are doing, Pixoto is an awesome website. You can also post your own photos there and enter amateur contests. It's given me some awesome ideas in what to look for, when I am out shooting.

Digital Visual Culture Blog 3

The Digital Image and the Pleasure Principle: The Consumption of Realism in the Age of Simulation, By Van Koten

FINALLY!!!, A chapter in this book that both held my interest all the way through AND I could understand what the author was actually talking about. Basically this article hypothesis about the ramifications of modern media, from a sociological and philosophical perspective, in regards to it's increased dominance in both the workforce and the mass entertainment industry.  

Koten discusses the difference between "hot" and "Cool" media, from the famous theorist Mcluhan's perspective. Hot media being low in viewer participation, such as: Photographs, Prose, Cinema, and the printed word. Cool media being high in viewer participation, such as: Television, Poetry, Hieroglyphs, and classical music. I agree with the author that this form of classification is no longer appropriate in the modern age. In the modern day of mass media, everything has become so overlapped and interactive that it is really hard to draw the line between the two.

The theorist McLuhan postulates that the content of each new medium is another previous medium. The examples given are TV from Cinema, Cinema from the printed word, Print from writing, writing from speech, speech from thought, and thought from experience. An interesting question is; "Does each new form of media bring us closer to, or further away from the origin of experience?"

The author then goes on to discuss psychological and sociological ramifications of video and interactive games. The increasingly popular question these days is whether or not video games cause violence and whether or not interactive gaming is causing people to become socially retarded. This question is far less interesting, to me, than it seems to be to most modern political and cultural theorists. There is no definitive answer to these questions. I believe it goes back to Andy Warhol's question, "Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?" Personally, I believe it is a symbiotic relationship.