ART WORK: DIGITAL COLLAGE
TITLE: Content.
SIZE: 36 in x 24 in MEDIUM: Digital Manipulation COMPLETION: 9/13/2018 EXHIBITION TEXT:In my artwork I tried to demonstrate something that gives out a positive vibe and wanted “Content” to be the main focus. Even though I include “gloomy” and “enraged” images of myself in the artwork, I wanted to demonstrate the negative vibes. However, with that I still wanted to show that whenever I feel down I always come back up. I always think about the positive things, trying to make myself a better, stronger person. The inspiration for my artwork is Robert Longo and his series of "Men in the Cities." This piece was created using Adobe Photoshop CS6.
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INSPIRATION:
For my inspiration I chose Robert Longo since he created a series of artwork that are triptych which are three images forming one whole piece or three images that relates back to each other, connecting. Both pieces contains photographs of the men and women creating three different poses. Robert Longo was actually inspired to make these pieces by using rock star poses and neo-noir cinema.
The way Robert had the men and women perform these poses for the pictures is by tying them with ropes and throwing things at them, capturing their poses and movements.
The way Robert had the men and women perform these poses for the pictures is by tying them with ropes and throwing things at them, capturing their poses and movements.
Get to know Robert Longo's Men in the Cities | Art | Agenda. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2016/january/06/get-to-know-robert-longo-s-men-in-the-cities/
PLANNING:
first sketch |
For my sketch, I wanted to demonstrate three sections. In each section I will have one picture of me showing a sad, mad, and happy expression. For the background I was thinking about adding multiple images and experimenting with them so they will fit in with the mood shown in its section, I will be adjusting the brightness of each image and the colors. For example, the "gloomy" section will have hues like gray, blue-gray in order to show it as gloomy. For the "content" section, I wanted to brighten the images up, demonstrating a more positive vibe. Also using a clear sky with the sun. For the "enraged" section I decided to use more intense color such as black, red, a purple. I will take the images and change the colors. I wanted to add an image taken during the night. Other than those images, I wanted to add a caption like how Barabara Kruger does to her pieces.
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PROCESS/IDEAS/INTENTIONS:
Process:
During my process, I will mostly use the quick selection tool and refine edge for all of my images. For background I tried to make them fit in with the emotions that they are a part of. I will change the colors of the images depending on the mood of its section. For example, the window and the leaves picture(shown on the right) I had used for the 'enraged' section on the art piece. I decided to change the color of the leaves red, since it gives off more of a strong or intense feeling. In using the window image since it's already dark the only thing that was changed was the red light, and I had turned that into a purple hue. I feel like with the hues I chose for the 'mad' section really fits in because it doesn't show a 'happy' feeling, and its not what I was going for, so I decided to make it look dark and intense to fit in with the emotion I'm trying to demonstrate. Other than changing the color, I used the opacity on the leaves.
For the 'gloomy' section on the art piece I decided to flip the building upside down in the background. What I was trying to get at with the flipped building, was like another way to describe 'gloomy,' which is 'feeling down.' Along with the gray background, which all I had to do was change the canvas completely gray. With the gray background I wanted to make it seem gloomy.
For all the images of me in each section, I had used the quick selection tool and only selected myself and avoided the background. Afterwards I would select refine edge. Which all I did was smooth and feather out the edges.
During my process, I will mostly use the quick selection tool and refine edge for all of my images. For background I tried to make them fit in with the emotions that they are a part of. I will change the colors of the images depending on the mood of its section. For example, the window and the leaves picture(shown on the right) I had used for the 'enraged' section on the art piece. I decided to change the color of the leaves red, since it gives off more of a strong or intense feeling. In using the window image since it's already dark the only thing that was changed was the red light, and I had turned that into a purple hue. I feel like with the hues I chose for the 'mad' section really fits in because it doesn't show a 'happy' feeling, and its not what I was going for, so I decided to make it look dark and intense to fit in with the emotion I'm trying to demonstrate. Other than changing the color, I used the opacity on the leaves.
For the 'gloomy' section on the art piece I decided to flip the building upside down in the background. What I was trying to get at with the flipped building, was like another way to describe 'gloomy,' which is 'feeling down.' Along with the gray background, which all I had to do was change the canvas completely gray. With the gray background I wanted to make it seem gloomy.
For all the images of me in each section, I had used the quick selection tool and only selected myself and avoided the background. Afterwards I would select refine edge. Which all I did was smooth and feather out the edges.
Critique:
My piece was inspired by Robert Longo's series 'Men in the Cities.' His series mostly representing people and the poses they make putting it into one. He uses Triptych which is having three sections in one piece. Which is what I also had done for my piece, having three sections. Instead of mine having three poses like his, I actually had three different picture of me showing three different emotions. On my piece I put images for the background, while his series mostly contained white background.
Experimenting:
I mostly experimented with the hues. I wanted to choose colors that will fit in with each mood. I also experimented with the images, trying to find which ones went perfectly with each other such as the leaves and window. I decided to use the leaves for the 'enraged' section since I wanted to make it seem as they were almost representing flames once I change them to a scarlet hue. Other than changing the color, I decided to brighten the color trying to make it blaze. While for the window I had taken during the night and wanted to make it seem more intense. Even though the original image of the window had red, I didn't want to keep it that way since I had already decided for the leaves to be a scarlet hue. So another color that I had decided to put was purple. After I had the images the way I wanted the leaves was now overlapping the window, so I was sort of unsure if I should leave both the images how they were or if I should make an additional modification. Which in the end I decided to use the opacity on the leaves so the windows will be showing through.
REFLECTION:
There were some struggles that I had to deal with when working on this. I was having a hard time finding an idea for what my digital manipulation should be based on. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted the digital manipulation to be about, and I thought I wasn't going to finish it. I also didn't have no where else to work on my photoshop other than at school. When working on this art project I did have challenges. It was my first time doing/working with photoshop so I had to get used to working with the tools. Sometimes I will forget how to use the tools or how to keep the edits I had made on an image. Being that it was my first time doing photoshop, I was surprised by the way it turned out.
The Meaning
Gloomy.
There are times where I feel alone, I need someone to talk to, someone I can rely on to give me the best advice on how to deal with things. But there are times where I don’t even want to tell someone about my feelings and thoughts, because I feel like they will think I’m being overdramatic or that its nothing worth beating myself over. I will put on a smile, but in my head there are thoughts that make me overthink things which makes me feel stressed and slightly anxious. The thoughts that get to me the most is feeling insecure about myself. Thinking that everyone dislikes me and sometimes feeling like I’m being pushed into the sidelines. ‘You can’t act the way you act at home, in order to make a good impression you have to show others what they want to see and change the way you are.’
Enraged.
Then I start thinking about how ridiculous I sound, and start hating myself for it, doubting myself. I bring myself down thinking that there is no hope for me. How can I let people get to me so easily. ‘People are probably going through worst things and you are just thinking about your insecurities, or that you feel ignored.’
Content.
At the end of the day, I just say to myself not to let the negativity get to me. Stay strong and fight against these negative thoughts. Not letting it overwhelm me and breaking through, because ignoring those thoughts and fighting against it will make me a stronger person. There is always someone that will always be there for me to help me through those problems, even if I’m not aware of it. ‘What does it matter of what others think of me? Don’t let anyone get to you? Sometimes you are your worst enemy.’
There are times where I feel alone, I need someone to talk to, someone I can rely on to give me the best advice on how to deal with things. But there are times where I don’t even want to tell someone about my feelings and thoughts, because I feel like they will think I’m being overdramatic or that its nothing worth beating myself over. I will put on a smile, but in my head there are thoughts that make me overthink things which makes me feel stressed and slightly anxious. The thoughts that get to me the most is feeling insecure about myself. Thinking that everyone dislikes me and sometimes feeling like I’m being pushed into the sidelines. ‘You can’t act the way you act at home, in order to make a good impression you have to show others what they want to see and change the way you are.’
Enraged.
Then I start thinking about how ridiculous I sound, and start hating myself for it, doubting myself. I bring myself down thinking that there is no hope for me. How can I let people get to me so easily. ‘People are probably going through worst things and you are just thinking about your insecurities, or that you feel ignored.’
Content.
At the end of the day, I just say to myself not to let the negativity get to me. Stay strong and fight against these negative thoughts. Not letting it overwhelm me and breaking through, because ignoring those thoughts and fighting against it will make me a stronger person. There is always someone that will always be there for me to help me through those problems, even if I’m not aware of it. ‘What does it matter of what others think of me? Don’t let anyone get to you? Sometimes you are your worst enemy.’
ACT:
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
Since my inspiration put three different poses into one piece, I decided to do the same since I wanted three different pictures that show something different to come back together and become one, each picture sort of helping each other out to explain what is going on.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Robert Longo wanted the men and women making poses, to relate back to rock stars and neo-noir cinema
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you research your inspiration?
While researching, I had learned that Cindy Sherman was also a part of his series which she and Robert Longo knew each other from college. While being a part of the series she had mentioned she had fun while doing it.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Robert Longo related his series back to neo-noir cinema and rock stars.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The same way I was inspired by his artwork to create mine, he was also inspired by other artists to create his own.
Bibliography:
Get to know Robert Longo's Men in the Cities | Art | Agenda. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2016/january/06/get-to-know-robert-longo-s-men-in-the-cities/
Since my inspiration put three different poses into one piece, I decided to do the same since I wanted three different pictures that show something different to come back together and become one, each picture sort of helping each other out to explain what is going on.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Robert Longo wanted the men and women making poses, to relate back to rock stars and neo-noir cinema
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you research your inspiration?
While researching, I had learned that Cindy Sherman was also a part of his series which she and Robert Longo knew each other from college. While being a part of the series she had mentioned she had fun while doing it.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Robert Longo related his series back to neo-noir cinema and rock stars.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The same way I was inspired by his artwork to create mine, he was also inspired by other artists to create his own.
Bibliography:
Get to know Robert Longo's Men in the Cities | Art | Agenda. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2016/january/06/get-to-know-robert-longo-s-men-in-the-cities/