New Direction

This is the new direction I came from making a large collage. Instead I will be using this design to present my thoughts on the lying media and American history.

"I decided to use the power of text and shapes. To clearly understand what I mean I made a post in my blog to show the actual picture of a study I completed and presented in class on Friday to the grad student. It consists of lines that merge into the background with the word “sleep” in the center of it. The unique factor about it is that I use the lines to make the background and the word at the same time. By changing the direction of the lines at certain points, it creates different shapes and forms that created the letters in my project. The layout of the lines creates an illusion which makes the viewer stare at the image for a while to try to see the actual word because it is hidden but not hidden within the lines. Even staring at the word after you discover creates a blinking effect and the words begins to vibrate in your vision. I enjoy this method of presentation because it is something that the viewer will definitely remember because it plays with the mind. Another reason why I chose to do this approach is because it directly resembles the way hidden messages and lies in media and history are presented to the general public. Like the word “sleep” in my project, media and historical lies are hidden at first sight but if you look closer it is right in front of your face. The direct relationship shows that we as people must look more into things and we will discover the things that lie underneath. In my final thesis project I will not use the word “sleep” but I will use something more of meaning towards the topic that I’m trying to expose."

I feel like this approach to exposing the media will be great by the mental effects that it creates and the effects also leave imprints on the mind. I want people to remember this project so that when they go outside of this gallery they will look at the history, that they were taught from the tender ages of childhood til now, with a third eye and realize that there is always more than meets the eye.

Money Talks!

I am officially inspired!

While browsing through the rapper "Jay- Z" blog called Life + Times, I found one of the best articles I have ever read and it was something I could incorporate into my own thesis. This picture will show you what I mean:

This is awesome and I was so shocked because it's something we see everyday but never really use it to it's full potential besides its spending power. The use of dollar bills to create revolutionary messages is so profound based on the history of the dollar and the messages on the actual physical bill. It's like taking a devil's trident and molding a cross out of it. This is such a powerful way to convey your opinion through something that is argueably the reason of most of our problems.

Going back to my thesis, I want to display a mirage of truths and expose the lies of American history and these art works inspire me because they are not saying a lot nor are they elaborate. The most important aspect is that they are EFFECTIVE. The first plans for my thesis was to make a large elaborate piece that forces you to give attention to it but I think I was to go more of a simple way like the art works shown above. I feel as if minimalistic approaches are more effective because they do not drown the message and/ or cross interact with the content embedded. The artist of these "Money Works" is Dan Tague and his website is here: http://dantaguestudio.com/index.php?/installation/cost-of-war-price-of-freedom/

Change of Heart

My first intentions of my exhibit was to make the presentation raw, using natural resources like cardboard and paper etc. and constructing a large harsh size.

But as I talked to other people and surfed the web looking for different inspirations and perspectives, I turned a new leaf. I decided to keep all the content about the corrupt government and the lies of history but I will present them in a different vehicle.

I'm still pondering on the specifics of my canvas but I changed my mind and it will not be a huge collaged like I first said I would.

This should be interesting...

Exhibit Thoughts

The recent gallery had some interesting pieces... and then it had some pieces that weren't so interesting...

well for me.

This was my favorite piece in the exhibit. It consisted of four square frames with drawings of mathematical shapes in them. The most intriguing component was that in side the math signs were highly detailed drawing of scenery including dirt, oceans and forest landscapes.

Besides the obvious visuals, I enjoyed the concept that these drawings as a collection projected. I started t think of a fusion between two different elements in science and nature. In my opinion, there is a church- state separation like relationship when it comes to nature and science but in all actuality nature and science are complimentary to each other. I liked the way the drawings were placed on a clean white canvas and a clean square border; even the drawing were placed in a clean grid formation.

................................................................................................................................................

Then there was a piece or project that I was just confused about. It consisted of an old and rusted ice skating cleat placed to a yellow bunny mold.

Honestly, this piece was not appealing at all. It was a combination of two unrelated things and without a story to tell, they do not match together. I looked around the block it was placed on to see if there was a book or a catalog of some sort to tell the relationship between the two but there was not. So my confusion just took over and I walked away...

After having Thesis class and pondering on what the theme of my thesis project will be, I know I wanted it to be something controversial but respected. Something people are nervous to speak of but something people will speak of. Something that will hold things that may have been forgotten in the shadows of history but that something that will never be forgotten. I want to take advantage of this thesis opportunity to show the world my thoughts on the history of this country.


This the album cover for an artist called Lupe Fiasco and he pretty much resembles the atittude that I am trying to portray in my thesis. The title is pretty much self explanatory but his songs are about things that people are scared to say. He speaks about the government and their evil ways, false and covered up history, and the subliminal life. I want to commit to similar thoughts and somehow place them on canvas.

This will be interesting...

Thesis Interview w/ Dan Winistorfer

What is the theme for your thesis?

For my thesis, i can honestly say i dont have an exact idea of what is going to be created, but i can say that i want to combine two different mediums. I prefer illustration over any type of visual art. Being a graphic design student, i have slowly strayed away from illustration, besides small sketches of different design ideas. I would like to work on creating different portrait drawings, but also using them to their full advantage in new design ideas. What i am trying to communicate with this combination of illustration and design, i do not know yet, but im sure with a little bit of time and drafting, i will find a good concept.

What are your strongest qualities and weakest qualities when it comes to your art ethic?

My strongest qualities in my eyes are my drawing abilities, and color palette selection. I try to use it to my advantage as best i can, and when possible or necessary. I am very good at replicating images, and often combine specific qualities from several images to reinvent a whole new image, idea, or concept. I'd say my weakest qualities are my ability to navigate through the technicalities of using computer programs. My instinct to be illustrative may be too strong at times, because i revert back to old habits, instead of using newer tools to make new habits. Also, I feel that I need much improvement in being minimal, but also communicating a message. Minimalism meaning using negative space, composition, and text size correctly. I feel like the solution to this is to spend more time in front of the computer, but also make test prints a little more often.

Do you have an artist idol or an artist that has a great influence on your work?

No current artist in particular. I feel like thats also another weakness of mine. I enjoy looking at many different works of graphic designers and illustrators, and also try to keep myself updated on different design websites. but i never followed a specifics artist work in large quantities. The only artist that I can honestly say i have seen and been influenced by all of his work is M.C. Escher.

What kind of style would you say you have?

I have a visual style. Id like to work on my conceptual approach to my work. Ultimately i would like to have a style that combines illustration and design.

How long have you been in the art game?

I've been drawing my whole life. Ive got a few old notebooks at home that i filled with drawings from kindergarten through elementary school. Looking back on them, its interesting to see how well i payed attention to the smallest details. But i've literally been drawing since then. once i figured out that i could draw, i started trying other ways for me to use my talent for attention to detail.

Do you make art for the purpose of the audience or self satisfaction?

Id say both. my satisfaction comes from the audience. But at the same time, if someone doesn't like something I've done, I wont always agree with them. If i think it looks good and i consider it finished, than thats all that matters to me.

What do you want your audience to think when they view your thesis?

I want them to understand my love for illustration. I want my audience to understand that i am an illustrator, but also see that i can be creative by not just using a flat piece of paper to draw one. I want to bring illustration to digital media.

In 5 years, where do you want to be with your art?

I want to be happy. I want to be confident with my work, but at the same time, i want to enjoy what i do. Nobody knows where they'll be in five years, but i still dont doubt that i will still be drawing, no matter on what surface or program i use to do it.

Pioneer Modernism

After the World War, the art world changed and evolved as the public's situations and life evolved. Pioneer Modernists were the "go getters" that seeked and searched for this new way of life. Thier mindsets and goals were set on ideas and concepts of communication through vision. Their strong suit was abstraction and manifestos. I respected the effort and visions that the pioneers shared because they broke the standards so that a new fresh life could emerge. But like most strong forces, their weaknesses became obvious and its exposure grew. This group of strong willed intelligent individuals were maybe to good for thier own sake. The unity between the pioneers began to dissolve because everyone had their own opinions and views on certian aspects of life. Each designer wanted to bring something the world has never witnessed before but at the sametime their ideas were migrating from one central idea. Also their abstraction made sense to them but it wouldn't have made sense to the general public. So lack of communication was the main reason why this group never succeeded together. Even though the fianl result was a fail, in a way it was success because future minds and minds of today can look back at this unique group and gain motivation from the work that these pioneers did.

The Marriage & Divorce of Art & Design

M/M delivered interesting opinions about the difference between design and art. Various artists and designers presented their ideas and opinions on the subject. There is also the discussion of what constitutes a gallery and what makes a room a gallery? Also, how does the objects and art work relate with its surrounding environment. As I read this article I realized that design snuck its way into this art discussion because galleries and the way artwork are placed in them send visual messages to the viewers. So in a way the art is relating to the people because the design sends messages. Kees Dorst article explores the boundary between designers and artists' limits and purposes. This reading seems to give an advantage to artists because artists are more free than designers. Artists do not have to follow rules and regulations like designers do. But designers are very professional and strict on their assignment. This article also sought out to see the affect of the crossover of design and art. In a way they compliment each other because in order to produce an art piece you must first brainstorm a design and in order to design you must have a sense of art. The superflex article was a tad bit different from the two other articles I discussed because it focused more on the social side and the relation that art has to the public. After going through these documentations I realized that art and design are definitely compliments of each other.

Buckminster Fuller

Buckminster Fuller was a man with one of those fascinating minds of our time. Based on his readings and sayings, he was probably one of the first futurists and global thinkers. His ideas were unique and one of a kind and he thought beyond design. Fuller thought of things that the average designer wouldn't even think of and his level of creativity was very high. After watching his video I realized that architects of the future and even of today should take his ideas into consideration so that life for people can be easier and more convenient. The most intriguing thing that I discovered about Fuller was the map he made in which he flattened the global map so that all the continents were viewed as one island in one ocean. That really caught my attention because I never viewed the world in that way and when I think about it all the land masses are connected and people just segrated the oceans but they are also one big ocean. Buckminster Fuller to me is like the Einstein of design.

10 Ways To Save Paper

1. Documents could be printed on both sides of the paper
2. There should be paper recyclable bins in every building
3. Do not use a whole page of paper if there is only a small portion of text being written
4. Email more than print as much as possible
5. When sick, get a handkerchief instead of using tissue
6. Teachers, companies and officials at meetings can use a powerpoint projector instead of distributing handouts
7. Use recycled paper
8. Pay bills online
9. Keep any used paper that isn't completely used for future use
10. Use trusted companiesthat really recycle their materials

American Apparel

I found " Innovation and Exploitation- A Critique of American Apparel" a very interesting article because it exposes one of the most popular clothing companies in the country and shows the dark side that the avergae person does not know about. Before this article, I saw American Apparel as a hot store that are flocked to daily by teens everyday I go to the mall. With their appealing advertisements it was like a trap for clothes seeking teenagers and young adults. But Anna Kealey did a great job on showing the downside to this giant. It was very intriguing on how I used to see these american Apparel advertisements and not notice the similiarities that they all shared. As Anna pointed out, women were always sexually presented as if they were a dinner coarse on a canvas for the viewer. As I continued to read the article I learned that one man, CEO Don Charney, did most of the photography so this just added a new dimension. Not only did the same man did most of the sexually depicted pictures and advertisements, but it shows what was going on his mind. Then there were cases of sexual assault and that just poured more salt onto the wound. This shows, in a way, how art revolves and how there are many ways in which people utilize art. This also shows how emotions can be birthed from different art styles. Great essay.

Ethical Design Education

Susan S. Szenasy's "Ethical Design Education" was a well thought out optimistic view on the power of designers and how we can change the world into a better one. She presented many sad ways in which humans abuse materials like killing monkeys for their fur and palm trees that are cut down for little snacks. In this article she is challenging us designers to take a step in action to improve the current state of our worldly community. She showed how alot of designers, especially her students, did not see how designers had the ability to improve the world because most believe that this world is ran by "greed and ego". They view this world as an ugly, untreatable planet that has been damaged beyond repair. But what Susan is trying to show is that designers are able to heal this injured world but we must first use our skills. For an example: Susan brought up the idea about recycling and how materials are used. Designers can create a new resource or material that can be recycled forever. Designers can also create a system in which present day materials are used in a healthy manner for the inhabitants of this Earth and Earth itsself. She brought up various designers that fought for this cause. Artists such as William Morris and Walter Gropius. Im pretty sure that by the end of this seminar Susan's design students have a whole new mentality on what they can each do to save the world. "Ethical Design Education" is a very compelling article that will help give designers motivation and encouragement to try to better their envoironment and society.

Helvetica

Helvetica was the first movie that I watched of its kind. It was the first documentary that I viewed that was about typeface. There aren't many documentaries or movies, especially major movies, based on typeface so when I found out that there was one based on a font, I was suprised. I have to be honest my first impression was, "This is going to be one of the most boring movies ever!" But it ended up being one of the most intriguing movies I ever seen. I never put in alot of thought behind type and fonts because it is one of the most under-appreciated and under rated components in modern day advertising and life period. The movie Helvetica explored this world and showed the viewers the hidden power behind typeface. Helvetica is one of the most popular typefaces and it is used world wide by designers and typographers alike. I learned that most critics believe that helvetica is overabused by alot of people and that might be the reason why there is such a push for a new popular typeface. But whatever the result maybe, typeface should be more appreciated by the public and the education of typeface should be more distributed.

Byker Wall

This video showcased a living complex called Byker Wall in Newcastle. It is considered as an architectural legend because of the way it was designed and how it holds its purpose. The reason why this project is so special is because it was built to resemble a barricade or a fortress against the harsh winter weather. It really looks like a wall..well it really is a wall...until u walked through the wall then you witness the beauty it bears. It is nick named "Streets in the Sky" because the designers wanted to bring the sense of the city's streets into this complex.
This project alone shows how important designers and artists are to the communtiy because Bykers Wall was a very important addition to this community's well being. This city was virtually dead with minimal green life and industrial looking. But Byker's Wall has alot of trees and plants, adding some kind of life to Newcastle. Its like a whole other world because its enclosed and its unlike anything in the U.K.
Even though Byker has its good thing it also shares its bad things. Bykers has many problems like the amount of time it takes for a apartment problem to get fixed and heating. Besides its ups and downs, the Byker Wall is definitly one of a kind and a modern marvel.

Pruit Igo' Video

I am officially a fan of Pruit Igo. After watching his intriguing video on landscapes and cityscapes, I believe that he realizes the beauty in the urbania and nature. I also enjoyed this video because it was used in one of my favorite videogames of all time called "Grand Theft Auto".
The video showed the time lapse of a day going by and he toured certain places in the city area. So in a way, he represented the effect of speed and slow in this one video. This video was very powerful in which it used the music in collaboration with the scenes. It birthed a sense of neglect, hope, economy, value, reality and so much more. When I viewed this video I could not get my eyes off of it because the composition just pulled me in.
I believe that Pruit had many purposes for this video. He obviously wanted to show the effect of poverty in the cities and the viewer can experience feelings just by watching the video. Besides the downfall of the city, he showed the triumph and glory of the huge buildings and monumental architecture. Then he showed exploding and imploding buildings which takes the viewer back to the decline and degrade of today's society. Once again a very powerful building.

The Impotence of Being Earnest

Wow..this article had a lot of attitude in it. Matt Soar either had a rough day when he wrote "The Impotence of Being Earnest" or he really has strong beliefs on the foundation of manifestos and today's designers. In his article he analyzed another manifesto called "First Things First" in which thirty- three of top designers in design talk about thier responsibilities in the design world. According to Matt, this is a revamp of an earlier edition and I think Matt is kind of sour about this emergence because he says, "So, at the very least, it seems that the 'First Things First' flame has been rekindled in an attempt to ignite debate where none -or not enough-existed before." And he also placed manifesto in quotes when he first presents First Things First, giving the impression that he was being sarcastic. Seems like he has a grudge against these designers or he doesn't follow along with thier beliefs.
Matt brings up a group called The Adbusters and this organization is trying to resurrect manifestos. The Adbusters have a term they call culture jamming in which social marketing "takes the piss out of consumer capitalism". Mr. Soar believed that designers should treat thier audiences as citizens before customers. Basically I felt that Matt soar is critical of today's designers and gave his opinion on how they can improve and solve thier problems.

We're Here To be Bad (Good)

My mother and most of the parents in this "good ridden" world of ours would frown down on me if I said that good is bad and doing bad is actually good. After reading Tibor Kalman and Karrie Jacobs "We're Here To be Bad", my whole perspective on being bad changed.

Well at least in the deign world...

The authors challenged the graphic designers of today to be different, to be unordianry, to be...BAD. Yes these authors claim that being bad as designers is being good. Being bad breaks you away from old standards and "what designers are supposed to be like" idea. "We need to be bad as in disobediant. Bad as in insubordinate. Bad as in taking the design brief the clients hands us and rewriting it." page 2.In order to produce successful and long lasting products, graphic designers must create things are aren't familiar with the public and things that are different but effective. This is what bad is..breaking away from the norm.

The article also pointed out that graphic designers must realize how powerful design really is. Say for instance there are two of the same products being sold. Well the graphic designer's job is to make one product look better than its competitor's. Even though they are both the same product, the consumers will buy the product thats appeals more to thier eyes and preferences.
The words strategic communication was thrown alot in this article showing that design shares a major part in marketing.

There is design and there is business..one cannot function without the other.

The interesting point that was made in this article is that design is a very important aspect of marketing but the actual designer isn't. That's pretty sad if you ask me but reality is reality.
But as graphic desingers we must set our selves loose of what schools taught us and what the society tells us on how to be the average designer. We must search for new land and produce new bearings because if we don't...this world is going to be very boring soon. We must be bad!

Media Gender & Identity

David Gaunlett's "Media, Gender and Identity" was very interesting to me because it showed the transition of preferences in design between time. This article was also very interesting because it showed that most males are confused in their role as male and the "decline" in masculinity. After reading this, I learned that the major tool that pushed this confusion in most males is the media and the power it has. Here is when the question of identity comes into play.

Questions like "What is masculine supposed to look like?" and "Do men really have to be the head of the household?" and so forth. This current community is still stuck in old traditional times when the man was the head of the home and in charge of everything and basically the boss. But now in these cuurent times, the women have stepped up and taken the places that traditionally men hold. Things like CEO's of companies and the main income earner in the household. There is a major shift in the gender domination in fields and it is getting more obvious each and every year.

"Is image everything or is it surface deep?" I have to say based on personal experiences that image is not everything but it is a very powerful aspect. This country has been image governed since the beginning of the colonization. Everything from the color of a person's skin to a person's gender to a civilian's disability. Yes, it is a sad situation but it is reality. So many people, including egotistical men, view the uprising of women's status in the community as a bad thing. It is not! Not only do I believe that this shift is positive but I believe it balances out weight of power between genders.

I believe that media composes the biggest part in discrimination in this country in the first place. When I turn on the t.v. and watch a commercial on a large company, there is usually a man represting that company. When I watch movies or t.v. shows, there is usually a stay at home mother who caters to the family and home. It is very rare to see a female president of a corporation or a stay at home father and it sets a certain guideline in our minds that it is supposed to be this way. I feel sorry for the youth growing who witnesses the same thing that I just described because if they have no proper raising, they will believe that this is realirty.

Yes, the foolish and ignorant are victims of media (which is sad because they take up a large part of our society) but the knowledgable and observer realizes that media abuses their powers and produces artificial reality.

No Logo

No Logo was a very powerful manifesto in which is roamed through our world, which is a very branded one. This manifesto exposed how our lifestyles and economy are tamed by the "green hungry" corporations and the affect they have on the people. But Im not here to rabble about money hungry officials or our struggling economy. I am here, as an artist, to talk about how the concept of brands can mean so much more than just a tag of a company.

Brands!

The official mark of a company. The grand tag of a business. The final stamp of a foundation and future. These three sentences alone seem heavy because a brand is not just a simple logo. No, a brand is a very complex business inside of a business. The brand can be compared to the heart and the company is the body. And surely the body cannot survive without its heart and a company cannot prosper without a brand. The brand produces the blood and that circulates through the company. It sends energy throughout the corporations system hoping that success is the result at the end of the day. The business feeds of the brand and if the brand is healthy, then there is a greater chance that the company will be healthy in the competitive business arena.

"A brand is not a product. It is the sum total of everything a company does- the good, the bad and even the off strategy- that creates a large context or an identity in the consumer's mind."
-Scott Bedbury (formerly of Nike and Starbucks)

Brands create a world of their own that can't be replicated by any other. The brand can be as simple as a image, slogan, unique taste and anything else that touches the consumers senses and forces them to remember it forever. But what the average person doesn't see is that brands are well thought out, companies create a complicated blueprint for them, even the design of a brand is rigorous. The brand, besides the consumers and actual employees, is the most important and essential factor in a company. A brand is so strong that it can create personal relationships with its consumers. No, brands are not people but most people can relate with brands like they are living individuals. If a company has a great reputation in its marketing and products, like the company Nike, then most likely there will be many fans and supporters that will trust the brand. When consumers are happy about the service and great contribution of a company, then those consumers will grow a relationship witht that company and its brand. Say for instance Nike begins to make crappy sports gear or their appeal to the young athletes in the world decline, then it will be like a bad break up or divorce because those once satisfied consumers will lose faith in Nike. And Nike will begin to lose money and grow a bad reputation and so on... Companies already realize this and that is the reason why they put in so much money in advertising and logo design and etc. For an example, during Superbowl Day companies spend millions and millions of dollars in a series, if not one, commercials for that one day. Companies also spend alot of money on endorsing celebrities to add shine and appeal to their company's face.

As im writing this im starting to notice myself that design has a greater influence on the world than I thought! A brand itself, when successful, creates prospering companies and companies make the world go round. So when you think about it, it all comes down to design. Without design there would be no successful functioning world. And without design, there would be chaos and no kind of organization. So when you think about design even deeper, you realize that brands run the world. In conclusion, I strongly believe that design can save the world....
because design created the world.

The Bauhaus Show "The House of Building"

The Bauhaus Show..hmm let's see... well to be totally honest it was not my type of exhibit. There were many times when I just walked up and down the hallways and collected pleasure by witnessing other's faces. But besides my opinion, I still believe that this exhibit was alive with art. To the layout of the text and images on the walls to the presentation of the pieces, it was a very well presented exhibit to the public and the eyes.

The predominant color of the galery walls were grey and I am guessing this is because the designer did not want the viewers 2 focus on the color vibes radiating from the walls, but the objects and art pieces that in the gallery. Going through the Bauhaus show I realized how powerful colors really are and the affect that they have on anything in its area or environment.Going back to the grey walls, it was very smart that they made it that hue because when a piece was in the spotlight light the wall and background sort of faded away. But grey wasn't the only color. There was radiant colors like red and yellow and they used blue too. So you can imagine the weird moods and feelings some people felt as they wandered through the exhibit

Researching on the Bauhaus, I learned that the shapes circle, triangle, and square and the colors red, yellow and blue are main representations. Geometry was another key factor in the Bauhaus movement. The masters of the Bauhaus were so geometric that they actually believed in an alphabet that had no capitalization. So they believed in lower case letter that formed in a geometric fashion. For an example, if you look at the actual title of Bauhaus and its font face, it is in lowercase fashion. ( I wonder if the students of the Bauhaus would criticize me because I capitalized the b in Bauhaus). Architecture seems like another emphasis in the exhibit or should I say the Bauhaus religion. I say this because everything was set in a certain way and placed in a certain matter, kind of reminded me of organzied chaos.

Now to the sweet stuff..the actual art pieces. There were many pieces presented ranging from expensive looking lamps to paintings to upper class but comfortable chairs. Personally, this show almost seemed like a store opening or something because of the wide range of objects that were there. But my favorite piece in the whole show was the Bauhaus Chessmen and Board. Some sculptor named Josef Hartwig. The reason why this chess piece was my favorite, besides the fact that I own a glass chess set, is because it was so unique and the chess pieces were not the average chess pieces. Instead they were spheres and X's and cubes and cylinders. I learned that

they are minimalist forms that represented the way each piece moved. I just enjoyed the uniqueness of it.

And going back to a special item in the Bauhaus Show was the chairs. The modern designers of the Bauhaus movement were greatly influenced by William Morris, an English designer. Morris believed that there should be no difference between form and function and when that combined witht the style of the Bauhaus designers, that created the style we wtiness today as we look at present Bauhaus pieces. This style is called Madison and it is used in woodworks like tables and chairs.

Overall like I said in the beginning, the show was pretty boring..well to me. But it was packed full of intelligent art and rich history.I recommend it to any art lover who loves art history.