Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Chimera Update
Here are a few images of my model as it stands now. I hope to have it complete by tomorrow evening.
The Cultures of Collecting
This particular Jean Baudrillard reading was much easier to read than the last one. Not only could I understand more of what he was saying, but I also found myself relating the reading to my own habits that I have experienced throughout my life. I thought that his ideas surrounding the acts of collecting objects were very interesting. I have never really given much thought as to how prone mankind is to collecting objects. This reading made me wonder what people choose to collect, as well as my own choices of collectibles.
I, myself have always collected things. I have, throughout my life, had many different collections. The earliest collection that I can remember having was a My Little Pony figurine collection that I began when I was three. At the time, I was absolutely obsessed with the television show My Little Pony. My parents gave me my first My Little Pony for my birthday. After I received my first one, I realized that there were so many others that existed in the world, and I suddenly wanted them all. By the time I was six, I believe I had acquired fourteen My Little Ponys. To this day, I still have every single one of them, and still treasure them as I did when I was little.
Even though I am older now, I still have ongoing collections that I tend to. For the last eight years I have had a Lord of the Rings action figure collection that has been growing with time. The only reason that I has continued to grow is because I have still been unable to physically own all of the figurines. I constantly collect books that interest me, many of which I have never even read. There is a satisfying feeling that comes from keeping collected objects on a shelf to admire from a distance. Probably the worst collecting habit that I have developed is my tendency to collect art supplies. I am particularly bad at collecting sketchbooks and drawing utensils. For some reason, it gives me a sense of pride that I have so many unused sketchbooks at my disposal for whenever I would need one. But I never tend to use them. I just admire them.
Baudrillard explains all of these characteristics of collections and the act of collecting, that I (and I’m sure almost everyone else in the world) have experienced in his article. What I am not particularly sure of is how sexual Baudrillard makes collecting out to be. I do, though, understand the level of narcissism that Baudrillard explains collecting encapsulates. For me, acquiring a new addition to a collection is the equivalent of awarding myself a gold star of achievement. It is the pat on the back for the work that was put into finding the object. In a sick way, it is akin to an addiction; the need to praise oneself for one’s own achievement. The addition is placed with the rest of the collection on display so that others may admire, if not envy your prizes. Maybe others would not even understand what they mean to the proud individual.
So, how does this article compare to contemporary art? I am not precisely sure. Perhaps there is a desire for artists to develop an object that suddenly becomes a highly desired collector’s item. I am not exactly sure why that would be desired, though. Too many times collector’s items have been placed on shelves never to be used again. I am sure that a product designer would never wish for that to happen to an object they had designed. Fine artists’ works are collected by museums and by individuals alike. Some artists work are so well sought after that even a napkin that the artist had scribbled on could be placed in a museum if found. I find that performance art is particularly fascinating in the context of collecting objects. Unless documentation of the performance is made, there is no real way to collect the piece. It exists only for a moment, and then is never seen again. It is a very unique style of art, in that context.
I, myself have always collected things. I have, throughout my life, had many different collections. The earliest collection that I can remember having was a My Little Pony figurine collection that I began when I was three. At the time, I was absolutely obsessed with the television show My Little Pony. My parents gave me my first My Little Pony for my birthday. After I received my first one, I realized that there were so many others that existed in the world, and I suddenly wanted them all. By the time I was six, I believe I had acquired fourteen My Little Ponys. To this day, I still have every single one of them, and still treasure them as I did when I was little.
Even though I am older now, I still have ongoing collections that I tend to. For the last eight years I have had a Lord of the Rings action figure collection that has been growing with time. The only reason that I has continued to grow is because I have still been unable to physically own all of the figurines. I constantly collect books that interest me, many of which I have never even read. There is a satisfying feeling that comes from keeping collected objects on a shelf to admire from a distance. Probably the worst collecting habit that I have developed is my tendency to collect art supplies. I am particularly bad at collecting sketchbooks and drawing utensils. For some reason, it gives me a sense of pride that I have so many unused sketchbooks at my disposal for whenever I would need one. But I never tend to use them. I just admire them.
Baudrillard explains all of these characteristics of collections and the act of collecting, that I (and I’m sure almost everyone else in the world) have experienced in his article. What I am not particularly sure of is how sexual Baudrillard makes collecting out to be. I do, though, understand the level of narcissism that Baudrillard explains collecting encapsulates. For me, acquiring a new addition to a collection is the equivalent of awarding myself a gold star of achievement. It is the pat on the back for the work that was put into finding the object. In a sick way, it is akin to an addiction; the need to praise oneself for one’s own achievement. The addition is placed with the rest of the collection on display so that others may admire, if not envy your prizes. Maybe others would not even understand what they mean to the proud individual.
So, how does this article compare to contemporary art? I am not precisely sure. Perhaps there is a desire for artists to develop an object that suddenly becomes a highly desired collector’s item. I am not exactly sure why that would be desired, though. Too many times collector’s items have been placed on shelves never to be used again. I am sure that a product designer would never wish for that to happen to an object they had designed. Fine artists’ works are collected by museums and by individuals alike. Some artists work are so well sought after that even a napkin that the artist had scribbled on could be placed in a museum if found. I find that performance art is particularly fascinating in the context of collecting objects. Unless documentation of the performance is made, there is no real way to collect the piece. It exists only for a moment, and then is never seen again. It is a very unique style of art, in that context.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Final Paper Proposal
For my final paper in this class, I intend to write about animator Chuck Jones and his impact on the world of animation. Working for Warner Bros., he is responsible for creating such memorable characters as Pepe Le Pew, The Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. He is also known for directing some of the most famous episodes of the Looney Toons, such as, What’s Opera, Doc?
I selected Chuck Jones because he is one of the most influential character animators. His work redefined cartoon animation, and practically invented the “short subject comedy.” Many of the animation world’s most beloved characters sprang from his mind, which is quite a feat considering the only dialogue shared between his most popular duo is “meep meep.” Chuck Jones is also a compelling subject because he is not as well-known as Walt Disney, and he is not from the first generations of early, seminal animators such as Emile Cohl.
I have already planned on including pictures not only of Chuck Jones himself, but of his creations and modern animations influenced by his work.
As Chuck Jones is not as well-known as Walt Disney, there is far less material on him. Finding enough sources to write a good paper on him could be a challenge. For sources, I have already acquired Chuck Amuck, Chuck Jones’ autobiography. This is a great starting point, and I hope that I can find more analysis of his work, as well as interviews with him.
Although not as influential as Walt Disney, Chuck Jones practically invented the animated slapstick short subject, and the effects of his work can be seen even in today’s full feature-length films from Pixar and DreamWorks. I intend to discuss how exactly his work has added to and influenced the evolution of animation.
I selected Chuck Jones because he is one of the most influential character animators. His work redefined cartoon animation, and practically invented the “short subject comedy.” Many of the animation world’s most beloved characters sprang from his mind, which is quite a feat considering the only dialogue shared between his most popular duo is “meep meep.” Chuck Jones is also a compelling subject because he is not as well-known as Walt Disney, and he is not from the first generations of early, seminal animators such as Emile Cohl.
I have already planned on including pictures not only of Chuck Jones himself, but of his creations and modern animations influenced by his work.
As Chuck Jones is not as well-known as Walt Disney, there is far less material on him. Finding enough sources to write a good paper on him could be a challenge. For sources, I have already acquired Chuck Amuck, Chuck Jones’ autobiography. This is a great starting point, and I hope that I can find more analysis of his work, as well as interviews with him.
Although not as influential as Walt Disney, Chuck Jones practically invented the animated slapstick short subject, and the effects of his work can be seen even in today’s full feature-length films from Pixar and DreamWorks. I intend to discuss how exactly his work has added to and influenced the evolution of animation.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Design Re-Mix
Here is an still image from my Design Re-Mix animation. It's not there yet, but it will be by Wednesday.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Spider Man
Here are the first arm sketches that I've done of my first Chimera. I'm not sure which one I like the most.
Alessi Design
The “Italian Style” article was extremely short, but it was also interesting. It was about Alberto Alessi, a product designer, whose family has long been in the design business. For centuries, the Alessi family has designed house wares that have been used throughout Italy and the rest of the world. They have, in fact, been designing for so long that they even have an Alessi Museum containing an archive of all the designs they have created. The author makes a point to mention, “nothing much has changed” in the years that the Alessi family has been designing.
What I find interesting about Alessi design is the method used to create their products. Everything that they create is developed through a process of experiments. The “Alessi Way” claims to design by a laboratory approach. By conducting experiments to create the best design, a fusion of art and science takes place. The Scientific Method is used to create the most desirable result. I have always found this process of creativity very useful in my own work as well, particularly with the 3D animations and models that I create.
What is particularly fascinating about the “Alessi” approach though, is that functionality does not come first in their considerations of a design. Aesthetics is thought to be of much higher value than functionality. I find this developmental method of design very strange, especially for product design. Usually, I would think that the functionality of an object would be the primary concern of the artist. This appears to not be the case with Alessi design. Alberto Alessi designs his products by working on the aesthetics of an object first, then through experimentation, discovering whether the object is functional or not. I find this method to be completely backwards. I am unsure of how successful a design technique this could be I cannot imagine how many times Alessi has to go through aesthetic designs just to get something remotely functional out of it. Then again, if Alessi design has lasted through the last few centuries using this process and is still in demand today, it has to at least work for them.
I have worked this way before, valuing aesthetics before functionality. I suppose this technique can be useful in some areas of design. I am using it right now actually on my BFA project for the end of the term. I am creating a character that, at the moment, requires the correct appearance. So, for now, I am working on the “look” of the character. Eventually though, this aesthetic idea is going to have to be modeled and rigged for animation. When that time comes, the idea may not work so well as a rigged, animated character.
I have difficulty though using this method when thinking about product design. The point of product design is to create an object that suits the need of the individual. Usually this is through the success of the functional aspect of the object. An object can be made to be beautiful, but not work half as well as an object built for the purpose of being functional. I do not understand why this design process is valued to Alessi design.
What I find interesting about Alessi design is the method used to create their products. Everything that they create is developed through a process of experiments. The “Alessi Way” claims to design by a laboratory approach. By conducting experiments to create the best design, a fusion of art and science takes place. The Scientific Method is used to create the most desirable result. I have always found this process of creativity very useful in my own work as well, particularly with the 3D animations and models that I create.
What is particularly fascinating about the “Alessi” approach though, is that functionality does not come first in their considerations of a design. Aesthetics is thought to be of much higher value than functionality. I find this developmental method of design very strange, especially for product design. Usually, I would think that the functionality of an object would be the primary concern of the artist. This appears to not be the case with Alessi design. Alberto Alessi designs his products by working on the aesthetics of an object first, then through experimentation, discovering whether the object is functional or not. I find this method to be completely backwards. I am unsure of how successful a design technique this could be I cannot imagine how many times Alessi has to go through aesthetic designs just to get something remotely functional out of it. Then again, if Alessi design has lasted through the last few centuries using this process and is still in demand today, it has to at least work for them.
I have worked this way before, valuing aesthetics before functionality. I suppose this technique can be useful in some areas of design. I am using it right now actually on my BFA project for the end of the term. I am creating a character that, at the moment, requires the correct appearance. So, for now, I am working on the “look” of the character. Eventually though, this aesthetic idea is going to have to be modeled and rigged for animation. When that time comes, the idea may not work so well as a rigged, animated character.
I have difficulty though using this method when thinking about product design. The point of product design is to create an object that suits the need of the individual. Usually this is through the success of the functional aspect of the object. An object can be made to be beautiful, but not work half as well as an object built for the purpose of being functional. I do not understand why this design process is valued to Alessi design.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Chinook Right Turn
Here is the Chinook making a right turn. There are still a few bugs in the animation. They should be out soon.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Baudrillard
Jean Baudrillard may be one of the most difficult reads I have ever encountered. His writing is nearly unintelligible to a point of being cryptic. It took many times reading through the article to understand what he was trying to say. I am still not certain of his exact meaning of the paper. The article also did not have much context to accompany the excerpt, which contributed to its difficulty. With that said, here is what I believe he was trying to say.
Baudrillard is making an argument that mankind has always had a fascination with ‘spectacle’, and our personal selves have often provided this ‘spectacle’. We were once obsessed with mirrors, and the idea of examining ourselves. Now in modern days, that mirror has become the screen. We are now obsessed with any technological object that includes a screen, such as televisions, computers, and cell phones. We want to watch ourselves. He also brings up, in his example of the Polaroid camera, that humanity is more interested in the representation of ourselves via some magical medium than our selves in actuality.
What Baudrillard claims is that these representations through the use of screens are images of ourselves as human beings. We are the images that we see in the screen. Baudrillard’s entire paper debates the same question Rene Magritte states in his famous painting, The Treachery of Images, a portrait of a smoking pipe. “Ceci n’est pas une pipe,” or, “This is not a pipe” is scrolled on the bottom of painting, pointing out that the painting is not a pipe, but a painting of a pipe. It is a representation of the real item, just as a Polaroid photo of an object is a representation of that object itself.
Maybe what Baudrillard is trying to say is not necessarily that we are the representations of ourselves, but that the representations are influencing who we are. We are bombarded with representations of objects, people, and places everyday through many different media. New screens and representations are being developed faster than ever. With humanity’s easy access to computers and television, mankind is over-saturated with the amount of images we see everyday, to a point that we are now completely desensitized. The fact that we are so desensitized means that what is now unconsciously influencing us is what we see in these representations. Do we really see the world around us? Or is it all digitally re-mastered?
I personally do not believe that we as people are the representations of ourselves. Representations are simply images. They are not what they represent. In today’s world, I believe that we are our physical selves. But images are powerful things and we can be influenced by what we see in the ever-growing digital realm. For instance, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (the Columbine High School shooters) were influenced by the violent video games they played. They internalized what they saw. We are capable of internalizing the images that we are exposed to, but I think that most of the population has the social filter to differentiate images from reality.
Baudrillard is making an argument that mankind has always had a fascination with ‘spectacle’, and our personal selves have often provided this ‘spectacle’. We were once obsessed with mirrors, and the idea of examining ourselves. Now in modern days, that mirror has become the screen. We are now obsessed with any technological object that includes a screen, such as televisions, computers, and cell phones. We want to watch ourselves. He also brings up, in his example of the Polaroid camera, that humanity is more interested in the representation of ourselves via some magical medium than our selves in actuality.
What Baudrillard claims is that these representations through the use of screens are images of ourselves as human beings. We are the images that we see in the screen. Baudrillard’s entire paper debates the same question Rene Magritte states in his famous painting, The Treachery of Images, a portrait of a smoking pipe. “Ceci n’est pas une pipe,” or, “This is not a pipe” is scrolled on the bottom of painting, pointing out that the painting is not a pipe, but a painting of a pipe. It is a representation of the real item, just as a Polaroid photo of an object is a representation of that object itself.
Maybe what Baudrillard is trying to say is not necessarily that we are the representations of ourselves, but that the representations are influencing who we are. We are bombarded with representations of objects, people, and places everyday through many different media. New screens and representations are being developed faster than ever. With humanity’s easy access to computers and television, mankind is over-saturated with the amount of images we see everyday, to a point that we are now completely desensitized. The fact that we are so desensitized means that what is now unconsciously influencing us is what we see in these representations. Do we really see the world around us? Or is it all digitally re-mastered?
I personally do not believe that we as people are the representations of ourselves. Representations are simply images. They are not what they represent. In today’s world, I believe that we are our physical selves. But images are powerful things and we can be influenced by what we see in the ever-growing digital realm. For instance, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (the Columbine High School shooters) were influenced by the violent video games they played. They internalized what they saw. We are capable of internalizing the images that we are exposed to, but I think that most of the population has the social filter to differentiate images from reality.
Monday, October 26, 2009
First Chinook Trial Animation
Here is the first animation I have done to play with perfecting the movement of the fish.
Update on Chinook Animations
Hey guys,
Here are a few things on the Chinook I've been animating. The project an model are not mine. The model was created by Lopez Fabrega, of Lopez-Fabrega Design, http://www.lfgrafix.com. The project itself was created by Prof. Colin Ives. I have been commissioned to do the animation for the project.
The project is a 'salmon run' along the South Waterfront, meant to bring attention to the environmental issues of our state's waters that effect the survival of our native salmon populations. An animation of a Chinook Salmon will be projected using the 3M hand-held projectors. By using the projector almost as a flash-light, the participant will be lead by the salmon around the South Waterfront area.
Here is a picture of the Chinook I have been animating.
Today’s Media and Technology
Let me begin by saying that Marshall McLuhan’s, The Medium is the Massage, is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. The book brought to attention so many aspects of how our world has changed by the invention and widespread use of ‘electric technology’. I never stopped to think about how the modern family is forced to respond to this technological world. The children of today are being born into a world where they will be able to understand a computer by the age of ten better than their parents. It is really amazing to think of how many ways we use this technology, but what is more amazing is how many ways we do NOT think of it.
My father grew up during the fifties and sixties. While I was (and still am) growing up, he would often talk to me about how drastically technology changed between his adolescence and mine. He would tell me how computers would occupy an entire room when he was in college, and how a trip to the public library was the best way to access information. He was (and still is) amazed at the rate modern technology is evolving. The technologically miraculous world of today is so incredibly different from the world he grew up in. My father grew up in a world where were taught to be a citizen of the United States. Because of all of the new opportunities that are available through today’s technology and the technology of the future, my father taught me to be a citizen of the world.
I never stop to think about how much the Internet alone plays such a vital role in my life. It is my umbilical cord to the world, where I have access to unlimited information as well as open communication to friends, family, school, and work. I was born into a world of such high technological sophistication, that I do not even have to see friends face to face to interact with them. Instead, I can chat with them on Facebook, AIM or XBOX Live. Amazingly, we have created a world where one could go through life without physically meeting anyone.
In specific regards to media in today’s technological era, “First Things First 2000, A Design Manifesto,” makes a very interesting point. Our world has become engrossed in technologically savvy media, so much so that today’s designers are being associated with commercialism. The request the Manifesto makes is that designers should move away from the obsession of consumerism to solve real-life problems, such as global warming, ethnic cleansing and disease control. Honestly, I think there are times where people get so overwhelmed and lost in this new technological era that they forget the more urgent problems of the world. It is too easy to watch the newest funny video on Youtube. Perhaps we need to use this technology in a ways that allow us to solve these problems. There are plenty of ways to ‘get connected’ to the problems. The Internet has a wealth of information on every detail of each problem. I think the people of this generation are more comfortable watching from their desk chair than actually participating. Maybe real-world problem solving will hit mainstream one day, and become the new hip thing to do. I certainly hope that designers will lead the way, and change today’s media from simply accessing the globe, to being the globe.
My father grew up during the fifties and sixties. While I was (and still am) growing up, he would often talk to me about how drastically technology changed between his adolescence and mine. He would tell me how computers would occupy an entire room when he was in college, and how a trip to the public library was the best way to access information. He was (and still is) amazed at the rate modern technology is evolving. The technologically miraculous world of today is so incredibly different from the world he grew up in. My father grew up in a world where were taught to be a citizen of the United States. Because of all of the new opportunities that are available through today’s technology and the technology of the future, my father taught me to be a citizen of the world.
I never stop to think about how much the Internet alone plays such a vital role in my life. It is my umbilical cord to the world, where I have access to unlimited information as well as open communication to friends, family, school, and work. I was born into a world of such high technological sophistication, that I do not even have to see friends face to face to interact with them. Instead, I can chat with them on Facebook, AIM or XBOX Live. Amazingly, we have created a world where one could go through life without physically meeting anyone.
In specific regards to media in today’s technological era, “First Things First 2000, A Design Manifesto,” makes a very interesting point. Our world has become engrossed in technologically savvy media, so much so that today’s designers are being associated with commercialism. The request the Manifesto makes is that designers should move away from the obsession of consumerism to solve real-life problems, such as global warming, ethnic cleansing and disease control. Honestly, I think there are times where people get so overwhelmed and lost in this new technological era that they forget the more urgent problems of the world. It is too easy to watch the newest funny video on Youtube. Perhaps we need to use this technology in a ways that allow us to solve these problems. There are plenty of ways to ‘get connected’ to the problems. The Internet has a wealth of information on every detail of each problem. I think the people of this generation are more comfortable watching from their desk chair than actually participating. Maybe real-world problem solving will hit mainstream one day, and become the new hip thing to do. I certainly hope that designers will lead the way, and change today’s media from simply accessing the globe, to being the globe.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Re-Mix Object
Hey guys!
Thought you ought to know what my object is for the Design Re-Mix Project. It is called a "Carlton Room Divider". Personally, I am both thrilled about it, and weirded out. It certainly doesn't look all that much like a room divider. I mean usually when I think of room dividers I think of the Japanese silk screens, where you see pretty pictures, but nothing beyond it. I don't know how this has been classified as a room divider if you can see right through it. I know that it was also meant to be a bookcase, and that's believeable...but a room divider? I actually think that I can make this more functional than it was designed to be. We'll see how it goes.
Second Project
Right now, I am working on an animation to be used for a projection on the South Water Front. I am going to animate a model of a salmon, that will be actively swimming.
I have been doing research on how fish move, both in and out of water. Youtube is amazing. It has been helpful so far in learning how the movement should look. I have not animated anything yet. The model has been keeping me too busy at the moment to think about that. Hopefully by no later than Wednesday I will be at a point where I can start animating.
I have been doing research on how fish move, both in and out of water. Youtube is amazing. It has been helpful so far in learning how the movement should look. I have not animated anything yet. The model has been keeping me too busy at the moment to think about that. Hopefully by no later than Wednesday I will be at a point where I can start animating.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Currently...
I am having trouble deciding what to do about the electrically rigged shoes I've been working on with Paul for some time.
Last week, Paul and I decided to begin working on them again, and this time to try to get them to function correctly. I think we have a clear idea of how to fix them technologically. What I'm not as sure about is how we are going to what to present the shoes. What should they interact with? Should we keep the idea of a being able to control a video with the shoes? Or should we push the idea even further.
I guess for now, we should take it one step at a time, and make sure we can get the shoes to actually work first.
Last week, Paul and I decided to begin working on them again, and this time to try to get them to function correctly. I think we have a clear idea of how to fix them technologically. What I'm not as sure about is how we are going to what to present the shoes. What should they interact with? Should we keep the idea of a being able to control a video with the shoes? Or should we push the idea even further.
I guess for now, we should take it one step at a time, and make sure we can get the shoes to actually work first.
Art Nouveau VS. Contemporary Design
From what I have been able to gain from these readings, art has evolved with time just as people have. It adapts as we adapt. I find it interesting in these readings though, as to what the opinions are of these adaptations. The first reading by George Nelson examines the Herman Miller Furniture Company. Through analyzing the design processes of the Company, Nelson explains that the designs of furniture adapt when necessary but are designed with the intention of remaining a permanent fixture of the Company’s collection. They are meant to stand the test of time until it becomes necessary to change the design for the better use and aesthetic contentment of the people.
I find this method fascinating in comparison to the ideas of the second article written by Adolf Loos. Loos points out that art is meant to adapt as people do. Art was meant to evolve away from past Art Nouveau practices in the design of an object and move into something so incredibly sophisticated that the object could only be seen as ‘plain’. Loos claims that historically there was initial uprising against these ‘modern’ designs because of their lack of art and a desire to create the next great era of art and design. In actuality, these designs were not only cheaper to produce, but were also far more useful and efficient than the past, more decorative designs had been. Loos uses the entire article to proclaim that the era everyone is trying to create already exists in an era that is far superior to the other because of this newly discovered proficiency of design and production. Ornamentation had been a previous necessity of design that virtually plagued every object that one could possess. This newfound simplicity was not only changing the objects themselves, but was changing the economy of consumerism, and Loos embraced it.
The final article by Hal Foster, brought up Loos and the era of Art Nouveau as well in it’s analysis of contemporary design. Foster points out that we are all living in a ‘world of total design,’ where everything you see is marked by a designer label. He claims that it is not a ‘new’ idea. It has, in fact, existed ever since the Art Nouveau era where everything was ‘ornamented’. Now the definition has changed once again. Now we move into an ‘inflation of design.’ Foster explains that nowadays the commodities and desires of the people are drastically taken into account in the design of a product, to a point where the artist’s opinion does not matter anymore. The hunt to gain the attention of the consumers is paramount in competing with other companies, and objects are re-designed in an endless cycle, merely seeking to be purchased.
In my personal opinion, the masses can enjoy the simple, useful designs. There are objects that I use everyday that fit the category. I prefer the ideals of the Herman Miller Furniture Company, where the artist is still the one who creates because of the enjoyment and pleasure it provides. If the world finds a design to be desirable, that is wonderful and the artist takes joy in that the work if appreciated not only by the artist, but by others as well. To me, it is what the artist values in the work that is created.
I find this method fascinating in comparison to the ideas of the second article written by Adolf Loos. Loos points out that art is meant to adapt as people do. Art was meant to evolve away from past Art Nouveau practices in the design of an object and move into something so incredibly sophisticated that the object could only be seen as ‘plain’. Loos claims that historically there was initial uprising against these ‘modern’ designs because of their lack of art and a desire to create the next great era of art and design. In actuality, these designs were not only cheaper to produce, but were also far more useful and efficient than the past, more decorative designs had been. Loos uses the entire article to proclaim that the era everyone is trying to create already exists in an era that is far superior to the other because of this newly discovered proficiency of design and production. Ornamentation had been a previous necessity of design that virtually plagued every object that one could possess. This newfound simplicity was not only changing the objects themselves, but was changing the economy of consumerism, and Loos embraced it.
The final article by Hal Foster, brought up Loos and the era of Art Nouveau as well in it’s analysis of contemporary design. Foster points out that we are all living in a ‘world of total design,’ where everything you see is marked by a designer label. He claims that it is not a ‘new’ idea. It has, in fact, existed ever since the Art Nouveau era where everything was ‘ornamented’. Now the definition has changed once again. Now we move into an ‘inflation of design.’ Foster explains that nowadays the commodities and desires of the people are drastically taken into account in the design of a product, to a point where the artist’s opinion does not matter anymore. The hunt to gain the attention of the consumers is paramount in competing with other companies, and objects are re-designed in an endless cycle, merely seeking to be purchased.
In my personal opinion, the masses can enjoy the simple, useful designs. There are objects that I use everyday that fit the category. I prefer the ideals of the Herman Miller Furniture Company, where the artist is still the one who creates because of the enjoyment and pleasure it provides. If the world finds a design to be desirable, that is wonderful and the artist takes joy in that the work if appreciated not only by the artist, but by others as well. To me, it is what the artist values in the work that is created.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
More Findings for the Class
Hey guys! Here are a few more videos that I found, and thought would be relevant for the class. The first is the music video for 'Her Morning Elegance.' I just think this piece is ingenious, using only a mattress, pillows, and bedroom accessories.
To view 'Her Morning Elegance':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY
The second video that I found was by a group of students from the Savannah School of Art and Design called 'Deadline.' They decided to do a stop-motion animation using post-it notes in very creative ways.
To view 'Deadline':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpWM0FNPZSs
The third video that I found is a viral advertisement for Ebay. For this video, the artists decided to do a stop-motion animation while using a white board.
To view the Ebay Viral Advertisement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP0cSnJDYWE&feature=related
I know that I've picked a bunch of stop-motion animations for this post, but I can't help it. They are just so interesting to me. By the way, I don't own any of this. I just think they're cool.
To view 'Her Morning Elegance':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY
The second video that I found was by a group of students from the Savannah School of Art and Design called 'Deadline.' They decided to do a stop-motion animation using post-it notes in very creative ways.
To view 'Deadline':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpWM0FNPZSs
The third video that I found is a viral advertisement for Ebay. For this video, the artists decided to do a stop-motion animation while using a white board.
To view the Ebay Viral Advertisement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP0cSnJDYWE&feature=related
I know that I've picked a bunch of stop-motion animations for this post, but I can't help it. They are just so interesting to me. By the way, I don't own any of this. I just think they're cool.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Seeing Is Forgetting
The artist as scientist. To be perfectly honest, it is a concept that I have never considered before, but one I find to be completely correct. As Robert Irwin explains the similarity of an artist’s work to that of a scientist’s, especially in how they both work with hypotheses, I came to the startling realization that this is how I have personally worked throughout my entire life.
In regarding my own work, I have in the past worked on “experimental” projects. These have been anything from class assignments to my own ideas. Each of these ideas began with a question: “Can this work?” Sometimes, through either the development or execution of the idea, I find that either it can or cannot function. If the later, I try an edited “experiment” of the same idea. If that edit doesn’t make the idea work, then it becomes a hopefully finite “wash, rinse, repeat” cycle of the scientific method. In this way, I can identify with Robert Irwin’s idea of artistic hypotheses.
I am astounded by the brilliance of Robert Irwin’s work as an artist. His ideas of how we as human beings perceive the world around us are theories I would have never considered. I was especially impressed by the experiment that he conducted with Wortz and Turrell when they were using the anechoic chamber. To be locked in a space in which your senses have nothing to focus on besides the life of your own body is fascinating to me. I am also really interested in what happens after one leaves the chamber. To have your senses so acutely attuned to the world after such an experience would be overwhelming to me. I would actually like to try that experiment myself one day, just to see how I would react to such a sensory overload.
Irwin’s other experiments such as the symposium he created using the different environments is also interesting to me, but not nearly in the same way as his experiment with the anechoic chamber. In the past I have designed projects to portray a mood in which the viewer would be forced to react in a particular way. In studying and experimenting how to do this correctly, I have already been able to observe what makes people react to their surroundings. The idea just does not seem that original to me.
The overall concept of an Art and Technology project struck me as I began reading the article. It stood out for a one key reason. Why have we not seen more combinations of artists and technological corporations and companies joining forces in the worlds of art and technology? With the many similarities in how artists execute their own artistic experiments, I am surprised to not see more alliances between the two. Maybe artists can shed a different light on technological questions or add a new flavor to technological experiments. Maybe scientists can help in return by supplying the technology needed as well as the technical knowledge to make an artistic experiment function. In a way, it is like the left half of the brain uniting with the right half. Both halves are needed to function properly.
In regarding my own work, I have in the past worked on “experimental” projects. These have been anything from class assignments to my own ideas. Each of these ideas began with a question: “Can this work?” Sometimes, through either the development or execution of the idea, I find that either it can or cannot function. If the later, I try an edited “experiment” of the same idea. If that edit doesn’t make the idea work, then it becomes a hopefully finite “wash, rinse, repeat” cycle of the scientific method. In this way, I can identify with Robert Irwin’s idea of artistic hypotheses.
I am astounded by the brilliance of Robert Irwin’s work as an artist. His ideas of how we as human beings perceive the world around us are theories I would have never considered. I was especially impressed by the experiment that he conducted with Wortz and Turrell when they were using the anechoic chamber. To be locked in a space in which your senses have nothing to focus on besides the life of your own body is fascinating to me. I am also really interested in what happens after one leaves the chamber. To have your senses so acutely attuned to the world after such an experience would be overwhelming to me. I would actually like to try that experiment myself one day, just to see how I would react to such a sensory overload.
Irwin’s other experiments such as the symposium he created using the different environments is also interesting to me, but not nearly in the same way as his experiment with the anechoic chamber. In the past I have designed projects to portray a mood in which the viewer would be forced to react in a particular way. In studying and experimenting how to do this correctly, I have already been able to observe what makes people react to their surroundings. The idea just does not seem that original to me.
The overall concept of an Art and Technology project struck me as I began reading the article. It stood out for a one key reason. Why have we not seen more combinations of artists and technological corporations and companies joining forces in the worlds of art and technology? With the many similarities in how artists execute their own artistic experiments, I am surprised to not see more alliances between the two. Maybe artists can shed a different light on technological questions or add a new flavor to technological experiments. Maybe scientists can help in return by supplying the technology needed as well as the technical knowledge to make an artistic experiment function. In a way, it is like the left half of the brain uniting with the right half. Both halves are needed to function properly.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Hello World
Hello everyone. I'm just stretching my legs, testing out my blog. I will have work to post shortly. In the meantime though...
WELCOME TO THE AMAZING SPLENDIFEROUS WORLD OF MELISSA!
WELCOME TO THE AMAZING SPLENDIFEROUS WORLD OF MELISSA!
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