Friday, December 14, 2012

Favorite Assignment of the Semester

I would have to say that my favorite assignment from this entire semester had to be the water color project. I would like to think of myself as somewhat of a pro at photoshop and illustrator, but this definitely showed me that there is more to the program that I had imagined. I really enjoyed to the fact that we can take photographs that contained enough detail and depth, and replicate them into what is virtually an electronic water color painting. Not to say that every assignment didn't require as much dedication, but this assignment in particular required at least 110% focus. First and foremost the outline of the photography had be next to flawless, otherwise the person would look like they had a weird growth coming out of their face, and defect, etc. The color pallet had to match up exactly with the original layer placed, or else the portrait would look like it had a bad tan. The assignment was a challenge in itself, because we had the lack of a physical mouse to paint the layers. Using the track pad was somewhat of a nightmare to overcome. Overall the assignment taught me how to pay even more attention to the detail that was being placed. One tiny mistake could become noticable. This assignment not only helped improve my skills in illustrator and as an artist as a whole, but it helped me become a better photographer. There are times that I often overlook details that could ruin what could be a perfect image, and now I tend to pay closer attention. Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Color

A color that I am most drawn to is the color red. According to Color Wheel Pro, "red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love." [Color Wheel Pro ]. It is also described as "emotionally intense[, that] enhances [and] increases human metabolism, respiration rates, and blood pressure." When I view the color red I see endless examples of the aforementioned descriptions. I often associate red with anger and energy, and apply those emotions to my artwork. Red Amaryllis by Georgia O'Keefe
One of the pieces I chose is Georgia O'Keefe's "Red Amaryllis". I think it's a perfect representation of the color red and all the attributes that follow. The flower as a whole is supposed to represent love and affection, and the background provides a halo that looks as though it is on fire. The flower also looks like an explosion, which is and attribute to war, anger, and pain. The red dominates the entire canvas and flows out instead of consolidating itself into one central area of the canvas. Man in a Red Turban by Jan Van Eyck
The second piece I chose is Van Eyck's "Man in a Red Turban". The art history world speculates that this is a potential self portrait of the artist himself, but there has not been any concrete information to back up the claim. I find myself drawn to this painting, because the entire image is a Renaissance painting of a man, but the entire pallet consists of dark, muted colors. The entire painting, with the exception to the man's face, is essentially black and the red adds a nice pop of color. The addition of red into the turban draws the viewer back to the painting, and makes one question the motive behind Van Eyck's decision to make the piece dark with a pop of red. Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.