Typography Analysis

1. (1:57-1:59)
This is an example of staging. It is a good example because the background is very plain which emphasizes the movements shown in the scene. The foot splashing on the water, sets up the scene for the next sequence of words.
2. (3:25-3:20)
This is an example of follow through and overlapping action. It is a good example because there is an object rotating from left to the right and all around (360), overlapping each other. As the object pass the words the word changes. The word overlaps the object as the object goes behind the word.
3. (0:00-0:10)
This is an example of anticipation. It is a good example because there is a certain amount of waiting time before the word arrive at the very beginning. The objects flying around looks like letters making the audience anticipate for the word to appear. Then after a total of five seconds of objects flying around, the letter suddenly turn up.
4. (3:09-3:11)
This is an example of secondary action. It is a good example because the secondary action is very clear. When the soccer ball hits the words, it transitions into a different set of words. The soccer ball hitting the words is the secondary action.

Self-Portrait + Analysis

Self-Portrait + Analysis

1. The art styles I selected for my self-portrait were post-impressionism and realism. Post-impressionism displays geometric forms and distortion of the image. This art style often has a thick application of paint and consists of visible brushstrokes. Realism keeps the proper proportions and colour of the subject. 

2.  Before completing this assignment research and brainstorming were to be finalized. During the first day, we searched for ideas and our art style selection. At the beginning I wanted to do surrealism art to express the idea of how people are like onions, they reveal different personalities as you get to know them. However, to convey this idea was difficult. While I tried to create my plan in Photoshop, I realized it was a little too bland. I decided to spend a few days on trying new ideas and finally resulted in doing post-impressionism. This style lets my art become more realistic yet abstract at the same time. At first, it may seem like an ordinary image, but the more you observe, the weirder it becomes. The whole concept went well with my overall message of how first impressions do not tell you anything about the picture.  Although I get misunderstood easily because of my face and the way I talk, the more people get to know me the more they realize how opposite I am to what they thought of me at first. The art style, post-impressionism, conveys my idea well and helps me showcase who I am through a portrait of myself. The combination of post-impressionism and realism confuses the audience. It forces people to take a second glance to understand what is in the portrait and it helps attract their attention. 

3. First, I brainstormed and sketched my ideas out thoroughly. There were many trials and errors throughout the process in figuring which art style I should use to convey my message. Among the sketches, I finally decided on one of them to create as my official self-portrait.

The next step was to take photos of yourself to use for your self-portrait. I sat on a chair and positioned my face to turn to one side while one of my classmates took the photo. To create a two-sided effect, I used broad split lighting. The lighting technique captures the idea of how there are more sides to a person than just one.  

After taking countless of photos, I decide which one to use for my self-portrait.  The whole process was very easy and repetitive. Before everything, I searched on Youtube for tutorials in creating a post-impressionism effect on photoshop. This video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdJP9p6KE0c, taught me new techniques on photoshop. To create the Vincent van Gogh art effect, I clicked on the tab located on the very top named "Filter," while I was on the selected layer. Options appeared, and I selected the "liquify" choice. It sends me into another tab which then I select the "forward warp tool" and played around with my photo. This tool gives the image a liquefied effect (blended with water). 

Carefully choosing which area of the photo to distort gave me the base to know which area should be painted using which colour. I clicked "ok" after I am satisfied with the result and went ahead to paint my photo. Using the eyedropper tool, I replicated the selected colour for my brush tool. Among the brushes, I used the "Round Fan Stiff Thin Bristles" for a more realistic effect. I continuously used the eyedropper tool to replicate the colour and painted that colour using the brush tool on the photo to create broken brushstrokes and an illusion of thick paint application. I painted all of my skin and hair. Although it may not look like it, you will realize the more you pay attention. For example, the painted eye seems like a photo from far away. 

The whole process took me about a week because it was very meticulous. The whole process took me about a week because it was very meticulous. Afterward, I decided to keep the background plain. I wanted to create an ordinary first impression, but there is more to it than meet the eyes. I found a gray picture and used the liquify effect once again. Although they edit was very subtle, it becomes clearer the more you observe the portrait. 

4. I am quite satisfied with the finished product. My self-portrait portrayed my message well. The image harmonized even will all the broken brushstrokes. It gives off realism yet the art style post-impressionism created the art. But I always find something to improve. At first, the brushstrokes seem artificial. Although I changed the brushstrokes, I was not able to fix the previous ones (ruined the image when I tried to do it). For example, my forehead has this one point where it looks like I have a dark patch on my head. If I had been more careful at the beginning, this would not have happened. But aside from that small error, I think my self-portrait showcases my personality well. 

*side note*
During the first few days of this assignment, my ideas were slightly different to the present's idea. As stated earlier, I wanted to do surrealism because the art style would effectively display the concept of my self-portrait. However, the end results were unsatisfactory. I restarted everything. The art piece above became my finished product. 

Still Life Drawing Analysis

The objective of this assignment was to recreate what we saw. The drawing must include things we see directly in the present. Before arriving on good copy paper, I played around with my available objects and composition choices. After all the rough work, I began sketching the contour of the chosen objects and curtains as lightly as possible using an HB pencil. I purposely drew the objects small and created larger curtains. However, this decision turned out to be a mistake. I started to shade in the areas that had any shadows using an HB pencil after finishing the contour lines. As the teacher had stated, I followed step by step.  Shading everything using the lightest value and gradually darkening, helped me produce a more realistic and balanced artwork. The 2B pencil was used to give the shadows a darker value after completing the first layer of value. However, during the process, I realized, I drew too many curtains, and the curtains were a lot harder to shade than I expected. My goal was to create a realistic and natural drawing, but the curtains were a mess. Erasing, finding another curtain and drawing it again took up all my time, and before I realized it, I was falling behind. After the curtains, I went straight to the flower. Using a 2B pencil, I darkened the shadows that were shaded by the HB pencil. The pencil was darker than I thought, so I blended the dark spots using my HB pencil. I moved onto the skull after the flower. Being hesitant about which to keep or replace, I ignored the curtains. After the second layer, the objects were turning out amazing. The curtains and the background were chaos. I shaded in the shadows of the curtains using an HB and 2B pencil. Afterward, I went in with the final value and shaded in spots that were meant to be very dark, using a 6B pencil, while blending everything using my 2B and HB pencil once again. Afterward, I went in with the final value and shaded in spots that are supposed to be very dark, using a 6B pencil, while blending everything using my 2B and HB pencil once again. 

Throughout my rough copies, I tried many different types of compositions. The diagonal composition was most attractive among the choices. To create a diagonal composition in my drawing, I positioned the skull on the bottom left corner. The flower would run from behind the skull and point diagonally to the top right corner. Emphasizing the diagonal angle, I drew the curtains running from top right corner to bottom left corner. The shadows of each curtain and the skull’s eye were shaded in darker than usual, for a more balanced composition. The page produces a clearer line through the negative space on the first half of the drawing.

Portrait Photography Ideas

My idea is based on the saying, "Some people are like onions. You have to peel them layer by layer to get to the good part." 

These two photos are my inspiration. 

This is the camera angle and position I want the portrait to be.

Op Art Slide

Op Art

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bcDoaOk6Ac_XNNzm8JiwgfCMTtPaOB8Wx4fWenzbsEc/edit?usp=sharing

Examples of Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO 

Aperture (f4):

When the aperture has a wide opening, the subject in the picture will be focused, while the surroundings are blurred. These images fit the requirements because the subjects (bird) are focused, while its surroundings are blurred.

Aperture (f22):

When the aperture has a narrow opening, everything will be focused in the photo. These landscape photos have focused backgrounds; nothing is blurred.

Shutter Speed (blur): 

A slow shutter speed blurs the moving object and focus on the non-moving objects. In these photos, only the moving subject is blurred, while the non-moving subjects are focused.

Shutter Speed (freeze): 

A fast shutter speed allow for the moving object to freeze in action. These photos are great examples because every action is clearly focused.

ISO (high): 

When a photo have a high ISO, the quality will become very grainy. This aspect is shown in the images above.

ISO (low): 

When a photo have a low ISO, the overall quality will be clear. This aspect is shown in the images above. 

Richard Avedon Analysis Questions

Richard Avedon Documentary

1. Richard Avedon looks for a face that is contradictory, complex and at the same time connected For example is the laugh cynical, ironic, painful or shows a scream. He carefully observe all the detail in the facial features on the subject to create his portrait photography. Contradiction-  take things that usually don't work together and create something beautiful from them. Two unusual ideas put together in order to create a contrasting effect in the portrait, Complexity- is how busy and noisy the portrait is, knowing which feature of the subject to focus on, Connected- is how the contradiction and complexity are connected and creates harmony.
2. By taking portraits that are simples, clean, without props and on a white background, Avedon can isolate human from the surrounding to focus on the human and their facial features.
3. A painting can also be made full of emotions and those emotions in the painting is framed at that specific moment. Therefore paintings can also capture and stop the feelings and scene at that specific time.
4. I wonder how Richard Avedon was able to use the cameras in that period of time to capture fast movement.