New media artist Homework

What is the topic (what artist) of your presentation and why did you select that artist?

Did you encounter any challenges when creating this presentation? Please describe them and how you overcame them. Yes, because I had a really well developed idea to present planned, but a lot of requirement fluff got in my way

What did you enjoy the most about this project and why? The least? and why?

THE LEST: I have a lot to say about this. For it being new media this project doesn't allow for any flexibility of media. Ten images, one video. What if you have a video? Just wasn't a big fan of that. I enjoyed really diving in and trying to find at least one artist int he world that utilizes the new medium that I choose.

Do you think you will use presentation tools (PowerPoint, Google Slides or Prezi) in your art classroom? Why or why not? Yes, because its a convenient tool that is bright and shiny and filled with moving parts that its easier to grab the attention of students. Also it allows for a more organized format

that one website that helps art teachers

https://sites.google.com/site/visualcultureae/home
Visual Culture to me: Defined as the culture impact and influence on an individual created from the visuals from their surrounding visual culture. This can be from memes, to advertisement, to the way that your family has from generation to generation decorated their home a certain way. 

What are the most important things discussed that are still relevant today in regards to Art Education and Visual Culture?
It is important for us as educators to inform and continuously have our students question their visual culture as growing adults.

In the "Zinester: Art of Individualism" video:

• Have you heard of "Zines" before? Yes
• What do you think about the Zine Library? Doesn't really do much for me. Not a fan of Zines.
• What do you think of the concept of consumers/producers? It's an essential part of our culture.
• Would you find the creation of a Zine an appropriate topic/project to explore in your classroom? Yes zines can be apart of the classroom but I'm not crazy about them myself. Seems like something that can be done just as well with a sketchbook.

In the "Beginning a Lesson" Video:

• What information from this video is of interest to you for your classroom?
• Do you find the "Arguments 1-4" valid concepts to explore Visual Culture in the classroom?
• 1. It is important with there being SO MANY ways to create and disturb content, it's important in the art classroom to be selective and smart about the tools you use when making lessons.
• 2. It's important to teach appoint cultural appropriation. There is a difference and to be smart to have cultural appreciation and if you are to use artistic directions from other cultures if to "remix" Not only give credit but if going in a new direction and making slight changes to work with a postmodern age to give respect to those cultures.
• 3.critique and conversation is ESSENTIAL in an art classroom setting.
• 4."Meaning is made across modalities." Modalities: " A particular mode in which something exists or is experienced or expressed." Your concept and your life as an individual regardless if its the same topic, your perception and concept will be different than the person next to you within a lesson if approached correctly.
• How might you use these in your classroom? I would incorporate all of this into my classroom. Being a regular observer in society is easy, but to question is what is difficult. Making art about answers to questions is a wonderful way to run a classroom.

Artist

1. Of Robert's work, which makes an impact on you and why?  (Home Page)

I enjoy it because I don't like it. It seems like work that is from kidpix and pixels that you wouldn't see in "art" but quick things quickly made by the internet at a slightly lower quality or high saturation and these off and high saturated looking pixels come from that. It's interesting that he ran with this and made it into fine art!

2. How does Robert's work relate to the themes/topics that we have been learning about in this course?

Sticker book.

I had and loved my sticker book, and when I saw it immediately connected with it. Found it interesting that he takes something that you wouldn't think to find in an art gallery and now being celebrated in an art gallery. 

3. After reviewing his website/Blog, what questions do you have for the artist? What would you like to know more about ? (These question may be able to be answered during this visit on Nov.12)

I'm still attempting to process his work as something that is "fine art." so I don't have any questions at the moment.

Albright Knox

2. 

I didn't have a sheet to do the activities sorry but I gained a lot from going and have plenty to talk about. 

It is important to use museums that show off the new artwork that you have shown and class and see this is not a made up artist, that this artist is well known and is a respected artist within the community. But more often Han not works that have to do with each other stick together so you can learn about others artists next to the artists your class has already seen.

3. How do you think the closure of the AK Gallery will impact arts in the city as it is closed for two years during the renovation (reopens January 2022)?

I think it will be harder for a random tourist have access to the Albright Knox. But to be fair they are having many shoes still within the Buffalo area so for locals its a different way to have access to artwork. They have admitted to only ever able to show about 2% of their collection so the new building will really blow our minds!

4. How important do you think this expansion is for the art in the city and the city of Buffalo's "Renaissance"?

It will push boundaries, and with the Albright being closed and local showings being open people will be more apt to look into actives within the community alongside shows with the Albright to gain cultural exposure.

In regards to the artist interview:

5. What do you think of McCall's work?

His work is inspiring and reflective. He believes in the beauty of Buffalo SO COOL! I was listening to a tour talk about how they were excited that one of the pieces in the main hall they didn't know if they would get the reflection of the lights on the windows with the tarp on the ceiling windows and the artist was very excited that it worked out that way.

6.  "Drawing is at the centre of my working process" - How can you relate your creative process to McCall's?

I work a lot with experimentation and letting paint and glazes and work with what is there to make something inspiring and new.

Newsletter

PARTS 1:
My audience: Transferring college students
What is my message: Things to know as a high schoolar about being a transfer students if you go to a community college.

PART 2:
Important Fact from each video
1) Learning to Go to control panel and clicking center content. and then object> fitting> Then center object


2) Understanding how to wrap text is extremely helpful! I didn't know how I could have images but also artwork flow at the same time!


3) Being able to fit an Image properly in a page frame

4) Learning about master-ages and found it helpful as it allowed me to make all my pages consistent

PART 3: Videos I chose and why they were helpful.

1) https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/how-to/margins-and-columns.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_INDESIGN_1_1/learn-path:key-techniques/playlist:topic/set-header:page-layout/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com
Aligning content with guides: Wanted to separate grade, artist statement, and other information

2) https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/how-to/indesign-add-text-to-frames.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_INDESIGN_1_1/learn-path:get-started/set-header:ccx-designer/playlist:orientation/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com
Learning that there is a difference between frames, one is a framed and one can be shapes to have shapes inserted

3) https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/how-to/creative-resume-design.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_INDESIGN_1_1/learn-path:get-started/set-header:ccx-designer/playlist:basictraining/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com
This helped make my whole booklet seem more professional: But also showing me how I could make a SUPER COOL resume in the future

infographic

1. What site did you select to create your Infographic? Why did you select this site? What are the pros/cons of the site?

I choose easily because looking at the previews of all of the programs, This one stood out as the most helpful and organized for working with clip art rather thang graphs. As my idea was a more graphic and organized approach with less information is seemed like the most visual flexibility. Also looking into the program more they have many templates that would already take your average poster to the next step

2. What is the topic of your infographic and why did you select it? Which L.A.T.C.H. method did you use and why?

My info is a warning posture that you would normally see in a nurses office about germs and boogers but its about the crumpled up piece of paper and your ideas coming from the paper! So the concept is warning you that great ideas exist within your mistakes.

3. Compare the infographic you created for this project to the poster you created using InDesign. Which tool do you prefer using, the Adobe tools or the online tools and why?

Adobe 100% as I understand a lot more about illustrator overall. I was frustrated because I ended up having to use photoshop anyways to get the colors and images in that I wanted.

4. Included Image here:

5. From the video " The Beauty of Data Visualization", answer the following:

The colors 1. They way an image is demonstrated and the way we cut out and leave out and leave in information can make something false. Perspective can easily be changed. What he means by this is depending on what we show and how we show it changes the context, and intern our perceptions.
2. Information can easily become disorganized and too much to process. Just as colors and organizing with images can be deceiving, it also can be very helpful in understanding and keeping it all easily understandable that way there is not questions now what the information provided is meant to tell us.
3. How we demonstrate visuals matters, how we visually tell you a story matters. Shows how important artists are to bring understanding to an abundance of information in smaller and more easily understandable steps.
4. I found the balloon reface interesting! never have I seen information that was taken about information. This was a visual demonstrating how much research was done on a particular health benefit or something that you should eat because so many of these tests says so. Really took a lot of the confusing issues I didn't understand in nutrients apparent. Showing how easily artists can take complicated information and breaks it down.

• What do you think of the quote from Hans Rosling "Let the dataset change your mindset."?( 12:18) Do you think data is powerful enough to change ones behavior?
• "Design is about solving visual problems with elegant solutions and information design is about solving information problems" What are your thoughts about how this can help communication with issue with trust and reliabilty?(16:43)
• How does this "data visualization" talk tie into what we have been learning about visual culture and media?
• Of all the dataset examples in the video, which one do you feel had the most visual impact and why?

The Art of Failure

Article: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/nea_arts/NEA%20Arts_2014_no4_web.pdf
1. They all struggle with power. At what point do you give the power to your students and just let them go for it. The difference is how they approach agency within their classroom and how they nurture their children individual creativity and artistic direction.

2. I struggle to make mistakes. I often cannot separate mistake with exploration as I personally see a visual and expect it to look like that.

3. It is extremely important but its even more important to teach acceptance not just taking risks. Because you can take risks but you will have students like me who don't understand the reward of risk when you hope to have the beauty of completion.

4. CONSTANTLY, all the time. negatively!

5. Cultivating a classroom that promotes active reflection and promotion of process.

Two Part Blog Posting

Key Concepts for this week:
Video: CARTA: Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics

• Human aesthetics and perceptions have evolved over time
• Perceptions can be altered based off of cultural or emotional factors
• Different parts of the brain are making connections constantly while in the process of making it, that there is more than simply seeing and redistributing information

Article: CNN- What the Brain Draws From: Art and neuroscience

• How the brain processes different functions of art such as light and contrast
• Ways in which artists stimulate a viewers brain
• The brain naturally has picked up certain visual cues over the ages

What do you think about Changeux and Ramachandran’s scientific view of aesthetics and art? What was the most interesting fact you discovered from each speakers lecture?
I loved Ramachandran’s talk the most as he looks at the laws of aesthetics as a way to unravel the possibility of there being a science behind the arts. It built upon Changeux’s lecture that aesthetics are a by-product of evolution. But Ramachandran’s ideas dabbles beyond the human aesthetic and looks at other species such as butterflies that evolved in their aesthetic. One fact that I found to be the most interesting was that “...there are thirty visual areas in the human brain that are concerned primarily with visual processing...” It reinforces that there is more to making artwork than simply seeing an image and copying it. Evolution enables us to perceive, distort, and reconstruct ideas into making new artwork.

Interesting Fact:
Changeux’s talk was insightful as he took a strong stance about how our aesthetic choices are a by product of evolution. I never thought about there being art before cave paintings. So I found it fascinating that humans started making tools 2.5 million years ago, and took so long to evolve to where humans developed the ability to make cave paintings (demonstrate artistic composition) only 100,000 years ago.

Relating it all back to visual culture:
They all speak about how aesthetics are natural within our society. We as humans overtime have gained this knowledge and built up what we find to be visually appealing. Never did I realize this potentially came from an evolutionary standpoint. We all process information different and there are different ways we process things based off of light and contrast.
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PART2:
Most interesting discovery made while watching the video:
That some of the most early forms of art discovered are of women. I thought it was cave animals.

What do you think of Vilayanur's Ramachandran's theory with the chicks?
Weird thing with beaks and that color being more attractive being a natural evolution becoming a desired thing.

Connections between images of females today as opposed to modern day portrayals?
The main difference is that in the past we looked to fertilityand being naturally more curvy as the desired look. This having to do with a bigger women was most likely a more well off and wealthy women being from a better background they could eat more and this was then desired for looking more natural and having better fertility. The modern day look is to over exadurate certain features without notice whether that be a more curvy woman to be seen as more curvy without notice as well as a skinny girl editing to make her look more skinny for the desired look of the company. Deliberate over exaggeration of the past versus modern hidden exaduration.

In Design Videos

Interesting fact from each video:
1. I thought all of this stuff about designing logos on placing them on multiple projects in a professional way was done on photoshop not indesign.
2. In design opens the same way illustrator does.
3. REMEMBER FILL WITH PLACE HOLDER TEXT. If you want the image to be click and dragged you can redefine the size of the frame.
4. Editing Text in In design: based on the amount of text you click selects more and more text for you rather than having to click and drag.
5. When choosing character styles go to type and then character styles
6. "If you import styles into linked content, new styles are added to the In Design document when the content is updated, and any style with a name conflict is overridden by the InDesign style with the same name."

Drawn Illustrator Self Portrait

Image of inspiration #1
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/obey-shepard-fairey-obama-portrait-obey-shepard-fairey/RwERadz8ZnfhGw?hl=en
I was fascinated by the way the artist had defined shapes for shading, light, and color.

Image of Inspiration #2
https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/henri-matisse/m0gct_?hl=en
I wanted to look to matisse and his collage work to make my elongated shapes.

This project ended up being very much figure out by accident due to one of the main idea that I had lead me to making a mistake in the essentials area, leading to the image that you now See

3
How. I went about the image
Pasted image: Changed RGB color to be
Ussing essentials tool I changed up the colors and realigned where the actors made making the crazy image you see before you
Selecting tool to elect the whole piece
Using the gradient tool to create color
Grouped and ungrouped shapes to move pieces around.


I ENJOYED THESE TWO PROJECTS!!!!! I felt that typography one was very tedious! However, it helped me so much with making the painting self portrait to make shaded and colored geometric shapes.

Marc Prensky

1. What do you think of the term: Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants?

I find this silly, the immigrant shouldn't be ther term to distinguish between before computer and after computers in 1980.. you are just old and technology was still around just more simple so I find this just dumb as we soon will be the lesser technology...

2. Where do you fit in?

I'm born after 1980 and therefore a digital native.

3. In regards to the Digital Divide, how do you see it impacting education?

It's not really a big deal since the divide will always be there it's just if you are willing to look it up and learn it. Also, many teachers before this time are now retiring so it shouldn't be an issue. 

4. What are the most interesting concepts Prensky presents? Why?

a) I'm baffled by digital natives vs digital immigrants... its an interesting concept because he just added a fancy term that just confuses people.....

b) 

c)

5. Is there anything Prensky presents that you are skeptical about? What is it and why do you think so?

6. Do you think technology is important in an art classroom? Why or Why not?

7. How do you imagine you will (or will not)  incorporate technology in your classroom? 

Kevin Tavin Video

1) Three things of interest. Why were they interesting to you
a)"Visual culture: Suggests a cultural condition where human experience is profoundly affected one way or another by new technology, for looking, and various practices of seeing, showing, and picturing." I enjoyed his definition of visual culture and wanted to make note of it.
b) "Visual culture revolves around everyday life, and the relationships we have with screens and our own identity." I liked his analogy and understanding of visual culture and our relationships with our screens. Think about it, can you really go anywhere without a screen in your face?
c) "Learning perspective as a foundation for art." Why do we have people sitting outside in the hallway, or why does one student say" Because my teacher told me to." versus. "My teacher told us to so that we could better understand how to draw." Thinking about the importance of explaining the importance of each step taken within an art classroom is imperative for them to understand and grow rather reject and say "I did it because my teacher told me to."
2)Discuss the role of an art educator in regards to visual culture. is it important why or why not
As an art educator, it is possible to not be a teacher of everything. We are scientists, the hitorians, the English teachers, the math teachers, and the artists. It is so important for us to teach other subjects and in-turn visual culture. We cannot teach without the context of history and the knowledge and practices that come to form other subjects. As we have so many images thrown at us on a daily basis it is important to realize we have to be an educator of all subjects and to teach kids to approach ar through other forms of media and subjects in order to come to a better understanding about what artwork can be.

3) what did you take away from this lecture and how can you apply it to your classroom as an art educator
I found when he was talking about the half and half painting to be fascinating. His perspective on how media culture and artists have this invisible divide that could be easily crossed yet there is always this push-pull on both topics meeting. I hope to do further research on incorporating modern media technologies into my classroom other than for research purposes. (As that is already the common way to incorporate technology into the classroom). Maybe being inspired by artists who use sound to make work or videos would be the next way to go!

Adobe Illustrator Videos

#1 That there is a difference Between Vector Images-resolution and paths defined mathematically and Raster Images-fixed resolution.

#2 No video but it was nice to learn that there were so many options for page sizes that are meant to automatically fit commonly used sizes such as letter paper versus a youtube background.

#3 Art boards is convenient for understanding and having multiple images up at one time.

#4 I found it interesting how they were able to cut a piece out of the circle without distorting the image.

#5 You can have so much fun casually drawing. Just clicking and dragging.

#6 I found it cool how you can edit the black outline around an image.

#7 Found it interesting how you could put words around a vector line that is already created.

#8 Free transform Toolis interesting have perspective angle changed! I love that!

#9 You can create fun and original filters and opacity between your image and shapes.

#10 This one seemed confusing... but it was interesting that you could create a complete compositional piece using various buttons and components.
https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/viewing-artwork.html?set=illustrator--fundamentals--illustrator-workspace

#11 I couldn't find the layer section so that was the most important thing for me as it was a struggle to not have it.

Week 2: Digital Images

Part 1
1. You see digital images on the advertisements you pass by, the fliers detailing when the next club event, anything visual that has been printed has most lily gone throughs one form of digital editing and therefore is a digital image.

2. It's a place where you can easily create images that use common everyday images and combine them into something new that can be used for entertainment.

3. Digital imaging gives me an outlet to make the fantasy real and make the comical possible visually.

4. I believe that artists have always had artistic licensing when capturing the world around them. You are aware that a painter is potentially romanticizing the women in the image, as there is no photograph for us to know if it's accurate. However in modern society digital imagery and modern photoshop aesthetics alter your version of reality. How are you to know what is and isn't recolored and retouched? The fact is we don't, and in doings creates a false sense of reality, and creating visual social standards that are not achieved without great strife.

5. Its comical and not surprising seeing how photos have been edited throughout the ages. From subtle things that one wouldn't notice such as color changes, or blatantly putting another famous persons head on another persons body shamelessly.

6. The one that stood out the most was the Huffpost altering the photo to show Mubarak in front of Obama. This was a subtle yet powerful difference hat we are at a point in society where we cannot trust the very evidence that proves our history existence. That we have to factcheck the very images that gives us proof that an event accused could be altered. 100's of years to come if a photo was found out to be altered that was mass produced into history books, we are subtly creating a false history for future generations.

Two Faced Photoshop

Process:

Selection Tool to select various places on my face to edit separately

I used the Filter Tool on the right-hand side where layers are in order to increase the saturation and hue of my face making it pink.

Using the Stamp Tool, I placed in a starry Galaxy.

Using the Move Tool to move the galaxy image up to fit into my hair.

I used the Gradient Tool to create a slight transparent gradient in the galaxy hair.

After pasting in an eyelash I used the Freeform Tool to adjust the eyelashes to my eye.

Using the multiply option in Color Filter Adjustments, I was able to make the eyes the correct texture for the image. Later on I would use more filter/ layering adjustments to make the eye seem more real and for other various detailing purposes.

The Eyedropper Tool helped me get a specific color from an ocean picture to use as the new eye color.

The Paint Tool was used to draw on the face and eye. Eventually I would use to to paint an eye glare that reflected the other half of my face and use it for fun detailing.

Used Layer Adjustments for detailing of the skin and other fine details

The Smudge Tool was used to lure the eyeglare that I had painted earlier. After painting the e smudge to reflect the light cast on my other eye, I used the smudge tool to blur the image as if it was the same glare on both eyes.

(Haven't done this yet) Using the Laso Tool to select around my glasses in various places.

(Havent done this yet) Using the Fill Tool under the option of content-aware I was able to remove my glasses from the image.

(Havent done it yet) Used the Dodge Tool to lighen and darken various spots on the face

Oxymoron Project

Oxymoron: Stopwatch

I really struggled to understand what seemed like very basic functions. It seems like a simple image, but it took awhile to get it just right.

Canvas Flip Option: Flipped my image horizontally.
Why: So that you would read left to right rather than right to left. In doing so the place of rest was on the left and would lead you to the stopwatch.

Loop Tool: On stop sign and watch.
Why: To remove larger chunks and lettering from the image.

Freeform Tool: Was used regularly on various pasted images, watch, stop sign litters, street sign letters, all watch components.

Transform Distort Option: Used it on the main clock that shows you the time.
Why: So that it wouldn't be head on but slightly shifted/ foreshortened for a subtle detail that made it seem more natural.

Color layer Manipulation: Put color manipulation layers on separate pieces of the watch.
Why: On various parts of the pocket watch I wanted it to be red just like the stop sign, so by free forming, selecting removing, and then adding the soft light option on the original pocket watch image, it was a natural seemly natural light gradient.

Eraser Tool: Used on various components of the image
Why: For detailing purposes and smooth layer manipulation.

Paint Tool: Various parts of the background and foliage on the right.
Why: For detailing purposes.

Color Hue Adjustment Layer: Overlapping entire image.
Why: I wanted to create a better looking or more fantastic environment for aesthetic purposes.

Intro to Photoshop Videos

Part 1
Video 1: Different panel options in the top right that cator to individual artist type needs such as a photographer versus something else.
Video 2: It is possible to select whether or not a layer is visible at any given time.
Video 3: If selecting doesn't work use the option or alt key to reverse select a selected image.

Part 2

Chosen Video #1: Learn how to use layer blend modes to combine images
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/composite-image-with-blend-modes.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_PHOTOSHOP_1_1/learn-path:key-techniques/set-header:photo-compositing/playlist:topic/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com
A) It's helpful in any photo manipulation to have a somewhat seamless transition between objects added.
b) I chose this video to see how to make images blend together to make something more magical and purposeful transition of images rather than just floating objects pasted.

Chosen Video #2:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/content-aware-hide-objects.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_PHOTOSHOP_1_1/learn-path:key-techniques/playlist:topic/set-header:remove-objects-from-photos/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com
a) It's helpful to be able to remove unwanted images but have it not be obvious or obnoxious.
b) I chose this image because I like things to look clean, and effectively being able to remove objects without damaging a photo too much seemed interesting.

Chosen Video #3:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/use-polar-coordinates-filter.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_PHOTOSHOP_1_1/learn-path:key-techniques/playlist:topic/set-header:get-inspired/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com
a) Might help me make a really cool dreamscape or something
b) It looked really beautiful and seemed like it would lead to other interesting discoveries. Something fun to play and try.

Intro to Mixed Media

1. How was the process of creating the GMail account and setting up the Blog?

This was easy since I made a blogger and gmail just for a class last semester

2. What do you expect to learn in this course?

After the Intro and introduction I'm assuming we are learning how to use basic applications and online resources that we can implement in future lesson plans.

3. How do you feel about taking a hybrid course using Blackboard?

Feeling good and confident about taking a hybrid course!