Photoshop Homework Part Deux

For the project, I chose to manipulate a picture of Tyler. The elements that I photoshopped in, such as the building in the background, the statue and the bird were pictures from my trip to Ireland over the summer, and the mosaic pieces were from pictures from South Street. My image could challenge the idea of fair use through the mosaic and statue elements because they were artwork created by another artist that I am incorporating into my piece.

John Thompson

In the beginning of his discussion, Thompson said that the "studio is where you can be yourself." I thought this really applied because in order to make art you are truly proud of, you have to be comfortable in your environment. I also liked his metaphor of studios as islands, because others can visit, but at the same time you are isolated. He talked about working for the sake of working, which may seem pointless, but is actually good to make sure you don't lose momentum with your work. Thompson also suggested taking a break and going somewhere you can "react to something,"which I thought was good advice because sometimes going somewhere different can be refreshing and inspiring. He mentioned that he takes pictures of his pieces as he goes along to use as reference points of where he made good decisions vs. bad decisions. I really liked this idea because sometimes it's good to look back at the progress of your work and see where your stronger and weaker points are.

Photoshopped News Photo

Scanner Self Portrait

Doug Bucci

One thing Doug Bucci said that really had an impact on me was "when you're comfortable with something, you're not learning." When thinking more in depth about this, I realized I agreed with what he was saying. When you are at ease with what you are doing, it becomes more about routine than trying new things. I also liked that he suggested to use "what you know best" as jumping off point, because what you know best is what you're comfortable with and you need to move outside your comfort zone to learn. Another thing I found fascinating was how he incorporated digital technology into his work through printouts and connecting his insulin software to his digital software. It's interesting that you can use digital technology in so many other areas of art.

Eben Bayer: Are mushrooms the new plastic?

This video appealed to me because last year I took an AP Environmental Science class and learned a lot about waste and its effect on our planet. Bayer begins his discussion talking about using crop waste that is compostable, unlike materials such as plastic and styrofoam. The important part of the mushroom is called mycelium, which can be used as a glue-like substance. One product made with it was a corner block which was used in shipping furniture. The idea is that the new compostable material would replace substances such as styrofoam used in packaging. I think it is a good solution to a problem, but I don't really expect to compostable material to replace styrofoam completely. One issue I found with this concept is the fact that the packaging material is made from compostable material, so I'm a little confused as to whether or not the material begins to rot or smell bad after a certain period of time. He also mentions that we rely on a single "feedstock" (petroleum) to heat our homes, power our cars, etc. However, I disagree with this. There are currently many alternate energy sources such as solar power, nuclear power, coal, wind power, etc. We have made improvements in finding new greener energy sources, they are just not as radical as many people would like. In my opinion, our generation is so obsessed with consumption that a drastic change would be unsuccessful.

http://www.ted.com/talks/eben_bayer_are_mushrooms_the_new_plastic.html

Marianne Dages
I found her discussion particularly informative because she gave several different options to her basic topic of how to set up a studio after you leave school. She said that "where you work affects the work you make," which I agree with because I have seen variations in the quality of my work, depending on where I made it. There were three main options, studio-wise, that she listed: community, partner and building a personal studio. To me, a personal studio would be preferable because I have noticed that I work better when I am isolated and don't have outside distractions. For example, back in high school, I would produce better work at home than I did in the classroom when I had friends to talk to. I also really liked her suggestion of making a list of the tools I use and then buying one tool every month instead of all at once which can be overwhelming.