Final - Flower

one

This piece I wanted to continue with photoshopping my sister into the image, but this image I wanted to create a more surreal scene instead of a staged one which is what my triptych is more like. This diptych also involves the use of my natural element which is water/earth. The subject of this is in relation to the softness of people and flowers.

two

This second image I simply photoshopped this flower into photo of a window where it was raining in the landscape. I wanted to show one photo in this body of work without a person, just to try and enhance the use of the flower in this diptych.

Final - House

one

This first image was created through photoshopping my sister into one of the rooms of a wooden dolls house. I scaled my sister to be a bit oversized due to the fact that I wanted her to feel a bit abnormal. This first image portrays the message of feeling out of place and trying to escape. This expression is mainly used through the position of the girl as she is looking out of the windows. I used the natural light when capturing this image as I wanted to show each of the shadows from the objects.

two

This second image was again created through photoshop and placing my sister to show as if she is picking up the towel in the bathroom of the dolls house. This image portrays a sense of wandering, and not always knowing what you are going to find. This is shown as she picks up the towel, which represents the sense of doing this that you may do but not knowing what the outcome will be.

three

This last image I wanted to represent the feeling of exploration and experience. This is created through again my sister being photoshopped as if she is almost skipping through the room. The subject matter of this image shows that even if you think what you do doesn't matter too much you should always do it. As children we always explore and experience different things but when we get older we tend to forget about this.

Tom Chambers

"saccharine perch" ~ Entropic Kingdom 2009

The image by Tom Chambers titled “Saccharine Perch” strongly expresses the wildlife habitat and what is has become through the use of photomontage. The image evokes of a desolate place which Chambers is trying to portray a sense of loneliness and emptiness. The image captures the sense of darkness which portrays quite a gloomy emotion. However the title of “Saccharine Perch” is literally expressed as the birds are on the perch which is the cake. This shows a mixed emotion as the titled evokes the image as being happy until the eyes are drawn to the entire picture where there is a sense of darkness. Chambers has used magical realism to create a sense of realism with some elements that seem false. However the contrasting elements seem to unify together to create the meaning of the image. Chambers appears to evoke a childhood memory as it shows of the girl with a cake, which shows innocence and vulnerability. I think Chambers wants the audience to view this image as quite ambiguous as there a very different emotions which the audience can evoke from it.

The image itself that is the focus point shows of a girl who’s head isn’t shown with a flock of birds on a cake, with other birds in the background. However the eyes are drawn directly to the cake as its the brightest image in the picture

The eyes are also drawn to the section of the cake which has been taken out and is on the ground with two other birds. However the birds appear to be photoshop which is what the audience is drawn to.

In the background the sense of the clouds show that there is an expected storm coming which the flock of the birds are flying away from the storm. However the scale of the birds is significantly bigger than the type of birds on the cakes. The birds in the background appear to be bats and it shows as if they have a sense that something bad is going to happen. However it is unknown what is going to happen, whether it is good or bad. The animals in this image appear to be quite vulnerable.

The main colours used is simply warm and cool, as the background of the image shows very warm and earthy colours with the contrast of cool colours which is the girls dress. Which combined together produces a very harmonious colour. Which harmonizing the two colours is created through technology which allows the two types of colour to unify. The image itself creates a symmetry as the image itself is pretty much symmetrical. This symmetrical image softens the image and creates a much quieter image despite the flock of birds everywhere.

"Too delicate for daylight" ~ Entropic Kingdom 2009

The image definitely shows quite a surreal image as she is been able to associate herself with the deers, which are usually quite timid creatures. However it appears the the deers are protecting her in a way. Which Chambers main focus for this body of work ‘Entropic Kingdom’ is the result of man’s disregard for the fragility of the environment and the responsibility for everyone to care for the earth.

Shutter Photography

Camera shutters is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period of time, for the purpose of exposing photographic film or a light sensitive photographic sensor to light or capture a permanent image of a scene.

I tried experimenting with one of the old cameras i had at home but it didn't turn out well because I don't have my SLR camera with me. But I found some great examples of where shutter photography has been used.

My focus

My focus: Lucid Dreaming

It took me a while to choose my focus because I wanted to experiment with my photography first and try every setting in light,dark,rain, water. But after I took a few photos, I couldn't find the right expression I wanted. So then I decided to look at my past photos and found some really pretty landscape and portraits when I was in the snow. I believe the snow represents lucid dreaming. Because when you are in the snow you always feel numb, like you are there but you can't really feel like yourself. Also the snow is physically protective, as you always feel safe and when you fall you will always get back up. So then I began to experiment with all of my snow landscapes, and start to photoshop other self portraits in (not only of me but of other portraits I took). I also chose Lucid Dreaming because my element is a mixture of earth and water and I think that snow shows a great capture, because essentially snow is water vapor frozen into ice crystals. Which falls of the ground and connecting with the earth. Which I also think of snow falling onto the trees and then looking like it was part of it in the first place.

Here are a few of my photoshopped pieces I worked with snow as the landscape and various photos I took of people. I probably won't use these examples but I wanted to grasp an understanding of trying to see how I can manipulate the photo and photoshop a variety of images in the snow.


I have been struggling when taking photos because I'm not sure how to try and capture the feel I want. I think its more of when it'll happen, it'll happen. So I think I need to try and try take photos less posed and more carefree, so then hopefully I can try to capture the feel I want for my focus 'Lucid Dreaming'. I want to try and capture the emotion of what snow feels like, and the atmosphere that is felt when you are in the snow.

Artist: Tom Chambers

Tom Chambers was born and raised on a farm in the Amish country of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Tom completed a B.F.A. in 1985 from Ringling School of Art, Sarasota, Florida with an emphasis in graphic design and strong interest in photography. For many years Tom has worked as a graphic designer, including the design of packaging and magazines. Since 1998 Tom has devoted himself to photomontage

for sharing the intriguing unspoken stories which

reflect his view of the world and elicit feelings in the viewer.

DREAMING IN REVERSE

caging the songbird

unfair melody

ENTROPIC KINGDOM

the offering

winged migration

Artist: Bill Viola

Bill Viola (born January 25, 1951 in the United States) is a contemporary video artist. He is considered a leading figure in the generation of artists whose artistic expression depends upon electronic, sound, and image technology in New Media. His works focus on the ideas behind fundamental human experiences such as birth, death and aspects of consciousness.

Artists -Albrecht Dürer

Albrecht Dürer 21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528 was a German painter, printmaker and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since. His well-known works include the Apocalypse woodcuts, Knight, Death, and theDevil (1513), Saint Jerome in his Study (1514) and Melencolia I (1514), which has been the subject of extensive analysis and interpretation. His watercolours mark him as one of the first European landscape artists, while his ambitious woodcuts revolutionized the potential of that medium.

Young Hare, 1502, Watercolour and bodycolour.

The earliest painted Self-Portrait (1493) by Albrecht Dürer, oil, originally on vellum Louvre,Paris

Photoshop

Because we are experimenting with self portraits this term we have had to use photoshop a lot. I never really use photoshop so this is a new experience for me to learn all the different tools when experimenting with my self portraits.

First we just started of learning the basics which was inserting a photo and then changing the opacity, hue/saturation, brightness and more.

Here are my very first two photoshopped images which we used the images from the media file and learnt how to layer images over the top. I also experimented with fonts.

12.Self-Portrait

Rembrandt. Self Portrait, 1640

Though Dürer is credited for being the first artist to consistently create self-portraits, Rembrandt is given credit for being the first artist to intensely study the self through art. During his life time, 1606-1669, Rembrandt sketched his own face thousands of times. He created a legacy of 60 self-portraits that depict his history, an autobiographical story that chronicles his turbulent life. From rags to riches, through marriages and mistresses, from youth to old age, we can witness the changing face of Rembrandt.

Rembrandt. Self Portrait, 1669

Janson summed up Rembrandt's use of the self-portraits well when he wrote that "...his view of himself reflects every stage of his inner development - experimental in the Leyden years; theatrically disguised in the 1630's; frank and self-analytical toward the end of his life, ... yet full of simple dignity."

Vincent van Gogh, Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889

Vincent van Gogh is as famous for his self-portraits as is Rembrandt, though instead of creating them over a life time, he painted the majority, twenty-two of them, within two tumultuous years. Van Gogh's images during that period (1886-1888) and for the two years before his suicide in 1890 reveal a man who was struggling with life, and perhaps searching for answers through his painted image. Each painted portrait captures detailed emotions of shock, disturbance, tranquillity or confusion.

Frida Kahlo, Self Portrait with Monkey, 1938

Like Rembrandt and van Gogh, the story of Frida Kahlo can be read in her self-portraits. Approximately one-third of her work is the exploration of her self, physically and mentally. Kahlo created some fifty-five

self-portraits as a kind of therapy to face the most troubling events of her life; her leg crippled from polio, permanent injuries from a bus accident, abortions, and botched surgeries.

Colour Quiz

11.Photorealist by Chuck Close

What do you think makes him happy?

Just going for a walk, I know from the picture is looks the opposite from someone that would want to be in fresh air because of his untidy look but I believe a good walk whilst he contemplates.

How old do you think he is?

late 20's - early 30's he has the look of 'oh my gosh' i've wasted a lot of my life, I need to get a move on.. but then there is this also carefree and go with the flow in life.

What is his name?

Ez (short for Ezra) James

Is he sort of the person you would like to get to know, why?

I don't particularly think I'd like to know this person. However this is just me judging the image and not actually getting to know him. But if it was based upon this image than definitely 'no'.

Is he married?

I don't think he's married. But I think he's definitely contemplated that idea and is possibly considering in the next few years.

Did he finish high school?

I think he did finish school and had great expectations but somewhere along the line I think he thought 'well heck, I better enjoy life' but he definitely regrets that decision.

What does he do?

Well I think he was a college dropout who was studying photography as he looks the type of person who would take simplistic monochromatic images of landscapes (possibly city landscapes).

How does he spend his leisure time?

I get the feeling that he is alone a lot of the time, but I think he still takes photos in his free time as it is still a passion of his.

What does he dream about?

I think he has very whimsical and fantasy dreams, quite unrealistic. Not in the sense of him living as a millionaire but more of travelling to an unknown planet and exploring the wonders.

10.What makes you feel....

What makes you feel the best?

What makes me feel the best is arriving home after being away from home from a long time and instead of coming home and unpacking straight away you just go up to your room which has been empty for how ever long and you just lie on your bed and you instantly feel at home again.

What gets you most excited?

Before my basketball games. I'm always so excited before any game and I just can't wait to go out and play!

When was the last time you felt that "life couldn't get any better"?

When my sister was born in 2009! I was so happy and I truly felt that life couldn't get any better and I've been so happy to have her around.

What upsets you more than anything?

Goodbyes. Saying goodbye to people that I know I won't see in a long time, which I know I'll hate at the end of grade 12 because I'm sure I'll be saying goodbye to a lot of people that I may never see again.

9.Favourite things

I know I don't have to do a table because when I think about my favourite things, I know they are all American. I know it sounds quite sad when I think about it the vast majorityof my favourite things are American. This definitely doesn't surprise me as America is quite the dominant country which most media and foods are first created.

Television show: Toddlers & Tiaras

One of my favourite and most interesting shows I watch, whilst you may understand from the title that it's about toddlers competing in pageant shows its interesting to see how competitive some of the toddlers and parent's are. It's just fascinating watching how much the toddlers are transformed from fake hair, spray tans, spending thousands of dollars on costumes and even using flippers (fake teeth for toddlers who have lost their baby teeth!).

Food: Baskin Robbins

So delicious and with their 31 flavours, whilst it is world renowned it is still American and so delicious!

Fashion Fad: Military Jackets

Fashion military jackets, whilst being 2010's new fashion fad, it all started in America, featuring in Runway shows.

Music: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is such an inspirational woman, who has inspired not only me but thousands with her creativeness and love for life. This New York born lady through her songs has expressed extreme originality and teaches everyone around the world to be who they are and that it doesn't matter what others think.

8.Popular Culture

Popular is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus with the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the late 20th and early 21st century. Heavily influenced by mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of the society.

I believe popular culture in these days changes everyday, whilst some may be a phenomenon

others may only last a day. The things I love the most about popular culture is that everyone is different and sees their personal popular culture differently. Whilst a vast majority may share same aspects of popular culture their may only be a few that view a different popular culture.

However what I dislike about popular is that sometimes, if it turns out to be a phenomenon it can heavily transform their life as they become obsessed and it somewhat controls their lives.

But popular culture can be both for the good and for the bad. However I do feel bad for those you are actually true fans and loved what ever the popular culture was before it became huge and crazy and everyone begins to like it just because everyone else does....

TWILIGHT SAGA

I know this is an old popular culture but the Twilight Saga, I believe was one of the biggest phenomenon's of my decade. I know myself that when this phenomenon began in 2008, it was just a sudden rush and sorta of like a tsunami as it just suddenly swept in and took the world my storm as everyone was either reading the books or all you would hear on television would be about the Twilight Saga. However I felt this huge fad went a bit too far as people all over the world was obsessed with the books and cast (even to a scary extent) as they would sleep outside their houses, stalk them + basically do whatever they could to get their hands of one of them (this was especially significant with women hunting after the male cast). But I believe a lot of media (movies, songs etc.) can transform into being one of the biggest popular cultures.

Twilight Saga books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse + Breaking Dawn

The Twilight Movie Cast

TUMBLR

I new craze that I have noticed is Tumblr. The newest new blogging website. As an advantage it allows people express who they are, how they are feeling. But what I believe and have recently realised is that now tumblr's have just turned into images of fashion, creative pictures instead of taking your own pictures of where you are, what's happening and writing about what's going on in your life. I suppose though its just a place to express your mood and how your feeling onto cyberspace instead of saying it in real life.

7.My favourite song/s

I have a range of favourite songs but I'll have to narrow it down to 2 and this is just from this month so I know it will definitely be different next month... well even tomorrow maybe...

a) Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida feat. David Guetta

find the music video @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgM3r8xKfGE

This song is just so exciting and just wants to make you dance which I think I do at least once a day :)

My favourite section of lyrics in the song are:

You know I know how

To make em stop and stare as I zone out

The club can't even handle me right now

Now translated into a poem:

I know how you know

I zone out to stop and make em stare

Right now the club can't even handle me

b) If I Had You by Adam Lambert

music video @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdMiL1G3txQ&feature=avmsc2

I really like this song because of the originality and how he has that confidence just to express who he is and be proud of it.

My favourite section of lyrics in the song are:

So I got my boots on, got the right 'mount of leather

And I'm doing me up with a black colour liner

And I'm workin' my strut but I know it don't matter

All we need in this world is some love

Now translated into a poem:

Got my boots on right, so I got the right leather

With a black colour liner, I'm doing me up

But I know I'm working my strut and it don't matter

All in this world we need is love

6.Appropriation + artists

Appropriation:

Appropriation art means to appropriate something involves taking possession of it. In the visual arts, the term appropriation often refers to the use of borrowed elements in the creation of new work. The

borrowed elements may include images, forms or styles from art history or from popular culture, or materials and techniques from non-art contexts. Since the 1980's the term has also referred more specifically to quoting the work of another artist to create a new work. The new work may not alter the original.

Yasumasa Morimura 森村 泰昌:

Yasumasa Mormura born June 11 1951 is a Japanese appropriation artist. He was born in Osaka and graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in 1978. Since 1985, Yasumasa Morimura has primarily shown his work in international solo exhibitions, although he has been involved in various group exhibitions. Mormimura borros images from historical artists ranging from Edouard Manet to Rembrandt to Cindy Sherman and inserts his own face and body into them.

Self portrait after Marilyn Monroe, 1996

An Inner Dialogue with Frida Kahlo

Cindy Sherman:

Cindy Sherman born January 19, 1954 is an American photographer and film director, best known for her conceptual portraits. Sherman currently lives and works in New York City. Through a number of different series of works, Sherman has raised challenging and important questions about the role and representation of women in society, the media and the nature of the creation of art.

Untitled Film still #6

Untitled 96

The early seventies was a vital time for women artists as the feminist movement encouraged them to develop personal art that dealt with their stories, their bodies, and their relationships. The culture was also in the grip of the "me" decade which spawned countless self-help groups urging people to focus on how they were marginalized by their race, gender or sexual preference.

Sherman, who combined elements from each of these social and art movements when she created a series of movie stills, staring none other than herself. She was always alone, often in disguise, so that she became everyone and no one. Though this series of black and white pictures are untitled, the audience is seduced in to filling in the story.

Sherman used clothes, props and furniture to indicate the low social class of the women she portrayed, while situation herself in bland, tacky or sterile rooms that quote from Dian Arbus' work. Her work contains echoes of real films, seeming to satirize scenes from famous movies.

I suppose to make an image a legitimate appropriation is that you give the past image a new meaning but still incorporating the elements within the image and enhancing it but using it for present situations.

more Cindy Sherman photographs @ http://www.cindysherman.com/art.shtml

5.Favourite Colour

my favourite colour is purple but a medium colour purple. I just really love this colour and I have since I was quite young. There is just a very exuberant feel about this colour that makes it stand out.

4.Advertisements

a) Colour

I thought this advertisement showed so much colour and it really stands out and shows the range the product has to offer. I believe that it definitely makes me want purchase the product as you are able to get a close up of the thongs and see their broad range. It is quite different to other shoe ads as you can see the hundreds of thongs exploding out of the middle which draws the audience's eyes towards the center and then outwards.

b) Lighting effects

This advertisement just shows the use of light and how it created the famous Nike logo tick. Even though it shows nothing about what Nike sells it sends them message across of their famous logo which is world known. Also the name alongside 'Nike' and the added word 'fire' because of the lighting effect which suggests that Nike is theoretically on 'fire'. Because Nike is such a well known brand, they are able to come up with an ad without showing any of their products which can be an advantage because it is so different to other ads.

c) Scale + Depth

This apple iPod + iTunes gives the audience a feel of what comes with such a small electronic iPod as you can see thousands of album covers coming out of the iPod. This convinces the audience to want to buy an iPod as it suggests you get so much out of something so small. It is also creative to make an ad that is 3-D so you get a more realistic feel and can notice the intricate detail on the albums. It's interesting because you notice it from bottom to top as you see the very small iPod nano and then notice the albums from a very significant size and then slowly as you draw your eyes to the top the albums become bigger and then even explode off the billboard. I believe it will definitely get people to buy an iPod and further purchase songs of iTunes especially as it shows the broad range of music that iTunes offer.

3. Dreaming

I can usually remember my dreams but I will only list a few that I remember off by heart as I haven't really been writing them down. But I'll edit this each week to see what dreams I remember.

a)

I was with my mum's work friend [Shanelle] whom I go to Zumba with. We were in a Zumba gear and ready to go but we ended up on a ferry and arrived at this little tourist island. We then went into this store and turns out it was a vintage store and I think me and Shanelle completely forgot about Zumba and ended up trying on clothes at the vintage store.

b)

I tend to either at the beginning or the end of my dreams to feel like my heart beat is increasing and Im in that state where Im awake but Im dreaming so whatever I'm doing is in fast forward, even when I speak or when Im just walking.

c)

I have always remembered this one dream which was actually a few years ago and I had ending credits after my dream. It was funny because it was set out like actually movie end credits with names and jobs listed.

d)

Another dream I remembered was when I was going to sydney with a few of my friends. I arrived at the airport with only one of the four who was going on the trip so we walked around for a bit before check in, just to look at some of the shops. For some reason though my phone battery was dying so I went to a store and asked if I could charge my phone in one of their power outlets. Then we continued to walk around and met up with my friends, but time passed so quickly that check in was nearly closed so I went back to collect my phone and charger and went to check in. Everyone checked in and I was last to, so I gave them my surname and said I was scheduled to fly to New York not to Sydney. Even though I was at a domestic airport and thats all I remember.

e)

I remember my dream from last night and I actually had three dreams. The first is of when I was driving (I don't even have my license yet!), well I had my learners and I was really nervous and couldn't drive properly... but I think this dream is very realistic and when I do get my license I think I'll be like this.

Next was one of my friends birthday but I wasn't planned to go but I went at the last minute and it became very awkward as she only had certain amount of items for the people she initially invited. Then my last dream is of when I was at a shopping mall but it was confusing because it was also sort of an airport as there were several airplanes leaving.

2.Jung's Personality types

'

ENFP ~ The Inspirer

(extroversion, intuition, feeling + perception)

E: 1

N: 12

F: 38

P: 72

Dominant: Extraverted Intuition

Auxiliary: Introverted Feeling
Tertiary: Extraverted Thinking
Inferior: Introverted Sensing

As an ENFP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take things in primarily via your intuition. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal value system. ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types. They can talk their way in or out of anything. They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it. ENFPs have an unusually broad range of skills and talents. They are good at most things which interest them. Project-oriented, they may go through several different careers during their lifetime. To onlookers, the ENFP may seem directionless and without purpose, but ENFPs are actually quite consistent, in that they have a strong sense of values which they live with throughout their lives.

http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFP.html

After reading a bit about ENFP's I think that personality is exactly like me. Even in the section I pasted in from the website, I believe the information is quite accurate from my personality and how I'm viewed. It's strange to see that their personality is pretty much spot on to what their Jung's personality types are. It's also interesting to find out some possible careers and celebrities that are listed from ENFP's personality types (which the link is pasted below)

http://www.purchase.com/blog/psychology/enfp

CARL JUNG 1875 - 1961

Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, an influential thinker and the founder of analytical psychology. Jung is often considered the first modern psychologist to state that the human psyche is "by nature religious" and to explore it in depth. Though not the first to analyze dreams, he has become perhaps the most well known pioneer in the field of dream analysis. Jungian ideas are routinely discussed in part by curriculum of introductory psychology course offerings with most major universities, and although rarely covered by higher level course work, his ideas are discussed further by the Faculty of Humanities. Many pioneering psychological concepts were originally proposed by Jung, including the Archetype, the Collective Unconscious, the Complex, and synchronicity . A popular psychometric instrument, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), has been principally developed from Jung's theories.

1.The four physical elements

Water:

I think water has opposite qualities as it can be very powerful and strong whilst on the other hand it can be very calm and smooth. Water shows a lot of confidence and has this very outgoing, determined and yet has a care-free side to it.

Earth:

Earth is very calm and pure. Because earth is so natural and pure it adds a confidence and just a simplistic taste to peoples characteristics. I think Earth shows the qualities of being very outgoing and fun.

Air:

Air also has opposite qualities as it can be very strong and destructive. People who show qualities of air are very strong yet whimsical. But then inside they show a completely differently personality. But that is just what I believe about the qualities of air.

Fire:

Fire is just so strong and powerful but it has a very passionate feel. Fire is also very exuberant and sometimes you can notice that instantly in people. The colours of fire also show this exciting and powerful characteristic which I think is such a strong quality. I believe people who portray this element are also very loud at points and seem very confident.

I think the element that best represents me is water. I think this because it is so strong and powerful (in most cases) but then it has that soft and feminine look which I also think I portray. Although when I asked which natural element suits me best no one said I was this one. They all said I was earth which is really interesting. But now that I have thought about it, I think its sort of true, I sometimes lack the strong qualities in water and so I show some of the natural element of earth. So i believe I am a mixture of water and earth. I don't think I'm air because it shows this relaxed and stressless side which I am quite the opposite of. I placed Fire last because whilst I may seem loud and crazy at times I rarely show that quality 24/7 which I think people who portray the fire element.