Self Evaluation Survey.

My most significant accomplishment in the midterm project didn't come easy.  Mastering some basic techniques and learning some new techniques made it possible to create art instead of fumbling around with photoshop controls.  Creating a work of art is very challenging for me.  I am more opposite brained from an artist.  Looking at my Midterm and getting a feel of surreal art with supporting subject matter to the Dreams and or Nightmares big idea was priceless for me.  Just creating something that I can call art becomes the most significant accomplishment in my eyes.  It's bigger than mastering a few techniques in photoshop. 

My most Challenging learning experience has been using the selection tool.  It sounds simple, but try and select everything around the fur on an animal.  I learned how to use tolerance as well as feathering on the selection to work around the fine areas of animal fur.  Practice makes perfect.  In fact, this practice has helped me complete the midterm project with much more precision and ease.  Here is an example of selecting around animal fur:

Here is an example of an art piece I created to form meaning vs just showcasing technique. 

I did enjoy the practice of selecting around fur.  The previous assignment gave me some practice to prepare for this one.  Finding meaning in this project was easy since I laughed in my head at the though of the Idea.  I loved taking a movie and making it "nutty." 

The last project I want to present where I made more meaning than technique is the second half of my midterm.

I loved creating my own surreal landscape.  I am sure someone who looks upon this landscape would get a dream-like feeling.  My goal is to take a hint of reality and superimpose a wonderland flowing through it. 
This second piece expands more meaning of dream and surreal than the first one brings on comedy. 
Thanks for reading.

Final Project Research Motivation

    Defining my motivation for the final project isn't easy.  I have looked through several designs similar to the mood I am trying to create.  If I go one route, the big idea will be Grunge art.  The second route I may take would be a sci-fi/minimalistic big idea. 
     Before I elaborate on the big idea, lets talk about the physical application of my art.  I am working on a design for a kiteboard, (similar to a wakeboard.)  Kiteboard designs have taken similar routes to snowboard art which people are generally more familiar with.  I would be designing this art piece to encompass the front and back of the board.  A template over the art would be used to show the physical application. 
     Visual strategies can vary for me.  I'll be designing shapes in Adobe Illustrator to be later brought into Photoshop.  I'll first start work on both big ideas.  When I get a good feeling about one design, I should focus in that direction.  The Sci-fi/minimalistic idea is gonna use elements of physics,space, or wormhole grids with color depth.  Subject matter will be easily noticed by the lines and shapes flowing together. 

     Grunge art will take a different approach.  I see myself using silhouettes of people in action or a cool car or anything that shows energy.  I'll use shapes and circles with splotted decay and few variations of color.  I want to employ an, "I don't care" look.  The art piece should look weathered.  More so as you get farther away from the focal point.  Hint of urban decay may pop into the art piece as well. 
     My inspiration comes from two primary kiteboard manufacturers.  Nobil and CrazyFly.

Nobil can be found at http://www.nobilekiteboarding.com/index_en.php?p=Board
and CrazyFly can be found at http://www.crazyflykites.com/cf2011/board-pro-tour-model.php

I actually like browsing all of their boards.  Even Best Kiteboarding has a nice lineup.  http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/

Here is an example of grunge art.
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/3205427/2/istockphoto_3205427-guitar-grunge.jpg

Here is an example of Sci-fi/minimal art.http://www.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/moon-poster.jpg   By the way, I love that film.

I also view spiralgraphs, bits of chemical chain drawings, black hole grids, and wormhole sketches in the sci-fi category.  I may find a way to bring in colorful spiralgraphs as an example. 

Some new techniques I'll be trying out would be using different brushes to create grunge decay or experimenting with new filters.  Here is a technique for creating brushes.  http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials/161516/digital-wizardry-creating-ps-brushes-from-images.






    

AE252_2010A_Schira12: digital neo-surrealist George Grie

AE252_2010A_Schira12: digital neo-surrealist George Grie: "George Grie is one of the First Digital Neo-Surrealists. His works are mainly in the digital 3d area. His 3d art landed him a job as a mul..."

AE252_2010A_Schira12: How to make a frankenpet.

AE252_2010A_Schira12: How to make a frankenpet.: "To follow along, here is a link to the tutorial. http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials/161399/franken-pet First I started out with picking 2 ..."

Assignment #3 Inspiring Artist

 One style of art that appeals to me can be found in the world of "The Matrix" (1999).  My attention is drawn to the lines of the "Matrix Code"  and also the repeating patterns of the human battery cell chamber.  Here is an example..

Matrix Code

Battery Cell Chamber.

I am not sure who is responsible for the artwork here.  The movie credits a huge team of art designers.  The head of Art Direction for the movie is Hugh Bateup and Michelle McGahey.  I am sure they have the final say on the finished art pieces and the storyboard selections. 
I find art that has depth and repeating patterns and lines to be more of my taste.  I observe the long towers that seem to travel endlessly and get the feeling like I am being drawn into the world.  In the Upper picture, seeing the green text outlining the walls and people remind me of my childhood.  One time I wanted to paint the walls in my bedroom all black and then paint a florescent green grid from top to bottom.  My mother didn't want to go with that idea. 

I get some more inspiration from Bungie studios.  When the game designer creates the tall structures of the world, you get the feeling like you are a thousand feet off of the ground.  The ancient architecture of the game gives even more depth feel than the movie "The Matrix."
I am inspired by the Blue colors used in Halo.  Blue happens to be my favorite color.  I have owned 5 motorcycles and 4 out of 5 have been blue.

Here is a few photos of Halo...

I plan on taking these ideas and placing them into my final project.  let's see how it turns out...

How to make a frankenpet.

To follow along, here is a link to the tutorial.
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials/161399/franken-pet

First I started out with picking 2 animal photos for the franken pet.
The Idea is to take part of the head of one animal and place it on the other animal.  This should look pretty cool when finished.

Looking at these two photos, I decided to take part of the dog's head and place it on the Koala's head.
This is done by cutting out the dog's head. and placing the layer in the koala workspace.

At this point, Re-size and rotate the dog's head into position.  It is easier if the dog's head is at an opacity of 50.  This makes the koala's head visible throughout the rotation and re-sizing.

Once the heads are in the proper place, use the lasso tool to cut into the dog's head and remove what isn't need.

   

I took the dog head layer and added a dropshadow.  Also I removed the koala's left ear because it stuck out from behind the dog.  Using a clone tool can do this.  Once you are at this point, some photoshop skills will be needed to make it look just a little more realistic.  Use the Burn tool around the edge of the dog and on the koala where the layers meet.  Also due to the lighting, I used an Innerglow set to saturation with the size set close to maximum on the dog's head.  

To finish out with the stitches, the brush tool with a light color is used.  This is done in a separate layer of course.  Blending options can give you bevel and satin look to make the stitches pop out with realism.  

 Wow, what a new creature.  Mwahahahahaha

digital neo-surrealist George Grie

George Grie is one of the First Digital Neo-Surrealists.  His works are mainly in the digital 3d area.  His 3d art landed him a job as a multimedia design artist with IBM. 

His Art is a mixture of old school "surrealist symbolism" with more modern fantasy and visionary art.

The first picture denotes dryness, lack of water and decay with a crude mechanical drive to turn these ships into land crawlers. 

The connotations I get out of this picture are quite mixed.  I see the mixture of the subconscious mind pushing to throw physics out the window.  Something like bringing a dream to life. 

This piece is very interesting.  This art denotes the edge of the world on a perfect night.  Chaos is ahead but in the place of calm sea.  A connotation of this art would be a supernatural delusion with some kind of realm on the flip side of the edge.  You can see two stone men holding up the edge of the world.  Something unnatural is happening here. 

 This Art piece is just fun to look at.  Right away a journey into the subconscious comes to mind.  The Denotations are a castle with an air ship and a sea vessel.  Isolated from anyone in a very old land.
This piece is very similar to the others.  The connotations are not so clear.  Maybe this connotates a Realm of Magic in a fantasy setting.  Obviously this is something that could never be on our Earth. 

With all of these Digital art works several things are clear.  They connotate Isolation and mystic illusions, sources of magic and crazy dreams.  George Grie's surreal influences give him a creative avenue to produce limitless images of the mind.  One fine artist.
Here are some links to the pictures I found on the Internet.
http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/g/georgegrie/
http://www.redbubble.com/people/surrealismart