Student Show and Game art

I briefly perused the student exhibition and smp critique and also attended the game design discussion. These two events (paired with Saah's talk at the beginning of the year) account for my art events for the semester.

The student presentation was really interesting to walk through. Remina's meshing of art and science was interesting to consider and there were a few other projects that caught the eye. I particularly loved following Koko's project about the concept of home and what it means to each individual person. I think that her way of displaying her work, through the row of scissors and the twine, added a really down-to-earth feel. Being familiar with some of Koko's other work, particularly her mosaics, I would love to see that play a heavy role in her final piece. I also think that it will be very interesting to see the changes in the projects when Colby takes over next semester, as opposed to Lisa this semester. I feel as though they have two completely different ways of approaching the concept of making and displaying art.

In any case, I also attended the game design presentations. I loveloveloved the way that our group presented the game. I liked that they included art and movement in the demonstration and that they timed their demo so that they could show the entirety of what they had finished. I loved the fact that they did not try to cover themselves, but were upfront about how scattered they were and that that was the reason behind making their own art concepts in some instances. I do wish that they had paired some of the same hued elements together, as I gave them multiple choices, but should their game continue, I would be more then willing to continue to work with them. My other favorite (obviously Faberge is one, as I am hugely bias) was Chrono Shift Blast Wars. The concept behind the game is mostly what blew me away. It was incredibly creative and I thought that they used the game art they were given very well. I would be interested in seeing how their game continued to progress as well.

Self- Reflection

When we were given the rubric for this project, I thought of a million different ideas of what to do and how. I wanted to experiment with something living, with sculpture, with large scale transfer. Instead, I ended up settling on an entirely different project.

Mine, which revolves around a pinhole camera, explores the idea of process. First, I made lumen prints by placing several sheets of photo paper in the sun with organic matter on top. This took approximately 4-6 hours per print. I had to have them in the direct sunlight, but needed them to stay still. I played with only having some of the plants on the paper for half the time, for blocking out the light and making geometric patterns, etc. I explored the idea of time in a longer exposure process and with different organic matter on top of the paper, having heard that different plants could sometimes bring out interesting colors in the paper. Once I had gather a sufficient number of prints, I scanned them into Photoshop and inverted the colors, figuring that the bluish hue would look relatively good on the silver sheet metal.

I practiced transfers on the wood (using both supersauce and matte medium, transfer transparency and magazine pages) and on metal, both sheet and copper. On the metal, I tried both the images I had scanned and those I had inverted, figuring that I would at least see how the colors turned out when put onto this different surface. My prediction was correct and the inverted colors looked the best on the sheet metal. After determining this, I looked up how to make a pinhole camera and debated between a square model and a cylindrical one. My paper models were relatively helpful in figuring out how I needed to bend the metal in order to make the camera. I ended up with a cylinder, hoping that it would give a fisheye effect. It took a significant amount of time to create the actual camera. I transferred my prints onto the metal and then bent it into the round shape. I then pop riveted the sides together and painted the insides black. I had a lot of problems with getting the inner shape to remain light tight. I then cut two pieces of wood. One circular, for the end with the hole, and one a flat, smooth square for the end. I painted the insides black and drilled a hole in the front of the camera. I then cut a small piece of sheet metal and covered the hole, after using a pin to poke a small hole through the center. I painted the entire end black, while the back of it has a transfer on one side and black on the other. The entire process of making the camera took a long time. I found it difficult to make light tight and did it all free hand without an example to go off of. Looking back, had I taken that approach I might have been able to spend more time on trying to capture images.

When I actually started using the camera, I started with still lifes while trying to get a feel for the time needed. I then moved to the hallway outside of the darkroom. I got a print at 9 minutes and so used that to base the rest of exposures. None of the others turned out. The times ranged from 1 minute (1) to 12ish minutes (the majority) to an hour. My original plan was to get some pinhole shots and then scan and transfer on some new material. However, I was so completely consumed by my feeble attempts to get some sort of image, I couldn’t move past this.

I’m disappointed. I know that the point of this class is to experiment and learn from mistakes and move on, while improving, but it is still discouraging to be so completely derailed by this sort of hiccup. I spent an upwards of 4.5 hours on the attempt of getting the proper exposure alone. To be honest, my presentation style will not be what I originally meant for it to be. I will probably show my camera and my prints, but unfortunately don’t have time to push it to the extent that I wanted. If I could change things another time around, I would use a pre-made container, such as an oatmeal canister, as a camera, and so much more experimentation with the image process rather than building process, although learning about how to make a camera, as well as how to make lumen prints, was really fascinating.

I went into this with a vague understanding of what I needed to do to make a camera and then went from there. I was totally in the dark. I have only worked with digital pinhole cameras outside, not a manual one inside. Every piece of research I read never indicated that I would need to expose for upwards of an hour. I honestly think that some of my problems came from how thick the wood was that I put a hole in for the actual pinhole part. I think that it had the possibility of really messing up the shot. I have to admit, however, I did completely expose a small piece of paper at the beginning of the process, just to make sure that the paper was still good (since I “borrowed” it from my uncle and it is rather old). All in all, it was a painful learning experience. Eventually, I just had to learn to accept the fact that it was not going according to plan and that there was very little I could do about it. I didn’t particularly like this path… But I dealt with it because I was running out of time.

I kind of liked the prints that I got. I thought that they were weird and ghostly but I was relatively disappointed that I did not get the image that I aimed for. When I was setting up the show, I tried a little tongue-in-cheek with my presentation. The point of this project was cyclical process, of continuing to push every new product into a new cycle of production. Unfortunately, while a solid idea, I only got through part of the first cycle. The product, in my eyes, was incomplete. There were deliberately loose threads  left hanging by the deadline and so the tape, with the hand writing and commentary, was meant to poke fun at that. I am definitely going to keep revising my camera until I get a print that I am satisfied with.

This course was unbelievably valuable. While I did not do as well in this art class as I have in others, I learned so much. At the beginning of the semester, I had put myself in a box (lets be serious, I'm still in a box). I didn't know how to push myself and was rather tentative in seeing how far I could encourage the product. I didn’t have the experience necessary, I thought. I wasn’t as informed about off-the-wall artists or weird techniques and those that I was aware of, I never dreamed of emulating. Their products and process seemed like a wild dream, something almost unattainable. This class changed my view of that. I think that I never really considered myself as one who constantly stayed within the lines of propriety. I always felt like I was pushing them in some way. I think that, as far as my art, I was pushing the lines, but from within the box. Taking the course and seeing my classmate’s projects and interests and hearing their critiques and all of the artists that they loved and emulated really, really inspired me. I was surrounded by a plethora of talent and I have to say that, on a regular basis, I felt like I should not have been in the class, simply because the expertise and projects around me were so amazing. I appreciate this experience. I wish that I had engaged in more dialogue with my classmates, as many of them are simply brilliant and have so much talent. I learned from them the most I think. In a way, I wish I could redo this class with the knowledge that I have now. I want to go back and redo each project with the mindset of the last project – that the process never ends and that, if it is my intent, I can continue to build upon each “finished” product, stretching its meaning and making even more connections.

Blargh

I am going to shoot on the boat today. My roommates have class and our bathroom can easily be turned into a darkroom. I'm just going to throw a towel under the door and put a red filter over a dim flashlight. I think instead of trying to figure out how to focus it, etc, I am just going to shoot with my digital pinhole to figure out how long the paper should be exposed for. Instead of transferring onto something, I might just develop the paper and then scan in the prints and put them on something cool. I'm not sure, but I need to do these pinhole shots in order to figure that out... In any case, once I finish shooting, I am going to put another layer of the lumen print transfer over top of what is there now. I think another, nice layer needs to go on.

EDIT: Roommates were there the whole time and it was a waste.

It is made.

Still need a touch up layer of transfer on the outside and then to actually make the prints!

Helpful...

http://www.pinholeresource.com/shop/home

This is harder then I thought. I need to finish constructing it tomorrow- Didn't have access to the materials I needed over the weekend. I don't know what I'm doing!!!

What I did today!

Edited the photos to make them higher contrast since my experiments had a slightly bluish tint to the metal that gave a clear delineation for the end of the image. Hopefully this will solve that! Pics of my metal experiments below...

Attempts with a small sheet of copper

With the grinding underneath

Other side of the copper

A different approach entirely

This is what I did on the Tuesday before break:

Practiced transfer onto wood, thinking that the majority of my project would be creating a giant transfer on wood and then hollowing for a tree and some young sprouts.

After a detailed conversation with my uncle about alternative process and pinhole cameras over break, I have changed my project to something entirely different.

Yesterday, I made some lumen prints. I took black and white photography paper and put it in the sun for approximately 4 hours with organic matter, such as straw leaves and flowers, making patterns on top. My paper was a dark blue before I put it in the fixer.

 And turned a golden tawny tan color after the fixer.

 I am not sure whether it is supposed to be that color but I have a feeling that the brand and age of the paper might have something to do with it.  I have scanned them into photoshop and inverted the colors. I thought that the inverted colors would look great on the metal, but wanted to give myself multiple options, so I will be experimenting with both colors on the metal.

After I practice transferring them to the metal, want to bend the metal and make a pinhole camera. I might shoot from the upper deck of the ship, or I may try to focus on organic matter, much like the kinds that created the patterns in the lumen prints. Another option I have, is focusing on metal objects that look organic in shape. I decided to do this instead of the other idea I had because my original idea seemed to dead end rather quickly. I take photos, print them  large and then transfer onto wood, then hollowing out eyes or mouths and put a plant through it. I feel like this project follows along more with the theme of the class, simply because I can push it in so many different directions.




11-29 Practice Transfer to metal; Set up more lumen prints, procure some plexis for easier setup; Build pinhole models out of paper; determine whether I want to make a square camera or a circular one. 

Making it... I measured in increments of one inch. Each surface is an inch long, with half inch extensions that will overlap so I can pop rivet them together.

Finished box...

Pieces of the box. Having it laid out like this will help significantly when bending the metal. 4.5 inches long with two 1in flaps to overlap and bend in. A cap 1x1 for the end

Cylindrical model

If I try to make an end out of metal, it will probably end up having gaps  and such. So,  what I was thinking was I could create an end out of a circle of wood, slightly larger then the end of the tube. I could notch it so that the sheet metal cylinder fits inside. It would be lighttight and than I could transfer onto the wood and use some of the matte medium skills I learned before break.

Determined: I will be making a cylindrical pinhole. Have to figure out dimensions, but my model is 4 in across and the base is approx 1in.


Supersauce transfers!!!

The sauce went on and looked cracked...

12-1 Build the camera; Pop rivet, caulk the overlapping seams and paint the inside black. Hit the dark room and cut several photo papers the right size to fit in the back of the camera


**Shoot over the weekend (Or finish making the camera, depending which is more relevant) **


12-6 Shoot/ develop the photos
12-8 Make improvements and continue to work on final prints and presentation for final critique


The point is that the camera and its pieces will both be art.There is an artist (whose name I forget) who make pinhole cameras out of objects and then photographed related objects with his... It was continuous circles of art...

http://jerryburchfield.com/techniques.htm
http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Pinhole_Camera.htm

Ideas for Project 3

1. Grow stuff, carve wood holder, transfer image onto it, sand and dig into wood to mess with image.
2. Make a cube, hang strips of fabric from the inside, images on the inner ones, projects onto the outer ones. spinable. http://eyebeam.org/projects/lumarca

3. Document stories, edit out parts of the face, project on building or tree
4. Imagistic representation of the pain from child molestation. http://eyebeam.org/projects/ruins-carcinomas
5. Free association experiment and documentation (for inspiration?)
6. Film lights, light writing, on mirror or blocks of glass, black light underneath


http://eyebeam.org/people/mary-mattingly

Reflection of Reflections.

Pictures to be posted later!

This project was interesting for several reasons. I think that most of the time in art classes, there is an expectation to be working under loose guidelines, mostly given free reign as far as how a project plays out. We are given an abstract idea and asked to make it concrete or to further the abstraction but add some sort of visual elements. As was stated in the prompt for this piece of writing, this project was utilitarian. We were working under strict guidelines and expectations from a team of programmers who had little to no experience with art or the process behind providing them with figures and pieces for their game. However, they were extremely respectful of Elizabeth and I, allowing us to give them input and suggest things. In a way, this may have worked against us, as I think some of the suggestions that we made prompted them to think of other elements that they wanted us to make.

I think that working within a team is always an interesting experience. I know that oftentimes, it puts a lot more stress on the group and that sometimes the lines of communication close, but I feel that, at least in this instance, it worked well. We did not run into any large problems. They did give us a number of elements to make very close to our deadlines, but at least they remained open to dialogue throughout the entire process and supportive of the time and feedback we needed to continue. I greatly enjoyed working with our computer science group. While I think that they gave us a little too much to do right before our deadlines, I found that they were entertaining to talk to, delightful to receive feedback from and very supportive in how they gave suggestions and vice versa.

Obviously, there were a number of personal complications that arose throughout this process. With the mold move out and missing the mid-project review of progress, I was set back mildly. I would choose to change this about the experience. However, even with those minor complications, I felt that this was a great learning experience and opportunity. I think that it would be interesting to all work in one area – both the programmers and the designers, so that there was a constant dialogue. I think, had we interacted more throughout the process, or perhaps outside of it, that we could have developed a closer relationship (not that it was not close, as is) and perhaps received more feedback and felt more able to voice our entire opinion. Not many people are willing to speak up to people that they do not know very well and ask for something to be done differently or better. On the programmers’ side, Kate was the most outspoken, but I think that oftentimes she felt limited by her group mates’ quietness.

On a smaller scale, splitting this project into pieces was necessary because of the volume or work but working with another artist was interesting. I think that at the beginning of the project, when we really weren’t sure what sprites were (and were daunted by the list of them that we received) we divided up the work based on the number of things we needed to make. However, since the sprites only needed to move one or two body parts and their motion was not complex, I think that the amount of work needed for the sprites turned out to be much less than we expected. On a few occasions she was able to give me some feedback on my drawings that was helpful – especially since it is one of her specialties and a weakness of mine.

It is interesting to think about this process and experience in relation to the “real” world. Obviously, the challenges and rewards of such a process will differ with each situation, but I found it exciting to work outside of the box. I was interesting working within an art group and then that group collaborating with another group. Out of Elizabeth and I, I was the most connected to the computer science students. Ariel (one of compsci peeps) and I ended up forming a sort of friendship by the end of this process. She was often the only person out of their group who could meet and so, she and I met up a few times one on one to discuss progress and different stylistic choices. I would then bring this feedback back to Elizabeth and the two of us would collaborate.

There was a lot of collaboration on this project, throughout the entire process. I think this is what made it so interesting to think about. While working in a group tends to slow down the process, and may involve a lot of backtracking, it is more intense in some ways. We were all bouncing ideas off of each other the entire time. I cannot imagine what sort of dynamic a large team of programmers and artists would have. Would they work closely as one big group? Would they have a head for each section that would meet, make decisions and dictate those decisions to the various groups? Has there ever been a game developed by artists? In this instance, the programmers came to us with a plot and characters and an idea in mind and we had to conform to what they wanted. I wonder how it would be the other way around. What if the artists developed a concept and story and then went to programmers and requested that they make it? I think that it may change the process entirely and I really wonder what impact it would have on the artists’ creativity. They would have no stylistic limits anymore, except for those they placed on themselves.

That being said, maybe it would be a different and new way to approach the project next year. I do not know whether programmers are always in charge, but it would be interesting to rearrange it so that it was the other way around and the designers also played a part in the structuring and storyline of the actual game. I think that this would also help the designers feel more a part of the game and might work in keeping the entire group accountable.

Overall, I think that this was a valuable experience. I know that at the beginning there was a lot of stress and questioning, but I feel that on most accounts, that sprung from an uneasiness of being presented with something new and unexpected. Once we settled into the level of production that was needed, we were able to reach a sort of rhythm. Starting is always the hardest part, particularly if you are unfamiliar with a concept. I know that I personally had to do a lot of research on videogames and elements, etc. as I was unfamiliar with what was really expected of me. And I think that as the process continued, we each grew to understand and accept our programmers. By the end of this process, I feel that people felt that they had done the best that they could with particular relation to the communicative and artistic efforts. All in all, an interesting growing and learning experience that certainly shed some light on what realistic career-like environment might be like. Very cool!