Final Image

Artist Statement

For the spectacle I wanted to make an image that represents self-discovery in a unique and shocking way. The idea of learning new things about yourself fascinates me, because in theory, no one knows you better than yourself, so when you do discover something about yourself it is a genuine, brand new discovery. I started out by thinking about what self-discovery means to me. I thought about how a person is completely controlled by their brain. The brain is where every bit of information on that person is stored. I thought I could represent self-discovery by showing someone literally dissecting his or her own brain and exploring it. I chose to use pictures of myself. The first one is of me sitting down, and then I photoshopped my head to make it look as if the top part of my head was cut off and my brain was opening up. The second picture is of me again using a flashlight and a knife to explore my own brain. I put myself in a dark, smoky setting to make it seem like an amateur experimental place, such as in a basement, similar to where Frankenstein was created. In my sketches I have some drawings of contortionists because I researched the term “spectacle” and read an article on how the term used to be associated with “freaks,”  so another idea I had was to create an image of people who would be considered freaks.

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Sketch 2

Sketch 1

Audrey Morton Kngwarrey

Audrey Morton Kngwarrey's landscapes are all composed of a series of strokes or shapes. This technique of portraying landscapes inspired me to try it myself.

Textured Pasture

Another idea I worked with was taking an image of a landscape and simplifying it into a pattern of abstract shapes. 

Gary Myers

I got inspiration from Gary Myer's landscapes because of the color schemes he uses. His artwork uses very vibrant colors that would not normally be found in the natural, organic settings he illustrates. 

Urban Island

My first idea for a digiscape was to take and urban, cityscape and make it feel vibrant and alive by altering the colors of it. I used an image that originally looked like a dull, run down, city area, and enhanced the colors in several different ways to make it look as if it was bursting with life and energy. I wanted this digiscape to relate to a Hawaiian sunset. When I visited Hawaii this past summer I was amazed by how colorful the sky becomes when the sun sets and was captivated by how unexpected it was. With that in mind, I made my cityscape extremely colorful to evoke that same unexpected factor. 

Alex Pardee

Alex Pardee's work helped give me inspiration for making the Disney park look demonic and nightmare-like. His landscape illustrations gave me an idea of how I could make my landscape look creepy in terms of content and color scheme. 

Disney Nightmare 2

After finishing my first image I realized my image was not the correct size I was supposed to be working with. This is the more compact version. I don't like it as much because it feels cramped to me. I don't know if it looks that way to an objective viewer, but it does to me because I literally was trying to cram as much as I could into the designated space. 

Disney Nightmare

This was my original digiscape. There are a few creepy creatures embedded throughout the image. It's hard to tell from seeing the image at this size, but there are ghosts in the sky, a skeleton crawling on the ground, and a man giving an evil gaze in the reflection of the water.

Digiscape Artists Statement

The digiscape I created resembles the landscape of a childhood nightmare. I began with an image of a Disney World amusement park. Initially, the image looked like it was supposed to portray a place of fun and magic. When I examined the photograph more carefully I noticed some things that gave it a bit of a creepy aura. The first thing I noticed was a big, dark, looming cloud in the sky. Then, the ferris wheel and Mickey Mouse rides reminded me of a circus with clowns. These small details inspired me to make, what is supposed to be a wonderful land, turn dark and scary. I also played with the idea of how Disney is meant to entertain children. I thought it would be ironic to make Disney World a place that embodies everything children tend to be afraid of.

To make my image of Disney World look more as if it were part of a nightmare, I began by altering the color of the sky. I made is a dark, yellowish-green color, which is often associated with zombies and ghosts and scary stories. To give my digiscape more depth. I extended the cloud and connected it to an image of a giant hand reaching towards the viewer. Then, I found an image of an evil Mickey Mouse and replaced it with the one on the rollercoaster. I added in some demonic looking creatures in obscure places so when the viewer does notice them it’s startling. I also added in some dark tree branches on the sides to give it more of a creepy feel.  

Final Infinite Print

For my final print I did some further research into the artist, Barbara Kruger. She did some pieces that comment on the mainstream and how it affects us. I used her style as inspiration to take my image further. In her artwork she makes bold statements in white, Futura Bold Oblique type on a red background, which she combines with a black and white image. 

Barbara Kruger
Untitled (I shop therefore I am)
111" by 113"
photographic silkscreen/vinyl
1987

I turned my image into a vector so I could make it bigger, then made it completely black and white and added the phrase "I see, therefore I believe" in the same style Barbara Kruger uses. I chose this phrase because I believe it describes how when we see people sporting high fashion labels we believe they are high class. It can also refer to the consumers of this product because they believe they can achieve a greater status if they are seen associated with a designer label. The girl in my final print is so blinded by this concept that she can't see that it shouldn't be just about the labels. There are tons of knock-off products that relatively low class people could afford, so buying designer products does not mean they actually will be of a higher class. If anything, they will be poorer from spending so much money for the label. 

Final Sketch

For my final print I used a picture I took of myself wearing sunglasses. I then added in the images I had of the designer brands and made them into a collage which I placed within the lens of the sunglasses. I made the photo black and white because I didn't want the face to be identified as anyone in particular. I also associate find that black and white photographs tend to be associated with sophistication, which is another facade people put on to appear high class. I kept a little bit of color in the lens so it would catch the viewer's eye and keep the focus on the lens, not the person wearing the glasses.

Sketches

I began this print by working with images of designer labels.

Infinite Print Artist Statement

For my infinite print I wanted to comment on how society seems to have this obsession with brand name fashion. People will spend hundred to thousands of dollars on items just for the label. These high end brands have become a symbol of high class and wealth. When we see people wearing designer brands it is typically assumed that that person has lots of extra money to spend on luxury items. It's fascinating how much people will spend, mainly for the purpose of showing off their economic status. I believe that in theory, when people make the choice to buy something for the brand name they are essentially buying themselves a high class reputation, whether they actually have it or not. For my infinite print I want to create an image of a girl who appears to be blinded by all the high end fashion labels. I want to show how people will get absorbed in the hype over designer brands, when in the end it should just be about the function of the product rather than its label. 

Final Image

Artist's Statement

       My definition of manipulation is to change something in such a way that makes it more geared towards an idea you want it to embody or portray. Manipulation is a prevalent part of society, particularly in the media. The vast majority of images used as advertisements are manipulated to make the product more desirable. For example, an advertisement for acne cream would use a photo of a person's face, but manipulate it so that person's skin looks completely clear and flawless so the spectator will believe that acne cream will give you skin as clear as the person's in the advertisement. Manipulation is used in artwork as well to change or enhance colors or certain aspects of the piece the artist would like to have emphasized. Photography in particular can be manipulated to make the subject look more vibrant. 

       For my project I started off using an image of Michael Phelps and manipulated it to look like he was smoking (from his marijuana scandal) and made the background look psychedelic, as if he was high. For my final however, I found a photograph from the news of the plane that crashed into the Hudson Bay that I want to manipulate. I am amazed by the miracle that everyone survived that crash. I wanted to enhance this by inserting hands that place the plane into the water, as if the hands were protecting the plane and its passengers. Above the plane in the water I made the plane appear as if it was a ghost and morphed into a dove that flies away. The intent is to show the beauty of miracles and is for anyone who believes in the power of hope. 

Sketch 10

Sketch 9

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Sketch 2

Same as sketch 1 but with O rings

Sketch 1

Manipulated Images 10

The manipulation of this image makes it very interesting to look at. I think it is supposed to demonstrate the elements, wind, fire and water. The way Rupert Truman manipulated this image makes it look very realistic. The man on fire is particularly done well, especially since it is probably all photoshopped since they would not actually light the man on fire. 

Manipulated Images 9

I am particularly amazed by this piece. The quality of the photograph is very crisp and Nik Ainley's manipulation was executed very well. This was clearly once a picture of a person jumping, but Ainley was able to replace any trace of that person and replace it with splashes of water. I wonder if this image is supposed to relate to how the majority of the human body is composed of water. Regardless of its meaning, it is very intriguing to look at. 

Manipulated Images 8

I really like how this photograph has been manipulated to partially painted. It makes the naturally beautiful bird, have a soft, artistic touch to it. The way Maciej Mizer handled the background with the paint splatters gives the image of the bird more picturesque. Mizer really enhanced the colors of the bird's plumage, making it more vibrant and alive.  

Manipulated Images 7

This image inspires me because it covers a topic that I have been interested in for a while and has been the subject of a lot of my artwork. I believe this image is supposed to portray body image. I have always been against the media objectifying the human body and putting such a strong emphasis on looking a certain way to be considered beautiful. Katrin Eismann's piece is a manipulated Victoria's Secret spread. Victoria's Secret is widely known for its super models who all have "perfect" bodies. I believe Eismann used this piece to demonstrate her views on how women are portrayed in the media. The way she made the spread look brown and dark seems to show her distaste and disgust with how Victoria's Secret uses women. 

Manipulated Images 6

I find this image very aesthetically pleasing. I really like the colorful, organic lines that appear to be glowing. I think this image would work very well as an advertisement. The bright colors makes me feel as if these shoes will make me energetic, and the glowing effect makes me believe I will be light on my feet. Overall, the manipulation of this image inspires me to get these shoes and go running, which I believe is what Pawel Nolbert intended.

Manipulated Images 5

I thought this image was cute and humorous. I believe it is a lighthearted way of portraying a high stress topic. The image of the cat that Sebastian Niedlich selected works perfectly. The cat looks young enough to have that cute, fluffy, innocent look, but ironically has a menacing pose. Even the cat's gaze works well for this image, the way it appears to be targeting in on the city. 

Manipulated Images 4

I really like how Fabio Sasso manipulated this image. This piece makes an ordinary girl look capable of something powerful and magical. This image inspires me because I enjoy manipulating images of people. I like the blend of the realistic photograph and the surreal enhancements Sasso made because it stimulates the imagination.

Manipulated Images 3

I find this image very beautiful and inspiring. Patrick Ohlsson took a picture that captures the essence of nature and gave it a surreal twist. The colors and highlights Ohlsson used in the sky gives it a majestic look. It makes me think about the universe and higher powers that may exist.

Manipulated Images 2

Sky by Arthur Savchenko
www.creative-3d.net

Arthur Savchenko manipulated a picture of the sky to make it appear as if a woman's face is among the clouds. This image seems to demonstrate the idea of clouds forming to make recognizable shapes and images. Savchenko's manipulation made the clouds have especially distinct forms and details to create this woman's face, who looks like she may be Audrey Hepburn. The sky and clouds are associated with heaven, so the woman's ghostly appearance among them might indicate that she has passed away and is looking down from heaven.

Manipulated Images 1

The media often displays images of people who appear the have an ideal appearance. Because of this, our society is constantly working towards achieving what the media has designed as the "prefect" look. What many people do not realize though is that images in the media are often manipulated. Through photo manipulation, people can be made to look skinnier, tanner, more muscular, eliminate blemishes, and so much more. Holger Pooten's image reminded me of how the human body can easily be portrayed in whatever way the artist wants it to. This image was designed for a weight loss advertisement. Pooten's aim was to enlarge someone's backside so it would emphasize the slogan, "Junk in the Trunk?" Though this woman's body looks unrealistically disproportional, the flawlessness of the photo manipulation makes this image convincing.