April 08, 2008

Mapping

12:28 PM | Comments (0) | Ping

March 28, 2008

Third Poster

Alright, so I've been working on my third poster for the Ginsberg competition for three hours now. I don't think I'm making much progress, but this Freshens smoothie added with Mega Booster sure is helping me stay awake.

Perhaps it'd be better to go back to bed?

05:23 AM | Comments (0) | Ping

March 19, 2008

Photographic Documentation Notes

Camera Settings
A. Color Mode/Settings/Space - default SRGB (web); use Adobe RGB 1998; can change in PS
B. ISO (image sensor's threshold sensitivity to light) - very low is best (greater resolution, less noise); 100-200 recommended
C. Image Quality (size, format, bit depth) - camera raw (general) is best; then .tiff, then .jpeg; higher luminence levels are best; if .jpeg, choose largest file size, least compression
D. White Balance - best setting may be "automatic;" or maybe tungsten
E. Auto/Manual Exposure (aperture preferred setting) - measuring amount of light reflected off of item; use instant light meter or neutral gray card; if not exposure, use +/-; have friend help
F. Manual Focus - when not able to focus due to solid colors

Lighting Techniques for 2D
A. Use tripod, shutter release cable or self-timer setting; shutter speed 1/4-1/15 of a second
B. Lighting should be even
C. Use gray card or white balance card for exposure/color balance

Lighting Techniques for 3D
A. Drape seamless background paper over table(s)
B. Use single soft light source/reflectors to fill shadows
C. Experiment with placement of light/camera angle
D. Take more than one view of artworks

05:16 PM | Comments (0) | Ping

March 10, 2008

Successful Photo Printing

I had never done a screen-print with a gradient (and this was my second/third time screen printing), but my photo print turned out really well! I'm glad. I also really appreciate Nancy for helping me prepare my screen prior to photo printing.

I'm also hoping to visit Michael's one day to buy some plain shirts so that I can screen print on them.
Monkey see, monkey do; Matt was printing on a t-shirt, and I didn't realize the print could be so clean and vibrant on fabric.

01:17 PM | Comments (0) | Ping

February 13, 2008

Neologisms & Notes

I completely underestimated how hard it is to make up neologisms. I'm sure I've used some myself, but I don't remember any of them. I don't think anyone can make one up when told to, but I attempted:

crapintosh
crapple
bashathon
penamps
pamps (short for Penny Stamps)
aestheticology
greenitecture
procraspidemic
pommons (short for Pierpont Commons)
affectuality
articology
aestheticus studorius

I'm aware that none of them are good, except for, maybe, pamps and pommons. (I thought they were cute.) But then! I thought up one last neologism: creative bankruptcy. I thought I was clever, but when I googled the term to see if it had been used, I was disappointed to know that someone had already thought of it. Great.

Oh, and before I forget:

Carbon Dust
-flat sable brush 1/8-3/4
-use lighter to shape brush
-dust (candy tin)
-coated paper
-knife #15
-wolf carbon pencil
-watch surface paper texture
-pencil (graphite) + dust don't mix
-gouache (opaque watercolor)

Photo Printing
-leave in light for 8 mins.
-1 1/2 drying time
-warm water to wash

Scanning
-extra large
-1600 resolution

10:03 PM | Comments (0) | Ping

February 05, 2008

Extensions: Part 2

Photo courtesy of Michelle Folkman.

The body extensions project has finally come to a close. Everybody's busy uploading photos, and I must say, props to Pete Hall for taking such beautiful photographs. Pictures aside, the extensions themselves were just as, if not more, gorgeous and, for the most part, very well thought out. Here are my photographs of everyone's projects: umich.edu/~cail/cfc.

06:39 PM | Comments (0) | Ping

February 01, 2008

Mackintosh & Screen-Printing

Charles Mackintosh:
-Born in Glasgow, Scotland
-Architect and designer
-Trained at Glasgow School of Art (one of the top art schools!)
-Preferred simplistic designs with geometric shapes, long/simple curves, and flat surfaces
-Supports functionality and practicality
-Component of Art Nouveau style
-Influenced 20th century trend towards simplicity

I couldn't help but fall in love with Mackintosh's unbuilt architectural designs!

On an unrelated note, I like my Phoenix stencil/image. I was hoping someone would ask me about the shapes inside the Phoenix, on its breast. It wasn't random! It was what I call a caricature of the Chinese character for my last name. A long title, I know, but that's what it is. Plus, I made it seem like it was the Phoenix's skeleton! How about that, huh, huh?
Great, I'm boasting to myself again.

Note to self:
Upload Phoenix picture.

07:14 PM | Comments (0) | Ping

January 21, 2008

Communication

Communication adds to current knowledge, and we have to have basic information in order to make something out of it.

You know, making stencils is a pretty tedious process, even if they are relatively simple stencils.

Note to self:
Research Damian Hirst and Alex Katz.

02:24 AM | Comments (0) | Ping