Fear

There are a lot of ways to describe fear but one thing that is certain is that it causes anxiety. My biggest fear is probably missed opportunity. I dont want to look back on my life and regret not meeting my full potential. This video is an example of people that live life to the fullest, take chances, and push them to the limit. I’m not sure how any one else will react but it always makes me feel like shit.

Greatest Contribution

I decided to go into 3D animation in media arts because I wanted to make visuals to go along with live music (behind the band on screen). A music video would be cool too. I want my animations to take the audience deeper into the music so that they can get lost in it. An example would be the clips done by Colonel Blimp for the Incubus: Alive at Red Rocks DVD but I cant find the video. More specifically, I would like the animations to be based on transitions and transformations like the use in the show Superjail or in some disney movies.

 

 

How to Read a Book

Go to a library, bookstore, or your own book collection and look through the books. Please do not read any. Just pay attention to what catches your eye.

• · What is it that stands out to you?

Books that have culy fonts and unusual colors

• · Why?

They  spark my interest as to what is inside. I like books that look like there are secrets or spells inside.

Choose a red book and open it to page 6. Close your eyes and put your finger on the page somewhere.

• · What did you find?

Blank page

• · If it landed on white space, what is the white space surrounding?

The page is completely white, ironically the book starts on page 7

• · Can you imagine the white space as a sea and the other parts (words, pictures, etc.) as islands floating in white water or space?

The white space compels me to fill it with something.  Plain white paper should always be broken up with something.

Using your other senses, explain what the paper feels like.

• · Is it slick or rough?

Kind of slick, slightly rough

• · What does the cover feel like?

The cover feels somewhat like a snake skin

• · Can you feel the ink of the words if you close your eyes?

no

• · Do different colors feel different with your eyes closed?

no

• · What else can you discover about the paper?

It looks like a cheap paper that’s been dyed

• · What about the cover?

I think the cover could protect the pages from everything but fire and water

Without destroying the book, unless you own it and want to, see if you can figure out how the book was constructed.

• · Is it stitched?

Yes

• · Is it glued?

yes

• · Is there any cloth on this book or is it all paper?

Might be cloth near the stitching

• · Is it a hardback or paperback?

hardback

Flip through the pages and look at the end papers.

• · Is there any writing in the book, other than the printing?

no

• · If there is no writing in the book then how does it make you feel to know you are the first person (possibly) to think about it?

It makes me feel like i picked a really boring book

Examine the book more.

• · Are there any stains on the book?

no

• · Are there any fingerprints?

This book is disturbingly flawless

• · What do they look like?
• · How might they have happened?

Look at the pages of the book.

• · What is the color of the pages? I bet they are not really white.

A mix of off-white shades

• · How would you describe the color? Is it warm or cold? Bright or dull, etc.

Cold and dull. Very boring

• · What other visual things can you explore with the book?

Some interesting illustrations on the contraptions used to brew beer

Think about the history of this book.

• · Can you see any other evidence that someone else has handled this book?

One of the pages is bent

• · What are the edges of the pages like? Describe them.

Straight and sharp as a knife

• · Can you imagine what someone else might have been thinking as they read this book?

They might have been wondering if they could sue the maker of the book for not putting on a warning label to watch out for the sharp paper.

• · Do you think anyone else has used this book like you are right now instead of reading it?

It’s a book about brewing beer so I’m sure many people display it in their homes to create the illusion that they are a beer junky

Flip through the pages quickly.

• · Can you hear the sound? If so, describe it.

I can hear the movement of air and the slapping of pages

• · If not, what is your experience like?
• · Can you feel the breeze?

yes

• · Can you move something with the wind generated from the book?

I can ash my cigarette with the wind

• · Could you use this book to win a game you created using the book’s wind power?

I wouldn’t bet money on it

Drop the book on the floor.

• · What did you experience?

Very loud. Might have almost bounced

• · Did you sense the vibrations the book made?

Yes, but just once

• · Did you feel it in your feet?

yes

• · Take your shoes off. Now drop the book. Was there any difference?

A more distinct vibration

Hold the book between your hands with one hand on each cover and the book closed. Close your eyes.

• · Is the book cold? Hold it like that for at least one minute.

Yes it’s cold

• · Now feel the cover. Can you feel the temperature change from where your hands were to where they were not?

Yes.  Usually things get warm when you hold them

• · Have you ever been aware of this before when you were holding a book to read it?

Yes.

• · If your heat transfers in this situation and you noticed it because I asked you to, why do you think you have never noticed it before?

I’ve noticed it before. It happens with anything I come in contact with for an extended period of time.

 

Smell the book.

• · What does the smell make you think of?

It really doesn’t have much of a smell. This book appears to be straight out of the print factory

• · If you can’t think of anything, describe the smells you can sense. (Interesting fact: Did you know that I have friends [many librarians, actually] who choose their books partly based on how they smell? Honestly.)

I really cannot smell anything.

I do not recommend tasting the book for health and safety issues… 🙂

Now, finally, read the first page. If it is just pictures, read the story of the pictures.

• · What is the title of this book?

A textbook of brewing.

• · Based on the first page, explain why you think the book was titled that.

It’s a book about brewing beer

Reflect back on this entire exericise.

• · What is your experience like with the book now that you have experienced it differently?

I think I would have had a lot more fun with this assignment if I had picked a better read book

• · Do you still find books to be boring, assuming you did in the first place?

BOOKS ARE DEFINITELY NOT BORING. I spend hours in bookstores

• · What, if anything has changed for you in regards to books?

Old books are way more interesting to interact with

Now think about this class.

• · How did I “fishbowl” this assignment?

We had to follow a list of instructions when before we had none.

• · What do you think the point is of this exercise?

To take the time to stop and observe something in a way that we normally wouldn’t think of

• · What can you take from this exercise that might help you with future projects?

To make use of my other senses, not just sight and hearing.

Senses (Sept 18 2012 Recap)

I think it was interesting to turn off the lights in class the other day. It’s crazy how much you focus on your other senses when you can’t rely on sight. It’s also interesting that your eyes eventually adjust in the dark.

Breaking the Rules

For this assignment I wanted to break some of my rules that I have for painting. The only problem is that there isn’t a lot that you can’t do in art today. With all the speed and efficiency that comes with Media Arts projects, I find it harder to make decisions with traditional art- so much that I don’t finish anything. While painting recently, I’ve found that I’m too scared to make mistakes or mess up what I already have done. For this project I decided to take a still life painting that I never finished, and use any resources I had available to add to it. I drew in charcoal and sharpie over it, glued on scraps of paper, and even weaved paper through holes i cut in the painting. It felt good to have zero reservations about what I did to the painting, and it turned out to look pretty interesting.

Memories (9-10-2012 Class recap)

Out of all of the class projects that were supposed to be memorable, I think Brandon’s “Ginger” song sticks with me the most. It was funny and a pretty well put together song.

cookies

I have no idea how to make the “sound” or “feel” of a cookie interesting. For some reason all I can think about is this comedian Dov Davidoff who did a bit about gay men and cookies. Here is a video, if you don’t want to watch the whole thing, fastforward 1:20 min in.

Fish Bowling- Something memorable

For this assignment I have had a horrible time attempting to narrow down my list of options which are infinite. I decided to cling to the “fish bowl” idea and the advice that something tangible is more memorable for others. With this I have decided to bring a live betta fish to class and have everyone vote on a name. If the creator of the winning name wants the fish, then it is theirs to keep. If they don’t want the fish, then we can either keep it as a “class pet” or I’ll just bring him home. My original idea was to have the class make names for two beta fish and bet on the winner in Betta Death Match, but I figured someone in class would have issues with abusing fish (even though it’s the natural way of these fish).  I think it will be unsual for anyone to forget that they had a live fish sitting on their desk in class today. (However, a Betta Death Match would have been more memorable.)

 

Yesterday’s Egg Projects

The egg projects that stood out for me were:

The egg in the “classic senior” photos. She used almost every senior portrait cliche I’ve ever seen, and the photos looked nice.

The 3 viles in the leather pouch that were filled with the “essence” of a chicken/egg. It makes me think of witchcraft and I like that.

Egg Creatures