Artist Talk - David Farrar

On March 9th I attended an artist talk with David Farrar. He graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 2013 with a focus in painting and print making.  He has worked in a variety of mediums including sculpture and most of his subjects to be captured are already made objects that he can manipulate in order to give the objects new identities. He typically likes to work with wooden objects that sometimes break down themselves into new forms. Farrar uses wooden pallets with variations of lights behind them in order to create shadows on surrounding walls. He also uses a technique similar to this but with natural lighting. He enjoys using everyday objects in a "dysfunctional manner." Over all I enjoyed the talk but I really liked looking at his portfolio to see even more of the works he has produced over the years. 
               
photos found at: http://david-farrar.com/

Artist Post- Yukio Miyamoto

Yokio Myiamoto is a vector artist who has been using Adobe Illustrator since its creation in the 80s. He focuses on using a combination of gradients and the gradient mesh tool in order to achieve the high dept of detail that is so common in his work. He is known for his photo realism and even more for the execution of reflective surfaces in the images he creates. To begin his process he typically starts with a photograph that he uses as a template to trace over using the pen tool. He creates basic shapes and makes prominent shapes to delineate the reflection on the objects. He has become so good with knowing how to use the software that he has even produced a book called "The Adobe Illustrator Super Guide" that is only currently available in Japanese at the time.

 

When I googled "Artist's that use Illustrator" I went through so many pages of artists that used bright colors and drew characters with cartoon features that when I came across Yukio Miyamoto I was instantly interested. His images were like any others that I had seen. His attention to detail is something that I personally admire because when I am working on paintings and drawings I always focus on getting the shading and reflections perfectly. I think that if I were to continue making artwork using Illustrator I would use a similar approach to Miyamoto to achieve the high level of realism. 

Info & Photos found at: 

http://www.automotiveillustrations.com/illustrators/vector-illustrator-miyamoto.html

Identify Yourself

This piece is interesting because the author tells us all what we are too afraid to say ourselves that we are becoming hard to identify without digital networks, or the internet in general. Everything is easily available at our fingertips and we often find ourselves questioning how those before us survived without it. I really enjoyed reading this article because it was witty and funny. Even though it was poking fun at how dependent we are on the internet it’s extremely relatable for almost everyone in my generation.

The most interesting part of this reading to me was the section labeled “The Body” and as I was reading it was literally in the position it was describing sitting in a chair with my hands curved over the keyboard and my feet on the ground as I learned to do in elementary school. It also mentioned the gaze we do as we stare aimlessly at the screen taking in information. It’s interesting how being on a computer has become second nature and we don’t even realize it anymore.

Vector Artist- Alexey Oglushevich

Alexey Oglushevich was born and raised in Magnitogorsk, Russia. He was never classically taught, rather was self-taught. His artistic journey began with drawing on canvas and paper using watercolors and oils, until the computer era was in full swing. His new stage of artwork began after he bought a computer and began learning how to use vector softwares including Adobe Illustrator, Xara, and CorelDraw, CorelDraw being his favorite. In 2009 Oglushevich won a Grand Prize of CorelDraw International Design Contest. 

Typically his artwork takes anywhere from 60 hours to 90 hours of work. The first step when creating his artwork is to choose a topic of interest, next he does a few sketches using a tablet or he takes a few photographs that will help his ideas come to life digitally. He then has to do the vector work which helps create the main forms of the composition which takes up the most time with long hours of editing included. 

Oglushevich enjoys sticking to the vector aspect of creating his artworks. In order to create the realistic images he uses the blending options which consist of multiple objects of different transparencies. He likes producing still life artworks because he likes to play with the lighting and the folds of fabrics. He also enjoys produce images of women. 

I couldn't find very much information about this artist but I really liked the digital artwork that he produced. My favorite part about it is that they don't look extremely realistic but it seems as if they are a drawn image. The lines are extremely smooth and blend into each other and this is an aspect that I would like to bring into my 2nd project that we are making. 

information found at: 

http://design.tutsplus.com/articles/interview-with-vector-artist-alexey-oglushevich--vector-5365

Line Drawing

Musical Line Drawing

Portrait Photos

Illustrator Signatures

Project 1

Artist Post 2

Young Deok Seo

Seo was born in 1983 and gratuated from the University of Seoul located in South Korea in 2010. His medium of choice to create his sculptures are old bike chains. His sculptures take on the shape of human form and by using only bike chain components he compares the standardization of modern life to the monotonous repetitive movement of the chain and its original function. Re-purposing the chain components replaces its functionality as a machine and gives it new "life." 

Seo says " I use immobile and cold textured form of a body to express our true nature that turned form the human nature to a property." 

Seo wraps miles of bicycle chains into the shape of the human body and puts emphasis on body language and on complex emotions. From a distance the chains appear as skin while beneath the surface they are hallow. This comments on the idea that what is on the outside does not always mean it is the same on the inside. 

Although I could not find too much information about this artist I am extremely impressed and love his work. My artwork is also influenced by the human body and I typically like to morph objects when drawing or sculpting so I loved finding an artist who was so influenced by the body and like to use a material that's original purpose was for art. I think finding this particular artist will help me expand my mind for future sculptures I may create. 

http://youngdeok.com/profile/biography/

Photo Fix on Photoshop

Before:

After:

Scan Collage

Experimental Scans

Nadal - Text Edits

 

Alien on a beach Gif

Technology Log- Monday 01/26/2015

9 AM - Alarm Clock on phone
9-9:10 - checked email, instagram and facebook
9:10-10:30- did laundry and watched tv
10:30-10:40 - listened to pandora on my walk to class
12-12:30 - listened to pandora while folding/ putting away clothes
12:30-1- watched netflix while doing homework
1:30-2:15- reading for class (online)
2:20-2:40- listened to pandora/ checked facebook, insta, and email
2:40-4:30 - took class notes on laptop
5-6 - did homework on laptop
6:30-7:40 - tennis team listened to music during practice
8-8:30 - worked on animation project in computer lab
8:50-9 - listened to music while showering
9:40-present - typed this blog post
rest of the night I will watch netflix or tv until I go to bed at 11:30 PM

I text often so it is difficult to keep track of that Total: about 10 hours

For this challenge we were told to take note of how often we use technology on a typical day. I was very busy this weekend and I know that the amount of technology I would have been far less than what it is for me on a typical school day which is why I waited until Monday to track my use because I was curious how much technology effects my personal life. 

I have come to the conclusion that I use technology a lot and I do not know where I would be without it. I also understand why my mom gets so upset with me when I am on my phone all the time. I realized that I turn on Pandora whenever I am alone because I do not like the quite very much and I often multitask like listening to music while doing homework or watching TV while folding clothes. I also noticed that the workload that I am doing for school right now is more computer dependent than the semesters I have had in the past. I am required to do most, if not all, of my readings that are posted on blackboard, typing notes for class are quicker and more efficient at times, and the homework I have to turn in is also online. 

What I hope to take from this experience is that I want to start limiting the amount of time that I am indulging in technology. I can start to print my readings, and maybe just taking a break from my phone for like and hour or two a day when I am doing my homework (it's distracting anyway). And I also hope that one day in the future I can go a full day without using technology. 

Artist #1 - Nancy Burson
After the reading we were assigned I was interested most in the work created by Nancy Burson because I have always loved the straight forward nature of photographs, typically what you see is what you get, but Burson is an artist who challenged the previous ideas of photographs expressing the truth. she produced her images with the use of digital manipulation. She also introduced the technology that age enhances the human face which helps law enforcement officials locate missing children and adults. Her early work includes composite silver prints of morphed images created on the computer

Businessman (10 businessmen from Goldman Sachs) 1982

Cat and Dog 1983

Human Race Machine

one of Nancy Burson's most famous works is a public artwork that was digitally created called the "Human Race Machine" (advertisement poster seen below). The quote "There's No Gene For Race" is the main text and it was originally created with the intent to discuss the issues of race and ethnicity. She wanted to acknowledge that race is not genetic, but socially influenced. The machine allows people to view themselves as a different race. This project was found around college campuses and in large museums around the globe. 

Her work has been found in museums all around the world including the MoMA, the Metropolitan Museum and the Whitney Museum in New York City as well as some in London, Paris, Washington DC,  etc. Nancy has also had guest spots on Oprah, CNN, Good Morning America and other popular tv shows.

Works Cited:http://nancyburson.com/