Book Reflective Essay

Addressing questions 1, 2, and 4:

The skills I have learned over this course which served me best on this avant-garde / concept book were type, cropping and layering. By applying the proper layers, I was able to have a well-organized set of mustache dummies on either side of my photograph and descriptions. Other than those I only needed to apply basic paint bucket techniques, as well as those applying to simple shape manipulation for the title page, as well as applying previously shopped pictures, which required the use of the color manipulation pallet.

As for the possibility of a production schedule, I am feeling that it is a good idea more and more each and every day. This term I sort of just let things happen for a while, and when I started missing deadlines, I also started to apply a better sleeping schedule. For a while I thought I was completely screwed when I failed to turn in the scratch and poster assignments on time, and when I heard that I could still get a decent amount of credit, I sort of turned myself around, making sure to get everything done on time and develop an effective study schedule. I intend to work on this over the summer to make myself a more efficient and punctual guy.

What will I do with my book? Well, that is unknown in this moment. A few people are coming to mind in which I might show my work, but for the most part, I’m sure I’ll just keep it with the family in the long run. Over breaks I can take a look at it, go all nostalgia and be like “Hey! Remember that time I made that book? Cool man, back to the shelf!”

Final Book (Week 3)

All pages are listed in order.

Book Scraps (Week 2)

The design of my book is still in contemplation, however, I am making progress.

All mustaches have been snapped and shopped.

I took a day in downtown Ashland to find these guys, and I'm happy to say they were very amused at the idea of the project. There was a tiny bit of struggle, but I'd say overall that this was a pretty fun collection process, and a good day entirely!

I still have one more 'stache to snap, but I'll make that a surprise for the final product. =D

Book Proposal (Week 1)

For my book, I am going to take an in depth look at mustaches. I will take a day to stroll around town with some friends, find random people with mustaches, and take their picture. What might a mustache say about a person? The simple answer is “power.” However, I intend to make a closer observation. Could the mustache point to insecurity or insecurities? If so, why? Everyone would have their own reason I suppose, so I don’t think I’ll be able to make a full psychological report on these individuals. However, I will go as far as I can without feeling uncomfortable.

The mustache has always been something I too have wanted to grow. Even when I was a little kid, I thought they were the most awesome thing ever. This is probably because I played a lot of Super Mario Bros. when I was a kid. I probably wanted to grow one back then because I thought it would make it so goombas and giant turtles would start popping up everywhere, and I could kill them by jumping on them, without any bloodshed or gore whatsoever! Then after I would walk ahead, I could turn around and those same creatures would be completely rematerialized without a scratch on them, and I could kill them again! Naturally when I got a little older, I still retained that I thought a mustache would be cool, but to this day I fail to grow a decent one. Something tells me I’ll have a lot of fun on this project.

Poster Results and Essay

Addressing questions 1, 2, and 5:

The two themes I chose for this project were the movie poster and the band flyer. I chose these two because I used to be in a band, and I had a few old pictures of it which I could easily make into a poster or two. As for the movie, well…who DOESN’T want to be in a kick-ass movie?

The tools I used the most extensively were the magic wand and the lasso. Both of these were crucial in the making of the poster, in order to properly crop my own shadow away from my friend Mikes, so it would look a little less awkward, and a little more kick-ass. Though it was challenging, I found it to be a very good learning experience- I’ve always wanted to be skilled with photoshop, and what better way to achieve it than with homework that forces it? It was interesting using the writing pad, as this was the most effective way to use the lasso in order to effectively crop myself.

I wanted my pictures to impress the audience with a little feature I like to call…awesome subtlety- designs very simplistic, yet simplistic in an impressive way. I think it’s actually difficult to verbally describe it, however I come across a lot of situations like that. I remember writing a poem about the intricacy of subtlety, and the fact that sometimes more complex things can be more simplistic, and vice versa (obviously). Though maybe it’s not obvious- maybe you think I’m weird, but that’s fine too.

A damn shame- I was pressed for time, so I couldn't figure out how to insert the steeltongs credit font at the bottom. I might update this later with steeltongs pic.

Scratch Results and Essay

What was it like working with flat colors? Surprisingly, it was like something else that is fairly easy. The only difference between the use of these flats and continuous tones was a bit of a challenge effectively mixing colors. How I chose which colors to use in the end? Well, simply put I chose what I thought looked nice. Naturally there were situations where some color combinations looked better than others. Some represented euphoric feelings, and others pointed more towards an infant’s vomit.

As for the shapes, well I could explain how I came up with each and every one of them, but the fact is that I just did what came to me on the spot. My personal favorite out of this project is the idea bulb- so simplistic, yet clever and overall humorous. As for the project that consumed the most time, well that would be the anagram for an old jam band I had back in high school. We called ourselves “When Time Fails.” Naturally when reflecting upon my old days as a serious metal-head, I thought I’d come up with a logo that was at least equally as well…metal!

The dandelion picture is actually something I enjoyed making. I love it when I come up with mixtures of elements that would not click in everyone else’s head. I imagine playing a game of cards and playing with dandelions, ripping them out of the ground and destroying them, until I came across one with a spade as the bud. That is one flower I could not destroy.

Picture Results and Reflective Essay

Addressing questions 1, 2, and 3:

I feel I learned a great deal more from the “Alphabet Soup” portion of this assignment. “Picturing the Other” was very simplistic for about two thirds of the assignment, and choosing my stranger was a mystery to me at first. “Who am I going to pick?” and “Where am I going to find them?” were the most important questions on my mind about it. I am sure there were many other random questions, but I don’t really care what they were anymore. Alphabet soup forced me out of my creative shell, to absorb my surroundings in finer detail, to make the most seemingly subtle objects into something much bigger on a larger (yet still subtle) scale.

Approaching my other was simultaneously easy and difficult. There was cooperation, but I felt as if I were forcing it…as if it were never something I would normally do. I guess your emotions can be simplistic, at least part of the time. I chose him because of his unique choice in clothing. I’m not exactly sure what kind of hat or turban that was supposed to be, but it also struck me as a sort of shower towel, like what the ladies wear when they get out of the shower. Also his scarf was pretty unique as well…well, sort of. It was mostly the towel turban that got me.

I adjusted the final picture of the other by utilizing the vibrance and photo filter panels. The effect intended was to mix normality and abnormality, perhaps to visually explain that there really is no such thing as normality, that each and every one of us have our own little abnormalities that make the word “normality” seem like some word that an insecure child uses to make himself feel better. This picture helps to explain that it is not normality that man or woman should seek, but only personal security. Love who you are, because the potential that lies in all of us will be wasted with hatred.

Picturing the Other:

Me:

My Bro, Seaton:

Someone Else:

Alphabet Soup: