Thursday, Oct 1st, 2015
Problem Solving and Integration of Creativity:
Postcards
For this project I chose the Mackinac Island Bridge as my
favorite place. It is a beautiful landmark that serves multiple purposes; it’s
a fully functioning bridge that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of
Michigan as well as the one of the largest suspension bridges in the United
States. I have been very focused on the idea of connecting space as my
reoccurring theme in all of these.
As for my problems for each Post card they are as Followed:
Postcard 1:Reality/Repetition-
My problem for this postcard was that the Bridge connects
the Upper and Lower Peninsula but Mackinac Island is still only accessible by
boat. So for this post card I blurred reality by duplicating the bridge and
using the copy to connect the Island and the Upper Peninsula. I was also
blurring the reality with the stars in the background, I was trying to
incorporate more of the beauty of the place by increasing the amount of stars
that are visible this far into northern Michigan. By Creating the three different
sections of land you have the reality of the place but I played with the
distance and size in order to make them look closer in distance. I also
increased the height of bridge over the water to give more separation between
them. By increasing the size of the bridge I feel like it emphasizes the
importance of the bridge as the main component of the piece, and by bringing
the landmass closer together I think it brings up the possibility of these
bridges actually existing. These play into my connecting space theme by
literally connecting another landmass by way of the bridge.
Postcard two: Transformation
My problem for this postcard was that I wanted to transform
the bridge into a dream I had once about they’re being a bridge to the moon. My
goal was make the viewer think that the bridge was connecting them to the moon
through space. I was creating something that was out of this world. I changed
to background of the bridge to look like space, with an increase in stars and
nebulas, and then I enhanced the colors of the images to give them a dream like
appearance. I changed the speed sign on the bridge to be 150mph so that the
viewer would think that it was logically happening. I feel like I left enough
reality for this to be a realistic while creating enough imaginary for this to
be a dream. This connects back to the main idea of connecting space by using
the bridge to connect of us to space, we are no longer stuck on our planet
anymore.
Postcard 3: Concealment/ Revealing
My problem for postcard was idea of the function of the
bridge other than as a tourist attraction, like what its function is for the
people that like in the area. It acts as a way for families to be able to visit
each other, people to commute to work. It so much more than tourism, it
connects our two peninsulas and makes Michigan one whole unit. Then I though
about how these people live here constantly and have eto deal with the constant
tourists and how they have adapted to accepting that presence as a part of
their life. This is when the expression that my mom always uses when I get
ahead of myself popped into my head, “Its all water under the bridge”. Meaning
that all of our troubles, and our thoughts, the good and the bad are all just a
part of life. I thought that literally the good and the bad that comes from the
bridge being a tourist attraction is just another part of the way of life and
culture for the people in that area. Its something that they can’t change they
just have to embrace it. I chose to
bevel the words “water” out of the lakes because I wanted to emphasize that it
was “water” literally “under” the bridge.
I chose the underside view of the bridge because I wanted the viewer to
see a different side of the bridge something that isn’t usually though about
but is extremely important. I gave the view of the supports and what is holding
the bridge up in order for it to function. This was to invoke thinking about
the people that live in Mackinaw City and how important this structure is for
them and their everyday life. This also goes back to connecting space in the
idea of thinking about the bridge as a tool in everyday life and not as a
landmark or just something pretty. It is connecting space as a necessity for
life.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Making the 2d into 3d
So today we learned how to transform a 2d object into a 3d object in photoshop... and here is my book!
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Contrust a Metaphor- and use visual image to create a metaphor. I have decided to use Life is a beach, and i'm just playing in the sand. I really enjoy this metaphor because its comparing life to a busy place that is constantly changing.
Thursday September 10 2015
Discussion for class on Paradigms
Thursday September 17th 2015
Sandy Skogland- Making fantasy into reality
What is fantasy? Fantasy is the world that we create in order to deal with reality. It to me is where everything goes the way it is suppose to. Its also a world filled with overly bright and beautiful colors. It is a place deep in my mind, that I have created as an alternate place to the one I live in everyday. We only know what our own fantasy is like, while others can describe it ours is unique to ourselves. Sandy Skogland creates worlds that mix fantasy and reality in a way that is relatable for everyone. She uses color and repetition to create these worlds that are so much like reality with just a twist of fantasy.
I like the slightly surrealist approach on this first one, the concept and execution is very strong as well! The second one is bright concept that really pops, very strong. The quote on the last one is clever, conceptually well done too.
ReplyDeletePostcard 1: I like how you convinced us of the new bridge we can now take to mackinaw island. You did a great job making the image beautiful.
ReplyDeletePastcard 2: I like how you transformed the bridge into a new passage way into space. Your colors here are very effective.
Postcard 3: Water under the bridge. The people who live near this tourist sight are used to the traffic and the solution of the tourists. I think it would be more effective if you made the water look polluted and continued the theme of space.
You picked a kind of a complex problem to show in these images but your techniques with photoshop show this problem well. The first postcard looks so realistic with space/ stars popping out of the sky, and using a double bridge to show a physical connection between the landmasses.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the second image, I thought the sky was well integrated into the overall image. I thought the use of color was effectively used. It does look like the image was inspired by your dream about a bridge be connected to the moon. It just isn't clear that the bridge is going to the moon. I'm not really clear of the problem and solution of this image.
ReplyDeleteAmber – I watched your work transform through the ideation process and drafts and I have to say that I love the finished products! You have strong ideas and the places that you chose have very powerful nature themes. The problem in the first postcard is very well shown through your choices of repetition – it’s beautiful. The galaxy background and colors popped in the second postcard. I wasn’t completely sure what problem you were solving was, but your self-expression was very evident. I really liked the way you transformed the word “water” in the third postcard. The metaphor was an interesting twist as well. Great job!
ReplyDeleteRating: ****
Your second image held so much creativity! I loved listening to your ideas and your solutions to get to the moon (by going 150- obviously!). I would have loved to see the bridge connected to an actual planet- but I still enjoyed the overall creativity! Personally, I would have never thought of connecting a bridge to the moon- so I loved your unique perspective. Your self expression was shown through your dreams into your photoshop ideas and your problem solving techniques were well thought through. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePostcard 1:
ReplyDeleteI like your solution that you chose to connect the upper peninsula to Mackinaw Island and it feels that it is realistic and possible. I like your inspiration from Bamberger and I think that the way you handled the sky really shows this.
Postcard 2: this is my favorite one! I like that you changed the color of things to make them different than what we see everyday and that you included a speed limit sign which makes it seem like a more realistic image. I think it would be a good idea to possibly show the moon somewhere in this image, like maybe at the end of the bridge.
Postcard 3: I think that you could maybe add in more images/objects to show what is happening to this area by it being a tourist area (such as trash from littering).
I really love all the colors of your images and I like that you dramatized your images. Great job!
The second image portrays a really cool idea. I like how you decided to alter the color schemes of all the elements in order to make it more vibrant and interesting. One update that could make it look nicer would be to make the speed limit sign look a bit more realistic by adjusting the proportions and the location so that it does not look out of place.
ReplyDeleteName: Amber
ReplyDeletePostcard Mackinaw Bridges
Self Expression and Meaning: Connecting each other to our world and beyond. Postcard one is very effective at connecting the islands to each other. Use of blue color is beautifully initiated.
Problem Solving Process:
Repetition of bridges in postcard one is a successful strategy.Postcard two creates an alternate reality that is believable. Good choice of color tones.
Overall Comments :Image one is one of my favorites out of the whole class. It is conceptually effective and visually appealing at the same time.
Postcard1: Using a bridge to connect two different place is very successful. The bridges look like they were there for long time. Awesome!
ReplyDeletePostcard2: I like the idea through a bridge to the moon is . The scenery is like fiction story.
Postcard3: Strong and huge letters strength the problem of water pollution.
The picture composition has high tension like a movie poster.