My class takeaway from yesterday is obviously that we are all replaceable =].
On a more serious note.One thing I learned was that, even in a group, it's hard to think of something to teach someone when you're given no real direction as to what it is. We were stumped for a while about what to teach until we just came up with something. Then, after all was said and done, we had other ideas once we heard other people's ideas as well. I think in a round a bout way, this was a good exercise because it made us as teams think as a whole and think a little harder when we are given boundaries to follow (such as not using the internet).
I found out what Bible Dipping was, which is nothing I knew about before. This method is actually something I like. I found myself opening books and finding random words and drawing my idea of what that word means or looks like in my head. It's also something that I decided would be good for my friends "craft night." Which I'm not 100% what it is, but I'm going to have them doing something crafty worth the word we dip. Hopefully.
I learned a little about an Earth Harp, which was a pretty fascinating little piece of work.
I also got some other design ideas for my altered book by thinking about some techniques to come up with ideas. One is the bible dipping. Some I may end up using, some I may not. It depends on how well they come from my mind and translate onto paper.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
To Rule Break or Not to Rule Break?
Sadly, I didn't participate in this weeks exercise. I tried to at first. I thought about what rule I'd break and why. However, none of them were really that worth while. They were all pretty boring. Granted, I was really busy this past week, so it was out of sight out of mind as well. I at first just thought about breaking a rule just to do the assignment and get it done, but I assumed this assignment was to help us step outside of the lines and do something to help free ourselves of being tied down. If I did the assignment and half assed it just to get it done, it would be for nothing. I wouldn't really be doing myself any favors just by skirting the lines. The purpose, from my understanding, was to break a rule and think about how rules bog us down in our creative development and processing. I couldn't think of a rule to break that would fit that reasoning behind doing the assignment. I was about to do it just to show something, but that isn't the purpose here. Therefore, I decided not to rule break.
However, I think I can still talk about having rules and when they can be broken, or even should be broken. My past typography teacher, Alicia Ford, once told our class that "you have to know the rules before you can break them." She said this as a response to a fellow student who asked why they couldn't do something they wanted to do (in this case, it was using a grid system) because they wanted it to be open and free. The whole purpose of the assignment at the time was utilizing a grid system and understanding proportions and placement. He argued with her for a good few minutes before she made her statement. Of course, the student thought she was wrong, only because it was obvious he half-ass the assignment before class.
Pretty much what we learned in that moment is that rules are here for a reason. They are to help set a guide for us to follow. In example with the grid, it was to help place things so the audience has a better understanding of the material. You want them to follow a certain pattern. However, that didn't mean you can't go against the grain once you learned how to properly set them up. The purpose being that you understand the underlying method to eventually break the method to turn it into your own. It's similar to organized chaos. Once you understand how to organize efficiently, can you organize it chaotically. Not to mention, you don't want to break the rules just because you can. No one likes a rule breaker with no purpose. In those cases, you're someone who didn't take the time to understand the basics of a system. It's not wrong to dislike a system once you've learned it, but don't shut it down before you've tried it because you're being lazy. The student in this whole scenario just decided to skirt the process, waited until the last minute, and then decided to turn in the assignment during critique session with a uninspired argument as to why they didn't do what they were supposed to.
I think breaking the rules can lead to some wonderful creative revelations when they are done properly. There's times when breaking the rules has created some wonderful art in this world. I recently, and ironically, read an interview with Antxon Gomez (someone who works in the film and advertising industries) and he talked about how breaking the rules and being different is more important these days for young artists and designers than following the herd. He says "Young people should take risks, experiment and try new things. Don't be afraid, be positive. Enjoy making mistakes and do what other people aren't doing - learn to break the rules. Above all, it's better to regret something you tried and failed at, than regret not trying at all."
However, I think I can still talk about having rules and when they can be broken, or even should be broken. My past typography teacher, Alicia Ford, once told our class that "you have to know the rules before you can break them." She said this as a response to a fellow student who asked why they couldn't do something they wanted to do (in this case, it was using a grid system) because they wanted it to be open and free. The whole purpose of the assignment at the time was utilizing a grid system and understanding proportions and placement. He argued with her for a good few minutes before she made her statement. Of course, the student thought she was wrong, only because it was obvious he half-ass the assignment before class.
Pretty much what we learned in that moment is that rules are here for a reason. They are to help set a guide for us to follow. In example with the grid, it was to help place things so the audience has a better understanding of the material. You want them to follow a certain pattern. However, that didn't mean you can't go against the grain once you learned how to properly set them up. The purpose being that you understand the underlying method to eventually break the method to turn it into your own. It's similar to organized chaos. Once you understand how to organize efficiently, can you organize it chaotically. Not to mention, you don't want to break the rules just because you can. No one likes a rule breaker with no purpose. In those cases, you're someone who didn't take the time to understand the basics of a system. It's not wrong to dislike a system once you've learned it, but don't shut it down before you've tried it because you're being lazy. The student in this whole scenario just decided to skirt the process, waited until the last minute, and then decided to turn in the assignment during critique session with a uninspired argument as to why they didn't do what they were supposed to.
I think breaking the rules can lead to some wonderful creative revelations when they are done properly. There's times when breaking the rules has created some wonderful art in this world. I recently, and ironically, read an interview with Antxon Gomez (someone who works in the film and advertising industries) and he talked about how breaking the rules and being different is more important these days for young artists and designers than following the herd. He says "Young people should take risks, experiment and try new things. Don't be afraid, be positive. Enjoy making mistakes and do what other people aren't doing - learn to break the rules. Above all, it's better to regret something you tried and failed at, than regret not trying at all."
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
The Crazy People Are The Ones That Buy It
What I took away from last class is that we, as Americans, do not have that many hardships like we think we do. It stuck in my mind the fact that most of them talked about eating the food they saw in the garbage. They found a baby thrown away in the trash. They showered using pots of water. It was just really staggering just how good we actually have it. Especially since they only make at most $25. I just have a lot more appreciation for what I have. I also like how they made all the art out of trash. It's not something you'd usually think of doing, but they did. And it was beautiful. The mural sold for thousands. That's pretty amazing.
A different take away not related to the movie is actually how much I thought about my altered book as other students talked about their altered book. I actually came up with an idea for mine that I didn't have originally just by listening to other students.
A different take away not related to the movie is actually how much I thought about my altered book as other students talked about their altered book. I actually came up with an idea for mine that I didn't have originally just by listening to other students.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
If What
Since I wasn't in class last week I'm not sure if we told each other what our hated book is. Mine is actually a cookbook by Gordon Ramsay called Fast Food. I don't hate it's content exactly, actually I've never read it (cooked from it?). I have an associate's degree in visual communications, and it's the design of the book I hate. It's choices of type and color is just all over the place, and there's no cohesive element. I mean, even if you didn't have a design degree I don't think you'd even like the design. Because of that, I looked in it once and was like "no thank you" and it's been gathering dust ever since. Figured now was a good time to do something fun and positive with something I don't like.
I also choose it because I got rid of all the textbooks I resented long ago.
1. I burn it
2. I burn it and mail it back to Gordon.
3. I cook it's pages.
4. I sell it to some poor schmuck.
5. I cut out parts of it to make a ransom note to send to Gordon.
6. I go to a mental institution and claim the book is holding me ransom.
7. I let my dog chew the paper out of it, because she likes chewing paper for some reason. Not lying. The dog ate my homework was a legit excuse for me. She likes newspaper most.
8. I draw in it.
9. God forbid, I actually cook a recipe from it.
10. I tear out it's pages and practice origami.
11. I let a kid have fun and color all over it.
12. I mark out certain words to transform the meaning of the page and make a whole new story from it.
13. I draw on all it's corners to make a flip book.
14. I relate this one to number 1, and wait to use it in winter when we light the fireplace.
15. I cut out designs on each page to make one huge design.
16. I make one of those paper face collages.
17. I make this.
18. I put it into a time capsule and let the next generation deal with it.
19. I do some weird DIY project with it.
20. I doodle in it.
21. I make a fleet of paper planes.
22. I let my dad shoot it.
23. I read through the recipe and create an animated short from it on how to make the food (yeah, this will never happen).
24. I cut out pieces to hide stuff in, like the remote.
25. I storyboard for another class in it.
26. My friends want to do a craft night for I don't know why, so scrap paper?
27. I make it into a photo album.
28. I write in it.
29. I white out the pages and write in it.
30. I white out the pages and draw in it.
31. If I was creative enough, I would make one of those paper sculptures.
32. I rip out a few pages and make a Burger King crown designed my way.
33. I cut out words to write letters to those I love.
34. Make one of those neat beehive patterns with the pages.
35. I put the book in acid.
36. I run over it a few times with my car. It needs character.
37. I donate the book to a restaurant.
38. I let someone allow their dog or cat to pee or poop on it.
39. I put it under a bed and claim it's the monster under the bed.
40. I put it in the oven and turn it on, because...well, oops.
41. I do not believe it can be flushed in the state it currently is in.
42. I accidentally left it some where.
43. I shipped it to some random person in China. Would it get through customs?
44. I walk up to some random tree, leave the book, and apologize that they killed one of their own to create this book.
45. I cry at it telling it how disappointed it made me and that I needed to go to therapy.
46. Alter the book?
47. Do people really come up with 50 of these?
48. Please refer back to the previous 47.
49. I rewrite all these on the first 48 pages.
50. I do nothing with the book and it stays the lame book it is on the shelf.
I also choose it because I got rid of all the textbooks I resented long ago.
1. I burn it
2. I burn it and mail it back to Gordon.
3. I cook it's pages.
4. I sell it to some poor schmuck.
5. I cut out parts of it to make a ransom note to send to Gordon.
6. I go to a mental institution and claim the book is holding me ransom.
7. I let my dog chew the paper out of it, because she likes chewing paper for some reason. Not lying. The dog ate my homework was a legit excuse for me. She likes newspaper most.
8. I draw in it.
9. God forbid, I actually cook a recipe from it.
10. I tear out it's pages and practice origami.
11. I let a kid have fun and color all over it.
12. I mark out certain words to transform the meaning of the page and make a whole new story from it.
13. I draw on all it's corners to make a flip book.
14. I relate this one to number 1, and wait to use it in winter when we light the fireplace.
15. I cut out designs on each page to make one huge design.
16. I make one of those paper face collages.
17. I make this.
18. I put it into a time capsule and let the next generation deal with it.
19. I do some weird DIY project with it.
20. I doodle in it.
21. I make a fleet of paper planes.
22. I let my dad shoot it.
23. I read through the recipe and create an animated short from it on how to make the food (yeah, this will never happen).
24. I cut out pieces to hide stuff in, like the remote.
25. I storyboard for another class in it.
26. My friends want to do a craft night for I don't know why, so scrap paper?
27. I make it into a photo album.
28. I write in it.
29. I white out the pages and write in it.
30. I white out the pages and draw in it.
31. If I was creative enough, I would make one of those paper sculptures.
32. I rip out a few pages and make a Burger King crown designed my way.
33. I cut out words to write letters to those I love.
34. Make one of those neat beehive patterns with the pages.
35. I put the book in acid.
36. I run over it a few times with my car. It needs character.
37. I donate the book to a restaurant.
38. I let someone allow their dog or cat to pee or poop on it.
39. I put it under a bed and claim it's the monster under the bed.
40. I put it in the oven and turn it on, because...well, oops.
41. I do not believe it can be flushed in the state it currently is in.
42. I accidentally left it some where.
43. I shipped it to some random person in China. Would it get through customs?
44. I walk up to some random tree, leave the book, and apologize that they killed one of their own to create this book.
45. I cry at it telling it how disappointed it made me and that I needed to go to therapy.
46. Alter the book?
47. Do people really come up with 50 of these?
48. Please refer back to the previous 47.
49. I rewrite all these on the first 48 pages.
50. I do nothing with the book and it stays the lame book it is on the shelf.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
How Much Mucus Can Your Body Produce!?
Sadly, I wasn't able to attend class yesterday because I was sick. So, I didn't have any uplifting and life changing experiences. Pretty much I took Tamiflu, tried sleeping, sneezed and coughed too much that I barely slept, cough so much I hurt my back (yeah, who knew that could happen?) and did homework. I played Weeds and Godzilla in the background. I learned from Weeds that my life is really not dramatic at all. It's kind of normal. To a degree. Godzilla taught me that Godzilla isn't really that bad of a monster and that Matthew Broderick just didn't understand who Godzilla was or anything about him. I drew a lot for a different class as homework and worked on unwrapping a 3D pig. That wasn't that fun really because the pig was severely annoying, and I think it was upset my dad's girlfriend was making BLTs.
That's all I did. It wasn't eventful or thrilling in any way. I pretty much stayed in one spot, drank vegetable and fruit juice, took medication, did homework and listened to the TV make loud noises.
That's all I did. It wasn't eventful or thrilling in any way. I pretty much stayed in one spot, drank vegetable and fruit juice, took medication, did homework and listened to the TV make loud noises.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Can you doodle? Can you really, though?
I'm not sure what I want to think about this whole doodling thing. I will say, towards the end, I enjoyed it. It let me let go for a half hour and just think about nothing.
My doodling pretty much began with writing the word I got in class - action - in the middle of the page and doodling around it. I didn't think of anything in particular when I was drawing. I just let my hand do what it wanted to. I think that's part of surrendering, while also be spontaneous. It took a second to let myself just do anything and nothing all at the same time. I did find myself writing and drawing things that were happening around me. Weeds was playing on the television in the background. My dad was talking about hippies on the phone (don't ask me why, no clue). I was also doodling in the dining room, so I could smell chili cooking as well.
I do think that doodling can be a great precursor to great design. I found myself coming up with ideas for future projects just by doodling. It's kind of like I was writing some series of ideas on paper and smashing them all together. They won't make much sense to anyone else, but I understand what I was trying to do. I think once you create something so chaotic, you can explore new ways of expressing your ideas. There was no real aesthetic or reason behind half of what I did, and I just drew as something popped into my head. From there, one idea usually led to another. Example, and you can't really see it well, but I began with Weeds by drawing some weird creature high off his rocker, to imagining the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland to thinking about insanity and asylums. It's just crazy how one little thing led to so many others. Doodling I think could be a great tool for helping people get out of a block. Engrossing yourself and letting go can help you think of things in a way you might not have before.
I'm currently taking metalsmithing this semester at Herron, and this gave me an idea for our next project. The weird thing is, it has absolutely nothing to do with what I doodled. It came to me as I was doodling (serendipity) Just strange how it happened. Maybe doodling is a subconscious way of forcing yourself to think?
Possibly. Maybe. Kind of. Sort of. I don't know. Crazy thoughts abound.
My doodling pretty much began with writing the word I got in class - action - in the middle of the page and doodling around it. I didn't think of anything in particular when I was drawing. I just let my hand do what it wanted to. I think that's part of surrendering, while also be spontaneous. It took a second to let myself just do anything and nothing all at the same time. I did find myself writing and drawing things that were happening around me. Weeds was playing on the television in the background. My dad was talking about hippies on the phone (don't ask me why, no clue). I was also doodling in the dining room, so I could smell chili cooking as well.
I do think that doodling can be a great precursor to great design. I found myself coming up with ideas for future projects just by doodling. It's kind of like I was writing some series of ideas on paper and smashing them all together. They won't make much sense to anyone else, but I understand what I was trying to do. I think once you create something so chaotic, you can explore new ways of expressing your ideas. There was no real aesthetic or reason behind half of what I did, and I just drew as something popped into my head. From there, one idea usually led to another. Example, and you can't really see it well, but I began with Weeds by drawing some weird creature high off his rocker, to imagining the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland to thinking about insanity and asylums. It's just crazy how one little thing led to so many others. Doodling I think could be a great tool for helping people get out of a block. Engrossing yourself and letting go can help you think of things in a way you might not have before.
I'm currently taking metalsmithing this semester at Herron, and this gave me an idea for our next project. The weird thing is, it has absolutely nothing to do with what I doodled. It came to me as I was doodling (serendipity) Just strange how it happened. Maybe doodling is a subconscious way of forcing yourself to think?
Possibly. Maybe. Kind of. Sort of. I don't know. Crazy thoughts abound.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
How To Determine Value
The thing most I take away from yesterday's class was the question "how do we determine value?" And it became evident that the class determines value in a variety of ways. For me, I don't believe that value is physically obtainable. I think it's something that we mentally obtain.
Let me explain, because I probably sound crazy.
I believe that people don't actually value a physical object for what it is, but the memories or meaning that it holds. When I blogged about last weeks class takeaway, I mentioned how when I go to movies, I don't actually mind if the movie was terrible or not, but rather enjoy the time I spend with the people I go with. The movie, in all its entirety, holds no value me. However, when I see it at Walmart or Target, I'll remember the people I went with and the time we spent together, for that, I will enjoy the movie and that holds the value. I think it also relates to the classmate that mentioned nostalgia. Nostalgia is a memory, and that's where we hold the value, not in the object itself. It brings back the feelings. It's similar to how people mention that their favorite flower brings back memories, i.e. "my favorite flowers are roses, because when I smell them, it reminds me of my mom."
Another good example, I cant remember her name sadly, but I read about a model who's home was flooded during hurricane Sandy. She talked about how, at first, when she learned her home was flooded she thought "oh my God, I have lost everything. Everything that means anything to me is gone." But she later realized and said "I see now that I haven't actually lost anything. I lost the thing that reminds me of important times in my life, but not the actually meaning behind them." Pretty much, she's talking about the photos (or whatever objects she may be talking about) don't actually hold the value, but the memories behind them. Even if those objects are lost or ruined, the memory still remains because it's permanently archived in your mind. You might lose a physical object, but not the meaning as to why it holds value.
I don't believe you can put a price tag on value. You will be pissed that you pay large amounts of money for textbooks you may not use again after that class. That doesn't have a value in my eyes. It's an object that I use to pass a class. It means nothing more.
Let me explain, because I probably sound crazy.
I believe that people don't actually value a physical object for what it is, but the memories or meaning that it holds. When I blogged about last weeks class takeaway, I mentioned how when I go to movies, I don't actually mind if the movie was terrible or not, but rather enjoy the time I spend with the people I go with. The movie, in all its entirety, holds no value me. However, when I see it at Walmart or Target, I'll remember the people I went with and the time we spent together, for that, I will enjoy the movie and that holds the value. I think it also relates to the classmate that mentioned nostalgia. Nostalgia is a memory, and that's where we hold the value, not in the object itself. It brings back the feelings. It's similar to how people mention that their favorite flower brings back memories, i.e. "my favorite flowers are roses, because when I smell them, it reminds me of my mom."
Another good example, I cant remember her name sadly, but I read about a model who's home was flooded during hurricane Sandy. She talked about how, at first, when she learned her home was flooded she thought "oh my God, I have lost everything. Everything that means anything to me is gone." But she later realized and said "I see now that I haven't actually lost anything. I lost the thing that reminds me of important times in my life, but not the actually meaning behind them." Pretty much, she's talking about the photos (or whatever objects she may be talking about) don't actually hold the value, but the memories behind them. Even if those objects are lost or ruined, the memory still remains because it's permanently archived in your mind. You might lose a physical object, but not the meaning as to why it holds value.
I don't believe you can put a price tag on value. You will be pissed that you pay large amounts of money for textbooks you may not use again after that class. That doesn't have a value in my eyes. It's an object that I use to pass a class. It means nothing more.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Egging It On
When we were first given this assignment, my mind began running in about 100 different directions. I had no idea what I was going to do with this egg. Pretty much I drove home after class with the egg rolling around in a coffee mug in my car as to make sure I wasn't going to break it. And as it rolled around and dinged each side of the mug as I drove, I began to become more and more aggravated by this egg. All I could think about was how some fellow student was somehow going to hatch a Gremlin from the egg, and I couldn't think of a damn thing to do with it. It was only the first class, and I was already smelling defeat, (and no, it wasn't just the increasing stench of a rotting egg in the terribly hot weather). Pretty much, I was getting more aggravated every second, and it became even more infuriating that I was allowing something so asinine as an egg makes me this angry.
So, to appease myself, I decided to make my project an "out of sight, out of mind" type of ordeal. I decided to place the egg into a mini cake box, set it on the break room table at work, and just leave it. It couldn't bother me if it weren't around to taunt me with its evil egginess. However, I decided to delve a little deeper, and make it into an experiment. I realized that I was letting something get to me that shouldn't. It was just an egg. Now, what would happen if I took something that all my co-worker probably see every day, and put it into a completely new place? I added a sign that said "Do not touch the egg! Seriously! Do not touch the egg" for two reasons. One was so no one would, hopefully, touch it and break it and two because the sign gave the egg a sense of importance. Everyone's touched an egg, but when you're told not to touch the egg, it makes you want to touch the egg. I also added a sign that said, "But why is it here?" I was curious as to what people thought when they saw the egg. I left a pad of paper next to the signs and allowed people to write down their thoughts. I got two pages worth. My favorite had to be the fact our store manager happened to be on vacation in Cancun at the time of this, so someone wrote "Krystal's way of spying on us while she's on vacation." Others were more along the lines of "thinking outside of the box." The rest were the typical "to eat."
The best part of it was that I didn't tell anyone that I put it on the break room table and left it for the week. So everyone began speculating as to who put it there and why. There were some funny theories. It was just insightful that something as miniscule as an egg sitting on a table made people so curious. At the very end, I printed out another sheet with a sign that said "The egg was just an egg. It's meant to make you question something out of the ordinary."
In the end, I'll admit, it's not the most life changing experiment. I didn't do anything crazy with the egg. But it was fun to watch people ponder and gawk at something they probably have a dozen of in their fridges as you read this.
So, to appease myself, I decided to make my project an "out of sight, out of mind" type of ordeal. I decided to place the egg into a mini cake box, set it on the break room table at work, and just leave it. It couldn't bother me if it weren't around to taunt me with its evil egginess. However, I decided to delve a little deeper, and make it into an experiment. I realized that I was letting something get to me that shouldn't. It was just an egg. Now, what would happen if I took something that all my co-worker probably see every day, and put it into a completely new place? I added a sign that said "Do not touch the egg! Seriously! Do not touch the egg" for two reasons. One was so no one would, hopefully, touch it and break it and two because the sign gave the egg a sense of importance. Everyone's touched an egg, but when you're told not to touch the egg, it makes you want to touch the egg. I also added a sign that said, "But why is it here?" I was curious as to what people thought when they saw the egg. I left a pad of paper next to the signs and allowed people to write down their thoughts. I got two pages worth. My favorite had to be the fact our store manager happened to be on vacation in Cancun at the time of this, so someone wrote "Krystal's way of spying on us while she's on vacation." Others were more along the lines of "thinking outside of the box." The rest were the typical "to eat."
The best part of it was that I didn't tell anyone that I put it on the break room table and left it for the week. So everyone began speculating as to who put it there and why. There were some funny theories. It was just insightful that something as miniscule as an egg sitting on a table made people so curious. At the very end, I printed out another sheet with a sign that said "The egg was just an egg. It's meant to make you question something out of the ordinary."
In the end, I'll admit, it's not the most life changing experiment. I didn't do anything crazy with the egg. But it was fun to watch people ponder and gawk at something they probably have a dozen of in their fridges as you read this.
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