Controversial Photoshopping

I have just read three articles and watched one video about photo editing in magazines and I had no idea all the work that really does go into it. I always knew that pictures in magazines were edited but I never knew all that they really do and I was shocked to see what goes into these magazines. Not only do they make them look skinnier and have perfect skin, but they can make their legs look longer and take the bloodshot out of their eyes. Some of the articles were discussing how France and the U.K. are considering making laws that will not let magazines do this anymore, especially to children under the age of 16.

I honestly cannot even imagine what it would be like if this law gets passed. The fashion world as we know it, will be completely different. I do think there should be a change though. There are girls all over the world who are starving themselves and throwing up their meals because they think the people in these magazines really exist. If this law doesn't pass though, I hope that the magazines at least put that the photos are edited and who edited them. It seems like the model hardly does anything anymore, the editor is the one who puts it all together and they should get some credit for that.

Scanner Smoosh

This week in foundation computers we had to press our face onto the scanner and scan it into the computer. Then we had to put it in illustrator and basically use the features on illustrator to draw out our face. Once again, I am not a computer art person and this took me several hours to complete, but I am overall pleased with the way it turned out.

Illustrator Assignments

This week we had to do 4 type drawings for foundation computers. I've never really been good at computer art but these were the clever things that I came up with.

The first one is a warning label I made for myself about me not being a morning person.

The second one is a representational drawing of an ice cream cone.

The third one underneath is a non representational drawing.

The last one is an expressive drawing.

3D...

I decided today that I am not a 3D person. I never really thought of myself as one before, but now I know that I am not one.

So our project in 3D is we have to make molds of an object over and over again and then create some kind of installation with them. I'm pretty sure my teacher is the only one who makes us do the installations. But anyway, I am molding a shaving razor and every single time I take it out of the mold the neck breaks. So I have to use slip and fix it. Every single time. But i decided to stick with it, and I am making a mobile out of my razors. It's supposed to symbolize how women need to shave their legs and under their arms to be accepted into society and the mobile is representing how shaving is hanging over women's heads all the time if they want to fit in. It took me about two weeks to come up with that idea. I really don't like conceptual art. My teacher makes it so difficult for us to come up with ideas. They all have to be passed by her and she is being really picky about everything.

So if that is not stressful enough, our next project is to make a wire portrait by next class. It doesn't sound that bad, but I have never used wire before and I am slowly realizing that wire does not cooperate. I can't wait until I am done with my 3D classes, I am most definitely a 2D person.

Snow Week

This was so far, the easiest week I have ever had here at Tyler. I had classes on Monday and Tuesday as usual and then snow days Wednesday and Thursday. It was great. However, it was a little hard for me to come up with stuff to blog about this week. I suppose the most interesting thing that has happen to me at Tyler this week was the lecture on Tuesday morning. Two people came in and talked about ceramics and jewelery and metals. I never considered either of those to be something I would be interested in majoring in until that lecture. It really changed what I used to think about when I thought of both of those majors. It actually seems like one of the more practical fields to go into and both of the people giving the lectures said that Tyler students always get jobs right after they graduate with those degrees. It is definitely something I will have to think about next year.

2D Quilt Making

In 2D we've been looking a lot at these Gee's Bend Quilts. My teacher loves them so much that she assigned this quilt project. We have to make three different quilts, each better than the last. I have sort of been considering fibers as my major so I figured this would be a good experience for me.

Our first task was to dye these Japanese papers with different color paints. That part was really fun. It was simple and basically just left up to us to do whatever we felt like.

Then, it got hard. We had to create a composition, then pick our colors, then sew it together. It sounds simple, right? Yeah, that's what I thought. There is this whole measuring/math process to quilting that I never even thought about. Not only do you have to decide how long and thick the pieces are going to be on the quilt, but you have to then cut extra space so that you have enough room to sew it together.

So I finished my first quilt and it was pretty simplistic. I had a blue vertical line and then a red vertical line next to each other. Then i had two purple triangles and two yellow triangles put together next to the vertical lines. My teacher seemed to like it and I got some good feedback from my classmates.

Now I'm on to my second quilt. I made the design today in class and I was really proud of it. My teacher likes it too. I start measuring everything and cutting everything and realized it is going to be incredibly hard. I designed like the most complex quilt ever. I still haven't sewed it together yet. Wish me luck! I'll definitely need it...