From My Brain --> Real Life
Jessica Fohn Process Book Intro to Design Spring 2015
Whilst traveling through this book you will see the design pieces I have created this semester as well as a sneak peak into my brain’s thought processes ENJOY
My understanding of gestalt is perception of an object or set of objects unique to ourselves. Although we may hear/see/experience the same things, the way in which we understand,percieve and ink them to what we know wil differ according to our own past experiences and r eference to them. I am obnoxiously aware of detail. I notice scene changes in movies according to subtle changes in wardrobe or makeup that weren’t caught when filming. Any project I take on, then, is never really, actually, finished.. I can be satisfied for a time, until I fing a part of the piece that needs to be added or eliminated. The dot line project was challenging for me as I found I wanted to add more and more detail to express my train of thought, with the parameters limiting me from this. Another challenge was the absence of color, something I base a great deal of emotion to. Using only dots and lines we must construe differentd feeling or emotions. I struggle with abstraction, and though a worked for a couple hours per day on thes project, my final grade was a reinforcement of my struggle.
FREEDOM
EXHAUSTION
JOY
ENERGETIC
Handwriting allows us to see the thinker, if I may. The way that their mind construes what is behind the word they are putting onto paper. We can see in great detail how this person’s mind molds and holds the word. I enjoy using symbolism to support what a word or set of words is getting across as well as using things like oxymorons or opposites combined with the words to make someone think. It is like complex simplicity. If I were to continue this process, I think I would explore words that hold great emotion or impact for my generation and its pop culture. This would provide a way to make points using familiarity and quirkiness as to lighten the mood of some difficult words or topics.
This project was unique in that the words we must add expression to had to be chosen from a list of words provided for us. Choosing the word “dive� I illustrated the words in ways that dive has an impact on me. I did underwater scenes, as well as very literal formations making the word almost take on action.
Object Iterations (Robin)
Object Iterations are a visual of one item or object represented in a multiplicity of designs and forms. I chose a bird as my object. I live in the woods I hear and see birds all day long and have done so for 22 years now. During this process however, I learned to see birds in a way that makes them a form of something more than an animal in my yard. They became a body of mechanics, shapes coming together, colors and motions that were not repetitive but unique. Using different approaches to create the body of the bird also was a task. The sight of a robin on our deck with a worm took on an array of complexity (the way it sits, where it looks, etc.). If I had to focus on birds (robins specifically) for a year I would explore ways to express their essence using human movements and bodies. I could break the barrier between animals and humans if only for a second to express the beauty of life within creatures, regardless their ability to have a conscience.
Continuous Line
A continuous line drawing is done using one single contact with the paper and medium of drawing. It is done by maintaining eye contact with the object beyond drawn and really focusing on the shapes and contours. Here our some of my classmates (these would probably not be successful in actaully identifying anyone). One thing I learned as I progressed through more and more line drawings is the necessity to be light in the hand and to draw focus away from perfection but towards capturing shadows and little details.
Anything for children is something to get excited about; children are the future. My partner brought an essence of abstractness to this project by using inanimate objects to act in human likeness. Beyond that they were all but absent from the process. My partner had nothing to say besides “looks great!” thus expressing zero critique to my work making it difficult to decipher if I hit the ideas she was looking for. In the future I would request face-to-face meeting times frequently throughout the process to better understand how close we are in creating the piece she envisioned. My sources of inspiration included thinking about my childhood and the way my imagination worked and continues to work to direct the story.
One Red Balloon
Children’s Book
Using colored pencil on top of photoshop editing, I was able to hand draw elements into my book to sit on top of a digital background.
This technique also allowed my to tweak some aspects of my images once they too, became digital. Some of these tweaks included; brightening colors, cropping pieces in or out and having the ability to re-use images that would show up more than once within the story!
I always envision myself as having a unique creative ability that is superior to my peers. I suppose we always place ourselves on a pedistool of superiority that we ought to be the best. For this reason, design was a humbling experience. I learned about myself, the way that I think and the truth that each and everyone of us has a gift, we do not all posess all the abilities however. Design providing as a challenge forced me to look further and dig deeper to find a way to express how I think in tangible form. It was frustrating and lucrative and I am thankful for that. It might sound absurd, however I am thankful because it challenged my patience and acceptance of criticsm.
“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf