Written by Rachel Pelkie During Art 130 in the Spring of 2020 St. Norbert College
Understanding Imperfections within Art
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D*School Crash Course Project 1
This project was all done in one class period, while the rest of the projects were done within a span of time. This project allowed for us to work with someone who we sat by. I worked with a classmate named Michael. We were each given a packet to fill out. Each stage was timed, adding to the stress and imperfections that were bound to occur. The first stage required us to ask each other what we liked and disliked about college. The second stage allowed us to dig deeper into a problem that we had with the college. As we continued with the project, we had to take the issue that our classmate had and tried to sketch out 5 thumbnails to present to them. This part was stressful due to the lack of time we had to make the thumbnails presentable. After we presented our sketches, we talked about what we liked and disliked about them. Then we sketched out a more detailed image of what we wanted to final piece to look like. The last stage involved us constructing the solution to the problem that our classmate had. We had 10 minutes to make a prototype that was showcased to our classmate.
This is the prototype that I created. It is a DNA strand.
Talking to a real person helped me gather what exactly the client wanted. When I talked to Michael, I got the information most valuable for him pertaining to the project. I saw how one detail could change the approach of my project. If I did not talk to him, I would not have known that he was a biology major and not an art major. Knowing this information allowed me to design a model that was both biology-related yet artistic. I felt embarrassed and anxious. I had the fear of being judged, I knew that we had limited time, but to present my unfinished work was not showing my full potential. I know that with more time, my outcome could have been planned and constructed better. This project helps me to realize that unfinished work and imperfections are bound to happen in the art world. The pace of this project was quicker and created more opportunities for mistakes and embarrassment. I could not think of many ideas for the 5 sketches. If I had more time to think I could have developed more strategized approaches to meet the requirements. I normally work for either a few weeks or in my own time. The pace helped me to understand the challenges that I could face in the real world with clients. If I could re-do this project, I would choose a different topic to fix. The topic that I chose was a more complex idea. I could fix how my 10-minute creation turned out. I could add more detail with more explanation as to why I chose to do what I did.
Dot-Line Project 2 The dot-line project consisted of only dots and lines in black and gray. We had a list of words and we had to choose 3 of them. We were also limited as to how many dots and lines we could use. We did 5 different dot-line combination for each of the 3 words. The main goal was to show that we could make an abstract piece with only dots and lines to give the sense of those words. We did 2 sets of thumbnails and from the last set, we chose what designs represented our words. Since this was an abstract and colorless project, the chance of people judging your work is high.
Gestalt is a whole that is greater than the parts it is constructed of. Like the human soul. This is important to the project due to the small parts that come together to make the whole image. The image itself overpowers the small details it is constructed from. In this case, it was very challenging to make the small details for the “well-crafted object” look just right. I had to trim off pieces and try not to cut the white paper. That was a challenge and I have a few rejects in my sketchbook. It depends on the project that I am working on, for this one I think taking my time is the best approach, but it cannot always be perfect. I had small errors in my final pieces, but I kept it for time’s sake. Other projects I prefer to take my time, but some like a project I am not into I hope will not be too timely, but usually ends up taking me a few hours. This project did not change my look at abstract artwork. I still like abstract artwork, but this project sort of angered me due to the small details of cutting. I never did a piece that had this kind of abstraction. The abstract pieces that I do are paintings with either spray paint or acrylic/oil paints. Most of my first set of sketches were illustrated literally. As I realized what the project entailed, I made the second set hopefully more abstract and less of an illustrated approach. It was difficult to not have a person showing joy. I had to think of ways to express joy with a limited number of dots and or
lines. Also, coming up with an extra five designs for one image was challenging and took some thought.I could use this exercise/ gestalt in other projects to further my understanding that art is not always perfect. Not everyone will understand my thought process. I could think that my final piece shows joy clearly, while my classmates think I am describing a different word. I usually use abstraction for my artwork, but gestalt I use here and there. I used that for a stained-glass effect one time and for papier-mâché. My abstract work usually consists of paint and or spray paint in various sizes.
These were the rejects
This was my final project
Letterforms Project 3 Before we could start our project, we had to create a web of the word we wanted to use. Also, create 5 pages of any word in different fonts and styles. We could only use black and white shades along with creating our own stamps to letter with. We each carved out 2 to 3 letters from the alphebet to eventually use with black relief ink. The goal of this project was to show a word that we picked in 4 different forms. This word had to be 4 or more letters long. We could fill in the words with black sharpie and use other objects to illustrate our word. In order for us to use the black ink, we had to learn how to properly apply the ink and clean it up. The technique of getting an opaque and clean letter took a while to perfect. Even when the technique was spot on, imperfections could still be made. The final piece had to be mounted to ensure that it was not limp.
Practice with ink
I learned that working with letterforms in this way was difficult. Getting a straight baseline for the word was not an easy job. I would line up my letters and the O or N would be off-centered. Getting a clean letter was very difficult as well, I ended up coloring in my letters to darken them. I probably needed more pressure and or ink on my letters. If I were to continue this type of lettering, I would try to perfect the darkened letters and see how many other ways I could make the word LEMON. I could probably fix my last work, the bowl of lemons. When carving the letters out, I would take more time and concentration to perfect the letters.
Object Iterations Project 4 For this project, we had to choose an animal or simple machine. This project had many components to it. We had to find photos of different positions it did and create 6 different pieces for that object. We were required for the final piece to have 2 master artists, a geometric, a blind contour drawing, a type collage, and a collage. We had a few weeks to accomplish this piece along with Photoshop and InDesign. We came up with multiple sketches in order to pick which iteration was the best. The goal of this project was to take the object and present them in a way that corresponded with the categories. As an example, we had to cut out magazine images and use them to create our object. With many components involved, one had to accept that their iterations could turn out done in their eyes, but unfinished to others. An important detail was that all iterations needed to be in a square shape.
I learned that there are more poses to the capybara than I thought. Also, they are mostly daytime animals. Most of the information that I used to create the iterations I knew already. The most challenging media were the collages, they were tedious and frustrating to get perfect or decent looking. I had trouble finding pieces to use or even coming up with an idea to create. The most enjoyable media was probably the markers or the paint I used for my master artists. For my collages, imperfections were bound to happen, which they did, but I realized that I had to accept those flaws in order to continue with the project. Learning how to use Photoshop has opened many opportunities for me. I am still learning, but I used photoshop for a recent Final
project in my other art class. I had help, but I used the lasso tool and made certain areas darker and lighter. I also used the eyedropper frequently for more details in places. For the object iteration project, I found that I had many imperfections and details that I needed to fix. Even with Photoshop, I realized that not all problems could be solved with Photoshop. Therefore, being okay with what I made is a big part of improving and accepting my artwork. If I continued with this object for a year, I would focus on more detail for the master drawing of the Van Gogh iteration. I felt that one needed more work. Maybe adding more paint variations or starting over with new mediums. I would probably work on refining my other iterations and tidying up the rough patches.
These were the rejects
Let’s Take a Break to Chat About My Vocation Questions, Shall We? Are you called to creative work? If so, how do you recognize that calling? If not, to what do you feel called? I feel as if I want to say no, I am not called to creative work, strictly because I am afraid to mess up. I am not knowledgeable enough to navigate technological platforms (Adobe software or film software, etc.). On the other hand, I love abstract painting and experimenting with different techniques. When I was younger, I would make mud soups and burgers, I would put on concerts for my family, I made a paper dress, I used Littlest Pet Shops for a Christmas village, and tons more. I think my issue with being creative is what other people will think. Sometimes I want to be the most creative person, so I think of ways to be better than others. I acknowledge that this is a bad habit, but I realize that the work I do is the best that it can be. When it is not the best work I can do, then I try again or give it some time. For instance, this year, I redid a piece that I did in high school. I redid the colors and went over with other mediums. Also, I switched my Biology major to a Fine Arts major, I never thought I could make a living as an artist, but here I am trying. I guess I was always drawn to creative outlets.
What is the greatest failure you’ve experienced in your life? To be honest, my greatest failure was not taking college picking seriously. When I was younger, I wanted to go to college because it was the norm. Everyone is expected to go if they can afford it. As time went by, I started to think that maybe college wasn’t right for me. I wanted to take a gap year, but that didn’t happen. I always said I wanted to move to a different state if I went, which I did. My parents pay for my college and give me money and whatnots, which places a lot of pressure on me. I didn’t want to be a financial burden on my parents. They’re fine with paying and supporting me, only if I do what I need to do and have fun, but I still feel guilty for spending their money on myself. Also, figuring out what college I wanted to go to and what to major in. I picked Biology due to my love of forensics science and marine biology. I still love learning about those fields, but I realized that art was really what I want my future to be about. Now that I found what I want to do for real, I feel a sense of sadness, because I don’t want to leave the friends I made at St. Norbert, but I also did not look into the art programs that were in other colleges. My best friend goes to DePaul University in Chicago, I’ve been there and saw some programs that they offer for art students. She is working for a BFA in Animation with a focus in Cinema and a concentration in 3D Character Animation and a minor in Illustration. She tells me all the programs and classes that she takes. Hearing
this makes me second guess if I chose the right college for me. Regardless, I try to make the best that I can with what I am given, artwise. Overall, I failed at choosing a college due to my lack of thought and motivation.
PSA Posters Project 5 We each wrote a brief on what we thought was an issue. Those briefs were then given to a random classmate. We had to communicate with the person we were assigned to, this acted as a client situation. The point was to create a poster with no pictures and no color except for the background. We were given a date when we had to post a draft poster for everyone to comment on. The final PSA posters were posted and commented on once again. We had the option to post another poster that could be altered for a better grade. A challenge that we faced was the decision to change according to what the client wanted versus what the majority thought was best.
First InDesign attempt
It was a bit challenging to only use text. I struggled with the fonts that I wanted to use since I was unsure about the spacing of the words and other details. I wanted to make sure that the fonts were legible. I think that maybe illustrations could enhance the product but could also cram the poster’s flow too. The visual hierarchy was utilized for most of my poster. I debated whether the color in the background was too light or dark. I had to figure out an arrangement for how the words would appear on the poster with the color. I ended up putting the words in boxes that differentiate from the background. I arranged the poster such that the headline and the call to action were in at the top to attract the most attention. The body copy I had
some trouble with, but I used the shape to encapsulate it. I learned that I could make a poster in a short time frame. I know now that I can layer the text boxes to create multiple colors on top of each other. If someone needs help with InDesign, like a family member or friend, I think I could possibly help them. Also, not everyone will like my ideas on how the layout or color of the poster should be. I was happy to receive feedback from the client and my peers. Although many people commented on the color, I had to decide for myself which background color suited my poster the best. It may not have been my best work, but for a project that I did in a new program for me, it shows me that I can accomplish more than I hold myself accountable for.
20x20 Talks Project 6 Also known as the Designer Presentations. With this talk, we had to research a designer from a list that was provided to us. We needed to cite and type our notes that were used. A powerpoint was created that ran 20 seconds for each slide (20 slides), hence 20x20. Little to no words were used and instead images were the main focus. At first, this project was assigned before the COVID-19 virus, so we would have to present in person. Since the virus has detered us from presenting in class, we were required to do a voice over for the slides. The benefit of recording our presentation was that if we messed up, we could restart.
My designer, Corita Kent, had a certain flair to her that grabbed my attention. I was interested in her artwork, I wanted to make sure enough information would be available for me to use as well. I liked her style and the way she composed her work. When it comes to presenting to my classmates, I am not a very confident person and it is nerve-wracking. Although, recording my presentation was a little more flexible with redoing the audio. I struggled a lot with timing and messing up on words and simple facts. I would research Sammi’s designer, April Greiman, more. I like the aesthetic of the artist’s style. From the art that Sammi presented, it looks like a retro theme and a more unique theme.
Many of Corita Kent’s artwork was religious and political
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This book was made as part of Introduction to Design at St. Norbert College in the spring of 2020. The fonts used include Comic Sans MS, Regular; Ink Free, Regular; and Calibri, Light. Due to the COVID-19 Virus, this is an online version rather than a printed book. The front and back cover shows the evolution of imperfections. As the cover progresses, you see the stress in the colors and the lines becoming less put together.