1. Berger talks a lot about "seeing things" and how we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves. Do you ever take the time to think about the things that you are seeing and why we see them the way we do? What if something that we are looking at looks completely different to someone else who is looking at the same thing?
2. Is there a specific image that you can think of that means something incredibly significant to you, but might not mean anything to someone else?
3. Berger claims that "images are more precise and richer than literature" on page 10. Do you agree or disagree and why?
4. Have you ever seen something in person, such as a painting, that is completely different from what you expected after seeing it in a book or a magazine? Why do you think the camera either takes away or adds value to the uniqueness and appreciation of the piece?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Mark's question
1. Does the typeface an author uses affect the way you judge the work?
Sometimes. If there is a reading that is in a very fun, curly, or different font, I would probably be more inclined to read it. I think that anytime people see something that is more appealing to the eye than the typical font or graphics they are more likely to spend more time looking at. I don't think that I would judge the material any differently if the typeface was different, but there is just a greater chance I would pay closer attention and actually enjoy following the reading. Likewise, if the typeface was very generic and boring, it would be harder for me to follow and I'd actually get distracted easier. When it comes down to it though, I think it all depends on the content of the material. If something is horribly written, it would not matter what typeface it was in, I would still not like it.
Sometimes. If there is a reading that is in a very fun, curly, or different font, I would probably be more inclined to read it. I think that anytime people see something that is more appealing to the eye than the typical font or graphics they are more likely to spend more time looking at. I don't think that I would judge the material any differently if the typeface was different, but there is just a greater chance I would pay closer attention and actually enjoy following the reading. Likewise, if the typeface was very generic and boring, it would be harder for me to follow and I'd actually get distracted easier. When it comes down to it though, I think it all depends on the content of the material. If something is horribly written, it would not matter what typeface it was in, I would still not like it.
Questions for February 10th
What do you think the effects would be on student's learning if the textbooks were written and printed differently, different layouts, different fonts, different pictures, etc., than the standard textbook?
What are some company's logos you can think of that may imply specific purposes or instill certain images in your head?
What is the first thing that you notice on a computer screen or in a book and why do you think that is? Do you notice pictures, the script, charts, graphs, etc. first and do you think the author intended for this to be true?
What are some company's logos you can think of that may imply specific purposes or instill certain images in your head?
What is the first thing that you notice on a computer screen or in a book and why do you think that is? Do you notice pictures, the script, charts, graphs, etc. first and do you think the author intended for this to be true?
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Stencil Graffiti Assignment
These days, everything is always 'go, go go.' Nobody takes the time to just take a break and relax which I think is a concerning problem in our society. Everybody gets so consumed with their work, family, school, and other obligations that sometimes, we forget that it is actually okay to let ourselves enjoy life once in a while. Sometimes we just need to take a day off from reality and learn to appreciate (and not feel guilty about) time spent doing something pleasurable, or even just doing nothing at all. Businessmen, parents, students, and the public in general often get so consumed with their daily lives that they only look towards what is going to happen tomorrow or the next day and forget to live in the present.
That is why I made my stencil a picture of a pair of flip flops with the word "unwind" wrapped around the bottom of them. I think that flip flops generally symbolize the beach which represents a place that people go to unwind and take a break from reality. It is a place where they can go to get away from their hectic lives and put things back in to perspective--that there is more to life than work and bills and our routine craziness. I put the word "unwind" below the image in a very fun, childish font which would hopefully have a greater impact on people than if I were to do it in a typical font that people see everyday in the office or in textbooks.
I live in North Carolina and over the summer we visit the beach quite frequently during the summer. It is a prime vacation spot where people can go to be with their family and friends. To me, flip flops represent kicking your shoes off and enjoying yourself, "unwinding" if you will. If you go to any of the shops on the beach, you will find flip flops on shirts, flip flops on necklaces, flip flops on towels and pretty much on any souvenir you desire. That is why I think people have come to associate them with the beach which represents a place of relaxation. When thinking about a location to graffiti my stencil, I could not come up with only one place. I think that this stencil would need to go everywhere that people would notice it to let them know that it is okay if they take a break once in a while. I would hope that it would reassure them that someone else thinks it is a GOOD thing to relax and be lazy for a little while. I would put it in gyms, in office buildings, grocery stores, airports and basically anywhere that a plethora of people would be able to view it. There will never be a perfect time to take a break, but if we don't take a minute to breath and relax the stress will just keep building up. There are more important things in life than money; so hopefully while people are rushing to work, worrying about the next deadline or pay check, they will see my artwork and stop to think about the people in their lives that love them. As Natalie Goldberg said, "Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath. Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important. Just lie do
wn."
That is why I made my stencil a picture of a pair of flip flops with the word "unwind" wrapped around the bottom of them. I think that flip flops generally symbolize the beach which represents a place that people go to unwind and take a break from reality. It is a place where they can go to get away from their hectic lives and put things back in to perspective--that there is more to life than work and bills and our routine craziness. I put the word "unwind" below the image in a very fun, childish font which would hopefully have a greater impact on people than if I were to do it in a typical font that people see everyday in the office or in textbooks.
I live in North Carolina and over the summer we visit the beach quite frequently during the summer. It is a prime vacation spot where people can go to be with their family and friends. To me, flip flops represent kicking your shoes off and enjoying yourself, "unwinding" if you will. If you go to any of the shops on the beach, you will find flip flops on shirts, flip flops on necklaces, flip flops on towels and pretty much on any souvenir you desire. That is why I think people have come to associate them with the beach which represents a place of relaxation. When thinking about a location to graffiti my stencil, I could not come up with only one place. I think that this stencil would need to go everywhere that people would notice it to let them know that it is okay if they take a break once in a while. I would hope that it would reassure them that someone else thinks it is a GOOD thing to relax and be lazy for a little while. I would put it in gyms, in office buildings, grocery stores, airports and basically anywhere that a plethora of people would be able to view it. There will never be a perfect time to take a break, but if we don't take a minute to breath and relax the stress will just keep building up. There are more important things in life than money; so hopefully while people are rushing to work, worrying about the next deadline or pay check, they will see my artwork and stop to think about the people in their lives that love them. As Natalie Goldberg said, "Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath. Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important. Just lie do
wn."
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Graffiti Analysis
I do not have a working digital camera at the moment so I was not able to take a picture of graffiti. However, I think that graffiti affects our lives in subtle ways. I know of one example of graffiti that is on the brick wall outside of Walgreens that is a picture of a polar bear. I think that it is something that gives everyone a chance to stop and take a look while they are walking down Green Street and admire the artist's work. I think that all graffiti is different and completely dependent on the artist's style. They use different patterns and different colors, shapes, and tools to create something that is totally different from anything that we have ever seen before. We might not always be able to pick up on the artist's intentions for creating the graffiti but I think that the work depicts something significant to the artist himself.
Some images, such as this "No! WAR.." graffiti, tell the artist's political views while others might just be random images the artist felt like drawing at the time.
Some images, such as this "No! WAR.." graffiti, tell the artist's political views while others might just be random images the artist felt like drawing at the time.
Grace's question: Feb. 3rd
3.) Elkin talks about how we see the simple, yet complex things everyday and we choose to ignore them (Shoulders, faces, twigs, sand, and grass). Why do we overlook things such as theses on a daily basis?
I think that sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the big things in life such as work, school, relationships, paying bills, etc. that we completely forget to notice the little things in life. It is so easy to look at a blade of grass and not have any feelings or thoughts come to mind. However, if it was the Eiffel Tower or another noteworthy object or building that we were looking at, we would definitely make a mental note of it and not forget it. It is sad because we give so much recognition to the big things, yet pay so little (if any) attention to the small things which are just as important in our life. Sometimes we DO recognize the little things but just in a different way...for instance, when we are at the beach we do not closely exam each grain of sand, but we might remember how hot the sand was that day or how it got all over our towel. So even though we might not recognize every detail about something, we do realize that it exists and effects our life and our daily experiences in some way, no matter how insignificant.
I think that sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the big things in life such as work, school, relationships, paying bills, etc. that we completely forget to notice the little things in life. It is so easy to look at a blade of grass and not have any feelings or thoughts come to mind. However, if it was the Eiffel Tower or another noteworthy object or building that we were looking at, we would definitely make a mental note of it and not forget it. It is sad because we give so much recognition to the big things, yet pay so little (if any) attention to the small things which are just as important in our life. Sometimes we DO recognize the little things but just in a different way...for instance, when we are at the beach we do not closely exam each grain of sand, but we might remember how hot the sand was that day or how it got all over our towel. So even though we might not recognize every detail about something, we do realize that it exists and effects our life and our daily experiences in some way, no matter how insignificant.
February 3rd, 2009 Questions
1. Drucker talks about how even though objects such as fences cannot elaborate on their purpose or meaning, they are still able to invoke a reference. What other things are able to allude to a specific expectation or function?
2. What do you think the effect on society and business would be if language stopped being so elusive and became purely informational or instructive? If every company stopped using specialized spelling and visible attractions to try and endorse their product, would people just not buy the product at all? In other words, how much of an effect do you think the advertising actually has on the way we choose to spend our money?
3. Drucker was talking about the mathematician Clifford Pickover who calculated how long he had to live. If possible, would you want to know the day of your death? Why or why not?
4. What do you think are the requirements for something to "exist"? Does it need to be physical? Or it does have to have a personal effect on you? What are existence's parameters?
5. Whether it be a twig, a face, or a culvurt, what is something "so clearly meaningless that they never seemed worth a second thought" that you think would teach you something or interest you were you to spend more time considering it?
2. What do you think the effect on society and business would be if language stopped being so elusive and became purely informational or instructive? If every company stopped using specialized spelling and visible attractions to try and endorse their product, would people just not buy the product at all? In other words, how much of an effect do you think the advertising actually has on the way we choose to spend our money?
3. Drucker was talking about the mathematician Clifford Pickover who calculated how long he had to live. If possible, would you want to know the day of your death? Why or why not?
4. What do you think are the requirements for something to "exist"? Does it need to be physical? Or it does have to have a personal effect on you? What are existence's parameters?
5. Whether it be a twig, a face, or a culvurt, what is something "so clearly meaningless that they never seemed worth a second thought" that you think would teach you something or interest you were you to spend more time considering it?
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