How Would you Like to Go Up in a Swing?

Here I go again, posting an art piece when I'm already done with the NEXT one. Inexcusable, really, but I doubt you actually knew it was sitting around, getting moldy on imageshack.us.

This one should be a nice reminder of what we're missing, with this cold and plain, though granted gorgeous weather.

This one was accomplished in Adobe Illustrator, a program I rarely if ever CHOOSE to work in. 1) I don't have it at home, so I'm not practiced at alllll... b)there isn't an eraser, as the program works completely in shapes and manipulation of such (or outlining to CREATE said shape for manipulation) and iii) the program isn't suited to as wide a range of styles as Photoshop or other programs are.

It really is a nifty program and can be fun once you get used to it...the sharp shapes and a few of the effects would be dang-near impossible to match in other programs. My friend in Independant Study who sits next to me LOVES illustrator and uses it for everything she can. Until she gets yelled at reprimanded for lacking in creativity for new projects.

You've probably seen Illustrator stuff before... most anything with this "modern", sharp-edge sort of thing is Illustrator-"style". Also, any ads put out by Apple for iPod, or poser "iFillintheblank" ads.

Like I said, it's a hard program that I don't get along with. Until I get used to it. Then it's really fun to manipulate shapes, layer colors, and bend the lines of reality and fantasy....literally. Which is what those ropes "symbolize".

This project is what Gehl claims to be the hardest CGII project, and I agree. Unlike our other projects, the sucess in this one comes not from illustrating the subject (that girl, by the way, is really just shapes I traced over her original image. But I am dang proud of that angle I found :D). It comes more from the actual DESIGN element, which is near impossible to teach and quite difficult to grasp. I like mine, and he did too. He pointed out a bunch of things I didn't realize I did (like the strong red on the rainbow splash balances the strong blue of the gradient background...which was a happy accident).

The best thing about design-based projects (and the worst) is that you really have to have leaps of faith. Which is why that ctrl-z key is a beautiful, beautiful thing...but seriously, there's very few things as wonderful as just hoping for the best and realizing you found just what you were looking for. I'd talk about the elements I used in here, but most where just that- luck. However, the gradient swooshes coming up around the girl and white circles around the sun-shape DO have a lovely story.

Nomi has this thing that she loves to incoroporate in her projects with multiple thin lines forming waves. I tried that, to give white swooshy waves up to the girl, and wasn't all too pleased. I noticed I liked the effect around the sun. And I DID like the swoosh. So after a bit of playing, I got to where I am. :)

okay so that story wasn't so good after all.

I still like the project!

"Swing" was preformed by the FGMS 6th Grade Choir by the class of 2008. Props to whoever wrote it.

I Guess that You Saw What Nobody Could See

Would you believe my New Years Resolution was to update this darling little thing more often?
Well.
It wasn't.
hahahha

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Today, we went to the Reflections district-level award ceremony for the competition I entered The Justice Leauge piece into. If you didn't know, I really...really...am not pleased with it.
At all.

Reflections was held at Nancy Young, my old elementary school (just across the street), which is always a fun, special treat. I love Nancy Young and always light up to walk down its tiny halls and check out all the new paintings and additions.

Walking around and looking at all the other entries (about 90% were younger than fifth grade, by the way) was also fun, especially when we got to see the work of people we know. It was hard to walk past mine, since I hate it so much. In fact, one time I just stood there, ripping it apart to Dad, but stopped mid-sentance when a boy less than half my height stepped between me and the art, pointed up at it, and said, "Mommy, come look at this cool one with all the Superheroes!"

Several times that night, I stood at a reasonable creeper distance, watching as children of all ages came to the artpiece...the littlest one who only recognized Superman to the oldest who liked to see how many of the Justice Leauge they could name. They all smiled at it, pointed at it, giggled at it; no one noticed how shopped Wonder Woman looks, or how desaturated the Black Canary became. Nobody pointed out that Aquaman and Flash Gordan should technically be in the water with the way their torsos cut off, or that each of Vixen's body parts were different hues.

They just noticed that it was a fun, light-hearted piece. Something they could chuckle at with the idea, something that could entertain them. I saw, in those passerbies, something in their eyes that I wasn't quite able to write about in my artist's statement. These superheroes are more than a symbol of America- they're a symbol of childhood, innocence, and freedom. For fleeting moments, I saw adults light up like children, and I saw children light up like Christmas. Because they were looking at something I created.

Sitting here, it's hard to remember how much I hated that picture. Still do, you know...to me, I would feel a lot, LOT better about it if I had done it the way I ranted about in that entry. But I've seen first-hand what even disappointing art can do to a viewer, when the idea and heart are there. That emotional response we talk about in AP Art History isn't only for the masters. It isn't only for pieces of art that move on to regional competitions (which mine, by the way, didn't). It's for everyone.

Those children, pulling their mothers and siblings to look and see their personal and fantastical heroes, gave me more of an insight into the power of art than most experiances I've had so far. And I've had a few. ;) Perhaps it's only because of the subject matter (superheroes are always a popular choice), but even then- that's what the art usually revolves around...you'll be hard pressed to find a blank canvas that draws mass attention BEFORE it enters the museums), but I believe that, had just a bland picture of the Justice Leauge been sitting in my picture's place, it wouldn't have gotten as much attention.

I'm glad my silly little picture got into reflections. And you know what, I'm glad it sucked, too. Because now I have so much more appreciation for what I'm getting myself into...with great power comes great responsibility.

"You Found Me" was made famous by Kelly Clarkson