Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Week 11

   

Assignment: (Only use two colors)
The Assignment for this week revolved around color.  In class we talked about different ways to describe color, such as: Hue, Saturation, Value, Primary, Complimentary.  We also talked about the color wheel and the difference between warm and cold colors.  So this week we had to make our whole comic only using two colors.  

Craft: (How did we do it?) 
The first step was to make the background layer a normal layer.  Then, make a new layer with a really dark color.  Next, we had to multiply the photo in order for the color to be seen in the photo.  The last step was to make a sandwich of layers, top-photo / middle-color layers / bottom-dark universal color layer.  In order to change the colors of all our pictures we first had to make layers for each color we were going to use.  Each picture had a different amount of layers because each photo had different areas to color.  Then, we could use the brush and eraser tool to color the picture.  

Composition: (Arrangement of elements)
In order to effectively accomplish this assignment, we had to use one color as the background and foreground and the other color as a marker for important content. We chose to use purple as the background and foreground color because it was dark and would make the other color pop.  The second color we chose was yellow. Yellow worked very well because it is high contrast to purple. By using these two colors effectively, we were able to make the people and important objects stand out from the rest of the photos.

Concept: (What are we trying to say?)
These photographs are meant to convey a steady progression of events leading to a humorous final scene. This final scene is meant to come as a surprise to the audience. The progression of events depict a not to out of the ordinary situation, but once the final scene is viewed, there is a sense of comedy as well as seriousness and a bit of grossness. 





Thursday, March 26, 2009

Week 10

  

Assignment: 
The assignment for this week was to work with are partners and improve on are comic strip story with pictures and Photoshop.

Craft:  
This assignment calls for a lot of group work and communication.  In order for the project to be completed well are group needs to stay organized and on top of the assignments.  For most of these photos we just told the picture as we wanted it to look so we would not have to photoshop it.  For the ones that we could not accomplish a single picture we had to take individual pictures and then photoshop the elements into one picture.

Composition:
In order to complete this assignment we needed to use filters on each of your photos.  The filter that we decided to use was the graphic pen filter.  We also decided that in order to make it look more like a comic strip we make the photos black and white.  In the end we would like to all color to the pictures be on on the two characters and some of the key elements.

Concept: 
This project is different then other assignments because of the partner element.  Because my partner and I can bounce ideas off of each other.  Also if we need help with problems in photoshop we can ask each other and figure them out together.  Also in our picture, I am in the pictures and James took all the pictures, so that make for a easy way for use to get the assignment done. 


 

Friday, March 20, 2009

Lipstick & Dynamite Film Screening

On Wednesday, March 18, there was a film screening / talk about the movie, "Lipstick & Dynamite" by Ruth Lietman.  This film is about woman's role in professional wrestling.

Craft: (How was the film made?) 
This film was made using film media with video cameras along with testimony by individuals along with footage and pictures of old wrestling events.  The film has a lot of older footage of women wrestling in the ring.  Throughout the film most all of the commentary is from old talk shows and more so of past female wrestlers.  The female wrestlers are talking about how things where in the past and stories of different events that happened throughout their career as a women professional wrestler.

Composition: (Arrangement of elements within the film)
The film starts off by a clip of a woman on a talk show where the object of the show is to guess what profession she has.  Throughout the entire film this clip is shown in different spots in small sequences so at the end of the film the panel on the show has to guess who is the wrestler.  This is what ties the film together from beginning to end.  The film starts with the early beginnings of how females got into the wrestling scene by the actual wrestlers telling stories and events of what happened back then.  In the middle of the film many wrestlers where introduced and gave backgrounds and history of their own personal roles in wrestling.  The end of the film is where there is a reunion for past wrestlers where everyone gets together to visit and talk about the good times.   

Concept: (What is the film maker, Ruth Lietman, trying to say?)
What I believe Lietman is trying to convey to the audience is how important women are in sports and more over, society.  Most of what was told by the past wrestlers was how that when the promoters really needed money they would have women's bouts.  Also that the women where what really made the whole wrestling scene spark and become what it is today.  Another issue, which I think is being brought up, is how women where treated as well as women's role in society at this particular time period.  Women where in no way thought of as being a wrestler so that all of these individuals who stepped out of the traditional role of women at the time where really pioneers to women's movements.    



Week 8

Assignment: (Comic Strip Pictures)
The week 8 assignment was to have pictures taken of places and things that would be able to be placed in each box of our comic strip in order to tell our story to the audience. 

Craft: (How did we do it?) 
The week before this assignment my partner and I had drawn out our comic strip on paper in order that we had a clear idea of what types of pictures we needed to take.  After we have established the places and situations that we needed to photograph we tried to get the pictures.    

Composition: (Arrangement of elements)
It is still necessary that we get a few more pictures in order to clearly portray our story to the audience without using words.  In these pictures we will need both of the models to be together in difference situations.   

Concept: (What are we trying to say?)
The pictures that we have taken and will take are of both the models and in the places where they need to be.  For these pictures there will not need to be any Photoshopping of the people and places.  A few other pictures that we will use will have to be where the model is Photoshopped into a photo of another place or background.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Week 7

Assignment: (Comic strip story)
To think of and develop a story that involves three situations 
1.) A person waiting 2.) A person traveling 3.) A package

Craft: (How did I do it?)
When we started this project, we were given the option to either work with a partner or work by ourselves.  The class voted on partners so the first step was to choose a group mate.  After we all had partners the next step was to brainstorm on a story.  For a week my partner and I bounced ideas off each other.  We came up with a story and wrote it down on paper.  During our first class back from spring break we told our stories to the rest of the class.  The next step is to create photos that can tell our story through pictures only, no text. 

Composition: (Arrangement of elements)
The story that my partner and I created was about a love affair.  The person waiting is a man in his mid 20's.  The women traveling is a business woman around the same age as the man.  The package is a box that the man is waiting to give her at a restaurant where they are to meet.  The reason that these two individuals know each other and are meeting again is because they had a one night stand about a month ago.  After the woman went home the man gave her a call and told her he had something that he had to give her. The pictures for this story are focused around the airport, a restaurant, and the man's house.  In order to convey the message, the pictures must have certain characteristics in them.  A major focus must be on the two individual's faces.  These expressions will tell a lot of information to the viewer and will help the viewer get a sense of how the story is playing out.    

Concept: (What am I trying to say?)
The concept of this story is to bring up a serious conversation but by doing it in a funny way.  The ending is funny but is a very real and serious problem that people have to deal with.  After someone reads this story through our pictures a topic will be brought up and this story acts as a icebreaker for a more serious situation.