Another Day

Tuesday the 9th
-Today in class our group cut out most of our cardboard letters and built the 'I' and the 'E'.  We spent most of the time translating the 12'' pieces into the 36'' model and cutting cardboard.  I think we underestimated how big a 3 foot tall letter actually is when building it three dimensionally - we've needed to buy a bunch of sheets of cardboard, which sucks... but hey, what can you do?

All has been well so far, we are staying on track and our letters look pretty nice... I'm excited to spray paint them and check them out at the locations we've thought of.

READINGS:

-Photo OPS: This reading went over some of the basic techniques of creating an interesting composition or specific visual effect through photography, with some exercises to help build on the examples.  Some categories were: symmetry and asymmetry, framing, movement, repetition, close-up (magnification).
--- I feel like I prefer asymmetrical compositions... and the article points out that symmetry comforts the viewer, while asymmetry challenges.  Does this mean I like a challenge? Probably not.
--- I thought they made an interesting point about repetition, and how a speaker uses repetition to emphasize a point or attract attention much like a photographer should.  (or any artist for that matter)


-Documents and Pictures:  This was another reading about photography and the effects of history on the use of photography as art, and the effects of history on photographers and their craft.
--- Some interesting points that were made: Art's value can be measured in proportion to the mental labor employed in it, or the mental pleasure produced by it - according to Sir Joshua Reynolds.  Artists who merely copied an image were viewed as mechanical and mindless, while invention was highly sought after.  This is a concept that I believe still applies today, where creativity and differentiation (invention) are highly valuable concepts of art and is something that artists must constantly strive for.