Two New Tools

     There are a multitude of photoshop tutorials on the internet showing various techniques, but most of them are very specific- too specific. One tutorial I found breaks from that pattern and proves to be especially useful in multiple ways.
     This tutorial in particular described how one might make a picture appear to be a film photograph while also showing one of the most fundamental aspects of photoshop: the filter.
     The picture I started with was a color photograph- but I soon made it into a film grained image with selective color.

     Immediately, I set the saturation to zero to make it black and white, and then began following the tutorial. It first explained how to use a filter in combination with a layer- in a method it called "non-destructive editing". Soon I had created a film style image, but I wanted to try one more thing.

      I wanted to give a close-up to exhibit the grain, it's really remarkable how much it looks like film.

     Finally I decided to do something on my own- selectively color a piece of the image. I used the magnetic lasso to select a piece of my filter layer and then deleted it, leaving that piece of the background unfiltered. This created a sort of selective color effect.

What Time Is It?!

     Saturday morning cartoons were a large part of my life when I was young- they were something I looked forward to fervently each week. I've since grown, however, one cartoon in particular remains in my life: Adventure Time.

     Adventure Time is a cartoon hosted by Cartoon Network about a boy (Finn) and his dog (Jake), and their adventures in the Land of Ooo. It that has an aesthetic all its own with unusual characters and protean environments. 

 The characters are interestingly designed, but where the art design really shines is with its backdrops. Each set is intricately laced with subtle details, for example Finn and Jake's home is a hollowed out tree with a multitude of details.

     Perhaps the reason I so enjoy the show is that it has an undeniable sense of humor regarding itself, the art is extremely varied and interesting, and the undertones are surprisingly adult- most children would miss this of course. (For example, the land of Ooo is actually a post-war zone. The war is referred to as the Great Mushroom War, which perhaps refers to the dropping of atomic bombs across the land.) Overall the show is just amazing, and should be given a watch by all people of all ages.

The Original Master of Contrast

     Whether one knows his name or not, it is likely that one has been exposed to one of Caravaggio's paintings at some point or another. Caravaggio painted many years ago, but his works of art are still among the most prominent of today. So what makes his pieces so incredibly noteworthy? Perhaps for his content choices, or perhaps due to his mastery of the usage of light and dark.'

     Caravaggio often painted scenes from ancient Greek mythology, such as the slaying of Medusa. The most striking content choice of his must be the constant decapitations occurring within his paintings. His choice to include such a gruesome scene is extremely polarizing, yet it achieves a level of emotional power that all artists strive to gain.

     Caravaggio is not only well known for his content however, he is also often noted for his clear mastery of the elements of light and dark. He used light in multiple ways: he focused the viewer's attention towards what he intended as the focal point, and also uses light as a symbol. For example, in his painting depicting the taking of christ, all of christ's captors are shadowed and in the dark, representing the darkness and evil behind their intentions.
     Caravaggio gives wonderful examples of how to best use contrast, and photographers can certainly stand to learn something from him. Photography is entirely about the difference between light and dark; without the inherent difference between the two, photography would not exist at all. Thus, for a photographer to thrive, he must acknowledge the immense importance of contrast.

An Open Ended Inspiration: Alternative Techniques

     Ever since I first saw photographs that utilize unique and creative techniques, I longed to try and attempt them myself. Thus, alternative technique has been a huge inspiration in my photography for as long as I can remember. When I speak of these creative stratagems, I am speaking mainly of things such as stop motion, long exposure, and double exposure photography.
     Stop motion photography often entails an event that we do not perceive due to the extreme swfitness with which it occurs, and thus this style of photography was popularized. Stop motion captures everything from a balloon popping to water splashing (which seems to have become quite popular recently). Yet, this type of photography is arguably, the hardest type of photography to do. This is due to the fact that alongside all normal photography rules, there are an entirely new set of rules to follow. For example, a stop motion photographer may have to worry about both exposure time, AND figuring out when to trigger the shutter at the same time.

     
     The appeal of stop motion, in my opinion of course, is that it allows us to see a world unseen. Above, you can see the beauty of water in motion, and perhaps decipher the mystical language it speaks.


     Long exposure photography has become especially popular among aspiring photographers due to the blatantly ethereal effects that may be achieved through its use. This style can be used literally in every picture in one way or another, from fireworks to stars; it all looks nicer with a longer exposure.

    

     Lastly there is double exposure photography, perhaps the most potentially evocative type of photography. With this technique, an artist may make a smooth transition or even juxtapose two disparate things. Perhaps a silhouette of a broken man, covered with an exposure of ashes; maybe an aspiring girl with thoughts of becoming an architect, achieved by comparing the two in a single photograph.

     Artists everywhere ought to at least experiment with this technique due to the amazing effects that can be accomplished with a bit of work. Granted, this is EXTREMELY tough to pull off in film photography due to a need for meticulous planning and many tries. However, the product is well worth the effort.

     The only techniques I've dabbled in thus far are the two exposure techniques, and I have to say, they are frustrating to print, but they turn out so nicely. Now that I have double and long exposures under my belt perhaps I can begin work on stop motion photography.

The Art of Desolation: The Holga

     Upon searching for Holga photography to inspire me, I noticed a pattern within many of the photos. In nearly every other Holga photograph I found, there was an air of loneliness, isolation, and desolation. Yet, it was a beautiful loneliness. This beautiful desolation seems to be the trademark shot of the Holga, but what more can we do with our Holgas? What other emotions can we evoke with that muggy vignette?

     I believe we can create and emit a broad range of emotion through our photography, so why not through our Holga photography? I wondered why this dim and hauntingly beautiful style became so popular among Holga artists, and realized it was definitely the vignette effect. Without the vignette in the above picture, it would be a simple, still a bit ominous, but simple picture of a road. It's an empty road, but with the vignette it feels tightened, restricted, claustrophobic. Without it, it might feel unrestrained: free. Perhaps this vignette is used in this way because it is so easy to fall into the trap of evoking a constricting feeling, leading to an overall tone of isolation.

     Seeing all of this desolate photography made me want to break the pattern and try and use the vignette in more innovative ways, not just as a moody platitude. When shooting my role I tried using as much light as possible to avoid the dank feeling seen in so many Holga photos. In addition, I took pictures of nature. I hoped that the combination of lighting and nature might brighten a field of photgrahy that seems to be bogged down in the dark, embracing grasp of the hackneyed.

The Art of Video Games Part 2

      With my previous post I talked about the inspiring aspects of Bioshock and LIMBO and I was going on and on, so I thought I ought to split this topic into two posts to make it manageable (and readable). So, as I was saying: video games are the newest way to make art and express sentiments.

     The first of the two games I want to show you in this part is called Mirror's Edge. Here's the gamefaqs description:

"In a city where information is heavily monitored, agile couriers called runners transport sensitive data away from prying eyes. In this seemingly utopian paradise, a crime has been committed, your sister has been framed and now you are being hunted."

     Mirror's Edge continues the dystopian concept, but in a very different way. Instead of a city meant to further the arts as there was in Bioshock, the city in Mirror's Edge simply wishes to restrict the flow of information (more along the lines of the Orwellian dystopia).

     Mirror's Edge follows one of the aforementioned couriers as they run across rooftops to transport information across the city. While running across these rooftops you can see the stark white city with it's selective color patches throughout. It's an aesthetic that's hard to explain but understandable once seen. Mirror's Edge is beautiful, and looks simple in its own right. This minimalism brings about yet another inspiring art style since it really shows that when something is muted, even something such as color, it can create a wonderful and unique style.

     

     The final game I wanted to show is the extremely recent game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution. As always, here is the gamefaqs description:

"At a time when scientific advancements are routinely turning athletes, soldiers and spies into super-enhanced beings, someone is working very hard to ensure mankind's evolution follows a particular path. You need to discover why - because the decisions you take and the choices you make will be the only things that can determine mankind's future."

     Deus Ex takes place in a world where the popular concept of transhumanism (human enhancement through robotics) takes precedence. In this world there are not only human enhancements, but also enhancements on architecture and art. The artists working on Deus Ex had to anticipate the way in which architecture would evolve if Earth were to enter into a similar situation as the world in Deus Ex, and thus the environments in the game were born. This game brings into play the concept of artistic anticipation, which occurs often when making science fiction art. Sci fi art is some of my favorite to view, thus this concept proved very interesting to me. The game's environs were extremely inspiring to me, especially after thinking about how much time and planning goes into anticipating something as complex and ornate as an entire sci fi city. With this, Deus Ex proves another excellent example of art.

The Art of Video Games Part 1

     Only recently have video games begun to be considered as an art medium, and even so, there remains no paucity of controversy. Video games have been through a roller coaster of acclaim and vituperation; however, for the first time ever, they are being acknowledged by the Smithsonian Institute as a form of art. This has further inspired me to see art within the games that I play, and I wish to share a few of the most artistically valuable games I have experienced.
     The first game I'd like to mention is one in which the vivid atmosphere is only rivaled by the story: Bioshock. Here is a good description from www.gamefaqs.com, 

"After your plane crashes into icy uncharted waters, you discover a rusted bathysphere and descend into Rapture, a city hidden beneath the sea. Constructed as an idealistic society for a hand picked group of scientists, artists and industrialists, the idealism is no more. Now the city is littered with corpses, wildly powerful guardians roam the corridors as little girls loot the dead, and genetically mutated citizens ambush you at every turn...Make meaningful choices and mature decisions, ultimately culminating in the grand question: do you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture...or save them?"

     Bioshock first introduced me to the dystopian topic, popularized by the likes of Ayn Rand, George Orwell, and Aldous Huxley, which then inspired me to both look into dystopian literature; but Bioshock did not only introduce me to Huxley and Orwell, it also first showed me Art Deco design. Art Deco was first popularized in the 20's, but remains a commonly used architectural design choice as well as interior design choice. Art Deco is one of my favorite style of architecture, but also of art in general. Thus Bioshock introduced me to two of my favorite art styles, one of literature and one of visual arts.

     While the first game was created by a major game publisher, the second game I want to share is a small indie game called LIMBO. Again, here's a quick overview from gamefaqs:

"[LIMBO] puts players in the role of a young boy traveling through an eerie and treacherous world in an attempt to discover the fate of his sister."

     The concept is extremely simple, but there is a strong emphasis on treacherous in that description. The alluring part of LIMBO, however, is the art style that went into making it. The game is in all black and white with a sort of misty, enigmatic air to it. This art style greatly contributes to the feeling of the game, which is easily one of some degree of fear, and indefinitely one of dread.

    Another interesting aspect of LIMBO is trying to figure out the story. There is no voice acting, no words, no nothing, except for the boy and his journey through this land. Some believe it's representative of the afterlife, or perhaps even life itself, while others believe it to be a metaphor that spans the width of everything we know. This is interesting to note as this is characteristic of fine art: it sets you on a track with what it presents and then you must interpret it for not what it is, but for what it represents and ultimately what it means. 

      This game is yet another case promoting the view of video games as art.