Artist Portfolio

In trying to find a portfolio to critique, I clicked randomly through the large list of names of previous digital art students. Several names that I clicked on led me to incomplete pages where links didn't take me to their intended destination, but Ellie Bockert's page is where I stopped my search when all the simple navigation controls checked out. Ellie Bockert's page doesn't include flash animation or any of the latest and greatest eye catching effects that some websites have these days. The layout is very simple, but effective in its purpose. A picture of a blue elephant is present amongst the white backdrop of the site, giving Ellie's portfolio a personal feel of her taste. For me, this is very important as a portfolio should express the artist's personal style. Upon entering the site, I have five different navigation links to choose from: Home, Info, Art Works, Links, and Contact. I was already at the home page so I clicked on information. This page included a couple paragraphs describing Ellie's history with art, and her upbringing at home. This is effective as it gives the viewer some insight into possible inspirations of her work. Next I navigated to Art Works. Once I clicked this page, I was presented with four more options to navigate to: Videos and Animation, Modeling, Digital Imaging, and photography. Each category had a picture of one of the works from that section which is a nice visual reference into what you are about to travel to. All pages contained her different works and were easy to view. I clicked the Links tab next, but this page was empty. This tap probably wasn't really necessary in the first place, but it brings down the overall portfolio given that you are presented with the option, yet it contains nothing. Last is the Contact tab which simply displays Ellie's email address. I think Ellie could have done a few things better making her online portfolio. Her home, links, and contact pages all seemed a bit pointless to me. All the home page has is a list of the different tabs to navigate to, which are present in all of the other sub-pages anyways. I think it would have been effective to post her contact information in the home page to actually give that page a purpose, something to look at. Otherwise the site is divided up unnecessarily. On the positive side, it is very easy to navigate and has a great personal feel to it. This online portfolio has everything it needs to show online viewers Ellie's work and even to get a little background story on her.   http://digitalarts.bgsu.edu/portfolios/ellieb/

Video Storyboard

I want my video to contrast the vast difference between an orderly, structured, monotonous, and identified lifestyle that the average American lives with that of raving. To me a rave party represents a period where everyone forgets all of their worries to simply dance to beats and meet people. Raves demonstrate a complete breakdown of government order. This order allows the government to identify where and what we are doing at nearly anytime through license plate numbers, addresses, and credit card transactions. The purpose of all of this order and identity is to maintain control. Control is a good thing to a certain extent, but too much can conflict with out lifestyles. There is none of this at a rave, a person is free to do what they want without much restraint. There is nowhere else where a person can be so free to forget their worries and behave as they wish without having to worry about being prosecuted for their actions. Without control there are no restraints. The laws of culture are nonexistent at a rave, showing how free a person can truly become.

In my video, I want to start by showing my average American life. Getting up early, showering, brushing my teeth, eating breakfast, going to school/work. In the process of walking to class, I think of all the things that identify me, which at the same time control what I can and cannot do. When I reach a stop sign at the end of the road, I realize I am not truly free with the lifestyle I live. Flashes of rave crowds will fade in and out. The music begins to build into a heavy beat. The other part of my life becomes apparent. As I toss my credit cards and license, I turn off the lights and crack open glowsticks. I swing the glowsticks around on strings, creating floating circles of light. Depending on the movement of my hands, the light from the glowsticks creates different patterns. The camera cuts in and out with the beat of the music. The music fades out and the sound of an alarm clock fades back in. I wake up, realizing it was a dream and that I cannot follow it. The control of society has ahold of me and there is nothing I can do.

article quiz response

1. Howard Fried is know as a video artist whose work shows more conceptual qualities. In his series, Inside the Harlequin, video is shown of Fried scaling the side of a building that is his studio. Fried says that a studio is a place to be entered fully and to be conquered, as his video shows quite literally. 

2. Bill Viola is one of the biggest names in Personal Narratives using the camera as his medium. One piece that I thought sounded very interesting in concept was A Non Dairy Creamer (1975). In this film, Viola films into a cup of coffee which reflect his image as he stands over the cup. As he drinks from the cup of coffee, his image gradually fades away.

3. One piece I looked into further after reading the article was Wolf Vostell's Television Delivers People. The film consists of lines of text, all informative of what television is and how it effects people. I found this piece to be enlightening, pointing out certain facts about television that I never thought of. For example, the video states that television presents issues in a non threatening manner and that popular entertainment is propaganda for the status quo. After viewing this piece, I see TV more as a means of control than entertainment.

4. Video art is just as diverse as any other medium to create art. Like other forms of art, video art is created only to show what the material communicates, not to be mass produced or advertised. Video art is an intensively personal medium to use, offering a full range of expressive possibilities.

5. The difference of video art and artful video lies in the intention of the artist. Artful video may demonstrate good filming techniques and creative shots, but the intention often is for news or for advertisement purposes. Video art suggests that the artist made the footage without the constraint of some other purpose. Video art is meant to be a personal expression, not for informative or persuasive purposes that artful video is for.

This work by Martina Lopez demonstrates a woman standing on what looks to be a beach with several other people in the background and birds flying through the air. The whole image has an antique black and white finish, making the image seem very old.

This image tells me that the artist enjoys the simple things in life, and does not overly rely on technology like many of us do today. The figures in the background  make the main figure seem isolated, alone. Perhaps this is how the artist sometimes feels. 

I like this work because of her use of color effects to make the image appear old, vintage. Based on my interpretation about the artist, it would be ironic for her to use a computer and digital imaging to create this image instead of more traditional means. I think this is interesting however, as it leaves no true answer, only to be left open to interpretation.

This image simply appears to be a man with an extra ear on the right side of his face. The look on his face seems to express no emotion .

I think this work can suggest many different things about the artist. It seems as though he seems unbalanced or out of place. At the same time, the man in the image would have superior hearing ability then the rest of the human race. Maybe the artist is trying to say that different is not always bad and can good sometimes. 

I like the whole idea of this picture. There's no one meaning anyone could take from it, but to me it reminds me of the judgemental nature of people.

Blog 2a

This piece uses many bent lines and sweeping colors. The picture gives the viewer the feeling that the image is moving, maybe towards something significant. 

There is no true identity in this piece, as it does not display a face or body. However, I think this work of art says something about the artist. The use of color and line and the way the forms are defined makes this piece seem alive, almost as if it was an experience the artist had. 

I like it, again because of the sweeping color, lines, and strangely defined forms. The piece raises many questions about its true nature that admire in the work.

Day 1, Blog #1

I am studying to be an artist so that I can create my own unique style of art that reflects who I am and what I believe in. Art is a way for me to express and share my interests with others in my own creative way. As of now, I am very interested in the modeling and animation aspect of digital arts. The classes I took in high school introduced me to the digital arts and its endless possibilities. My fascination with computer technology combined with my creative thinking make the digital arts a perfect field for me. By the end of this semester, I hope to have learned to effectively use modeling, animation, and photoshop software to be able to produce computer art that is consistent with the ideas in my head. I hope I am able to use these programs on my own without needing guidance from others.