Blog Assignment 5

No.1
In my final projects, I mainly use the selection tool to combine different images together, and I also use the layer mask to make the combination look more smooth and nutural. Since my Big Idea of the final project is fantasy, I think it is very important for me to put various kind of elements into one image to show the strong conflict between fantasy and reality.

No.2
I think the layer mask is the most challenging technique I learnt in photoshop. When I first used the layer mask, I found it was hard to master because I need to get rid of every tiny unwanted thing on the mask meticulously. In the quiz, it really took me quite a long time to do it well. And when I was working on my final project, I just discovered that it was not so difficult for me than at the beginning.

No.3

Compared to my midterm project, I think my final project contains more elements in one image. I used the selection tool and move tool to put more things in my image, in order to make it more closer to my big idea. For example, in my first final project image, I put many fairied in the picture, to show how a child sees this world within his own imagine, and that is the fantasy.

Assignment 4 - Final Project

The big idea of my final project is fantasy. In my final project, I will use a picture in which there is a little boy holding a box standing in the middle of his bedroom as the base. I will make some changes on the things in his room, such as the bookshelf and bed. All these changes can receal how a little see the world in his own eyes, and that is the fantasy of him.

Here are three pictures of fantasy that influenced me most. I think the strong conflict of fantasy and the reality can show the theme more comprehensively.

Here is the link to the technique I will use in my final project:
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials/162627/ruining-big-ben

Assignment 3 - Big Idea

The first artist I choose is Jiri Geller, because I think the big idea under his works and the way his works are shown are all very attractive to me. He uses the sculptures to reveal his big idea of the mix of modern culture and the dark sense of humor.

I think Geller obtains a very unique thought about the pop culture, and he combines different aspects together in his works. Just like the first work I post below, there is only a hand with a glove of the famous cartoon character Mickey Mouse. Most of the time, when concerning about Mickey Mouse, we always think of its cute outlook and its funny bhaviour. But in this work, I just think more about the dark side, such as the loneliness of the Mickey Mouse, since there is still some blood on the arm. And in the second picture, this idea is conveyed more clearly to me, thanks to the change of light in the picture.

As for my final project, I think Geller's works give me such an idea that I could use those elements that I'm fimiliar with in my final project. And it is important to me to think out of the box and hold a different point of view about these elements.

Link to Jiri Geller: http://beautifuldecay.com/2011/05/13/jiri-gellers-polished-pop/


The second artist I like is Richard Butler, because I really like his work series named "Masks". I think the big idea behind these works is the mask that people wear on their heart. The reason why I am so keen to his works is that I really like the idea his works convey to me. He uses his works to show the idea that in this modern world, people always tend to wear a mask, which blocks our true feelings conveying to each other.

As is shown in the first picture below, there are something like planes flying in the sky, and in the middle of the picture, there is a girl wearing black veil. I think this picture shows the background of war and death. On the girl's face, there is some make-up, but it still cannot make the sadness on her face vanish.

I think Butler's works make me understand that I can focus more on my understandings of the daily life.

Link to Richard Butler: http://beautifuldecay.com/2011/05/13/richard-butlers-masks/

Assignment 2- Tutorial- Candy Flower

link to the tutorial I use:
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials/162575/popcorn-dog

the original image:

step 1:
I use the image of cotton candy to cover the original petals.

step 2：
I change the angle of the cotton candy image in order to cover all the petals more smmothly.

step 3:
I use the image of strawberries to cover the mid part of the flower.

step 4:
I use the image of chocolate beans to cover the original stamen.

step 5:
Finish covering the stamen.

step 6:

Change the background and add shadow.

assignment 1-Denotstion&Connotation

Blog Assignment 1
Name: Xiangyu Zhou
Class: Art Edu 252
Works by Todd Slaughter
http://toddslaughter.net/publicworks.htm

The denotation of this image is that there is a big blue mortarboard hanged by some metal lines above the street, where there are several lighting street lamps along the street and some houses on the sides of the street. It may be at night, for there is no car or people on the street.

The connotation of this image is that the mortarboard may stand for knowledge and the high degree of study. And it is hanged so high, maybe because nowadays people pay a lot of attention to the importance of knowledge and knowledge is playing a more and more essential role in our daily life. And the background is a little dark, maybe because sometimes the scholars may feel lonely because of their studies.

http://toddslaughter.net/Mortarboard/target2.html

 

The denotation of this image is that there is a small house located in the middle of a hill, beneath which there is a small gap. The hill is surrounded by green trees. The house is empty, and from its color, I guess it is made of metal. There is a big ball on the roof, and there are some holes with unique shapes on the big ball.

The connoatation of this image is that people are trying to get a closer look of the nature, because the house is surround by so many beautiful views of nature. And the location of the house may stand for a willingness of challenging the impossibles, because most of the time people will not build a house above a gap. The unique holes on the ball may represent the endless imagination.

http://toddslaughter.net/WatchHouse%20and%20Circle%20Mound/target6.html