SmithDB ART 2104 Blog

Project 3: The Cyclical Nature of Things  The following images reflect my interpretation of "The Cyclical Nature of Things" by showing my cycle of daily travel to and from school. I chose not to present images of traveling on the public bus because I did not want to impede on the privacy of others and use their image in my personal works. There was a particular tree I had noticed as I walked towards the Schaefer Center that had a few leaves on a particular branch that were barely hanging on. On several consecutive days I would take a photo of those leaves to see if anything significant would change over time. I found the nature around me in the spring season was very interesting and beautiful, despite the lack of full leaves.

Project 2: Destroy the Icon For project 2 we are to scan an iconic image and attempt to create at least four compositions using that image as well as a scan-o-gram of textures to manipulate the image enough to where it is still somewhat recognizable, but legal to use. I chose to use an image of the great Harry Houdini in chains before performing a trick to escape. My idea is to relate Houdini's anxiety and feelings through creating various versions of himself around the central figure. In creating several patterns and textures I try to indicate his stress and the social and mental trends Houdini had gone through in the later part of is life.

About the work: This is the fourth and [first-] final version of this design made with Adobe Illustrator 2020, that is completely vector. I have taken the record player and paired it with the concept of a time machine, as listening to particular songs or genres of music allow us to mentally travel to a particular event or time in our lives through memory. A walk down memory lane, if you will. I have arranged the record player to be on it's side with the lid open, as if it is large and set in a facility within a room. Set on the record platform is an analog clock representing time, and the arms of the record player are the mechanism that controls the experience as the subject walks through the door into another time and space. On the wall to the right of the device, "Audition for Life", are several years that may be familiar to the general public. Regarding the figure: The figure entering into the unknown through the door is actually Dorothy Gail from the Wizard of ...

I continue to play around with placement and shadow, and to ponder what I really want to show in the doorway.

The record player I was illustrating has become a time machine powered with the magic of music and memories connected to specific songs. This illustration was prepared 100% with Adobe Illustrator 2020, v.24.0.2. While the photo tracing is attractive, it's too photo-realistic. I will continue to think of ways to sort-of stylize my concept.

The above image is my progress on Project 1 using Adobe Illustrator 2019. Above is the original image source. My idea is to take the idea of a record player and use it along with the idea of going back in time. As we hear music from various eras or different genres of music we are mentally and emotionally transported to that time, space, and/or event within ourselves. This is the big idea I'd like to convey.

Incense Burner Barometer and Thermometer Vinyl Record Player