When we hear the word glitch, it’s never a good sign. If a program glitches then it creates more problems than advancements. But in this case, we want to glitch. Glitch in itself is an amalgamation of ideas and inputs that create a whole new invention.
As one of our mini-microprojects, we split ourselves into groups of fours or five and each put in a picture of ourselves in dropbox. We would all take turns creating alterations, “glitches” to the pictures. Accumulating the glitch until our final picture (done by the last person) was finished.
“The Sentence has no end. Sometimes I think it had no beginning. Now I salute its authors, which means all of us. You have made a wild, precious, awful, delicious, lovable, tragic, vulgar, fearsome, divine thing.”
– Douglas Davis, 2000
What is “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence”?
“The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” is an collaborative and collective network based artwork created in 1994 by Douglas Davis, an artist and media teacher. Though considered as the “author” and “artist” this art piece, Douglas Davis publicly credits those who helped him design the website and other coworker on his website. This artwork is credited as one of the first couple artworks to utilize the World Wide Web after its creation and integration to mainstream society. “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” started to take on a life of its own as viewers were given the opportunity and freedom to contribute to the sentence in what ever form or style they preferred. One can notice that there are some irregularities in format, theme, and basic flow of the sentences due to the a variety of people from all over the world. In 1995, “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” was donated to the Whitney Museum and preserved there since then. In 2012, The Whitney Museum planned to reopen this art piece. However, due to the upgraded software of the 21st century and the outdated codes of 20th century, the website was unusable. This led to the eventual conclusion to create a duplicate of the original artwork embedded with modern coding and software that allows the duplicated version to be edited on. That version was opened online allowing a resurgence of this collaborative piece. The original version is still preserved in The Whitney Museum, though it has been locked from further edits with some of the links redirecting you to an external website.
What do I think the “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” is really saying?
I believe that “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” is an interactive record of human development and mindset as well as an ironic commentary on our current society. When “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” was created, Douglas Davis probably had the intention for the website to continue for a long time. If the goal was to great a long collaborative sentence from people all around the world that has access to the World Wide Web, it could only be achieved if people continued to participate. The sentence’s humble beginning as a method of collecting honest feedback regarding a survey about his exhibition transformed into a platform where anybody can post what ever they want when ever they felt like it, regardless of the vulgarities or discrepancies with previous additions. This, in the end, has become a primary source that is still recording the true thoughts and behaviors of humans who tend to unleash their subconscious or emotions on the web. Humans tend to be more honest about their feelings or like to create a false persona of someone who they want to be online because they do not have to taste the physical judgement and scrutiny that befalls physical confrontations. We can see that the “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” slowly starts to become a platform for people to rant their feelings, as well as the linguistic changes throughout the years (different slang or vulgarities). This may not have been the original intention per-say but like everything in modern society that seems to transform and change, “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” has metamorphasized into something more than just a simple survey.
Tumblr NotesTumblr Notes
On a side not, this way of constantly adding onto an already existing statement reminds of me of the way Tumblr works, where people have a catalyst image or text that triggers a wave of never-ending reblog and notes. (Though these are not the most mature examples, these were the few that I could find)
The irony of the “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” is that it is written and stored on modern technology. Even though it may the longest textual sentences, it is not necessarily the longest lasting sentence. I say this because most of the links and images attached on the original version of “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” can not be accessed because of the outdated codes or the deleted file the “author” trashed after several years. What people assumed would be permanently on the World Wide Web, in the end no longer exists, or is “broken”. This entire situation points out “the ephemeral nature of the Web…”. This is why I believe that the longest textual sentence is will not be the longest surviving sentence.
And for the “longest existing collaborative sentence” it is still unable to display the proper Korean Characters. It has been 24 years and within those years there have been so many advancements in technology that should be able to help depict the Korean Characters yet for some reason it still remains a garbled mess. Maybe it because the Korean characters were sent in with the old coding making it more difficult to translate it and depict it, but maybe one day it will be possible to actually see what was written in 1995.
REFLECTION
Looking through the effect and impact of “The World’s Longest Collaborative Sentence” has made me think about the idea of collaboration. A collaborative piece involves not only the artist but also the audience, both contribute to the outcome of a collaborative artwork. And continues to have effect as long as one person makes the effort to keep it alive. The beauty of a collaborative work is that each contribution made is unique and personal to the contributor. All these unique pieces amalgamate to an even more unique creation. For example, our current Experimental Class is doing a collaborative art piece. We all have to post one body part every day. (Insert screen shot here). Even this collaborative art piece is a record of our generation, from the pictures you can see different editing techniques and clothing styles, even camera angle techniques unique to each batch of students.
The third space. A space that combines our current space with another space. Yet, it is nearly impossible to coexist in two of the spaces simultaneously. However, this does not mean that we can not communicate with other who have stepped into the third space along side you. In a sense as we step into the third space, we are remodelling it to become our first space.
(Image of everyone coming online on Adobe Connect)
We used Adobe Connect, a more professional counterpart to Skype and FaceTime, as our platform to access the third space. Our third spaces is occupied by our entire class (except two students who could not manage to log on). Originally, we were meant to be located in different first spaces but for the sake of efficiency and time we stayed in the Foundation 4D room. We played around with different activities that connected all of us through the third space. We tried connecting our arms to create a row, touched fingers with the people next to us, covered the screen in a monochrome color, and more.
EXPERIENCE
(Image of one of the activities)
The entire experience was fun and amusing. There were a lot of laughs however, that was mostly because we were in the same first space that allowed us to make jokes and see the reaction with others as we did some of our ridiculous activities. Other than the occasional laughs, I felt that fascinated by the experience. Sure, I’ve used Skype to call a friend and gave her a “Hi-5” or exchanged food with Bella during our Telematic Stroll. But to something of this scale with so many people and such unique activities was a novel moment in my third space career.
DISCOVERY
(Images of activity requiring aligning our body parts)
Though we were in the same first space, we can see people trying to align their hands and arms without discussing it with one another. We had the opportunity and temptation to yell out to the student whose screen was above mine to align our fingers yet we withheld the urge and used the screen itself. This in a way shows how we truly cannot completely be in the first space as well as the third space. We were aware we were in the same room physically yet our mind kept telling us to focus our thoughts in the third space.
REFLECTION
(Image of our hands close up)
The third space. Though not an official word in the dictionary, is a word that relates to many of us in this society. We spend so much time in our third space then we do in any other space (granted we are usually asleep while we are in our first space). People usually assume that once we are in the third space or “glued to our phones” that we are completely isolated and anti-social. But they do not realize that the third space is like a community of other like minded people who we can interact and connect with.
My partner and I were tasked to research and create a presentation regarding the Bauhaus and Modern Movement. Specifically, the effect the movement has left on America as well as the designs associated with the movements.
Though my partner was in charge of collecting the information regarding the Bauhaus Movement and myself in charge of researching about the Modern Movement; we discussed the information together so that the both of us had a clear understanding of one another’s topic.
The PDF version of the presentation seems to be too big for OSS to post. So instead I linked the URL for the presentation below.
Through this research session, I have had the chance to truly learn and understand the Modern Movement in America. To narrow down my research I focused on information pertaining to the Modern Movement in America from pre- World War I to post-World War II. My understanding of Graphic Design is no longer limited to “oh it has vintage style” when referring to Image A and B.
Lithographic Poster 1897 (Image A)Modernist Poster by Joseph Binder 1940 (Image B)
Now I know that Image A is a traditional illustration poster made during the initial stages of Lithographic Posters, before the 1900s. While Image B is a Modernist Poster made during 1940 using silkscreening methods and an airbrush finish. Both are “vintage” in the sense that it is antique but not should not be classified under the same style of “vintage”.
“Art challenges technology, and technology inspires art.”
– John Lasseter, Chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios and DisneyToon Studios.
In 1980, a live art instillation situated in both New York and California simultaneously is considered one of the earliest forms of live networked media art. This instillation titled, “Hole-in-Space” was launched by artist Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz, founders of the Electronic Cafe. These two artists dabbled in the advancing technological side of art that began soon after the introduction of the World Wide Web. The two artistscreated a digital bridge that connect the physical distance in our reality. This bridge is located in a place called the “third space”, a space that is not physical where ideas coexist. The bystanders are thrusted into this third space, their own little world, without any previous knowledge or expectation of what this instillation would do.
The instillation required two screens, one in the Lincoln Center in New York City and the other in Century City in Los Angles, that were connected by one satellite. Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz created the first live telecast that functioned on realtime between the two different coasts. This live art instillation can be dubbed in today’s society as one of the “first Factime or video call”.
Live Video Call “Facetime” 2017 https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT204380
The beauty of the video linked above is that it allowed me to see the candid and genuine reactions of the people who experienced this phenomenon. To us, those who were born and raised in the age where smartphones and LTE (4G Data) is a social norm, the idea of freaking out seems overly dramatic and silly ( 2:40 Audience in LA realizes that the other audience is from New York City). However, society at that time never in their wildest chance believed that this could happen. These people lived their lives thinking that they couldn’t see the uncle who moved to West Coast to pursue his career as a director until he made enough money to come back for Thanksgiving. The audience even believed that the screen was just a prerecording of actors acting as if it was real time (3:03). This was time in our modern history where everything felt so pure and untouched by harms of the World Wide Web. Everyone was just having fun and reveling at the wonders of the third space.
“Heinekin! Here! You got it! You got it! You got it!… Here you go baby!”
“One for me!”
– The audience enjoying themselves and interacting with one another (by passing a beer) through the third space
This Iive art piece, contrary to other live performances where the audience merely watches the artist in his or her element, requires the help of the unsuspecting and curious audience. Granted, by the last telecast, many people made plans to meet each other at the two locations. Specifically a The unclear nature of the project allowed the artwork to be completely be run by the audience by letting them interpret the work in their own way. Certain people used this project to see the face of loved ones who they haven’t seen in a while, while others as seen in the video, started to treat this as a chanceto bring about their flirty side. This in a sense makes the audience, the artist and the artist, the audience. The intended audience becomes the artist because they have total control and paint the essence of the artwork on the blank screen. While the original artist becomes the audience as they witness how the “new” artists choose to pursue the artwork.
Daina Pupkevičiūtė & Vaida Tamoševičiūtė Practicing for the Big Performance http://creatureliveart.lt/distance-connections-live-performance-creature-duo/
Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz’s “Hole-in-Space” is a revolutionary piece of art that has continued to influence future generations of artists. Such as the artistic duo, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, who perform live art from different places in the world. Specifically, their “Limitless Distances” performance, which is about longing, distance, and connection. The artists performed this at “Meno Parkas” gallery in Kaunas, Lithuania and artist residency “Route-Art-Rageous” in Lutherstadt Wittenberg. Technology has influenced our society in many ways, from education to leisure and art. Art no longer pertains to traditional mediums such as painting and sculpture but it has expanded to ready made objects and technology.
“Evolution of the Mobile Phone” https://www.slideshare.net/IIBA-UK/iinnovation-technology-and-the-digital-age
Technology. Merely a byproduct of an idea drawn on paper by men and women, has transformed into one of the most influential advancements in modern society. Specifically the creation and expansion of the World Wide Web, an open source of information designed only 25 years ago. Through a short period of time, the internet has managed to influence a large part of our lives and even spread throughout many parts of the world. The influence is so strong that many people, specifically the millennials consider the presence of internet and smart phones as “normal” and “mundane”. When the World Wide Web launched, it served as a platform and tool for many artists.
With the increase in technology, the method of Open Source has made a resurgence in popular culture. The Open Source way of thinking, producing, and distributing art was part of the “norm” until the strong influence of patents, copyrights, and proprietary ownership in the 1980s. Open Source in a sense is “technological production that is collectively authored or manufactured and distributed without profit, or limited profit-sharing according to specific guidelines” (“Open Source Studio” Randall Packer). And Open Source Studio (OSS), is an online free database that encourages users to collaborate together and exchange ideas for inspiration. In a sense Open Source Studio is another way of “do(ing) it with others” (DIWO). This peer-to-peer social interaction is a break from the individual, solo based working system encouraged by society. It allows us to bounce back ideas with one another to create the most well thought out and creative product. Which in the end helps the society grow not only through creation but as a community.
For this micro-project, my friends and I were put in a group of three. Resulting in my friend doing the project twice. However, for my project, we decided to do it about food. She and I are from different cultures and our original plan was centered around the differences in our cultures food. However, due to the factors such as; queue length and preparation time, we could not accomplish every aspect of our original plan.
Original Plan
Our original plan was centered around the plot of two friends from different parts of the world interacting with one another even though we are separated by land. In a sense we put ourselves in a third space, our phone screen, which in turn opens up a door for us to “pass on the food” and “apply lipstick simultaneously”. Our plan was to continue this tele-stroll until eventually we coincidently meet up at a certain location.
*sidenote: my phone broke the morning of that day and I had to use my friends Facebook account
Discovery
However, Bella and I discovered something very unexpected. Small actions like playing with our hands to move our hair out of our face or shifting our glasses and even scratching our faces became synchronized without prior planning. It has been psychologically theorized that the more time you spend with someone the more you and the other person synchronize their movements– like a mirror. This proved to be true between Bella and me during our tele-stroll. Even though we were not physically together during the stroll, we both occupied and connected the third space together.
Reflection
Technology has advanced drastically. From its humble beginnings in factories to the growth of the internet, technology has become a tangible and standard part of human society. While some believe technology has done more bad than, there is an undeniable fact that technology has broken down the distance and branched together a new form of connection not obscured by distance or time. This connection creates a new form of space where people can together to play an active and cooperative role in society.
Entering the Experimental Interaction classroom, I had no idea what we would be expecting. We could assume that it would be about different modes of interaction from physical to spacial but we never really thought about internet. Internet has become the main mode of communication between people locally and globally. Internet connects us as well as serves as a platform for expression and storage system. In this micro-experiment, we used the Live video function provided by Facebook to record fifteen minutes of our time and then post it on a Live Video Wall.
LIVE FACEBOOK WALL
The wall was such an interesting way of compiling all the videos. The way it was laid out was like a newsroom where there are multiple screens taking in information from different places around the world (different time zones and locations). And though everyone is on the same wall, every screen shows people own little world. Even if the 15 minute journey was in the same school, everyone’s journey seemed different and unique.
FILMING
Filming the video was an amusing experience for my friends and me. We released our “inner youtuber” with a “vlogging” style way of recording our videos. We acted silly while walking around the school from the Foundation 4D room to the Sunken Plaza. And the fact that there were people around the school who were unaware of our micro-project, mad the experience even more hilarious.
REFLECTION
The power of technology has allowed us to connect with people in such a creative yet simple way. And though some people see technology as something that creates more problems such as; anti-social behavior, disillusionment, and accidents. Technology, like everything else in this world, and a flip side to it. Technology branches people from all over the world together and allows people to fortify those connections.
For our final project in our Foundation 4D class, we were tasked with combining all we have learnt from previous projects to create our final video. While the main focus of our project was time, we could incorporate what ever it is we desired. From photography to video, even an interactive installation piece. For my project, I decided to make a video that depicts a real time footage of two FaceTime calls from different timezones.
Types of Time
Real Time:
Real Time is also known as clock time, which is the actual time that is passing. It follows the actual, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, and etch perception of time. There is no manipulation or distortion, it is completely raw. Experienced Time:
Experienced Time is the time that we believe or feel has passed, our experienced time could be longer, shorter, or even exactly the same duration as our real time. Experienced Time has a multitude of different factors, from personal experienced, cultural upbringings, or mental perceptions and schemas. Biological Time:
Biological Time is the time that is based on our bodily functions. Biological time consists of waking up, going to the bathroom, the time it takes to digest food, and other bodily activities. Edited Time:
Edited Time is a manipulated version of clock time. Edited Time can range from slow motion to time lapse to even time jumps from one time to another.
(for my project I focused on Real Time that makes you question your Experienced Time)
The reasoning behind my project stems from personal experience. As a child who has moved around different countries every once and a while, I have had to say goodbye to different friends. These friends either move back to their home country or I end up moving somewhere else. When I was young, keeping in touch was not as important as it is now. This became more of a problem in HighSchool, because our relationship has been through much more and our desire to keep in touch is stronger. However, due to time differences, our means of communication have decreased. We try our best to match each other’s schedule and balance out the video call so that it does not take too much of our sleep time. All these factors have made it very difficult to make video calls frequent, making our video calls that do happen so important and memorable.
Examples of Time Zone Differences
Treasuring every video call because I believed that my friend and I were literally talking to one another at the same time (like we would in the past), I thought we defied the intangible problem of space and time. However, I realized that video call is yet to be perfected, it is constantly lagging and pausing. Messing up our perceived time even more, because I video call that lasted 10 minutes can seem like 15 minutes (filled with pauses and lags). By placing the recordings side by side, I hoped to show that even though it feels like we are in the same room and talking about the same thing, we are actually separated by something more intangible than a mere laptop screen.
I wanted to emphasize the struggle and troubles we go through to talk to our loved ones when we are overseas. And not only is the mode of communication the only problem I wanted to highlight, but also the constant oblivion one feels not knowing what happens to their loved ones who run on an entirely different cycle as them. Specifically, my friend who is studyung in New York is a very close friend of mine; however one day there was an accident involving a man in a truck who injured many people. After hearing this news the next day, I immediately texted my friend and asked if she was alright. My friend responded that she was alright and that after she heard the news the previous afternoon she was worried as well. Though we live in the same world, we experience events and feelings at such different times. This disparity between people and time is the main message I wanted to convey in my project.
World Clock Application
Inspiration for the Video
Modern Family, an American sitcom about an extended family who is quite “modern” and has to deal with the difficulties that come from common social issues such as sexuality, adolescence, cultural identity, judgement, and being connected in such a fast paced society. Modern Family has already reached its ninth season, however, the specific episode that partially inspired this idea was the sixteenth episode of the sixth season. This episode title “Connection Lost” was filmed entirely on Apple Products, from the Macbook to the iMac to the iPad and iPhone.
Modern Family s6x16 “Connection Lost”
The layout of the entire episode is what you would see on a typical Macbook, as the mother tries to locate the whereabouts of her daughter before her flight back home. This leads to a wild goose chase that involves contacting her entire extended family and creating more moments with one another. While the moral of this story was to draw the line between privacy and technology as well as the importance of taking a break from technology, the way they portrayed this message (through video call) inspired me to try something similar,
Planning the Project
Planning for this video was more tedious then expected. Since the two friends I asked to be a part of my video did not have access to certain equipment, we had to improvise.
For my friend in New York, I had her record the video and audio on her computer while I would record video on my phone (and use someone else’s phone to record the audio). This was difficult because I had to borrow and carry two phones while making it seem natural.
Asking My Friend for the Audio I Recorded on Her Phone
For my friend from Australia, our roles were reversed, I recorded from my computer while she recorded from her phone. The reversal was necessary because her computer was a PC ( and we were unfamiliar with PC’s abilities and was not sure if it could record her computer screen). For many western universities, the past couple of weeks have been exam period; so when my friend and I FaceTimed she was in the library.
Rather than being a difficult video to plan, it was more tedious because of the small trivial inconveniences that arose. I believe this is due to the fact the purpose of this video is to capture a mundane, raw, and every day occurrence. And we can not help these trivial situations to occur because life is full of minor speed bumps that we have to learn to overcome and move on.
Filming the Video
To record the footage, we used the screen recording application on the new IOS for IPhone’s while the audio was recorded using QuickTime’s audio recording function. For the scenes recorded on the computer, we used QuickTIme’s screen recording function.
I made sure that for my friend in New York that I would be the one who had to film outdoors at night instead of her. This was because I know how dangerous New York can be after dark, even inside her campus. I felt safer if I was the one who had to commute in the dark in NTU because I knew how safe the area was. However, this did end up making her film outside in the cold (slight overcast in Fall).
Making Sure my Friend was Alright After the Call
For some reason the IPhone screen recording disconnects when receiving a call. Which resulted in only having footage from one side of the time zone, the one who made the call. To counteract this problem, one friend was on a computer while the other friend made the call through her phone.
My Friend and I Realizing that only My Screen was Recorded
We used GoogleDrive to transfer the files between each other because certain files were too big to fit in one email.
Transferring Files
Editing the Video
Editing the video was difficult because I have little experience with Premier Pro, however, this was the only application on my laptop that allowed me to create a split screen effect on one composition. This split screen effect was necessary to emphasize the idea of feeling as if we were in the same room but ultimately being in two different parts of the world.
Filming my Friend from New York
However, as I started to work on the video more and more, old memories of how to use Premier Pro came back to me and I was able to create the video with more ease than previous.
Filming my Friend from Australia
One technicality of this video that was difficult to overcome, was synchronizing the video and audio as accurately as possible. In real life, the audio and the video do not synchronize perfectly instead there are glitches and lags that occur throughout the entire call. And trying to match the audio with the video glitches and the video with audio lags was a very confusing process. In the end I realized that the audio of a certain person will always match the video from that persons phone. This explains why we always feel as if our connection is perfectly fine but there is something wrong with the other person’s connection. Using this as a golden rule, I continued to edit the video.
Displaying the Video
I asked everyone to take out their laptops (or phones) and an earphone when watching my video. This is because I wanted to recreate the same experience one would go through when they are FaceTiming someone. FaceTiming is a very personal one on one experience with the person on the screen and the earphones help block out external noises. My classmates have the option of watching either video, in a way it was more based on chance. I asked my classmates to chose either of the links displayed on the projector screen. Based on the views, I believe that at least 3:4 split between the class.
The Class Watching the Video Individually
I also named the videos with the respective time difference between me and the friend. One friend who studies in New York City is labeled at -13 because New York is 13 hours earlier than Singapore while my friend who is currently on an exchange program in Australia is labeled as +3 because Australia is 3 hours ahead of Singapore. Choosing to label the video with numbers rather than the country name or my friends name left the viewers wondering what on earth the numbers represented. Not only until they watch the entire video do the viewers start to piece together the clues.
FINAL VIDEOS:
Real Time and Experienced Time
The Real Time:
This project is filmed and projected in real time, so the audience watching the video and the people filming the video are all experiencing real 10 minutes of footage. However, the fact that they are experiencing this clock time of 10 minutes is further confuse the audience after they take note of the time difference and the discrepancies in-between.
The Experienced Time:
I wanted to warp the audiences experienced time by playing with their perception. While they see that the video is roughly 10 minutes long, I hope that in the end they feel as if they watched something longer or something different. I also hope that in the end they wonder what happens after the video and while my classmates can predict what I could be doing after the video call, I hope that they are curious about what my friends will end up doing as well.
Reflection on the Project
It is so hard sometimes to think about the other side of the world, or even imagine an area that is sleeping soundly while we are commuting from place to place under the bright sun. Social media and Video Platforms may seem like a bane of modern society because of the detrimental effects it has on the youth, but there will always be two sides of a coin. And to me, the positive side of advanced technology is the way it tries its best to connect the world together. Sometimes, technology does not fall through and causes more dissociation through miscommunication and lags; however, in the end it gives us a moment to treasure. Though we live in different countries, cities, and streets or speak different languages and embrace different culture, we still coexist in the same world.
Future Possible Projects
As I was working on this project, I continued to think about other possible projects I could do based off of time. Especially, after the Time Jewelry Series I once sketched a couple years back. Two specific projects, one that deals with the gradual yet unpredictable vulnerability of time and another that like the project above deals with the idea of different times coexisting regardless of A.M. and P.M.
As the end of the semester is nearing, so was our final project in Foundation 2D. Unlike the previous 2D projects, this project was different. We got to incorporate color into our compositions. This was a big step for many of us because our previous projects restricted us from using color. I see now, that this was so that we focused on the skill specific to the project. For Project 1, the basis of the project was mark-making. Restricting me from using color helped me focus my attention to making unique and innovative marks. This same revelation can be said for my second project with focused on subverting and composition.
Ego in Different Settings, focused on how us as people are not stationary. We change our behaviour, thought process, and personality based on different settings or people. Using color to either symbolize or enhance the message we are trying to convey in each row, we created an overall composition containing four rows of three 200mmx200mm boards. The first square represents “me”, the second square represents “the setting/situation”, and the last row represents “the change/ new me”. All the squares are open to our interpretation, it can be abstract or it can be representational. Even our media choices were open ended, we could use traditional or digital medias for any of our squares.
Intro to Color
Color is an important design element that adds, subtracts, or symbolizes certain messages or experiences in a painting. Some people believe that color is embedded within the composition itself and is not just a supplementary addition to embellish an artwork. I believe that it is both, color is a part of our everyday life while adding a little something extra to what we see and experience. Even the absence of color makes us feel and reflect.
With color, there comes color harmony. Specific sets of colors that compliment each other by creating harmony or juxtaposition. Primary colors and Secondary colors fall under a broader harmony set called the Triad color harmony. The triad color harmony creates an equilateral triangle on the color wheel. The Tetrad Color Harmony creates either a square or rectangle on the color wheel (usually contains two sets of complimentary colors). Complimentary Color Harmony is a pair of colors on opposite ends of the color wheel, this pair is compliments each other because of the contrast it creates. From complimentary colors, comes Split Complimentary Color Harmony. Split Complimentary Color Harmony is when you take one color and take the two adjacent colors to the right and left of the complimentary color for the first color. Split complimentary creates the same contrast as complimentary yet it is less jarring in comparison. Analogous Color Harmony is when you take the colors right and left of one base color. And finally Monochrome Color Harmony, which takes one color and plays with the tone, shades, saturation, and tints.
Color Harmony Chart
Row 1
Uncooked Ramen+ Formal Setting= Uncooked Pasta
Summary:
For row 1, I decided to focus on my outer appearance; specifically my hair. My hair has always been a dilemma for me. When I was young, every one wanted and had straight hair; I was the only one with curly hair. This led to a decrease in confidence for my hair for the the longest time in my life. I would rebond my hair frequently, however after seeing the damage it could have to my hair’s health, I decided to grow out my natural curls and merely straighten it with a hair iron during important events. This was because, even though I started to regain my confidence for my hair; curly hair is still quite difficult to manage and visually messy in comparison to straight hair. This is why I straightened my hair during important events or formal situations.
I decided to use acrylic paint not only because it is one of my favorite media but also because it creates a specific texture to the composition.
Color:
Square 1:
Since the original packaging of the instant noodle packaging was red, I decided to work with it and make my first square an analagous of red. Coincidently, red is also the color that represents passion and energy, qualities I have garnered towards my curly hair that can not be tamed. Because the focus on the composition is my instant noodles, I experiemented on ways to make the bachground harmonious with the noodle. Initially I planned on scraping a mixture of red and white onto the canvas. However, that made the overall composition chaotic and messy. My second plan was to take the base color (red) and paint the background a very vibrant and bold hue of red. Yet this decision also distracted the viewers focus from the center object. In the end I went for a slight tint of the base color in the background, enhancing the color harmony while not distracting from the focal point.
Square 2:
For square 2 I decided to go for complimentary colors (with a hint of Tetrad color harmony to pay homage to the first and last composition). The reason why I chose purple to be my base color as purple was because purple is the color commonly associated with royalty and formality. Yellow (purple’s complimentary color) is associated with gold (especially the darker yellow) because of the antiquity of the shade. Royalty and gold was meant to symbolize the importance and formality of the the dining table layout. The small hints of green and red were sneak peaks of what came before and what will come in the last composition.
Square 3:
I specifically looked for a green pasta bag, because I wanted to create the contrast from the first square. The green and red (complimentary color) added to the 180 difference that can be felt from having curly hair to straight hair. And since the last square was supposed to be a mirror of the first square, I chose to use a green analogous color harmony. This worked out in the end because the noodles in square 1 are more orange in hue while the pastas in sqaure 3 are more yellow in hue.
Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook) :
I chose to use instant ramen to represent my curly hair because of an old illustration I planned on creating. I also specifically chose the “Shin Ramen” brand instant noodles because it is the most popular (both inside and out of Korea) instant noodle brand from my birth country. The second square shows a formal dining setting with a very classy and expensive meal and cutlery. The third square has a painting of uncooked spaghetti noodles. The pasta represents my straight hair, and the foreign brand symbolizes the strange feeling, and even alienation I now feel towards myself when my hair is straight.
Reference Images:
Reference Images Photoshopped to Help Visualize the Overall Composition
Process:
While it was tough getting back into acrylic paint after so long, my hands started to loosen up and get back to the old medium I love.
Painting my Squares
POWER OF WHITE PAINT
White paint served to vital functions in my composition. The first being the color to cover up all my pencil marks and the second being a base for my future colors so that the color could come out more vibrant and clear (especially because the acrylic paint I used was lighter).
Painting my Squares
Row 2
CHOcolate+ Singapura= cHOcolaTe
Summary:
Row 2 talked about a physical reaction I have to a certain environment. Specifically, my bodies reaction to heat. I illustrated the reaction based off of what happens to chocolate in the sun. The first square shows a representation of me, dark chocolate. I chose dark chocolate for two reasons; the first is because I really like dark chocolate, and the second is because my last name “cho” is in the word “CHOcolate”. The second square represents the hot climate of Singapore, by having the Merlion with sunglasses and a parasol. The last square is a picture of the same chocolate from square 1, but it is melting in the corner. This symbolizes me sweating due to the heat of the sun.
I chose to use a digital medium for this row.
Color:
Square 1:
Following the color of dark chocolate, I chose to make my color scheme monochromes of brown (which is a dark shade of red/orange). The grooves and highlights of the chocolate are all just from the same family of brown.
It was very difficult finding the right shade of dark chocolate that was not black.
Finding the Right Dark Chocolate
Square 2:
I decided to settle on yellow monochrome because it symbolizes the sun and heat. A very saturated yellow at times can bring out the vibrancy and happiness felt on a nice sunny day. I was originally going to use a deep blue-green because it was the complimentary hue of red-orange. This was to help create the contrast between chocolate and hot weather, two things that should not mix.
Blue-Green
Square 3:
Since square 3 was merely a reflection of square 1 with a melted corner, the color scheme stayed relatively similar to the original square. There was an addition of one or two darker and lighter shades to add extra emphasis and realism to the melting chocolate.
Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook) :
The name of the chocolate was a longstanding pun that I hoped I would be able to use sometime in my future works.
Row 3
Seemingly Normal+ Count With Me. 1. 2. 3.= Nevermind
Summary:
For my third row, I decided to focus on my personality. From my exterior appearence one would believe that I am normal, simple– not so different from anyone else. But once you get to know me, truly get to know who I am, I am a very quirky, weird, and 4-Dimensional person. I chose a passion fruit to represent this idea of a seemingly normal but quirky personality of mine.
Color:
Square 1:
For square 1, I decided to use the split complimentary of violet. Violet is the color commonly associated with a passion fruit’s exterior. The Yellow-Orange and green create a sense of contrast and help the violet passion fruit stand out.
Square 2:
Square 2’s color scheme is a monochrome of blue. I chose blue because blue is commonly associated with hospital’s (more specifically surgeries) and it also creates a sterile and clean perception to the square.
Square 3:
For square 3, I chose the tetrad color scheme of (Violet, Yellow, Red, and Green). This encompasses the colors of the passion fruit and adds a quirky combination of different colors.
Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook):
I alway come off as slightly more reserved towards people who have yet gotten to know me well. This is because I am scared that the reaction upon seeing my personality will be negative. Lately, I have been showing my
“weirdness” to people in small doses so that I can learn to be more confident with myself. The action of opening up is represented in a surgeon getting ready for his procedure (getting to know me). This is because surgeon literally have to open up their patients during surgeries. Before the nurses give you the anaesthetic before surgery, the ask you to “count with me (them). 1. 2. 3.” and as you count, your mind slowly falls asleep.
I chose the passion fruit because the exterior of the passion fruit is seemingly normal, like any other fruit, however, when you open it up it is different, unique, even quirky and strange. This is a very accurate representation of my personality when someone tries to get to know me.
Process:
Compilation of my Water Color Swatches (appears more fluorescent on post)
Row 4
Summary:
Tomato+Tomato Farm+ Toma-NO
For my final row, I focused on something more superficial about me. Nothing too deep but at the same time nothing to obvious. Which is why I decided to focus on my reaction when I am put in a setting where I have to see or smell a tomato. I like tomatos when they are grilled or in salsa, but the smell of the raw tomato itself does not sit well with my stomach.
Color:
For all three squares, I used complimentary colors. I used complimentary colors to reflect the contrast and disparity between the affection I have for tomatos (specifically raw tomatos).
Square 1:
The first square is the pair, blue and orange. While I struggled to find the right shade of blue that did not come out blue-violet on the printer, I chose blue for a a specific reason. According to research, blue is a difficult color to find in nature, specifically in food. And when we see blue food, we tend to be repulsed or confused because of the color. This is why I chose blue for the color of my tomato, to represent the same confusion and unsettling feeling that arises whenever I see a tomato.
Square 2:
Square 2 is yellow and violet because purple represents creativity. I felt that creating a tomato perfume was a very creative feet on my part (yay).
Square 3:
Lastly, square 3 is green and red. I chose green because green is usually assoicaited with sickness, vomit, and other ailments. Bringing that feeling over and pairing it with a toilet seat gives us the image/ impression of vomiting. This is the same feeling that arises when I smell or eat a raw tomato.
Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook):
My color scheme and style of the overall row was inspired from Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych. I took the pop art style of posterizing the image to contrasting colors into consideration when I created my row.
Reflection
Through this project, I have understood the importance of color in the overall visual execution and emotional delivery of an artwork. Though I have a lot more to learn about color harmony and the most effective ways to employ it, I have left the project knowing so much more about color harmony. I hope that in the future I can explore more techniques like color illusion to make my works even more compelling and innovative. This project also gave me more time to reflect about myself and understand who I am, I hope to incorporate more of myself in future artworks.
Final Product with Classmates Critique
I could not add several process works because I exceeded the maximum files I can upload on one post.
