Digital Collage
Exhibition Text
Every Which Way is a digital collage showing my struggle with life management and decisions. It is inspired by Matisse's Dance, but I put an interesting twist on the theme. It is not about people joining together in powerful, tribal dance, or them enjoying life and peace; it is about self-conflict and knowing your own limits.
Every Which Way is a digital collage showing my struggle with life management and decisions. It is inspired by Matisse's Dance, but I put an interesting twist on the theme. It is not about people joining together in powerful, tribal dance, or them enjoying life and peace; it is about self-conflict and knowing your own limits.
Meaning
I’m distracted too easily. If I were to type a list of all the things I started to do and never finished, I’d need a much larger hard drive just to save it. I’ve been this way my entire life. I don’t know what the source of this is, but it really shaped who I am.
I like to think that, if my life were a novel or film, I’d be the dynamic character; the malleable one that can conform to anything or pick up the skills necessary to survive. I definitely don’t see myself as the static character with one outstanding trait or skill that never seems to falter. I don’t want to be that. In a way, I like that I’m not able to stay on task. It has made me out to be a well-rounded person. Useless life skills such as solving puzzles, playing instruments, or creating art are just a few of my many skills that I know the basics of. I’m not too great at any of these things, but I know the basics and that makes me dangerous.
The real dilemma in this situation is not that I can’t focus on one thing, it’s that I’m trying to do too many. I feel that I am stretching myself too thin. Between sports, music, art, friends, school work, and my job, I barely have time for myself to relax. Sometimes I do my homework through the night and only get three to four hours of sleep. As the reader, let me paint you a picture: imagine an artist with only a teaspoon of black paint that he need to use to cover a three foot by three foot canvas. That is not enough paint to make that canvas black. I’m the paint. It’s not reasonable to think that I can do everything I set out to do. The best I can do is maybe dilute myself in some water and just throw myself on the canvas.
The solution to my struggle is right in front of me. I just shouldn’t try to do as much as I currently am. I just need to get a smaller canvas. However, my mentality is that I should try. If I don’t, I may never know if I would have committed to it. My inability to focus and commit to one thing has morphed me into the person I want to be: somebody who will always put themself out there, even if failure is a great possibility. I’m the man that will try to spread that paint across the huge canvas, rather than just resort to the smaller one.
I like to think that, if my life were a novel or film, I’d be the dynamic character; the malleable one that can conform to anything or pick up the skills necessary to survive. I definitely don’t see myself as the static character with one outstanding trait or skill that never seems to falter. I don’t want to be that. In a way, I like that I’m not able to stay on task. It has made me out to be a well-rounded person. Useless life skills such as solving puzzles, playing instruments, or creating art are just a few of my many skills that I know the basics of. I’m not too great at any of these things, but I know the basics and that makes me dangerous.
The real dilemma in this situation is not that I can’t focus on one thing, it’s that I’m trying to do too many. I feel that I am stretching myself too thin. Between sports, music, art, friends, school work, and my job, I barely have time for myself to relax. Sometimes I do my homework through the night and only get three to four hours of sleep. As the reader, let me paint you a picture: imagine an artist with only a teaspoon of black paint that he need to use to cover a three foot by three foot canvas. That is not enough paint to make that canvas black. I’m the paint. It’s not reasonable to think that I can do everything I set out to do. The best I can do is maybe dilute myself in some water and just throw myself on the canvas.
The solution to my struggle is right in front of me. I just shouldn’t try to do as much as I currently am. I just need to get a smaller canvas. However, my mentality is that I should try. If I don’t, I may never know if I would have committed to it. My inability to focus and commit to one thing has morphed me into the person I want to be: somebody who will always put themself out there, even if failure is a great possibility. I’m the man that will try to spread that paint across the huge canvas, rather than just resort to the smaller one.
PlanningInspiration
My inspiration for my digital collage came from Henri Matisse’s Dance (II). I found inspiration through my interpretation of his work. I was under the assumption that Matisse had this idea in mind of a woman pulling herself in a rapidly moving circle. I saw this as a single woman trapped in a cycle, trying to hold on to herself all while trying to escape her own grasp, hence the break in the circle. I did not originally view what the majority of people viewed which was, according to The Museum of Modern Art, “a monumental image of joy and energy,” nor did I interpret Dance (II) as a “subconscious involvement in rhythms of nature” (Hermitage Museum). I wanted to recreate Matisse’s Dance in a way that reflects my personal interpretation of his work. |
Matisse, Henri. "Dance (I) - Henri Matisse" www.henrimatisse.org. N.p., 1909. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Matisse, Henri. "Dance (II) - Henri Matisse." www.wikiart.org. N.p., 1970. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.
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Critical Investigation
Dance (II) was created shortly after Dance (I) as a figure study. This probably explains the color palette used, but fauvism may have been a factor too. The colors in Dance (II) are more vibrant than the ones used in Dance (I). The increase in the intensity of the colors has lead critics to see the piece as ugly and barbaric (BBC). This is in contrast with the popular belief that the painting symbolizes unbridled primal joy. Critics saw the piece in this way because of it’s bold lines, lack of foreshortening, and the harsh detail. They did however take notice of the work’s emotion and/or message. Dance (II) communicates a feeling energy and purpose to the viewer, like the people dancing are part of nature and their surround and therefore are moving in that rhythm. Dance (I) expresses a similar theme.
The link between the themes and the art itself is shown through the colors used which may symbolically represent something. The red, blue and green unite man, heaven, and earth through layering and contrast, thereby exploiting the subconscious rhythm and harmony of the three (hermitage). This there is especially prevalent in the later painting for the colors are at a greater contrast.
Dance (II) was created shortly after Dance (I) as a figure study. This probably explains the color palette used, but fauvism may have been a factor too. The colors in Dance (II) are more vibrant than the ones used in Dance (I). The increase in the intensity of the colors has lead critics to see the piece as ugly and barbaric (BBC). This is in contrast with the popular belief that the painting symbolizes unbridled primal joy. Critics saw the piece in this way because of it’s bold lines, lack of foreshortening, and the harsh detail. They did however take notice of the work’s emotion and/or message. Dance (II) communicates a feeling energy and purpose to the viewer, like the people dancing are part of nature and their surround and therefore are moving in that rhythm. Dance (I) expresses a similar theme.
The link between the themes and the art itself is shown through the colors used which may symbolically represent something. The red, blue and green unite man, heaven, and earth through layering and contrast, thereby exploiting the subconscious rhythm and harmony of the three (hermitage). This there is especially prevalent in the later painting for the colors are at a greater contrast.
Planning Sketches
Click on the images to get a closer look and read more.
Click on the images to get a closer look and read more.
Collecting Images
I collected images by asking my friend to take a lot of pictures of me moving around in a park in strange ways. We took nearly 200 pictures and then I sifted through them to find the best few. I also had to think about which ones would be easiest to manipulate and connect. Click on the picture for more specific information.
I collected images by asking my friend to take a lot of pictures of me moving around in a park in strange ways. We took nearly 200 pictures and then I sifted through them to find the best few. I also had to think about which ones would be easiest to manipulate and connect. Click on the picture for more specific information.
Experimentation
I did all of my experimentation on one photo of myself through two class periods. I had a lot of fun doing this and I feel as if I have become really good at using the lasso tool to crop images out and paste them somewhere else. That skill came in handy when I had to crop six different pictures of myself for the final collage. I also discovered that puppet warp looks alright If you don't stretch or move anything too far. In addition to that, I now have a basic understanding of at least half of the tools on Adobe Photoshop CS6.
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Process
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To the left are a few major steps in creating my final digital collage. I started by opening up a new background on Adobe Photoshop CS6 with dimension of 24 inches by 36 inches with a resolution of 170 pixels. Click on the pictures to the left and read the captions for more specific details.
Steps
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Evaluation
My Work
On evaluating my piece digital collage against its intended meaning and inspiration, with bias aside, I would say that I communicated my idea. To evaluate, I simply looked at the final piece and brainstormed what I thought it could possibly be interpreted as. I only came up with one possible meaning other than the intended; I thought it could be interpreted simply as narcissism, Dance pieces by Henri Matisse. The composition is very similar in that there are five figures liking hands in a circle on a somewhat plain foreground and background. |
Reflection
I went into this project expecting failure. I had no camera, no previous experience with Photoshop, and no computer that allowed me to use the program; therefore, a technological medium gave me anxiety. Despite all of my concerns, I am very satisfied with the work that resulted from my struggles. I believe that my collage accurately communicates the idea of pulling myself apart that I wanted to communicate, all while staying true to my inspiration. The part that I am most proud of was my ability to create a coherent composition through repetition, movement, and balance. I would not identify any aspect of my collage as an over-powering, emphatic point. The eye of the viewer land on any figure and follows the circular movement created by the linking hands. All of the parts are somewhat harmonious, similar to that of Dance (II), created by Henri Matisse.
The composition in Matisse's painting greatly influenced how I structured my piece. I thought his use of pattern and rhythm were highly influential. I personally feel as if all the figures in his painting were in sync in their step, arm movement, and head sway. I wanted to borrow multiple aspects of Matisse's composition because I had a unique interpretation of his painting that I thought I could possibly strengthen through my emulation. I personally feel that there are multiple layers of meaning and symbolism to Dance (II) by Matisse. The research I conducted was very persuasive in the way they described the painting. Some say it communicated a tribal like instinct to dance while others say it was about finding peace and harmony in the world. Both of these are applicable interpretation in addition to mine that all the figures are the same person dealing with an internal crisis.
I tried my best to present this internal crisis through facial expression and body language, but I'm not completely happy with how strong I made the message. I feel as I could have taken more dramatic pictures or emphasized the struggle of spreading myself too thin in my facial expressions. That's the one thing that I would change if i were going to try and communicate this theme again through my artwork. Other than that I am satisfied with my collage overall.
The composition in Matisse's painting greatly influenced how I structured my piece. I thought his use of pattern and rhythm were highly influential. I personally feel as if all the figures in his painting were in sync in their step, arm movement, and head sway. I wanted to borrow multiple aspects of Matisse's composition because I had a unique interpretation of his painting that I thought I could possibly strengthen through my emulation. I personally feel that there are multiple layers of meaning and symbolism to Dance (II) by Matisse. The research I conducted was very persuasive in the way they described the painting. Some say it communicated a tribal like instinct to dance while others say it was about finding peace and harmony in the world. Both of these are applicable interpretation in addition to mine that all the figures are the same person dealing with an internal crisis.
I tried my best to present this internal crisis through facial expression and body language, but I'm not completely happy with how strong I made the message. I feel as I could have taken more dramatic pictures or emphasized the struggle of spreading myself too thin in my facial expressions. That's the one thing that I would change if i were going to try and communicate this theme again through my artwork. Other than that I am satisfied with my collage overall.
ACT Responses
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
My inspiration greatly influenced the composition of my artwork. I was inspired by Matisse's work to incorporate repetition and movement into my piece. The structure and simplicity of the figures in his work affected how I dressed and what images I used to complete the swift moving circle of dancers in my work.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors from the research I conducted examines the piece more thoroughly on meaning and balance than they did on the history or creation of the work. I found multiple sources with varying interpretation on what the piece meant and how the dancers were symbolic of that meaning.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Through my critical investigation, I discovered that the hues present in an artwork greatly affect the message that people perceive. For example: Dance (I) by Matisse was regarded as far less violent and tribal than Dance (II) because the second has figures that have more of a bold red hue that light pink like the first.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research was meaning. I saw the painting for myself and developed my own interpretation and I wanted to know how other people interpreted it so I could make a comparison and adapt the work to communicate my original idea.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I made the inference that Matisse recreated his own work in a new style in order to communicate his feelings at that point in his life. I did not find any evidence supporting that, but change in style suggests a change in mood.
My inspiration greatly influenced the composition of my artwork. I was inspired by Matisse's work to incorporate repetition and movement into my piece. The structure and simplicity of the figures in his work affected how I dressed and what images I used to complete the swift moving circle of dancers in my work.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors from the research I conducted examines the piece more thoroughly on meaning and balance than they did on the history or creation of the work. I found multiple sources with varying interpretation on what the piece meant and how the dancers were symbolic of that meaning.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Through my critical investigation, I discovered that the hues present in an artwork greatly affect the message that people perceive. For example: Dance (I) by Matisse was regarded as far less violent and tribal than Dance (II) because the second has figures that have more of a bold red hue that light pink like the first.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research was meaning. I saw the painting for myself and developed my own interpretation and I wanted to know how other people interpreted it so I could make a comparison and adapt the work to communicate my original idea.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I made the inference that Matisse recreated his own work in a new style in order to communicate his feelings at that point in his life. I did not find any evidence supporting that, but change in style suggests a change in mood.
Bibliography
"Dance." The State Hermitage Museum. The State Hermitage Museum, 1998-2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016. <https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01.+Paintings/28411/?lng=>.
"Henri Matisse." MoMA Highlights. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1999. 65. Museum of Modern Art. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016. <http://www.moma.org/collection/works/79124>.
Matisse, Henri. "Dance (I) - Henri Matisse" www.henrimatisse.org. N.p., 1909. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Matisse, Henri. "Dance (II) - Henri Matisse." www.wikiart.org. N.p., 1970. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.
"Henri Matisse." MoMA Highlights. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1999. 65. Museum of Modern Art. 2016. Web. 10 Sept. 2016. <http://www.moma.org/collection/works/79124>.
Matisse, Henri. "Dance (I) - Henri Matisse" www.henrimatisse.org. N.p., 1909. Web. 23 Oct. 2016.
Matisse, Henri. "Dance (II) - Henri Matisse." www.wikiart.org. N.p., 1970. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.