Art Ed 252: Blog Assignment #5

1. What is the most significant accomplishment in looking at your Midterm or Final?

My midterm diptych was a big step in my growth as an artist using Photoshop as well as one of my best displays of making meaning within art, and I'm very proud of it, but my proudest achievement is my final project. Maybe I'm biased because I just finished it but I am truly proud of what I've accomplished. It was a huge undertaking and to be honest, early on in the drawing phase I wasn't sure I could accomplish even half of what I wanted. I know Aaron often tells us to let the work take us where it wants to go and not get too set on how to make your image look, but I was set on making the best self portrait Avatar poster I could and didn't want to settle for anything less than my vision. This was largely a technical exploration for me, I can throw around some big idea thoughts but really this was just my attempt at making the coolest looking pictures I could. I think I've achieved my goal, I love the way they turned out and I've exceeded my own expectations. I mastered some previously tough techniques for me such as gradient masks, the burn and dodge tools, and the liquify tool.

2. Choose a project in the class and discuss your most challenging learning experience in Photoshop.

With my background in Fireworks I already knew how to use most tools in Photoshop without too much trouble, but one tool that gave me difficulties was the gradient tool. Fireworks deals with gradients in a completely different way. My progression in mastering the tool isn't as noticeable in my work because I found ways around it but by the final I had become much more comfortable is using gradients.

3. Compare two projects from the quarter to compare and contrast how you achieved making meaning in the work.

My progression from the Brainstorming and Modulating Meaning projects to the Midterm Diptych show my improved capacity in achieving my meaning I was trying to accomplish. The first two are very general and don't display much more than on a superficial level, whereas my diptych shows a deep personal understanding of my big idea: identity.