The place I chose for my postcard project is Grand Ravines park. It's a beautiful, natural park right outside of Allendale. I love spending my free time there, it's extremely beautiful and I hope it is able to stay that way. Through these postcards I hope to call attention to problem of pollution in the air, water, and land. I used three different artists that we learned about in class to draw influence from their works.
For the first postcard I wanted to mimic Tom Bamberger's photos where he creates idealized landscapes. I chose to use a land scape photo of a horizon full of trees. With this postcard I wanted to show what a future healthy landscape would look like with double the trees. It could be a possible view if recycling and reusing paper products becomes a serious part of our daily lives. I would love to see this beautiful place bloom with double the trees and flowers next spring.
For the second postcard I incorporated Sandy Skoglund's techniques of making the familiar unfamiliar. I wanted to show what an unhealthy future environment could look like since I used the first postcard to show what a healthy future environment would look like. In illustrations hazardous waste often has a 'glowing' effect so I manipulated an image of the lake to look like it's glowing. This was to show the possible damage that pollution could cause on our forests.
For the third postcard I drew influence from Jenny Holzer's work. I wanted to find a phrase or sentence that conveyed the over all meaning of all of the postcards. It needed to be something that drew people, but was still clear and concise. Jenny Holzer's words in her pieces always convey a deep meaning. I decided to go with 'save us' since this project is about stopping pollution in order to save the environment and the special park that I love to go to.
Concept map:
I liked that the clouds are repeated into the water showing a kind of reflection.
ReplyDeleteThe green water in the second image looks alot like algae bloom due to eutrophication which is currently a large problem.
ReplyDeleteI've got a soft spot for simple solutions, and as far as that goes, the second solution is my favorite. It's dark, it's eerie, and it's very nice to look at. The message behind it was clear, though I also feel this could be seen as a representation of the power nature holds when messed with. That's my interpretation, though.
ReplyDeleteYour solutions all deal with three cohesive ideas: ideal environment, potential negative environment, and a present statement on what needs to be done. Well composed, well integrated, and overall very good. Though I'd like to see you push the repetition idea a little further.
The second postcard is visually my favorite – the contrast of the neon sky with the dark clouds tells me that something is wrong with the nature of the scene. I think it’s technically very well done but I think that the concept could be beefed up a bit still. I understand that you’re trying to make the scene look uninviting and even a bit toxic but just to say that it’s unhealthy is a bit redundant. I’d like to hear something a bit more specific, but that’s pretty nit-picky small stuff. Very well thought out and executed.
ReplyDeleteI thought your second photo was the my favorite (although all were very successful). It is clearly an environment created from fantasy, with the toxic color of the water. Although it’s “fantasy” its very well done, your photoshop skills are subtle yet evident. All three of your postcards are cohesive and illustrate your problem really well.
ReplyDeleteLove your second Post card
ReplyDeleteI can clearly see that there is a problem and there is a sense of forboading.
The landscape has been clearly changed and yet it is still realistic.
Very nice use of skills, the water is striking with its bright color, and the bleakness of the sky works in great contrast with the water.
The message is clear, and I love the striking contrast of your image.
My favorite image was the second image. With the idea of what chemicals and poor care can do to nature, the green color change and unclear sky portrayed the future very well. I also like the last image with the words barely visible, but enough to make its point about a flourishing forest. Photoshop skills were good. You made things look realistic, color/saturation, and configuration. I also liked how you used the description and your thoughts on the back of the postcards.
ReplyDeleteKendall,
ReplyDeleteI choose your third postcard to write about because I think it is really bold but subtle at the same time. I think that the words, Save us, really speaks to the image that we are looking at. The nature is so free and overgrown and it feels like the text is the trees talking to us. I think you really enhanced the image itself.
Kendall,
ReplyDeleteI like the nature theme. My favorite postcard is the second. The color of the water reminds me of the reflection of some of the city lights. I may have tried to do something with the big white fluffy clouds reflected in the water – a little too much cheer for what you’re going for (but this is a very minor thing). Good job on capturing an unrealistic color of the water to simulate man’s negative influence and alteration of natural settings.
Kendall,
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful and you chose a great place for the assignment.I enjoyed the last one the most with the words in the trees. I didn't feel they were burned into the tress though, they just seemed to be apart of the trees or as if someone had pruned them with the words. I thought it was very creative and over all you did a very nice job. The first one I felt it was very realistic and wish we had a body of water and tree that big around here.
Kendall,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your second image. The transformation of the naturally beautiful lake into something that looks like a bio-hazard, was very well done. I like how the lake almost looks like it is glowing under the smog filled sky.