Sunshine Beach Collage

A day at Sunshine Beach... then, I went to the Photoshop!

24 Hour Technology Use Log

This is just sad how much I'm on electronics stuff when my field of study is OUTSIDE!

Time Period: Midnight to Midnight 1/27/13

Wake up
Check digital clock                                                                              0600
Check cell phone                                                                                 0900
Play iPod games                                                                                  1000-1030
Car radio                                                                                            1045-1100
More iPod games                                                                                1130-1145
Cell phone (text/check)                                                                        1200
Check emails/ use computer and internet                                               1240-1800
Watch TV                                                                                          1600-1800
Text/check cell phone                                                                          1830
Use computer/printer/USB                                                                    1820-1830
More iPod games                                                                                 1830-1900
Computer/Internet                                                                                1840-2330
More iPod games                                                                                 2340-2350


That's my day.  I'm gonna get outside now and away from screens for another 6 hours before my day resets.

And Scans, And Scans, And Scans Times 10

'Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man.' 

-Alexander Pope 

 (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alexanderp384916.html#mWHkRaitDUfDLKRo.99) 

High to low quality converted scans (res. 72 ppi).  Actually... pretty cool!

Clay Art

Coffee Perk

Cup On Edge

Joker's Wild

Dreamcatcher

"Ears"

Keys In Hand

Shave

Shells n' Rocks

Goggles

Snowy RIdge

Click to view.

What would you look like if...

Technology inspired by Nancy Burson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1x3DUep-eI

Check it out!

Nancy Burson: All Together Now

"First and Second Beauty Composite", 1982

http://www.medienkunstnetz.de

Nancy Burson was one of the first artists to pursue the ideas associated with and technology involved in creating images that consist of multiple images but only specific pieces of each image.  "Morphing," as described by Christiane Paul in the reading, is the transformation of a single object or image by means of combining the images in a way to make a unified object or image.  The above pictures from Burson's Beauty Composites, First (left) and Second (right), are examples of "morphing."  First is a compilation of Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren, and Marilyn Monroe (Paul pdf, 12).  The Second composite is the pooling of Jane Fonda, Jacqueline Bisset, Diane Keaton, Brooke Shields, and Meryl Streep (Paul pdf, 12).

"Mankind (An Oriental, a Caucasian, and a Black weighted according to current population statistics)", 1983-1985

http://clampart.com/2012/06/early-work-1976-1996/

"Five Self-portraits at Ages 18, 30, 45, 60, and 70", 1976

http://clampart.com/2012/06/early-work-1976-1996/

After viewing the above pieces several key things stand out to me, particularly the applications in modern society.  Both of the Beauty Compilation pieces are of famed individuals with defining characteristics, be it her nose, mouth, hair-line, etc.  The reading by Paul (pdf, 12) mentioned that similar technology as used by Burson is now employed in the police force to aid sketch artists in visualizing criminal identity by predicting ageing effects.  This is a very useful tool that can aid in the capture of fugitive who may potentially change identities to escape incarceration.  A similar idea to this methodology is presented by Burson herself in Five Self-portraits at Ages 18, 30, 45, 60, and 70. The natural process of aging is can be tracked and somewhat predicted by using the means inspired by Burson Paul presents the idea also that Burson's work shows how individuality is lost when the masses are combined (pdf, 12). This concept is illustrated by the work Mankind, where the clear definitions of race and ethnicity are hindered.  I agree with this concept being a cause of debate and can think of a single example above all others: magazine models.  The men and women (especially women) shown on the covers of magazines and on posters have had similar procedures done to their photographs to make the more appealing for profitable gain.  The below image expresses my thought: when the image of women is skewed to a perfect image that is both unattainable by the general public and the combined features of various celebrities. This image is the compilation of the various celebrities of today combined using their defined facial features that are most "desired." What is real and fictitious in today's society is becoming harder and harder to identify.  

http://au.ibtimes.com

The "ideal" face as proposed by Australia's Marie Claire magazine. 

Burson's work need not be improved because I feel that it was ahead of it's time.  The applications for such artwork have extended to modern society from some 37 years ago.  Burson excels in her art form in her use of technology available to her and an open mind to combine many pieces into one.  Knowing some of the actors that she used to create her Beauty Composite pieces, her skill was very accurate in creating these works.  I think that her ability to show erasure of individuality can help to bring out the common things between many people in different populations, looking back at Mankind.  I would be greatly curious to see how the images that she created at the beginning (namely Mankind, and the Beauty Composite pieces) have changed if they were recreated today.