ARTIST BIO:
INKA ESSENHIGH
(PODCAST PROJECT)
This project turned out to be a lot more fun than I had anticipated. I was worried at first because I had never put together a video by myself, but the programs used were very straight-forward and easily navigated. Once I was able to locate all the tools on each program's layout and figure out how to control them, the process became a lot more efficient.
The most challenging part for me was recording with GarageBand. Even though the editing was quite simple, I had a hard time recording my voice-over because I kept reading the script too fast without realizing. I had to redo the recording several times before the pace was finally appropriate. I think when viewers listen to my voice-over, it will be obvious to them that I was trying hard to not speak too fast, and ended up sounding quite unnatural and uncomfortable. I also made some pronunciation mistakes, and it was very difficult to replace the mispronounced words while keeping a smooth transition. In the end, I usually had to redo the whole sentences.
Overall, I enjoyed the process of making this podcast, and I can see how this can potentially be used in my future projects and possibly teaching. I think many of us could never imagine before this project, that making a podcast could be this simple. This is something I wish I had access to sooner, and I'm sure students would appreciate this useful knowledge. The podcast format can also be employed to create a simple tutorial or even a short stop-motion video. It will be exciting to see how far and creative students can get with these programs.
SCRIPT
In a time when the value of an artwork seemingly depends on its ability to confuse and intimidate, Inka Essenhigh’s paintings humbly invite viewers to quietly immerge themselves in the majesty of her imaginary world. On seamlessly rendered canvases, the New York-based artist transforms ordinary events into ethereal narratives in which graceful fairies, ghosts and woodland creatures roaming around their mystical universe.
Essenhigh makes work she would want to live in, as she describes her process:” I look for a mood, for something to say, then put down a brushstroke and see if it resonates. Then all I have to do is match that feeling.”
Inka Essenhigh is among the pioneers of Pop Surrealism, a group of contemporary artists that returned to figuration in the mid-1990s. Her works bring together elements of figure and design, of abstraction and narrative, in ways that celebrate both sentiment and humor. The expert use of forms, lines, and elements of cartoon illustration creates a unique sense of movement and energy. Her paintings allow viewers to experience an alternate reality, a sort of vivid dream in which everything feels transcendentally unsettling, but at the same time familiar and comforting.
Inka Essenhigh’s works have been hung at The MOMA in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Tate in London among others.
Resources:
https://www.inkaessenhigh.art/bio
MURAL PROJECT:
SAVE THE TURTLES
Group members: Giao, Sheila, Lindsay, Jas
REFLECTION
I think we started this project with a lot of confidence and ambition, since most of us had had prior knowledge of each other, and I felt was put with people whose work ethics I could trust. In terms of group dynamics, we all contributed to leading/coordinating the group to get jobs done. We were comfortable voicing our opinions, and at the same time willing to make compromises and adjustments to reach agreement. During this process, we ran into a few challenges , which I think were mostly due to miscommunication and lack of communication, but we were able to talk things out and find a solution for every problem we came across. That being said, I think we could have spent more time working together and been better at keeping each other updated on our individual progress. Being an anxiety-prone person, not knowing for certain that everyone was on the same page freaked me out a little. But at the end of the day, I am proud of everyone for putting in the time and hard work to complete this project.
I feel this project has taught me more than I had expected. I realized it takes a lot of preparation and planning to organize a solid, thoughtful, yet engaging and enjoyable project. I learned to take into consideration students' cognitive and technical levels, to create activities that teach them new skills and knowledge, while allowing them the liberty to express their creativity and just have fun. One of our core struggles was to design an assignment that is challenging enough to keep students attentive, but not so challenging that it discourages them to try at all. How do we make this interesting, even to those who aren't interested in art? Is it too hard or too easy? Will students have enough time or too much time? How do we make this relevant? Do students have enough creative control over their learning? Does our intervention/participation enhance or take away from their learning experience? Those are only a few of the questions that frequently came up in our discussion, and soon we realized we all have very different answers to those questions. As some points, I think we started to look at this lesson we created as if we were students, and we started seeing things we liked and didn't like about it. I came to a conclusion that maybe there was no such thing as a perfect lesson plan that caters to everyone. It's our job as teachers to deliver new knowledge in a more personal way, by motivating students and pushing them in respect to their individual artistic capacities.
STOP-MOTION
ANIMATION
SCRIPT PROPOSAL
MATERIALS
STORYBOARD
REFLECTION
I decided to hand-draw everything because growing up, I would watch old Disney animations and dreamed about doing that one day. To me, traditional animations have a very distinct genuine, novel quality that technology is unable to take on. My narrative revolves around me and my cat, who, in this imaginative world, have switched size and went on a little run together.
Man this was so much work, but IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I felt like this was the hardest I have worked on any project. In the beginning, I was trying to do 10 frames each day, but that turned out to be impossible, since some days I got so exhausted from work and other school work that I couldn't do anything. I decided to instead work in longer periods on days I could afford to spend several hours just cutting paper, drawing, and painting. The whole process was very repetitive and involved a lot of planing and measuring (actually, very sloppy estimation), and it was quite discouraging up until I could start seeing my progress. I learned that tracing paper helped A LOT with the transition and making sure everything is in the right place, and I wish I had discovered it sooner. I remember letting out the longest "awwwww" (*shriek*) when I added all the drawings to IMovie for the first time. It felt so worth it. I bet that must be how moms feel seeing their babies for the first time after 9 f*cking painful months. IT FELT GOOD (but maybe a little sad that it has come to an end).
3-D MODEL DESIGN
ABOUT THIS DESIGN
This original character is a (extremely) simplified fusion of Western and Eastern dragons.
Program used: Blender and Tinkercad
Measurements: approx. 3" x 3" x 0.5"
Function: Key chain
PROTOTYPE
REFLECTION
As I am typing this, I'm still in awe that I did in fact get this done. For the longest time I forgot how it felt to be hopelessly intellectually challenged, and this brought all that back. Considering how inexperience I was with any sort of 3-D programs, I set a very low bar for myself. I tried to come up with a simple plan, a minimal design consisted of geometric shapes that could easily be constructed in Tinkercad. I decided to go with this tired-looking, kind of jelly-ish, abstract dragon that I have been drawing as a joke since high school. This design came to me one unexpected day when I was being super bored in my math class, and my friends and I decided to draw fake tattoos on each other's arm. One of my friends asked for a dragon, and this was what he got. Even though the dragon symbol is usually associated with the royals (specifically kings, or male leaders) in most Asian traditions, in contemporary culture, it is popularly perceived with a negative connotation, as it has frequently appeared in gang-related tattoos and superstitious objects. My goal for this deign was to give the dragon a more friendly, relatable, almost (ok definitely) childish look. Some might argue that it is virtually unrecognizable, but hey! Who has actually seen a dragon IRL anyway?
The first problem I ran into was that I was unable to create an organic cylinder shape that I wanted for the dragon's body in Tinkercad. I then switched to Blender, but the program was way beyond me. I started watching tutorials for beginners, and upon realizing learning the foundation wouldn't get me to where I wanted in a timely manner, I decided to just learn what I needed to get by. I found one (one!) video tutorial on how to create a curve and apply a cylinder to that curve, but it was quite difficult to follow because the instructor and I had different versions of the program, and we were running it on different platforms (aka recipe for a disaster). Luckily, Tony offered to help. He taught me how to set up the program and the basic commands. From then, I learned how to create the shapes I needed, and adjust the size and curve to make them more naturalistic. I also ran into some problems getting the model ready for printing, and some parts were missing or broken from being detached from the support. But overall, I am very happy with how it turned out, and proud of myself for not settling for less than the best I could do (even if that required more work for me and other people). I have acquired so much new knowledge from this assignment. My patience was tested (and so was my shameless audacity to ask for help). I feel that if I have to make another 3-D model in the future, I will proceed with more confidence and willingness to challenge myself to see how far I can push my design.
HOW-TO VIDEO
PLAN
Written step-by-step instruction for tutorial
SET-UP
Simple set-up with blue card stock as background, led light, and desk lamp with tape to hold phone in place
REFLECTION
This is the third video I have created with iMovie, so I think it is safe for me to say what a great app it is! From someone who had no idea what the program even was 3 months ago, that says a lot. This project has been oddly satisfying and enjoyable. Having some knowledge of and experience with the app really allows for effective planning and trouble-free execution. Though my video might not be the most technically impressive with the coolest special effects, it was exactly what I had imagined in my head at the start of this project, and for that I am giving myself pats on the back.
The most challenging part for me was possibly setting up an area to film, and getting a good angle, good focus, and sufficient lighting on camera. It might not be obvious, but to get this running smoothly required a lot of critical thinking and fearless experimentation from someone as engineeringly illiterate as I am. This project yet again surprised me with how much one could achieve with a smart phone and an adjustable desk lamp. I never liked this IKEA lamp that much, but I knew it'd spark joy some day.
One thing I would change about this video is that I wish I had included some nice pictures of the final products being used in an actual space. I think showing the DIY project outside of the film set implies not only its usefulness but also its ability to aesthetically fit in a given space, and as a result, inspires viewers to go and create their own.