Incandescent: rediscovering the artist within by S. Heda

Shari Heda

was a double major at Saint Xavier University, and received my baccalaureate degrees in graphic design and in music. I have been balancing art and music most of my life, but after receiving both degrees in 2002 I stopped creating art work for myself and have felt a longing to get back to it. Because of the extreme work load of both majors, I walked at graduation pretty burnt out. After that, I made a living teaching music lessons, gigging, and working as a freelance graphic designer. I would have continued on like that if not for the instability and need for health insurance. I walked away from both art and music for a while and worked retail jobs, odd jobs, until realizing my barely-more-than-minimum wage Supervisor job had very little room for mobility and more importantly provided scant givings towards my craving and need to produce art both visually and musically. It was about a five year bump where I slowly turned my focus blurry, but did the necessary work to pay off my student debt and tried to make a living. What do you do when you’re having a “mid-life” crisis as a 27 year old? Well, I decided that I simply needed to try – try for anything I could. I started working on graduate school auditions for a performance degree, and applying to all the creative jobs I could find. A few months later I began working in communications (which included graphic design work!), and six months later was offered an assistantship towards a graduate degree in performance at

2 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Northern Illinois University. I had a two week window to find a place to live, register for classes, and jump into a whole new adventure. Graduate school, at the time, was the most challenging pursuit of my life. I am proud to have earned my Masters in clarinet performance, and am thankful that it has provided me with the musical voice I yearned for on my horn. I am not perfect, and could study for a lifetime and still want to practice and work more but have reached a point in my musical life where I am happy. I founded a wind and piano chamber ensemble, and we perform and rehearse regularly. After graduate school, I auditioned to be in the Army Reserves band and made it. Shortly thereafter I enlisted, and it has now been nearly five years since I raised my hand. Your first enlistment in the Reserves is 6 years + 2 inactive. I am almost through my first enlistment. Being in the military – as a musician – as THE face/ the public identity most civilians will see has been a very humbling experience that I am honored to have been able to participate in. Less than 1% of the population in the United States is in the military, and there are even fewer qualified musicians out there. Right now I am the non-commissioned officer in charge of unit public affairs, teach suicide first aid courses, and have a few other miscellaneous additional duties. Civilian work after graduate school waffled around a bit

“...how disconnected and lonely

we had all become as a result of

increased technology.” I s o l a t i o n in Technology in food service, administration, and then I worked as a logistics analyst for a couple of years until I was laid off due to lack of work. It is kind of funny how life (luckily) keeps on pushing me to pursue work that really matters to me after a bit of time to pay off debt and bills. I have found that with every negative I have experienced in my life it has only brought me closer to the human condition, and better able to understand and empathize this fellowship we all share. Graduating undergraduate school right after 9/11 was pretty rough; the world awoke to a whole new pretty scary world. I have always been a hard worker because my family had enough but were not wealthy. The attack on the two towers and pentagon really brought a mirror to the fragility of human life for me and the importance of our connections to others. My senior art project was titled “isolation in technology,” where my statement was about how disconnected and lonely we had all become as a result of increased technology (and Facebook didn’t even exist then, nor much of the social media we have now, nor smart phones)! While in my second semester at N.I.U., we moved “Forward, Together Forward”, after a school shooting took the lives of our classmates. I remember where I was when I found out about 9/11, and also during the school shootings. During the time of yet another tragedy, I was in

wind ensemble rehearsal and we were playing Sanctuary by Frank Ticheli. Not only in such emotional times as those do I think that music saves us, but it literally saved us that day. After 9/11, then the school shooting at N.I.U., I felt like if I couldn’t be safe at work or at school then the only thing holding me back from enlisting in a military band was fear. Those events erased that fear for me, and it was one of the hardest but best decisions of my life to make. In basic combat training, I fractured my pelvis and nearly stress fractured my femoral neck. It took me a little bit longer than everyone else to graduate, but I was persistent and didn’t give up. I have had tremendous opportunity and traveled all over the United States, and to beautiful France and Germany. My broken body has given me a gift to respect our wounded warriors even more. In trying to love my broken and imperfect body, I am again able to connect to more of my humanity. Everything. Everything I have experienced has given me so much to think about, to create from. I am excited to share this class with you all! My goal is to create work I can include in an online portfolio, update my software knowledge, and to find my artistic voice this semester. If anyone needs help with an assignment, or needs someone to talk to I am here and listening.

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 3

ISOLATION IN TECHNOLOGY 4 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 5

ISOLATION IN TECHNOLOGY 6 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

L I N E

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 7

Our first project was to create drawings on the stylus using only 100 lines. We were given a short amount of time to glance at the objects which were a wine bottle, goblet, then tea pot that Nathan (our teacher) held out in his hands, and back to the computer screen – our canvas – and back again to the objects. I remember Nathan saying that drawing a perfect replica of the objects was not our goal, it was to simply draw. Start drawing, keep going, and edit later. It reminded me of a brainstorming session, or sitting down for your first reading of a piece of music (sight reading), and I had never thought about art that way. It was exciting and freeing, to not have to create something beautiful or perfect, to be allowed to make a mistake. The closest I remember drawing that way was during gesture studies, and quick sketches in drawing class (see pages 10-12). Before we started the 100-line drawings, we were all given special stylus pens to write on the Bamboo tablet along with a short explanation of how they worked in marriage with Adobe Illustrator. To open AI, click on the orange AI icon at the bottom of the screen. Once AI opens, go to File -> New Document. It is helpful to know if you are printing your project or if it will be posted on the web. This is because it will directly affect how you create a file. For example, saving something in 8 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

CMYK would be for print and RGB would be for web. To start, are a few simple suggestions to ensure success: Size: choose letter (8.5” x 11”), legal (8.5” x 14”), or tabloid (11” x 17”). Make sure your units are in inches and the orientation you prefer is chosen Portrait is vertical, landscape horizontal. For our class, we are to always save our files as our first initial + last name + cgf14 + description. For example, my files are saved as sheda-cgf14-winebottle. Once a new document was created, we began by signing our names, again and again (and again). Nathan told us that with every new medium, he always starts with the same drawing until he feels comfortable and then moves to create something new. The wine bottle on page 7 is supposed to be all horizontal lines (but I didn’t quite get that at first). Then the goblet in the center of this page is all vertical lines, and finally the teapot up in the corners is all diagonal lines.

To take a screen shot on a Macintosh computer, you have to simultaneously press down three keys: shift, command, 3. It takes a screen shot of the ENTIRE computer screen, not just the file you are working on. You can also use shift, command, 4. This creates a selection tool where you specify what you want to have a screen shot of by drawing a box around it. Both examples will be saved directly onto the desktop as a PNG image, which is great since the AI file (.AI) is not a format that you can upload to social media websites.

Vector art encompass corners, curves, line (color, weight), texture, and fill (opaque or transparent, gradient). A vector is a location on a grid and infinitely scalable without a loss of information. Vectors also stay pretty small in file size because computers love numbers and they’re easily translatable. Drawing, illustration, and digital painting are all vector art mediums. File extensions related to vector art that you will see: .AI (Adobe Illustrator), .PDF, and .TTF (True Type Font).

To take a screen shot on a PC, you press the windows button and the PrtSc function key. It saves the document in a “Screenshots” folder that lives in the “Pictures” folder of your computer. In class we learned about the differences in pixel art verses vector art. Pixel art or also known as a bitmap, is comprised entirely of square pixels. They are, as Nathan said, “a documentation of reality.” When thinking of pixel art tangibly, relate them to mediums such as a still camera, digital still camera, video, or a scanner. File extensions related to pixel art are .PSD (Adobe Photoshop), .JPEG, and .GIF. Many layers come together to equal components in pixel art whereas in vector art a line or a shape equal a separate layer. Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 9

PORTRAIT SKETCH 10 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

LIFE DRAWING SKETCH Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 11

GESTURE STUDY 12 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

VALUE We are back in Adobe Illustrator again, which is my favorite program. As a side note, my favorite tool used to be the pen tool (using a mouse). Our medium is the Bamboo tablet and stylus – now my preference! It is so close to drawing on a pad of paper that it is wonderfully freeing, so adaptable and fun. Once you open up Illustrator, create a new document. As a warm-up, Nathan recommends starting with your signature until you can re-create how you sign with a pen and paper. Sign big, sign small, and then move onto quick 100 line horizontal and vertical lines. Try to evenly disperse 10 identical horizontal lines. Once that is comfortable, move to 25 or 50 and so on. Then switch to vertical lines and repeat the same exercise. This exercise helps you to reconnect your hand eye coordination with the tablet and screen. We also did some quick sketches from objects across the room, familiar objects we have sketched before: Our project in class this week was to create a 3-dimensional illusion in a line drawing. The way that you do that is by adding value - lighting (highlights and shadows). You become a “magician” through careful observation and study of shadows, and turn a 2-dimensional line drawing into 3-dimensional. Nathan put an object between every

other computer and dimmed the lights in the lab. The vessels were mostly items that could hold liquid, and made of glass, ceramic, or metal. Your shape should be solid and interesting. My lab partner and I had a ceramic white vase (my sideways vase is at the top of this page). Nathan asked us to note how the shadows on the inside of our given objects were the opposite of the outside shadow. To start, you create a basic shape with horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines. Start with only a black pallet, and basic rendering of the shape. You should not make an outline drawing, but instead make it a very active heavily rendered drawing with lines changing direction to indicate a change in the light. The following value drawings on page 14-15 were done outside of class. We were asked to spend 3 hours on them total (about an hour and a half each). I saved an earlier version of each, before I started adding value to each. I thought it would be interesting to see it develop.

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 13

14 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 15

16 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

COMPLIMENTARY COLORS: PURPLE & YELLOW Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 17

ANALAGOUS COLORS: GREEN & YELLOW 18 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

COLOR The assignment: create three drawings using different paintbrush sizing and shading in Illustrator and using specific color theory on live objects (plant, fruit, animal) using the stylus. They should all share one similar color. One should be done in either cool or warm colors, the second in analogous, and the third in complimentary colors. Neutral colors can be included as well. Fill the page with these three separate color schemes. Use shading, layering, different color swatches and paintbrushes, and value to create dimension and contrast. In class critiques you will be asked about craft (how well crafted or how well the tools were used), concept (most interesting subject matter), and composition (most visually attractive, use of color, how it controls your eye). I decided my concept would be to focus on the bumble bee. They are going extinct and without them our food supply would

suffer. We started an organic wildflower garden this past summer in hopes to help our fuzzy friends, and while thinking about vibrant flowers and color the bee came to mind for me. I don’t want to just create a nice drawing… I want it to mean something. The image I drew was based off of a picture I found at http://www.flickr. com/photos/suraark/2307071033/. The bee on page 16-17 is the complimentary (purple, yellow) drawing. On page 18 is the analogous colors (green, yellow) drawing; The image I drew was based off of a picture I found at http:// www.shutterstock.com/blog/2012/09/abugs-life-70-beautiful-macro-pics-of-ourfavorite-tiny-critters/. The last drawing is on page 20, of the warm colors bee; The image I drew was based off of a picture I found at http:// news.yahoo.com/buggin-103700921. html.

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 19

WARM COLORS 20 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

ALPHABET Our assignment for this week was to create a font using the pen tool in Illustrator. The pen tool is different from what we were previously working with, the paintbrush, because with it you create shapes not drawings. At the very least, we were to create an uppercase font A through Z. Each letter visually similar, and all the same height. If we had time, we could continue on to the lowercase alphabet and numbers 1-10. I only had time to create the uppercase font but hope to get back in and add more to it. Why print digital art? Producing tangible versions of your work is important so that a discussion is possible – a critique. In a class crique, you experience objects in a different way: light shining in eyes (screen) verses bouncing off paper (surface). There is a difference between how colors function whether they’re on screen or on a surface. In additive primary colors (print): CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) are pigments. These print tones / images designed for print such as periodicals, or signs used in advertising. If you add all the additive colors together, it would be a black and muddy color. In subtractive primary colors (screen): RGB (red, green, blue) are light. RGB diodes create a screen display. Only images that work on the web or on screen are RGB: .jpg or .png files,

mediums like TV, Cinema, computer monitor, (web, PowerPoint, PREZI). if you add all these colors together, they would combine to create white. For blogging purposes, CMYK saved files will not translate onto our site. We have to take a snapshot of our CMYK image, or start with a CMYK image, to be able to post. Two common page sizes and orientation: 8 ½ x 11 “letter” portrait or 11 x 8 ½ landscape 11 x 17 “tabloid” portrait or 17 x 11 landscape Two paper stocks, otherwise known as “weights” in our lab: Standard – basic typing paper Glossy Whether you choose standard or glossy, they require different “cooking” instructions. The printer uses dry powder which is magnetized and heated to become a permanent toner, as compared to the not-so-permanent ink jet printer typically used at home. Always ensure your name is in the file name when you go to print so that you don’t accidentally end up paying for someone else’s print. This printer will not do a full bleed; it will always have a white square margin/border around your image. Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 21

To print in the Mac lab: Open original image in Illustrator (or whatever program you’re using). Identify size and orientation of image. Look for the # symbol on the toolbar of Illustrator, it is called “artboard tools” and you can get more information about your image. If you want to change units displayed (inches verses pixels), go to Illustrator -> preferences -> units. The artboard tool will show you the size, orientation, and the center of the image.

File -> print Print screen: Printer: XEROX (for Color), BW (for Black & White) Page set-up: Format for XEROX/BW Paper size: US letter, etc. Orientation: portrait or landscape Click “ok” Set-up: Presets: 11 x 17 glossy or plain* 8 ½ x 11 glossy or plain* *mostly use plain, especially for proofs (they’re cheaper) Click print again To change the orientation of a document before going to the print screen while still in illustrator, you would use the aforementioned artboard tool.

22 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

INFOGRAPHIC sketches We try to use tools available to create images that communicate interesting and/or powerful things. As the creator of an image, you have control over a lot of things. You control the movement of the viewer’s eye, and the meaning of the image. In class, Nathan hs spoken a lot about craft (how we use our hands), concept, and composition (how we direct the eye) as we have moved from line drawings, adding value, color, then shape. To convey an intentional message in our artwork (how we use our brain), or to create a concept, is to marry how we use our hands, eyes, and mind/brain. A common use for Adobe Illustrator is to create “infographics.” It is one of the two most common forms of vector graphics, and combines information with graphics to convey a message. The other common use for Illustrator is to create a logo - a symbol representing a company or idea often connected to the notion of a brand. Why is a logo important? The bottom line would be that brand association sells products. To function, these vector graphics must be symbolic and simplified. An example would be a country’s flag, or the olympic rings.

Why use vector art to create a logo or infographic? Extreme simplification makes the logo or infographic more cost effective to reproduce onto materials with methods like stitch, or silk screen. We looked at the history of the Apple Computer logo and watched it go from pretty complex to the extreme simplification mentioned above. Here’s a little background: http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/19792/ the-evolution-of-the-apple-logo/. The Apple logo started out as a fairly complex line drawing of Sir Isaac Newton with the apple about to fall on his head. It evolved to the rainbow apple with a bite taken out of it, and then later to help the cost of production as well as fit in better to the newer Apple computers coming off the line they made the logo monochromatic. In class we had ten minutes to re-create the Batman logo, by eye. Of the two logos above, it is the bottom one. Then the second time, we used Illustrator to utilize a tracing technique. The traced logo is shown at the top. We essentially used Illustrator like a studio artist might, like tracing paper.

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 23

Think of an infographic as “a quick In order to make a simplified version of a complex image, you first need to bring your image into Illustrator. Once you find the image you want to use, you save it and go to Illustrator -> File -> place. You will then have to click down, hold the click and simultaneously press your shift key and drag to make your image larger and place it into your document - adding the shift key constrains proportions.

Our assignment: choose two different images to communicate your infographic and come up with an idea you want to represent in infographic form. Research your idea, collect data, and create at least two images and simplify them in an illustration. Look at infographics that currently exist and try to figure out something you would like to say.

This tracing paper method can be traced (haha, pun) back to the Renaissance. A painting such as Van Eyck’s portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife would have been creating using a method called mirror projection. There is some controversy over whether or not this method was used: https://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/ magazine/article/?article_id=36085. However, this was a place in art history where art was starting to develop into something more than beautifully accurate. Up until that point there were a lot of religious paintings and portraits or landscapes, but now accurate was starting to be paired with intentionally creating interest.

To create a complex to simple logo: Place your image in Illustrator and lock that layer. Create a new layer and work from the background to the foreground and decide what you want to keep of the image and what is irrelevant. Use your pen tool to create objects by closing the form, and use the eyedropper tool to grab a color right from the photograph. Then lock that layer, turn off the visual (the eye), and work on the next part. You can turn on visibility for all layers and decide whether you need more or if you’re at a good stopping point. In class we had some time to use this method using sunglasses.

Art before the Renaissance was focused on craftsmanship, then it began to be paired with composition, and in Modern Art concept was an added focus. We are striving to utilize all three methods in this course.

I didn’t spend a lot of time on the glasses logo, so it is easy to see that this technique can quickly render a nice useable logo.

Think of an infographic as “a quick read with more detailed information buried in there.”

24 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Why bees disappearing matters What may be causing it What we can do to try to help read with more detailed information buried in there.” I am creating an infographic explaining why bees disappearing matters, what may be causing it, and what we can try to do to help the them. The next few pages will have images I have created to include in my bee infographic. It will all make more sense once you see the final a few more pages in. Below is my bee-jolly roger, an adorable yet sad part of my infographic.

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 25

26 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Format to print our infographics: TABLOID 11x17 (portrait)

Tip: Always move the entire folder when saving files to the desktop, to backup, or to a portable device. “Treat the folder like a taco shell, it holds all the ingredients together.” To backup onto the network, which should be done before and after class: Go -> network -> artserver - connect as firstlast, password is your student ID # but add a zero before it. Look for your folder, firstlast, and upload the files from class. When you’re done, eject from the artserver and work from your folder on the desktop. Do the same thing after class, then copy the same folder to your portable device/flash drive. This is how you can double backup your work, in two permanent places (verses just having it on a portable device). When you copy over the folder, you will get a window that says “an older item already exists at this location. Do you want to replace it with the newer one you’re moving?” Click “Yes.” Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 27

Your objective is to

make data interesting

and have words and graphics

interact

We are back in Adobe Illustrator, learning how to add and edit text. To insert type, copy the text you want to paste and define the starting perimeters of what you want your type to look like: font, size, etc. If the character window isn’t already open, click window -> type -> character (apple or control T). There are three ways to highlight/edit type: 1.) The selection tool (V) 2.) The direct selection tool (A) 3.) The type tool You can change the shape of the container, and can isolate one corner and move. Select the type and change from 24 to 34, then to 48 point type. This is all to become familiar with the tools available. If you make your type bigger, it is more important to control the container. Make sure there are no broken words or key phrases, especially in headlines. If you must, the only place it’s acceptable to hyphenate is in the body text. Highlight text, copy (apple or control c), paste (apple or control v). Increase the stroke and fill - notice it only affects 28 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

the type, not the shape of the text box. Make important words bold and copy your text again. Select the text tool and paste, and that inserts the type but doesn’t contain it. When resizing, it makes it all bigger compared to how the container resize changes the way the text looks but not the size of the text (type with no container verses type inside a container). Select the circle tool, and the Type on a path tool (type outside a container). You can change where the type starts/slides, and move the text around in the circle. You can affect type / adjust type with the return key. You can also select one word and increase the size of only one word or make the entire sentence the same size. The continuity of the edge would pull the design together. Once you get the size right, then you can work with the spacing in-between them. To expand the character window, click in the upper right corner of the tool window and it will show the tool’s options. Think of type in a graphical way - the more interesting and appealing you can make it, the better. Your objective is to make data interesting and have words and graphics interact.

Why we care about bee survival

90%: apple, asparagus, cherries, cucumber, pumpkin

se th

e a n i m a ls t h at

e at

tho

u p t h e fo o d c h a i n

70%: apricot, plum and prune, watermelon

d lo

o f t h e fo o d

t s,

omy eac econ hy ral ea tu r ul

100%: almond, avocado, blueberry, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, onion

in U.S . ag ric

2/3

o on

there wo ul d

ffe

Crop types and their dependence on honeybees:

economy each year

it will dire ctl ya

b ct

Crops can be pollinated by other insects like ants, but some plants can only be by bees; 1 out of every 3 bites of food depend on pollinators. Bees are vital for alfalfa and clover that feed cattle; without them, there would be less beef, milk, and cheese.

elp

U.S. agricultural

a be

directly affec will t2 /3 of

$40 billion

Bees pollinate 70 of the 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world, and more than 100 types of crops in the U.S.. Crops can be pollinated by other insects like ants, but some plants can only be by bees; 1 out of every 3 bites of food depend on pollinators.

, it es be

loss of

Each summer, U.S. beekeepers truck hives to pasteurs in the upper midwest to gather nectar and pollen. In the spring, hives are brought back to the south to pollinate crops of mostly every fruit, vegetable, and nut we find in our supermarkets.

es illion

If we l ose th e

of the bee population disappears every year

o s e t h e pla nts t h e

every year

losesthe b s $4 e e w lo 0

30% we l

30% of the bee population disappears

50%: pear 40%: strawberry 30%: brussel sprouts, cabbage

e eat dw oo ef th

10%: bean, lettuce

about bee survival ees like: tb ha st nt

Exact causes of mass bee losses are unknown; there are a mix of causes that sicken bees: >pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, acaricides >strain from being moved long distances by beekeepers to pollinate crops >sudden changes in time zone/climate >parasites leaving the bees vulnerable to bacteria and virus >combination of chemicals hurt the immune system making them more vulnerable to disease and threaten the entire colony, beginning with the honeybee >nutritionally inferior nectar and pollen of modified crops >lack of variety in plants and crops in the south: large monoculture plantings of unsuitable crops that don’t provide good nectar and pollen for bees: corn, soybean, cotten, canola >Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD): Bees that eat pollen contaminated with fungicides were 3 x’s as likely to be infected by a parasite linked to CCD

e, purple, or y blu ello w

flow ers ;c lo ve rs, s

ag e,

sal

n hi ec d, ea --

nh go ra

let your veggies bolt - - - -( go to s

---

b e e h a bit at s

flowering trees **especia thyme; nglish od, e enr old

Look at infographics that already exist, to gain inspiration and understand the tradition of the form. Focus on: image, text, charts, numberss, shapes of color and how each separates content. By the next class, everything needs to be in AI. 3 Rules when working with the functionality of type: 1.) Paragraph of content: 10 pt. Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica, not bold 2.) Spacing: utilize auto spacing in the character window; in the paragraph window you can adjust the body for left justified or left forced justified. 3.) No “squishy” type (kerning and tracking always at standard)

r ga

Think about what you’re trying to say, and remember to make your title the most visible. Consider it a “working title,” like a thesis statement, and don’t be afraid to rework or change it.

www.mnn.com guardianlv.com/2014/04/bees-becoming-extinct/ www.bbc.com/future/story/20140502-what-if-bees-went-extinct www.globalresearch.ca/death-and-extinction-of-the-bees/5375684

-p

ro v

id e

- - - - - - e li m i

lly al

, bu tter c

up, g

falf

----

----------

or pp - su

---

rvest) r ha fte da ee

t, d

, b ee

s per kee bee

in er lov

t- -

cal t lo

c nd aa

es idw em th

p, alfalf hyssu low

oneyw a, h or

via , o r e g a n o

el w, y arro , la ee, y v e n d er, ironw

pl a

Why should we care

e s ti

c i d e s- - - - - - - -

---

product, original graphics, variety of text with sources, use of design elements, and integration. Above you can see the evolution of my bee infographic. I was still trying to figure out color and make sure the background wasn’t too busy. It took a while to figure out the title but Nathan suggested put ‘Why we should care’ smaller, and ‘ABOUT BEE SURVIVAL’ larger. I am happy with the end result, as I think it works to draw you in and as two seperate titles. Sources: www.mnn.com guardianlv.com/2014/04/bees-becoming-extinct/ www.bbc.com/future/story/20140502-what-if-bees-wentextinct www.globalresearch.ca/death-and-extinction-of-thebees/5375684

PRINTED Infographic due at class, both our first draft from the end of class and a second after we took time to work on it. We will be graded on a completed, hanging, and printed

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 29

Key Ideas for great infographics: use contrast subdivid spaces readability from far away no text over text relate text to image numbers are important In continuing to work on our infographic(s), there were a few key ideas I jotted down while listening to critiques: contrast subdivided spaces readability from far away no text over text; don’t cross over values relate text to image/bundled numbers are important We learned how to “travel” with fonts so that we could open our AI files anywhere and the font would remain the same. First, make sure your infographic folder with your AI file and accompanying images are all in a folder on the desktop. There are two main sites for free fonts: dafont and 1001 free fonts — just be careful what you are downloading is the font and not an ad on the page. In the “preview” box, type the word or phrase you want to see illustrated and the website will preview the word/phrase in the groupings of fonts included on each page for you. Capitalize the first letter, so that you can see whether the font has both upper and lowercase included in the download, and learn more about the font.

download button all the way to the right at the top. On a Mac, you click on the down arrow in the upper right corner of your safari search screen and drag that folder into your infographic folder on the desktop. 1.) Make sure folder is on the desktop 2.) preview/identify font 3.) download font 4.) move into your folder 5.) activate font Select the font in your folder, double click on the .ttf file and install font. Back in AI: Keystroke to turn on rulers: Apple or control R

Tip: you can right click inside the ruler to change to inches if it’s in pixels… for our printers, ensure that you drag out guides at a 1/4” in We were given a minute and a half to font surf that would from all sides. work well in our infographic. Once you choose a font, click on the font itself and it will show the individual characters and if it has upper/lower case/special characters. Some fonts have families/cousins/brothers /sisters - subsets of fonts (bold, italic, etc.). In dafont’s site, you click the 30 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

On the next page is the final version of my bee infographic, “ABOUT BEE SURVIVAL.”

losesthe b s $4 e we lo 0

70% apricot, plum and prune, watermelon

d lo

se th

e a n i m a ls t h at

ho at t

t s,

omy eac econ h ye ral ar tu ul

o f t h e fo o

elp in

90% apple, asparagus, cherries, cucumber, pumpkin

100% almond, avocado, blueberry, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, onion

u p t h e fo o d c h a i n

there wo ul d

2/3

o se t h e pla nts t h e

Crop types and their dependence on honeybees:

we l

Bees pollinate 70 of the 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world, and more than 100 types of crops in the U.S. alone. There are other insects, such as ants, that can pollinate crops but some plants can only be pollinated by bees. 1 out of every 3 bites of food are dependant on pollinators; bees are vital for the alfalfa and clover that feed cattle and without them, there would be less beef, milk, and cheese.

50%

it would direc tly

t fec af

Each summer, U.S. beekeepers truck hives to pasteurs in the upper midwest to gather nectar and pollen. In the spring, hives are brought back to the south to pollinate crops of most every fruit, vegetable, and nut we find in our supermarkets.

a be

e ion in U.S l . a gr bil ic

of the bee population disappears every year

o on

30%

pear

40%

strawberry

30% brussel sprouts, c a b b a g e 1 0 % bean, lettuce

about bee survival ees like: tb ha st t n

Exact causes of mass bee losses are unknown; there are a mix of causes that sicken bees:

e, purple, or y blu ello w

flow ers ; c lo ve rs,

>pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, acaricides >strain from being moved long distances by beekeepers to pollinate crops >sudden changes in time zone/climate >parasites leaving the bees vulnerable to bacteria and viruses >combinations of chemicals hurt the immune system making them more vulnerable to disease and threaten the entire colony, beginning with the honeybee >nutritionally inferior nectar and pollen of modified crops >lack of variety in plants and crops in the south large monoculture plantings of unsuitable crops that don’t provide good nectar and pollen for bees: corn, soybean, cotten, canola >Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD): Bees that eat pollen contaminated with fungicides were 3 x’s as likely to be infected by a parasite linked to CCD

sa g e,

sal

nh go ra

----------

go to s rvest) r ha fte da ee

n hi ec d, ea

our veggies bo - --let y lt (

b e e h a bit at s

r ga

-p

a te

ro v

id e

- - - - - - - e li m in

flowering trees **especia thyme; nglish od, e enr old

lly al

---

up, g

www.mnn.com guardianlv.com/2014/04/bees-becoming-extinct/ www.bbc.com/future/story/20140502-what-if-bees-went-extinct www.globalresearch.ca/death-and-extinction-of-the-bees/5375684

, bu tter c

---

, b ee

rt l po sup

----

d an

---

fa fal

r in ve clo

es idw em th

p, alfalf hyssu

oneyw a, h or t,

via , o r e g a n o

low , yel rrow e, ya , la e w v e n d er, iron

-ers eep eek al b

pl a

Why should we care

e s ti

c i d e s- - - - - - - -

---

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 31

VARIATIONS a Class notes and discoveries on VARIATIONS AND REVISIONS: To prepare to make this magazine, we had to ensure that every file lived in the same spot. The parent folder has to have your first initial+last name - F14 - MAG. E.G. SHedaF14-MAG. Inside the parent folder contains three folders with the second half being your first inital+last name: infographic-sheda (alphabet, shapes), color-sheda, and lines-sheda. Once that is together, we were asked to experiment after first saving our files as something else, back in Adobe Illustrator. I ended up saving it as it’s original name+2+v, then original name+3+v, etc. In classical art the focus was on controlled craftsmanship. In modern art, it is about the process and the message. “Let’s just try some crap, or letting loose tight control of results,” said Nathan. “The adventure is to lean towards the “weird,” or avant garde - break the rules and make our art look like it’s not supposed to look.” If we had any drawing from our earlier assignments where there was no depth, we were told to add it. I.E. “No floating tea pots.”

32 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Keys important to this adventure: A) undo (apple z or control z) B) right click (after creating a new mark): to send the mark you just made to the back (if you right click, go to arrange and then select send the object to the back) C) Stroke and brushes: Go to window, and select stroke. Go to window again, and select brushes. These two windows allow you to adjust stroke and the size of the stroke. There is a meta window in the upper right hand corner for both tools, where you can find additional instructions. In brushes, you can open the brush library and choose something like “arrows.” It turns all of your separate brush strokes into individual arrows or mimics whatever stroke is in the library that you choose. Make sure to save after any change you want to keep, and save as a new version if you want to keep that particular version. Save your work if you can say why that version is better than your other version. Undo (apple z) if you feel ‘meh’ about the change. The idea is to enhance the image with a different brush stroke, not make the image impossible to read.

and REVISIONS Experiment, try all the different variables, expand your range. You can also make your own brush stroke or style. To do so, select the brush stroke and drag it into the paintbrush panel. Select the radial button of “art brush” or what you’d prefer, name it, and then it will be in your library. I felt like being able to manipulate the texture of the lines made the images more alive, more like what I would draw on a piece of paper. It’s super exciting! I did not manipulate the color yet, mostly due to already liking what I had and running out of time. If I have time, I’ll keep experimenting. To adjust color, you can select your color guide. Window -> color guide -> edit colors, and mess around with the color pallet and saturation. You’ll see “save changes to swap group?” Click “yes.” If you created separate layers, you will have major control in how you can manipulate your work. The more organized you are, the more finite control you have. In the color guide, bottom left, there are all sorts of different color groups. E.G. food - ice cream colors.

Our next assignment will be working on this magazine in Adobe InDesign. We had to take into consideration all of our work for the semester and decide how to incorporate it into a magazine. We were also allowed to use other pieces of artwork we created ourselves, or other class member’s work so long as we received permission and gave them proper credit. My drawings in the beginning, on the stylus, had so many lines that weren’t grouped and I wasn’t thinking to put them in layers so this variation and revision project was a lot more work than it should have been but I am happy with the result. I plan on going back and playing more, experimenting, and just trying some “crap, letting loose, and breaking some rules.” It is so easy when you are studying something to hold your grip so tightly onto perfection that you miss out on so many exciting opportunities in your art. That is what is so special with creating art on the computer. You can work in unending variations and still have the original to work from, so you basically can’t mess it up. I think perfection is boring anyway. One of the things I love so much about nature is it’s variety, and I hope to be the kind of artist that is not afraid to take risks and pursue new adventures.

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 33

WARM TONES BEE VARIATION 34 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 35

The Art Institute of Chicago Guided Tour 500 years of Art History via Nathan Peck

Our teacher, Nathan Peck, had us meet at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) for his guided tour covering 500 years of art history. Everything in this magazine includes notes from lectures in his class, and work I have created, along with photographs I took while at the AIC. He has been telling us about the evolution in art, alongside our assignments in class. We began with line drawings, with craft being the most important part of our work. Then we started adding color and value, and composition. Then, once we moved onto our infographic work, concept became a huge factor. Throughout the tour, you could see the transformation from craft, then craft + composition, and finally craft + composition + concept. Craft: “The Head of Saint John the Baptist Brought before Herod,” is very flat. There is color, but no depth everything seems stacked on top of the next thing. Most of the art in this time was made to illustrate a story in the Bible, a still-life or a portrait of someone rich. Notice the intricate details - the toenails in the next piece. In “Beggar with a Duffle Coat (Philosopher),” note that Manet is starting to paint what he wants verses what he 36 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

was told to paint. In “The Bathers,” you start to see more compositional elements. There is depth; things in the background get a little fuzzier because they are further away. You can see in “Resting,” that paintings are becoming more about the paint - the stroke of Mancini can be seen. Painters were not trying to paint the “perfect” replica from life, like a picture with the help of the camera obscura. By now, there were even fixed image photographs, daguerrotypes, calotypes, and dry plates. A very famous impressionist example of the artist being present in their work - “Water Lily Pond” - the closer you get to the painting the less it looks like the thing it is and the more it looks like the strokes of a brush. The artist, Claude Monet, is absolutely present. By the time we reach modern art, all three (craft, composition, and concept) are in full swing. A few weeks ago in our ‘variationsand revisions’ homework, we were asked to take risks, make something that hasn’t been made before, and continue push the boundaries.

UNKNOWN BRONZE STATUE

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 37

GIOVANNI DI PAOLO SIX SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST, 1455/60: THE HEAD OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST BROUGHT BEFORE HEROD

ADRIAEN VAN DER SPELT AND FRANS VAN MIERIS TROMPE L’OEIL STILL LIFE WITH A FLOWER GARLAND AND A CURTAIN, 1658

Focus has shifted over the last 500 years...

CRAFT

COMPOSITION

CONCEPT

38 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 39

ÉDOUARD MANET BEGGAR WITH A DUFFLE COAT (PHILOSOPHER), 1865/67

WILLIAM-ADOLPHE BOUGUEREAU THE BATHERS, 1884 40 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 41

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE SKY ABOVE CLOUDS IV

ANTONIO MANCINI RESTING, C. 1887

PROFESSOR NATHAN PECK LEE BONTECOU UNTITLED, 1960

42 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within 43

JACKSON POLLOCK GREYED RAINBOW, 1953

CLAUDE MONET WATER LILY POND, 1917-22

MARK ROTHKO UNTITLED (PURPLE, WHITE, AND RED), 1953 Mark Rothko’s work is the most inspiring to me, out of everything at the AIC. His color field paintings have completely changed the way that I view modern art. I took an ‘Art Since 1945’ class at the AIC, and before that course I had no real knowledge or appreciation for modern art. I just didn’t get it. However, after studying their movement(s), and knowing that craft was absolutely present in their work (they simply chose concept above showing off their craftsmanship sometimes). I can stand in front of a Rothko and stare for a longer 44 Incandescent - rediscovering the artist within

time than I would most other paintings. His choice of color combinations, and the size of his paintings (especially the larger ones that feel like they surround you, like the sky) envelope you and it becomes a spiritual experience. For me, I have never been as affected by a piece of visual art in a way that something like Tchaikovsky’s “Pathetique” Symphony can. I stand in front, or sit in front of a Rothko and after some time, it feels like my deepest emotions burst out. They make me feel. I believe that to be art in the truest sense, and that is why I think of Rothko’s work as a masterpiece.