James Turrell

Turrell is an artist who uses light to form optical illusions and challenge people's perceptions. For the past 30 years he has been working at Roden crater, a dormant volcano in Arizona. Turrell alters pieces of wall or ceiling to make the light filter in a space at a certain angle, a technique he calls skyspace. This project wont be completed until 2012. Turrell has balls, to take a volcano, dormant or not, and sculpt it into your own artwork is about as badass as you can get.

Osang Gwon

This artist creates photo sculptures that are really interesting. Similar to the 360 photos, these don't creep me out!
Gwon uses over 300 photos of the original model to create these life size sculptures

Eskil Ronningsbakken

This guy is a former circus performer who now is working on his art. He hopes to bring new life to the traditional landscape images taken at these spots by photographing himself precariously balanced on the edge of a cliff.



Well that sounds just great, for this guy... I don't think I would be standing on that cliff, let alone balancing on one hand on a weird contraption thing. Maybe this is what the life of a circus performer is all about. That being the case all my dreams of being a circus performer have been destroyed.

Justin Ponmany

I admit that I am somewhat creeped out by these 360 portraits, but they are very interesting visually speaking. The portraits take on a topographic like quality that you dont generally associate with a human head, unless you are in to phrenology. Its just the whole floating head, bad horror movie effects vibe that interests me. And now I want to watch horror movies...

Art Frahm

This guy definitely has an interesting take on the world, as well as a strange understanding of gravity. Frahm's paintings frequently have celery present as well as creepy guys in the background. The 1950s pin-up style paintings have recently brought to my attention and I am intrigued with his work. What I am drawn most to are the expressions worn by the women, they look slightly surprised, yet they seem like this is something that may happen at any time without cause. Well I guess you should always be ready for anything...

Little People in the City

More miniatures!
I love the humor in this work.

Project Description

Project Name:

The Real Lives of Monsters

Project Description:

I am interested in making images of vintage movie monsters in everyday, homey settings. I want to take the traditional movie monster and combine it with the ideal traditional home setting.

Conceptual Concerns:

Being able to take an iconic character and insert it into an unexpected and different location.

Technical Skills Covered

Being able to create a convincing model of the scene that I am looking to create. Also to be able to utilize Photoshop to my advantage.

Formal Guidelines:

A set of 5-7 11x14 prints which will be mounted for presentation. Due date to be discussed in class.

Artistic References:

I am looking at 1950s movie set and costume designs. Dulce Pinzon’s superheroes series as well as Charlie White’s Understanding Joshua series are also artists which have inspired me for this project.

Readings:

Photoshop composite guides as well as websites and books about traditional movie monster makeup and costumes.

Grade:

The grading of this project should be determined by the success of the images to appear convincing without being immediately recognized as a Photoshop type manipulated image. The scene presented should be convincing to the viewer, well at the same time seem slightly off in a sense.

Goals List:

To create interesting and believable models.

To make images which do not immediately give off the sense that they are Photoshopped.

To use Photoshop in a productive and beneficial way.