Let's Pretend We Don't Exist, Let's Pretend We're In Antartica!

Week 7

Well this week was an... interesting work week for our political protest projects. Some new developments regarding the passing of the Collective Bargaining Rights Bill, which is basically the "cheaters" version of the State Budget Bill, Now allows Mr. Scott Walker to strip every state worker of their unions and their bargaining rights that they have worked for for the last 50 years. Makes you just want to jump out of school and join the work force doesn't it?! I know so many people have their opinions of what has transpired, but as hypocritical as I might sound, it all happens for a reason. And whatever that reason is, we'll just have to find ways to work around it. No pun intended for the work force of Wisconsin of course.

So what does this mean in terms of my project?
Well it gave me a sense of direction that's for sure. At first I intended to try and make a statement about how much of a dislike I hold for politics... but now I feel this need to poke some fun at the situation. I guess innately more at Walker then at anything else. But after hearing about the whole situation with the hasty voting and the push to pass this bill under the noses of the democrats who did not vote, I figure that Walker is sitting in Madison feeling pretty good about himself. While the protesters on the other hand are making riots in Madison trying to assemble petitions and beat politicians only seconds after the results of the voting. So in my head this translates to a very stupidly happy grin plastered on Walker and some disapproving frowns gracing the faces of the masses. Yup, the overtly animated faces I'm referring to come in the nicely expressive form of emoticons. So during this week I've started working on the computer to superimpose these faces onto pictures of said politicians.

Here's what I've got so far:

So my job over spring break, is to take this idea and figure out just how to translate it. I'm really unsure if I want to represent these images in photo-realism, creating juxtaposition between the cartoonish faces and the realistic bodies, or translating these ideas into a form of political cartoon. I kind of like the idea of both. In terms of size and representations, I think that a tv or computer screen size would be perfect. But if anybody else has suggestions that would be fabulous. I'm also juggling the idea of a diptych because it would put a nice tension between the "derpy" politicians and the "unamused" protesters.

Well as much work as I seem to have over spring break. I plan to thoroughly enjoy the break. Have a good one everybody.

That's why his blood tastes so good on pancakes...

Week 6

In drawing this week we are starting a new assignment. We are doing a "translation" drawing (which means that we have to take material that has already been produced by a source like the media and use it in an artistic sense. However, the subject of our piece has to revolve around the current protests pertaining to Scott Walker's proposed bill to try and amend the state deficit. Which is going to make this an extremely difficult project for me.

To be perfectly honest. I really don't like the thought of politics. By nature I try to avoid confrontation, conflict, and competition by any means necessary. This of course opens up a whole new "can of worms" per say that I really would not rather discuss because my thought process really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to even me sometimes. But in short, if I could "create" a perfect world, politics would not exist, and everyone would have a comfortable financial situation where there would be no competition for jobs and problems would rectify themselves through some kind of divine intervention. The world would live off of rainbows and unicorn farts.. yeah I get it.. I'm a childish dreamer.

Anyways my recent acquisition Orthomyxoviridae (yay... flu) has rendered me useless for the last week. And it's still somehow managing to kick me to the curb. So after some reading to catch up on the articles and powerpoints assigned on Thursday....

My knowledge of the project so far makes me immediately want to do a project about expressing my disinterest or dislike in politics, or figure out a way to express my confusion over the issue. I'm still trying to think about how I'm going to use already rendered media to express my point, but I did find an article that was a satire on this whole issue called "Protesters Protest Protesting of Protesters Protesting Protest." I'm not sure why, but I really feel like I want to use this as my project title. It's quippy, accurate, and falls right into place with how I'm feeling about this project.

Hit me, knock me out and let me go back to sleep...

Week 5


"Untitled"
Caitlin Bohac
India Ink, fake blood, and conte crayon on Stonehenge

  Well here it is, the final product. I have decided to name it "Untitled", not only because I have a really hard time chosing names for pieces, but I have bounced around several different names in my head and I really think that giving it a specific title could really impact a viewers perspective. My whole goal of this piece was to make a map that had a special meanint to me, but using a medium that makes it intensely personal. So personal that it almost verges on the point of uncomfortable. It lets a viewer inject (sorry for the pun) their own meaning into the piece.

During the critique on Tuesday, I was told that it does give off a very bloody vibe, but almost too much of one. The dripping effects of the india ink and "fake blood" (which if you didn't read my last post was what I ended up using) reall.y express the intentions of blood as the medium. The other critques that I cued most in on was the fact that it doesn't really express ther personal qualities of leaving your trail, or mark, on the map. It makes it more the point of being creepy, small town, homocide, creepy. That was never my intention. I really have no intention of going postal any time soon, especially on anybody that is represented in this map. I really think I got caught up in my own ideas and needed a different approach that I just couldn't find. In retrospect, this project was more thought intensive than I'd imagined. I don't think I fully explored all of the capabilites that cartography as a medium could offer. But it was an excellent learning experience in that it made me think about different mediums and styles and it gave me a chance to try out some more abstract concepts in my work. I notice in a lit of my pieces I like being litteral and drawing piece with a set subject and a very face-value meaning. I think in some ways that's really kind of a weakness, it kind of feels like being a one-hit-wonder.

Otherwise this week was a relaxing end to a project. Spending the week critiquing and looking and discussing everybody elses work was nice. I really loved the diversity in not only styles but subjects. What I think was really kind of interesting about this week was that several people used the map idea to create works with a darker meaning or having a darker feel to a relatively postive subject. I think that a lot of people took this opportunity of mapping to reach down and pull something out of them that wouldn't really come out in their regular work. But now that I know that this is over, I'm ready to see what the next project entails. I really can't believe that the semester is half way over already. It's kind of sad. Somebody told me yesterday that I looked worn out. Funny thing is I completely agree.