Introduction:
In Digital Media we recorded a opinion we had and used after effects to add relevant pictures.
In English we completed our personal essays for college.
In Design we did multiply projects. First we created dot pictures of animal using acrylic paint. Then we assembled photos of objects to look the letters in our names. Most recently we created three works around collaging. The first was a analog collage that utilized juxtaposition. Then we converted that collage to black and white and reduced it to simple shapes that we colored in monochrome with acrylic paint. Lastly we created collage similar to our first with digital images.
I’ve learned to appreciate acrylic paint, access to modern medicine, and my ability to problem solve.
My Personal Essay: Cat Chronicles
This less than 650 word piece took around 2 months to complete. This piece of writing is the main essay that most colleges will see when I apply. The goal of this piece is to convey my goals and values, as a person, in a concise and entertaining way. This piece shows how I problem solve, stay focused, and see my goals through to completion.
I avidly wanted a cat. I played with other cats, saw cats on TV, and had plenty of cat shaped stuffed animals. All of those pseudo cats shared one fatal flaw, they weren’t mine and they couldn’t live with me. My parents were allergic and refused to take allergy medicine everyday, so I needed to find another solution to my dilemma.
Years passed, but the idea of having a cat never left my mind. I was temporarily satiated by the thought of getting a cat when I moved out, but a more immediate opportunity presented itself when I went to summer camp. I overheard a woman chatting about her “hypoallergenic cat” and I wanted to learn more. Hypoallergenic meant that my parents wouldn’t get allergic reactions, so they could live with me and the cat. People were allergic to a protein in cat’s saliva and this specific breed of cats, Siberians, had a genetic mutation that made them have less of those proteins. I dedicated that summer to researching Siberians and to finding a local breeder. Soon I impressed my parents by my research skills and ability to find multiple breeders.
The first breeder didn’t let us into her house and told us that the kittens we were looking at had a fungal infection. Despite how desperately I wanted a cat I knew I couldn’t buy any from her. I had high standards regarding the quality of life the cats had and I couldn’t support the way this breeder was treating her cats. Since I knew I couldn’t save all the cats I continued my search. The second breeder only had one littler which were healthy and clean. My parents didn’t have any allergic reactions on our first visit so on the second visit we picked up a ball of white fluff with a little pink nose and big blue eyes that I called Kiki.
Getting the cat was a goal of mine, but soon I refocused and realized that the way I took care of Kiki was the most important thing. At first I expected Kiki to bond with me instantly, but he couldn’t possibly understand all the work I had done for him and it took time to adjust to his new surroundings. Bonding with the new cat took time and determination. I tried to play with him every day and brush him often, but he wanted nothing to do with me. I constantly pet him and rubbed my face in him despite my mother scolding me. I knew that even if Kiki resented me now he would realize as he grew older that this was how I showed my love and he would learn to show his love the same way. Teaching my cat to be affectionate was a goal I was happy to pursue and I can see the fruits of my labor today when he nuzzles me like I nuzzled him and purrs when I hug him.
I’ve learned that working through problems is an ongoing process that I relish. First I specify the problem I’m trying to overcome and focus on finding solutions, I spend as long as I need trying to collect many possible answers to the problem. Solution gathering takes time and the ability to look for alternative courses of action where one might not expect them to be is an important skill I’ve honed over the years. Once a solution is discovered it should be tested and a wide variety of possible speed bumps must be anticipated. Adaptability is key to navigating these unexpected challenges, but my own confidence motivates me to keep working through the problems I encounter. Just executing one solution doesn’t mean the problem is solved and I understand and enjoy working through the dilemmas I am confronted with on a long term and daily basis.
My Perspective Piece: Modern Medicine
My perspective piece was influenced by current events involving the anti-vac community as well as my personal experience with long term illness. After Effects, as a program, is not user friendly. I had some trouble manipulating the tools and getting photos large enough since because of Google’s law suit the photos I wanted were not always the correct size. In my perspective piece I define my self as a person who respects science and the people who properly conduct studies and speed correct information.
Design Work
We did a variety of pieces in a variety of mediums with the intent explore the basics of each medium as well as explore the principals of art and design.
This piece is based on Aboriginal cave paintings and is an introduction to acrylic paint
The creation of this piece was all about the meditative state artists reach when they do repetitive tasks. The aboriginal people of Australia called it the time without time since they would be do focused that hours would go by in minutes. When making this piece I learned about the specificity of paint mixing. I learned that smaller dots could be made faster but filled the space slower while larger dots filled the space quickly but took longer to make.