Final Project - Business Card, Logo, CD Case

CD Case

Final Project - Poster for a Cause

Color

 

Value and Texture - Portrait

Original Fifteen Textures

Original Photograph in Grayscale

Texture Collage

Illusion of Space and Motion - Thank You, Pixar

This first example, a film poster for Disney / Pixar's Up, creates the illusion of motion through the use of anticipated movement. The off-balance positioning of the house and all three characters coupled with the lack of sturdy ground in the image create the illusion of the characters falling though the air. Source.

This next image, a poster for Disney / Pixar's Wall-E, demonstrates illusionistic motion through the subtle use of both figure cropped and figure repeated. Wall-E himself and the spaceship he is holding onto are both slightly cropped from the image, creating a sense of them leaving the frame. In addition, the second robot in the background is trailed by a blurred, curving line, creating a very blatant sense of motion. Source.

This poster, for Disney / Pixar's Finding Nemo, uses several techniques to create a sense of spiraling motion. First off, this could be considered an example of multiple image use. Although it is not meant to be viewed as one fish repeating, but rather a school of fish, the repetition in shape coupled with the dwindling size of the fish as the spiral moves inward create a definite sense of motion. Secondly, the fish become more blurry and out of focus as the spiral moves inward, a subtle example of blurred lines to create motion. Source.

This image, from Disney / Pixar's Cars, is my first example of the illusion of space. This particular example utilizes a number of techniques. First off, size plays a key role in creating depth in this image. The cars and buildings become smaller as they move "back" into space, and the size of the mountains in the background compared to the size of the cars and building suggest that they are off in the distance. Next, aerial perspective plays a role in the creation of depth. The rocks and mountains in the background are depicted in a much lighter value than the foreground. Lastly, one point perspective is an important factor in this image. All parallel lines intersect at an obvious vanishing point in the upper middle of the poster. Source.

This movie poster for Disney / Pixar's A Bug's Life relies heavily on overlapping and relative size to create a sense of depth and the illusion of space. First off, the size ratio of the ants to the caterpillar provides the illusion that the caterpillar is farther back in the image. Secondly, the overlapping leaves, bugs, and antennae, and most obviously the large leaf overlapping everything else in the image create a sense of layering and depth. Source.

Lastly, this poster from Disney / Pixar's Ratatouille is an example of the utilization of amplified one point perspective. The one vanishing point lies somewhere around the rat's chin, but the extreme portrayal of perspective makes it seem as though the handles on the knives are coming right out at the viewer. The amplified perspective of the knives is extremely important in this image. Were it not for their inclusion in the poster, the overall depth of the image would be lessened quite a bit. Since the floor is such a small part of the image and the door takes up so much space, the knives are crucial in creating a profound sense of depth. Source.

Pattern and Texture

Collection of Fifteen Textures

Texture Grayscale

Shape and Volume - Negative Space

This was my first negative space composition, and least favorite of the bunch.

Here is my second negative space composition. I love the details in the back of the left chair.

This was my third and favorite negative space composition. I like the details in both chairs, and the fact that the angle at which the composition was photographed creates visual interest.

All three compositions feature two of my mismatched dining room chairs as well as a small, (16 inches or so) curvilinear shelf.

Line - Digital Media

Photobiography

I suppose this photo might not fit the exact criteria that you were looking for for this assignment, but the fact of the matter is, I loathe just about any photo taken of myself - that is, until I have had the opportunity to Photoshop it into a piece of artwork. This particular over-Photoshopped portrait, is actually from about three and a half years ago, during my senior year of high school. Conveniently, I still look exactly the same, so it is still an accurate depiction of myself. I chose this photo because it perfectly embodies my love of art and design, and my uncontrollable desire to turn all things visual into works of art. In addition, (sad as it may be) the facial expression in this photo is also 100% Lisa Ploof. I am generally rather stoic, methodical, and accused of being too serious, even angry looking at times... I felt that this photo captured my infamous glare rather nicely! However, I found myself struggling with this particular assignment. The more photos of myself that I viewed and snapped, the more I concluded that I am, photographically speaking, a blank face. Then I realized that, in some sense, that is who I am. I am not one to wear my emotions on my sleeve, but rather to hide them away. My emotions come out in my art and in my words. I am a thinker more than a speaker, constantly getting lost in my own ponderings of the world, human tendencies, and aesthetics. I think this photo embodies me better than any other I could find... It depicts my tendency to look through things rather than getting stuck on the surface and my desire to portray any and everything as art. In addition, it exemplifies my absolute adoration for Adobe Photoshop. Artistically, this image embodies a clear sense of balance. The abstract shapes created by my hair and hat frame my face, making it the clear focal point of the image. The lack of shading a value gives the image a more cutout or hand drawn feel. The sheer amount of activity in the background (hat and hair included) gives the image an almost static outer rhythm, while the clarity of the face provides the viewer with a calm area in the center of the abstract storm.

Balance, Revisited

Positive Space in White

Negative Space in White

The Leftovers Collage

Rhythm

Original

Hot

Cold

Damp

Comfortable (with motion)

Progressive Rhythm

Scale and Proportion - Photoshop Collage

This collage consists of six separate photos, all taken by myself. Layer one is the sky, on which I made a few hue adjustments. Layer two is the off-perspective building, with some hue and saturation adjustments and an inner shadow. Next was the main background image, which I left pretty much the same, doing a few hue adjustments. Then, I used the magnetic lasso tool to select my boyfriend out of a photo and add him into the image, super-sized. I then used the same tool to select an elephant out of another photo I had taken, and used it to create a parade of elephants around my boyfriend. Lastly, I added a photo of myself as one of the billboards in the background.

Emphasis

Emphasis by One Element - In this example by Gretchen Kelly, the high contrast, bright red door stands out against the otherwise colorless background. Although the images represents one continuous composition, the door is clearly the focal point.

Emphasis by Isolation - In this photo, retrieved from Flickr, the lone bird on the bottom wire is made the focal point by means of isolation. Although all the birds appear to be undefined shapes, the isolated bird draws the viewers eye.

Emphasis by Placement - This photo of the Andy Warhol gallery at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, uses placement to create emphasis on the image at the back. Both the staircase and the hallway lead back towards the image, as do all parallel lines on the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Emphasis by Contrast - This image, by Mark Bennett, uses contrast to create the window as a focal point. The warm, glowing orange stands out against the cold, blue, snowy background, creating a warm, inviting focal point.

Absence of Focal Point - This image, titled Pink Quetzacoatl, has no focal point. Instead, it is an abstract representation, a collection of vibrant colors and interesting shapes and lines. By avoiding the use of a blatant focal point, the painting becomes one unified focal point in and of itself.

Unity

Unity through repetition - The plethora of colors in this particular image are tied together by the repeated "bull's eye" shapes. -Tom Moody

Unity through continuation - This black and white photograph by Andrea Macfarlane uses the continuation of a variety of shapes to create unity. The parallel lines of the benches and concrete and the receding circles and half-circles draw the eye back into the image. -Andrea Macfarlane

Unity through emphasis on variation - This painting by Andy Warhol utilizes slight variations not only to add visual interest but also to unify the image as a whole. If all of the cans were the same color and at the same angle, the painting would not be anywhere near as successful as this colorful image. This is also an example of a grid based design. -Andy Warhol

Unity through use of the grid - This collage makes use of the grid as a unifying factor in this skyline collage. Although parts of the image are disjointed and not matching, the fact that all of the parts are laid out structurally in a grid format ties it all together. -Fine Art

Ideals in 2D Design

Water color and pastel on white paper

Acrylic paint on white paper

Charcoal on white paper - Leavenworth Hall, Castleton State College

The three images above are all exemplifications of two dimensional design. By definition, two dimensional design is, of course, two dimensional. It is flat, unlike sculpture or architecture. Because of this, one of the challenges of two dimensional design is translating three dimensional ideas onto a flat surface. Although these examples are done by myself and therefore not professional examples of art by any means, I feel that they do an adequate job of communicating the three dimensional world onto the two dimensional paper.

Introduction!

Hi there everyone... I am Lisa Ploof, a 21 year old Graphic Design major at the Community College of Vermont. I graduated high school in 2007, and attempted going to college twice before attending CCV and doing online courses. Both times, extenuating circumstances influenced me to drop out... I am now in my third semester at CCV, and have been taking online courses the entire time. I look forward to a great semester full of creativity. I look forward to seeing everyone's work, and hope that everyone enjoys mine as well! My Blog from last semester's Drawing I class is available for anyone to check out!
Lisa Ploof - Drawing I