Is large format instant photograpy making a comeback?

Here's an interesting tidbit.  It appears that new large-format instant film is a real possibility for 2013.  Remember how fun taking pictures with a Polaroid camera was?  Well, maybe you don't but I do.  Talk about instant gratification!  Point, shoot and out pops a photo.  Well almost, you have to wave it in the air and  blow on it.  Okay, you didn't actually have to do that but it was more fun that way.  Then shazam!  You got yourself a developed photo.  I think it's exciting that this technology might be making a comeback.  You can share the photos via Facebook or other electronic means but you got something you can hold, by George!    If you are interested in learning more about this topic then follow this  link   to Polaroidland to learn more.

Food Atlas

 

FOOD ATLAS

by Guerrilla Cartographers

I saw this and thought it would be a great follow-up to my previous post Image Atlas.  The Food Atlas is a group of 80 contributors ranging from artists, educators, map makers and food lovers.  They are compiling maps of food from around the world in the hopes of helping the population better understand where their food comes from and how it relates to our lives.    The atlas includes information on food production, distribution, food security and cuisine.  If you are interested in being part of an exciting project that has nearly met it's goal there is still time.  For the donation of only $1 you can be part of this!  Just follow this link and watch the video to learn more about this exciting project.

“if it works it's obsolete”

Marshall McLuhan

 

 

 

 

 Commemorate 100 years of McLuhan

Last year in DTC 375 we read "The Medium is the Massage" by Marshall McLuhan.  It was such an insightful book.  I was amazed at the foresight Mr. McLuhan had and how spot on his predictions were in regards to the evolution of technology.  I was happy to see him show up in the essay  "The Digital Image and the Pleasure Principle:  The Consumption of Realism in the Age of Simulation" in our "Digital Visual Culture" book.  

I thought I would include some interesting quotes from him in my blog.  There is a link above that will take you to the Marshall McLuhan website managed by his estate.  He was born in 1911 and died in his sleep in 1980.  Worldwide celebrations have taken place in 2011 and one in 2012 to commemorate him.

“I am resolutely opposed to all innovation, all change, but I am determined to understand what’s happening. Because I don’t choose just to sit and let the juggernaut roll over me. Many people seem to think that if you talk about something recent, you’re in favor of it. The exact opposite is true in my case. Anything I talk about is almost certainly something I’m resolutely against. And it seems to me the best way to oppose it is to understand it. And then you know where to turn off the buttons.” 

- Marshall McLuhan, "Forward Through the Rearview Mirror: Reflections On and By Marshall McLuhan

“We look at the present through a rear view mirror. We march backwards into the future.”

“Art is anything you can get away with.”  

 “First we build the tools, then they build us.” 

“I don't necessarily agree with everything that I say.”  

- Marshall McLuhan

 

A New Twist on Still-Life

Fad Diet

The artist Stephanie Gonot has a modern take on the still-life art form, creating oddly beautiful images out of grotesquely arranged objects and foods.  I find this very interesting.  Looking through the photos I found myself laughing at times and curious and confused at other times.  I love this new take on still-life.

Identity Protection

The next generation of technology to protect your identity.  Are eyeball scanners and finger prints a thing of the past?  Looks like it!  Take a look at this video from MSNBC and see where the future of identity protection is headed.  Very interesting stuff!


Video On MSNBC

What Will the SmartPhone of the Future Be Like?

It really wasn't that long ago that the cool cell phone was a flip phone or better yet, a colored phone.  The last 10 years has really changed the cell phone industry.  With the increasing speed at which technology changes it's made me wonder what options might be available in the next 10 years.  What might the smart phone look like.  Will it still be called a smart phone or will that term become out dated also.  The possibilities are endless.  We don't know what we don't have now, but surely once we have it we will wonder how we were ever able to live without it.  Today's young adults can't imagine life without a computer or cell phone, they have always had them just like cars and televisions.  It's funny to think that one day they will think back to the old times when their phones could only play video games, music and movies, receive and send emails and text messages, access an App store - oh yeah, let's not forget - phone calls!  Ah, Future, what do you have in store for us?

Political Avatars Duke it Out

"As Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prepare to duke it out on stage Wednesday, virtual avatars of the candidates are quite literally duking it out in a video game geared to motivate voter registration."

It's interesting to see how the votes are being cast by each state.  Here is a link to the full article for the results.  Obama or Romney! Gamers Predict Winner in Slugfest

Vector Exercise

DTC 355 – Vector Exercise

For this exercise I choose the letter’s T, R and Y.  Since we all know that trying new things can be fear-provoking my abstract creation is of a dragon.  Dragon’s can be frightening creatures although they are not real.  Trying new things can be scary too, even if there is nothing dangerous involved.  To begin with I used the T to create the head of the dragon, then the R for the body and front legs and finally the Y which represents the tail and back legs.  I felt that using the stark contrast of black and white was most effective while I did reduce the opacity of the black to 80% in order to allow the viewer to see the subtle differences from where one letter ends and the next begins.   The typeface I used is AR BERKLEY which contains many curves along with thick and thin lines.  By tipping the letters I was able to place the characters in a way that would most effectively represent a dragon.  As a final touch and to go along with the overall Asian feel of the piece I added a uniform one point charcoal feather.

My message is an acknowledgement of the fear we may experience when trying new things.  It is not meant to either discourage or encourage that fear.