The Flavor of Deodorant

I tasted a deodorant stick. It tastes just as bad as it sounds, although it had an interesting and unique aftertaste.

That's pretty much all I have to say about that. The question now is, what will I make for class tomorrow? I guess we'll find out.

Fear: 3 of 2

Michael Daniells' fear of the unknown was faced when he rode out to a place he had never been before, and decided to do something (mostly) unplanned and uncoordinated. I thought that was a rather impressive way to beat one's own fear; it's not really something I would do. Being who I am I would never have left without a strategy in mind.
   


My project didn't actually have me combat the "unknown", instead using an introspective approach. Daniells' method was much more effective however, based upon the results I got for my assignment (were I given this assignment again, I would've gone about it much differently). I think that being loose and experimental in my artwork like Daniells' assignment would improve how I learn from it.

Fear, Part 2: "Results"

I started to realize after conducting this experiment that nobody was going to post anything on their blogs about my experiment; nobody was going to read the late email I sent out over Oncourse, and that's perfectly fine. I didn't take into account how I was going to gather the information, and as a result I have nothing of evidence to show how well it went over.

What could I have done differently?

Firstly, post an email ahead of time instead of (essentially) at the last minute. Maybe design an experiment with a little more resonance in general, since the experiment was rather vague. I was having problems coming up with material to work with, but I have since come up with some more powerful, relatable fear topics with which to discuss and experiment with.

Fear, Part 1 - "Potential Reactions"

I expect people to react to this "experiment" away from class. Our reactions should not be immediately evident, but rather, should surface at a later point.

This test might not actually evoke fear. It may evoke other things.

I'd prefer not to give anything away, so I'll just leave it at that.

Take Away 10 - Did I take anything away?

I guess I learned that taking crazy-looking animals - or any animals at all, for that matter - is not a good idea. Though I kinda figured this already.

I don't think I really learned much from this class that I didn't already know to begin with. Which I guess is good, if it means anything in regards to my wisdom (humble, am I right?). I liked looking at the project turn-ins, and I appreciated the discussion, but I didn't learn anything particularly profound from class this week, which I think is okay, seeing how not much happened this week compared to the others recently.

I guess what I took away was that - sometimes - life just isn't always profound. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose.

What is Fear?

Fear is a thing of the mind. Fear my also be of the heart. Fear is a mental construction of some occurrence or symbol that has significance as a warning of some sort. At least, that's the basics of it, scientifically speaking. It's a complicated subject which I'm not fit to fully describe, but what it does to us is a little more graspable. It makes us quiver, makes us sweat. It makes us stand still and choke our own voices, or causes us to react violently, and loudly. Fear is always lurking, like a predator. Even in your sleep, it hunts. Are we ever safe?

Believe it or not, fear is actually a good thing. Though it preys on us, it never deals a killing blow. It keeps us on our toes, however, cautious, and hopefully, ready, for whatever dangers may truly exist from without. Fear exists, I believe, to keep all animals safe from their dangers. It is a warning, and without these essential warnings, we would have no reason to preserve ourselves and wouldn't be here today. But fear must be controlled. It does restrain us, but it limits us to what we are already familiar with, which culls personal advancement and advancement of the species. Fear and cowardice are two different things.

I have created two drawings using the purple crayon, and I will be presenting them is class this Monday. I will explain what I feel about these two questions in person on that day.

Adios.

Take Away 9

Watching Burning Man's version of Dr. Seuss' famous Oh, The Places You'll Go reminded me of how active I need to be in achieving my goals, even if my goals seem initially small.

I've been thinking about writing, sketching and inking a webcomic for a while now, and I just came up with a great idea for a story; I'm thinking it's about time I got off my ass and created this thing by now. It'll be a lot of work, but I won't get anything done if I don't try at all.

Maybe something will come from all of this.

Who am I? Why am I here?

Who am I?

An sketch artist with love for classic animation, drafting and storytelling techniques, who also has a passion for zoology and the other sciences, as well as a strong curiosity in religious folklore and mythology. Often when I have time I'll sit and read a textbook or a webpage regarding a certain topic, or I'll sit down and sketch concept art for stories that I'm currently constructing. I'm fiercely talkative about these subjects, and will speak with others about them for hours.

I have a strong personal affinity for children and older folks, never quite being in my element around strangers of my peer group. Perhaps it's because of my homeschooling and babysitting background, never having much experience with kids my age when I was younger. I'm frequently paranoid about people thinking of me in a negative or venomous manner (admittedly imagined slights), and most of those people are young adults.

I believe in altruism and good-will, but I also believe in following after your own goals, so long as you don't beat or rob somebody to further them.

Why am I here?

If I'm to ask myself why I'm at... IUPUI, I'd have to say "because I want a career in storytelling of some kind". Short and sweet, but perhaps the questions is of the more metaphysical kind.

I'm not at liberty to say why I'm on this planet at the time I arrived, and I honestly think (by my standards at least) that it's perhaps a little presumptuous to make a specific declaration. Unless you are a God-gifted prophet with a seer's gaze a mile-a-ways, I don't think anybody can say what purpose they have to exist.

The long-term plans of human-kind are known for going a little awry, but we make do with the hand we're dealt. Maybe I won't get quite the career I want. Maybe I could be drafted into the military, or maybe I could become a father in the near future. Maybe I could become involved in something very large, or very small. The point is, I don't know what will happen.

All I do is try my best to steer myself in a vague direction and hope for the best.

CTA 8: Trash Land

Films like this are among those impactful pieces of artwork and media that constantly help me remember that America's luxuries are just that: a gift of fortune, not man's right. Some people have to eke out a living from the things that we throw away as useless. What does that say about more privileged people? The things I see my friends and family complain about at times makes me think of how spoiled many Americans are.

However, there's never a good reason to doubt your worth as a person based on your blessings. Were one of you or I to be born in the world of a much less fortunate individual - and vice versa -  we would find a way to survive, and the other person would find a reason to be dissatisfied with his or her life in one way or another; that's how it is. Humans can find a way to survive should we need to, and we can also find a way to complain should we feel like it.

The important thing to remember is that, for those of us who are gifted with such a powerful opportunity to have this head-start in life as fortunate young people, we must be thankful for our auspicious upbringings and take advantage of the time we have to craft ourselves into who we want to be. Be sympathetic for those who don't have much, and stay away from over-indulgence for the sake of giving back to the community, if only a little bit.

Every man desires a life of opportunity. Your measure of worth is based upon what you do with yours.

Against Ignorance and Aging

I was surprised how many people took interest in signing my altared box, along with the styles in which they included a piece of their character in their signature; even if some of the students didn't take the box seriously, I have a memento to look back on regarding the time I will have spent at Seeing Sideways. I also learned a lot of interesting things from the 71 year old inventor; I might have to do some research further into his history.

The Altar Book

How will you change this book?








I have drawn an illustration within my "book" that, admittedly, will make more sense when explained in class, but it stands for my hatred of ignorance, stupidity and blind... hatred. Especially on the internet, where such things are in abundance, which is why I have used an online game package to represent my resentment for the world of anonymous online hatred and idiocy.


How will this book change you?

It will hopefully allow me to take a look into the views of others regarding this peeve of mine. I won't come into class looking like a grump though; I do plan on being affable and the project is a positively-themed one. I'm not really sure how the book will change me, though. I guess I'll have to present it in class to fully find out.

The Book itself

This book is a symbol that represents my desire to attack hatred and stupidity regarding anonymous internet users, as explained above.

The box is a World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King box that has been cut open in the back. I have illustrated a picture of two swords striking down an evil sword (sounds strange, doesn't it?). I'll show and explain the project in class, but I currently cannot post an image to my blog, and I don't really want to post an image yet until the class takes the opportunity to write their names down in the book! Think of it as a declaration against the evils of blind internet hatred (and blind hatred in general, really) with the signatures of supporters coating the inside of the box. When I look back at my box, I'll see all these signatures and think of my classmates, intelligent and true (hopefully! :P )
The students are also not required to sign the box, of course.

"Altared" Idea Browsing

How similar were other students' ideas to each other?

There were so many ideas in each blog that I didn't know how to comprehend them all, but on occasion I did see an idea mirror another.

How similar were other students' ideas to your own?

The (few) ideas that I posted in my blog didn't seem terribly unusual or unique compared to the other students, but I think everybody's lists stood out in their own ways. I must admit that some of them were quite thought provoking...

What stood out to you?

I don't feel comfortable directly referencing specific ideas, but one involving tape and public anxiety caught my attention. I thought it was a rather interesting entry, and I wish I'd thought of it, even if it wouldn't have worked for my book (my book isn't actually a book, so much as it is a package).

 What is the purpose of looking at each others' posts?

It's good to look through the eyes of different minds for ideas; it gives you a glimpse into how some people might take the same project and go about it differently, even during the conceptual development stage. Unfortunately, my ideas only spanned about 15 lines, but I have my own way of going about things creatively, and I had a difficult time trying to come up with even the most trivial applications for my project. You might imagine my surprise when I see everybody else's fantastic ideas, ideas I would have never thought of  on my own! I'm also curious if anybody found my ideas particularly interesting.

Transformation

What is your opinion of combining technology and the human body as she did in the video?

I think it's cool! In all honesty though, I don't believe that there's anything wrong or right about human augmentation to begin with. I think that human augmentation brings to mind some interesting opportunities, but technology is malleable and lacks connection to any moral standing; technology is neither inherently good or bad, rather the outcome of using technology is decided by the user's intentions. I believe technology can do just about anything given enough time and energy. I just question what the best course of action is.

What is your opinion of combining a media arts and science project with your own body?

 I'd probably like to be a cyborg, but it depends on what about me changes. The good things about me should not be changed much, or should be changed for the better, and even flaws should be considered: does this flaw help make me who I am? Human beings are often defined by their flaws; it's what makes us the characters that we are.

Of course, things are subject to experimentation. If I was given the opportunity to change my sex, race, physical build, or become a robot for a week, I'd probably accept, since I've always been one to try new things. However, I can't say that I'd gleefully jump at the chance for a permanent change. I'm most comfortable with who I am currently, and I know how my current body acts; I'm familiar with it. My body is very much a personal part of who I am.

3 Hours

I took my free time to draw and come up with ideas, as usual for me. It's one of my favorite ways to stay busy and happy. I also took advantage of surfing the web for fun's sake. I always welcome a break from the constant work, especially since this semester is more demanding than my previous one, and I don't get to sketch and draw as much anymore.

Not much more to say about this assignment, but I had fun!

Class take away 5

It feels like "Bliss" was sent to me by the gods to give me more time to work on my artistic skills, and I welcome the opportunity to work on what I love doing. The "Altar" assignment is interesting too, but I'm a little intimidated by its apparent complexity. Still, I enjoy a challenge and I have 2 weeks to work on the assignment, so we'll see how it goes. I'm looking forward to comparing my ideas to my classmates.

50 ideas?

My item of choice is a World of Warcraft expansion pack container (multiple, actually), which represents my general dislike for the new-age internet community's negative behaviors and traits.
Keep in mind that many of these ideas will probably... suck. Or sound funny. I aim to make for a fun list, but also one that can kickstart some real ideas. Going over this list, maybe I can discover something I didn't see before.

That's the idea anyway. Without further ado, here's my list of ideas (which may not even add up to 50 to be honest, having a really hard time coming up with ideas):

1. Make an image in Photoshop with the box/contents
2. Make wearable accessories with the box/contents
3. Make music with the box/contents
4. Create a collage of Warcraft images and media in tribute to the franchise
5. Write on the inside of the box about things I dislike about the WoW/internet community
6. Write on the inside of the box about things I appreciate about the WoW/internet community
7. Make my own box in mock replica of the game box
8. Reference an established internet meme using the box/contents
9. Make a bird's nest out of the box
10. Make the box into a complaint box that can hold written complaints
11. Have classmates write their internet handles on the box a la autograph, or things they like, or some other positive thing or idea
12. Destroy the box and recycle it
13. Make box contents into luck charms
14. Make origami with he box booklet
15. Make into a case for my computer equipment
16.


I believe that we were told to sleep on our items so we could think about them primarily as we mentally wander. The uncomfortable object may also help resurface some immediate disdain for our object...

Not much this week...

I can't think of anything terribly influential that effected me today at class, but I was interested by a lot of the more symbolic submissions under "opportunities". I'm normally a rather straight-forward person that tries to avoid searching for heavy symbolism in things that should probably be taken at face value, but I guess that's the beauty of art; there's all sorts of interpretations.

I'll be watching these future submissions with an open mind in the future. Maybe they can influence my own artwork. That's basically all I have to say for now.

Fish!

When life gives you fish, grab a net!

This digital drawing is noticeably unfinished, but I think it is complete enough to be coherent and pleasing to the eye. I do plan on finishing it in the near future, but I'm currently learning how to competently draw backgrounds, and I was short for time so I had to submit this a little rushed. Regardless, I really like the way it's turned out so far!

It's early in the morning, and the opportunistic fisherman (fishergirl?) is taking her chance at catching a rare fish of mysterious species. She'll probably just eat it, though. Fish is good eatin'.

I learned today that there are actually different ways to doodle. Apparently, you can write in a way that "acts" like doodling, in that it stimulates the same part of the brain or something. I do something similar when I listen to music in the car sometimes; I might sing lyrics that make no overall sense. Would that count as doodling?

I don't have much to say about this doodle. It's funny actually; you'd think somebody like me probably doodles in class frequently, but I'm actually very attentive in class if I'm not otherwise drawing concept sketches. For me, sketching probably takes the place of doodling; I can't remember the last time I ever doodled anything for more than a few seconds. Still, while I was watching American football on television (a sport I don't particularly care for), I allowed the visual and auditory distractions to fuel my creativity, and what I got was this.

An ethereal trumpet sounds, and streamers of some kind come out of nowhere as a number of different flags wave in the background. There are tiny people running on the largest one in a fanatic craze. I don't know what they're doing. They seem to be having fun, though. It's crazy, and I like it. I really do like my little doodle, but it, in a way, feels unnatural to me. I don't believe doodling is bad; it can help people creatively express themselves, or even remember certain information. But doodling is not something I really doodley-do.

I was intrigued in class today when I heard that "doodling" was actually a way of retaining information; I never actually looked at it that way before, and I'm interested in what I'll doodle up for this assignment.

That's it, really. I'll have more to post in the future, I'm sure!

The "Restriction of Choice"  that was explained nearing the end of the first day of class struck me in a way that I thought was a game-changer. On occasion I actually used this subconsciously on certain projects, or while sketching character concepts, but I had never previously applied this idea to my works consciously, and it makes so much sense to me! Working on a smaller level could truly help me develop the holes in my art; design a building, not a city. Design a tree, not a forest. Design a person, not a crowd, and when I make these steps, advance to a higher level and put what I've learned together! Trying to do everything at once without knowledge of how to do anything was pointless. Where in my concept would I begin?

I have yet to actually put this into action of course, but it seemed to click in my mind. Have I found a new method with which to work on my personal projects? Only time will tell, I suppose. I'm aware that there's more to the artistic process than simply limiting your options, but I believe I could be taking my first step to breaking a barrier.

Hello, I'm Charles Wagner, and I'm a student at IUPUI in the "Seeing Sideways" class! This blog will be about what occurs in class, as well as being a hub for certain homework assignments related to the class.

Without further introduction, it's time to add some entries!