Initially I started off with Stewie Griffin. The show family guy is one of my favorites, and I enjoy the look of the characters. Because this picture of Stewie is in black and white, I had a lot of potential for change and that is part of the reason that I chose it. I thought the best way that I could make changes to this picture was to draw it free hand on a separate piece of blank paper and add on the details as I went. He is a pretty easy character to draw as a cartoon because of his basic shapes.
After I was finished drawing him onto paper, I thought about some of the details I could add. I initially thought of adding color, which I did as my first change. For this I used colored pencils as well as a couple of markers. He was beginning to take on more and more life. When I scanned the image, it unfortunately didn’t look quite as good as it did on the paper.

The next thing that I opted to do was add a second character to the scene. For the second character, I chose to add another familiar character from family guy, Brian Griffin. Brian is an alcoholic, so I felt that it was right to draw him holding his favorite drink, the martini. After I checked the suggestions on my blog I decided to also add a weapon. That is the reason that I added the grenade in his pocket. Stewie is a very maniacal baby, so it was easy to understand why he should have a weapon. After the grenade was added, I colored in both the grenade and Brian. For Brian I used markers but for the grenade I used colored pencils.

After my second change to my image occurred, I didn’t receive very much feed back as far as changes were concerned. I did find the image to be slightly bland though because of the lack of background. For this reason, I decided to add one. For this alteration I used the program paint. Initially I placed the background down first as a base layer. I then took my image and pasted it over the background. Because there was so much white space, the background and the image overlapped. I think it adds a lot of color to the image as well as giving a kind of retro feel.

There is a lot that I could still add to this image. Some of the things that I was considering were: adding more characters, putting background items behind them, and putting some words in. I’m pretty satisfied with the piece all together as it is though. It’s pretty unique, and it has a lot of character. I will probably continue to draw family guy characters because I enjoy it, and I have had some positive experiences doing so.

FOLLOW UP:
In a response to Plato’s analysis of what we know, my slide show represents a concept of war that I feel very strongly about. I personally do not believe that we should be at war in Iraq. The images that I chose to represent what I believe to be right are images of food supplies being dropped over the country.
Although we supply these people with supplies, I don’t believe this makes up for what we are doing in that country. I think the useless killing is not justified by this supplement. Because I have seen so many images of war, carnage, and heard a lot of propaganda against the war I have developed such a perception on the topic. Through my perception, I have recreated something that reflects this perception. Despite our attempts to make amends for our actions, I don’t believe that sending in minimal supplies can accomplish this.
Because of my perception, I have created my own opinion, and recreated this power point to express my perception. Thus, it is an expression of “what I know”. An interpretation of what may or may not be the truth.

Plato seems so be saying here in his explanation of “what we know” is; everyone has their own interpretation of what is perceive in the world. The original creation of something, which Plato can only explain to be through the work of a “God”, cannot be replicated. For example: God (or any form of original creator) can create a chair. This chair can be perceived by a carpenter or workman. After this perceiving the original form, the carpenter or workman may create a, seeming, replica of the chair. It may appear to be an exact copy of the chair, but the original creation of this chair cannot be perfectly replicated. Beyond this, an artist may observe the replica of this chair, and create an artistic representation of this replica, such as a painting, but it is never truly the same exact chair.

This truth rings true in my eyes. In life, I believe that no one’s individual perception of the world can be replicated. Everyone has their own perception on what we know. Something may seemingly be entirely understood, but the reality of undeniable individuality comes into play making it impossible to be 100% the same. Referring to the previous example, God (or any original creator) had an original idea in mind for the creation of the chair. The artist that follows perceives the chair undoubtedly different than this original creator. No matter how similar the perception is, there will always be a difference in the reproduction. Respectively, the artist encounters this same problem.

In conclusion, no creation including: artistic, architectural, literary, etc. can be replicated in every aspect. This is due to individual perception of what we know.

PIMP: To make something better and more pleasing than it previously was. To change something for the better.
HACK: To change something without permission of the owner, or to change something from what it was meant to be.
MOD: To change or update something so that it is in tune with what is considered modern.
MASH-UP: Changing something so that it incorporates a variety of things. Giving something several different uses, so that it can be the all in one tool.

The words are really similar. They all have to do with change. The definition and connotation that follow these words have changed DRASTICALLY. It appears to be for the better. Society has seen a great shift in ideals among many other, and this seems to be evidence of that shift

In this comic, Calvin brings in a single snow flake from outside in for show and tell. What he demonstrates is the uniqueness that the snow flake possesses until it is exposed to the conformity within the modern classroom. He uses the snow flake as a metaphor for a student. The statement that he is trying to make is that school transforms beautiful unique works of art that children are and turns them into just an ordinary drop of water just like every other child.

Calvin and Hobbes

Feldsman in response

Matt
Emerson
I doll hovers over a natural plane. It’s seems very ordinary and bland. The background is also quite plane and somewhat bland. This blandness makes the doll stand out. She is obviously the focus of the piece. Unlike her setting, she is colorful and extraordinary. The doll holds in her hands what looks to be a toy; a string and ball. The contrast implies that she does not belong on the same level. Ironically, she is literally not on the same level of the natural mountains, for she remains above the mountains. She stands on a platform, looking down over everything. She is held seemingly by strings reaching from above.
The strings are perhaps a metaphor for mans connection to God, for it is the belief of many that he favors humans. It is from this idea that triggers the idea that we are on a higher level than the rest of the natural earth. This is why she is seemingly floating. Her position in the piece exhibits a sense of importance and superiority. She dangles only slightly off set from the very middle of the exhibit, and she is at a very high level, higher even than the mountains of the earth. The ball and string game that she is holding may represent mans intelligence. In creating the ball and string toy, we produce a form of (basic) technology.
We are unlike animals. We hold the intelligence to better ourselves. We survive under the grace of God, in his favor. We have harnessed this natural world, and our importance is far superior. Do we not then have a unique connection to God? Do we not deserve to be categorized differently, on a higher plain? Or is it all arrogance that creates this false sense of greater importance? Are we simply putting ourselves on a pedestal?
This artist may very well have questioned within his life the spiritual connection that humans share. He may also see us as puppets, manipulated by the common criticism, particularly stressed by Catholicism, that we are not like other animals. He also may very well believe just the opposite. This piece of work may be a representation of his own belief in a higher connection that is explicitly experienced by human beings. Maybe it’s all a game, like the ball and string?

Banannas!

Ekstasis

Resembling a mid-evil battle weapon, this object immediately drew my attention. It's primary elements consisted of wood and metal. What you could call the "body" of the work resembles the three dimensional shape of a fallen seed. Yet, it is wood. Naked of all color or shade, the wood grain shows through, all knots included. From this wood, a smell escapes. Filling my nostrils, I am immediately reminded of a wood furnace or lumber yard. It rests with one end resting upon the floor for support.

Metal extensions reach from almost half way up the structure. They meet a conjoining metal piece at their base, creating a triangle in their entirety. At the very ends of the connecting metal base of the triangle (or the corners), there are wheels. It seems to be some sort of axel. Directly in the center of this axel a gear is present. It is made from the same material of the axel and has many, small bitting teeth. The obvious purpose of these teeth are no secret, for wrapped around half the circumference of the gear rests links resembling a severely oversized bike chains.
In its entirely, the structure stands eight plus feet tall including the extended height added by something that can only be characterized as a crank. This crank also extends at around the same location as the triangle, and is constructed of the same type of metal, with its handle sculpted from pure wood. The handle measures roughly three feet in length, with the metal portion painted an earthy green color and the handle painted red. Adding not only colorful expression, the paint also coats the handle, giving it a smooth feel.
Lastly, connected to the back of the wooden body, there is a metal loop with the capability for 360 degrees on a swivel. Attached to this loop, an excessively long leather belt lies on the floor, like a tail of a great beast.
All in all, this structure may very well serve the purpose of a tool for only the largest of men or maybe giants to either pull or drag.
My imagination ignites with a frenzy of possibilities regarding its purpose as I exit the gallery.