~Design Narrative Work~

In design, we were challenged to create several different projects. First, we were challenged to create a collage of pictures we took that represent the elements of art. We were also asked to take pictures of natural things found outside the classroom that represented the letters of our name and create a collage with those pictures to spell out our name. For both of these projects, we edited the photos on Photoshop. We were lastly challenged to take the conceptual statement given to us in English and think of two objects that could metaphorically represent that statement. We were then prompted to take a photo of these objects, edit the photo on Photoshop and write an artist statement discussing the reasons behind all the decisions made through the process.

Elements of Design Collage

The photos I took each represented an element of art. The star-shaped light represents form because of its 3D structure, the flowers taken in Monterey Bay represent the color yellow, the leafs and the lighting difference between the right side of the photo and the left help to showcase value, the velvet scrunchies represent texture, the car backlight shows the shape of a triangle, the bottom of the tree has natural lines that curve with the tree trunks shape, and the sunset/sky picture represents the concept of space relative to the powerlines and trees.

Alphabet Name

Conceptual Photo

Conceptual Statement: I am exploring the feeling of impatience through the action of standing up for myself.

The object in my photographs is a pot, more specifically, a tea kettle, that is resting on a “soapbox.” This represents an individual giving their opinion or standing up for themselves. I placed my box in a bush because the leaves signify the people witnessing this soapbox speech given by my pot. When shooting, I tried several different angles and started by taking the pictures without angling towards the right or left while having the pot facing forward. I liked how the photos from the left side came out and moved the pot to face the camera’s position from that angle.

The ideas behind this were the concept of the proverb, “A watched pot never boils” and the saying, “standing on a soapbox.” The proverb, “A watched pot never boils,” meaning that when a pot boiling watched expectantly, it feels like it is never going to boil, which implies a sentiment of impatience. The saying, “standing on a soapbox,” originates from the action during the late 1800s in which individuals would stand on wooden crates to express an opinion. It became a widespread metaphor for spontaneous speeches standing for ideas one believes in. 

The Photoshop aspect of this project taught me how vital contrast is, and only through editing on Photoshop did I realize how much potential for enhancement there was. I added contrast with the curves tool, and when I learned how to use the vignette tool, I added a black vignette that served two purposes. It emphasized my objects in the center more and darkened the leaves in my background so it wouldn’t distract from the subjects as much. I think this was crucial in making my photograph and the objects in my photograph more impactful for the viewer. 

What I valued most about these projects was how much I learned in such a short amount of time. Every new project taught me a slew of new techniques and incorporated new aspects of Photoshop that weren’t familiar to me previously. I learned more than I ever thought I could not just on the computer but with cutting and printing our final products as well.