A very bad video, of a very bad Creative Process

Sketch of self  inspired by my constant yelling.

                    
Despite the huge amount of trouble when trying to publish, which by the way cost me the credits, I managed to get it uploaded. In case its totally nonsensical here's what the idea behind it was.

Some work done on inspiration that came from shows I like

I have two ways of having ideas become what they must. If I'm very interested I will start way ahead of schedule and will be done ahead of time, using all the ideas I can and spending tons of hours on it. Most of the time, I procrastinate. I think its a huge part of my projects, sometimes I work best under that time pressure. I thought that depicting how much I procrastinate and then complain about time and how I'm not finished was a good way to show that my creative process is through procrastination. So I depicted all sorts of ways I waste time away, with my close friend Raqqayah, and my cousin Freddy. It was fun to film and a terrible time editing.

Inspiration

Worse was publishing. After trying to do it in a mac studio at school it kept freezing so I ended up lowering to Windows Live Movie Maker, who apparently can't handle the project. The next part, was the real hell..so I won't bother to talk about it. It was that bad. After all that, the YouTube upload was heaven. 
I hope its not as bad as I think it is, and what a shame those credits had to be cut.

As the last post...I will admit I'll miss ranting :] I met some really amazing people this quarter. Thank you for putting up with me, I'll miss you, hope to see you again, and have an amazing summer. 


The video can be seen Here. 
And is posted below as well. 

 


I will be re uploading it with the credit s later if anyone cares to see that.  : ]

Signs of Days to End

Until we meet again

As many of my other classmates, and people who I happily call friends now, have mentioned, Wednesday was our last class meeting. I walked in and sat down and felt a little sad, while I can't lie and say I won't enjoy being free of work for a while, I really got to know some amazing people this quarter. This includes Jimmy, as though as he is, I learned a lot about design as a career and as actual work.

 

 

: (

We discussed what worked for the class and what didn't, in all aspects. I think I was the only one who liked the blogs, but that's because I get a little too much into blabbing on here. They can be a pain if you have nothing to say, but clearly that wasn't a problem for me, ha ha. I'm kinda gonna miss posting on here. 


I can't say I'm excited about the video, what I imagined and what will come out..not the same =[ but we'll see! I wish everyone the best, I can't wait to see your videos, I'm feeling bitter-sweetness from all of this.

This is a Blog. A Blog? A Blog...Ok....*awkward silence*

"A what?" "Noo!!" The class shouts and follows with laughter.

This is a rant. A rant? A rant. As most of my blogs are. Sorry about that. I'm not very good at this.

Monday's class was very interesting, but in Jimmy's class, when isn't it? Jimmy had us sit in a circle and we played the "This a what" game. Please refer to Julie's wonderful blog to see how it is played. I tend to dislike ice breaking games since I am a shy person and they put you on the spot. I was afraid I'd ruin it for everyone and at some points I almost did! The game, though very difficult with more than one object, was surprisingly funny, when people made honest mistakes everyone had a good laugh, though sadly at their expense, which is why it's so important to be able to laugh at your self! Laughing is the best! When you have one of those really good laughs, the kind that you can't even breathe and you tear up, its like having a great meal!

It was a really interesting experience, maybe I'm just bias because I really like the particular group of students in the class, but to me this class is special, we all understand each other so well that perhaps its why don't talk much!  That's just me though. I wish I could have these very same students with me in many other classes. You guys are all so smart and funny, I feel Jimmy was right in that we could have accomplished that second round. It just takes us a little longer. :]

For the second half of the class, we watched a Hammer talk by Sir Ken Robinson. Aside from my love of his accent, I should confess I like all sorts of exotic accents, he did a really good job of explaining his point with humor and interesting stories. I love how he poked fun of Americans' love of Independence Day, and how we assume so many things of each other. He, more importantly, made several issues quite clear. Such as how degrees can become devalued if every one's out to get one just for the money.

Robinson also pointed out how you don't have to have a degree, how your passion should lead you, and how often talent is hidden, and goes undiscovered or even put down. I think it is extremely important to do something you love to do. I am in, by no means, good at drawing, at all. REALLY! But I love to do it, so I chose art. I would have never been good as anything else, especially math. I don't think it is worth having a big pay check when you're miserable. Besides that is what these classes are for, to learn how to improve my art work. Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life, they say, I think it holds a lot of meaning. Jimmy is a great example of this, he's told us how he's much happier as a teacher than at higher paying job. Thank you Jimmy.

“To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”

"The force? No, That's wrong!" Jimmy fired back confused. 

Wednesday's class was a mellow one. Class began with Jimmy asking us to find the next number in a series of numbers he had written on the board. He split the class between men and women. That alone meant this was going to be a fun competition. Other classmates have posted the numbers and explanations so I won't be doing so. I'll just write the fun parts.

Ladies first, so Astrid stepped up and after a miss she got Jimmy to understand our logic, without being given a number crucial to the pattern, we found another pattern. Thought it was the incorrect number the fact that the explanation was rational won the argument. The boys had the correct number, but it took three of them to finally sell it to Jimmy.  It was, of course, an exercise on how well we explained something. On how well we can convince someone. Jimmy you're straight out of a movie, the kind of teacher that teaches you without knowing. That's a amazing. First time I ever have that kind of teacher, and sorry for you but You'll be seeing me next fall.

For the last part of the class we did a circle discussion ran by Rudy. We went around talking about how we felt about it and everyone was pretty much on the same page. Jimmy made a point to mention that guest speakers always talk about how lovely we are as an audience. I must admit I was quite flattered!
Jimmy also mentioned that we're the only school that seems as if we don't feel entitled. I think that humility is wonderful, this way we will never get in over our heads. I did find it odd that we're the only school said to be doing this. In a way it made me feel special.

CSULA is not by any means one of those schools people are dying to get in too, and despite the crap we face everyday with budget cuts and what not, I think there's a charm about it. The reason I came here is familiarity. It may not sound like the best reason but I think it is. As a high school student my sister, who graduated as a microbiologist from here, would often bring me along with her. As time came for me to graduate, the fact I know the campus well gave me comfort coming here. I was overjoyed when I was accepted. Since this would later lead me to where I am now I have no regrets. Hearing that we're liked by GAUGE speakers is only the icing on the cake. Sweet, sweet CSULA cake.

We then cleared up video final questions and I came to the conclusion that I am doomed. I have no equipment or experience. Or a Mac. I'm a PC.
I will never the less do my best.

Sunshine Through the Rain and The Weeping Demon.

"こんな夢を見た"

^{Konna Yume o Mita}

^{"I saw a dream like this"}

^{I saw a dream like this. Today's film was Dreams by Akira Kurasawa,  a film made up of eight different small stories, said to be based off Kurasawa's dream through out his lifetime, I also picked up on some Japanese folklore in it. I admit I'm ashamed that I couldn't read that, Konna Yume o Mita, I took  three quarters of Japanese, this was an easy one, but I couldn't figure it out? Shame on me! That phrase was at the beginning of each dream story.}

^{When we first started class, Jimmy gave us an option of two films, I and about three other people wanted to see an actual documentary on dreams. So did Jimmy by the way. I was disappointed everyone wanted to see this film, but that's just me since I had seen the film on the primarily Asian media site Crunchy Roll out of interest. So when Jimmy showed this as an option, while I had found it beautiful, I really wanted to see that documentary, maybe we could have learned some interesting techniques! I love lucid dreaming.} 

^{Dreams are something amazing to me. They can be absolutely ridiculous, nonsensical and down right stupid. But they're something we create! We dream every night and don't remember most of it. I find it amusing when dreams aren't silly and could be something that actually happened. I find those weird, when they follow a story line that could make sense.}

I wondered, What dreams did he have?

^{One of the most amazing aspects to me about dreams are the emotions that come in them. It amazes me that I have had certain dreams which make me feel emotions very strongly. As an empath, they are very very important to me. I have had dreams where my great grandmother grabbed my arm and told me something, I didn't hear her, but I felt her grip. She had passed away a couple of year before I had it. My cat, who passed away almost a year go and that I don't go a day without missing, constantly appears in my dreams. They're simply fascinating. That and I'm a total daydreamer.}

My Profile Pic

 ^{I'm curious as to who else has had a lucid dream? Lucid dreams are, for those who don't know, dreams where you realize you are dreaming and you can control what happens. With enough practice, you can lucid dream, control the dream, and thus have the ability to do anything you want. I have only come as close as to knowing I'm dreaming, but I have yet to get control over it. I have made it a personal goal to pay more attention to my dreams, and base art work on them. I particularly hate that I don't write down my dreams, I did for sometime but fell out of it, and I thought it was a great thing. When you look back on them its amazing what you dreamed up. I think it's something very unique, after all dreams are extremely personal. Perhaps this is why his film was so successful, because he took something from his dreams and showed us all.}

"A Story of Transformation and Transcendence"

Shin'en Kan, Work by John Coy

On Thursday night we had a lovely and lucky opportunity to meet a John Coy, a well known man in the Design community. I must admit that as a design student, I am terrible at my information when it comes to other designers, I recently declared and I am just learning more about the entirety of the field. I am glad to know who John is now and how much he has contributed to our community. 

Thursday for me started at 7 am. I hate that. No sleeping in for me any day of the week. That makes me cringe. I got up after repeatedly abusing my snooze button, well not really, my phone's touch screen. I lugged around my wire sculpture to class, dreaded presenting, got coffee while at school, presented got over it and headed home. I only have one class on Thursdays and Tuesdays, so admittedly I was a bit annoyed that I had to return to school. But not to worry Jimmy, it wasn't  because of the meeting, it was because I had to get up for work early the next day. I should have used it as an excuse to call off. 

I made sure to leave early because traffic doesn't move for hours. I got there too early though. So I went to eat. From every one's blogs it seems I'm the only loner in class! Everyone seems to find each other and do all sorts of fun things to get to know each other. Ouch guys, ouch. I did find a group of my classmates near by afterwards (Ow, loner again)  and joined in, sorry if I totally butted in!

Soon the music hall was filled with my classmates and other students, and we patiently waited for the meeting to start, cracking jokes, Kum bay ya circles and random things. I will also admit I was a bit annoyed at the technical difficulties, it seems it was only the slides and that is something that I would expect to have had fixed before the start, it is part of preparing for a presentation. That and the room was awfully hot. Astrid is amusing and energetic I love that, it was entertaining and kept us on hold. I love you guys. 

We went in around 8 and were seated in the center. John Coy is an enigma. There in front of me was a person I assumed to be incredibly well know and super talented (and he was), and yet he seemed so down to earth. I think that's what I liked most about him. I assumed he would be there in his 'highness' and lecture us onto what we should and shouldn't do. He did not. He asked us to ask him any questions we had. He showed us his work, how he had lived as a student, as a designer and what his experiences have been like. He was so..like us, with you know a super repertoire of amazing work. (I shouldn't say that I'm sure some of my classmates have as well.) He mentioned he liked meditating, awesome, that he didn't know the computer all too well, how down to earth? I don't either!...eh..not too proud of that. 

I have a feeling Jimmy was disappointed we didn't ask enough questions. I must admit that I, like Astrid, didn't feel like I learned anything knew, but I am very glad I got to meet John. He is clearly a very accomplished man. I can only hope to live and work half as well as he does. He does work he genuinely enjoys and that's all I could wish for in a career. His work is inspiring and I hope to see him again at some point. 

Thanks for making it a requirement, it might not be the most desirable thing to do on a work night, but I got to meet a great designer and experience my classmates outside of class.

Oh and in searching up John Coy, I found Jimmy!

Increase the Volume- Reading #6

This week's reading is all about communication. They begin with the most obvious connection of communication and design. Design is "the art of communicating an idea" and because of this, most of the process is an issue dealing with communication. They emphasize three parts: Encoding, the message itself, and decoding. They introduce us to various types of possible audiences. They are the Client, Corporations, Manufacturing,  and Associates. 

This was one of those long chapters with so much information, its hard to choose which to talk about without just spitting out what you read. What I liked about he chapter was the section on methods of presentations. They present the methods in musical terms. they use Andante, Crescendo, and forte-piano. My favorite part is the illustration techniques, they go through several materials we already use and the pictures used in the book are wonderful. I loved that it reminded us of our limitations when using color in Photoshop and computer related programs.