Project #5 Experimentation with scanning movement

Today I worked through the instructions of Project #5. I found it hard to move my hand slow enough so that the scanned image did not develop streaks and yet smoothly enough that the image did truly distort. I tried to scan my hand so that the back of my hand was shown in the scan. It took me a number of tries before I was able to get a clear scan as it was harder to position my hand this way than palm side down. Eventually I was able to get a range of differing effects. Where I had the most success was in scanning kitchen implements by holding them with the fabric background and then sliding them across the scanner plate as the image was being scanned. Out of interest I tried using my son's clown headdress as the background of a number of these shots. Interestingly enough the scanner inverted the clown's headdress color scheme. Instead of being red and orange it appears as yellow and green. This is strange seeing that none of the other colors were distorted in their rendition. It made for an interesting backdrop though!

The Development of Assignment #1

In order to help precipitate my creativity, I read through the magazine article mentioned previously on how to create a “Mood Board”. I decided to spend some time contemplating what emotions are often deeply embedded in my psyche and surface when I least expect it. As I have lived as an expatriate for the past 18 years of my life, away from my home country, and have come to consider three foreign countries on totally different continents as my “home”, nostalgia is often a deep seated emotion that I cannot evade. In preparation for selecting images, I spent the next few minutes doing a brainstorm around the theme of nostalgia concentrating on the physical images and colors I associate with those places/countries. The resulting ideas were ones which I explored when commencing Task #1 of the Assignment. After some experimentation, I decided that due to my predominantly South African and Zimbabwean background and heritage, I feel particularly nostalgic about the warm color scheme associated with an African sunset. For this reason I decided to base most of my images around these warm earthy colors. Initially my selection of images was too disparate allowing for a rather haptic combination. Through a gradual process of elimination, I decided within the Task #2 phase to stream-line my subject matter. I opted to pick two cultures that I wished to represent and to try to show them as being unique and rich in their diversity. For this purpose I chose to juxtapose images related to South Africa and Korea. Although I have never lived in Korea, I have had the privilege of teaching Korean children/students for the past 11 years. I have been invited into their community as a friend and have come to really value their different viewpoint on life and culture. Many of my favorite memories of special times with Koreans have been associated with their preparation of amazing meals in our honor. For this reason I chose to use Korean chopsticks as the focal point of my collage of scanned images. The soft pastel colors of the chopstick holders provide a slight contrast with the warm earthy tones of the collection of African items. I also see a contrast between the neat precision of the little butterfly badges of the chopstick holders (a reminder of their value for precision) and the organic random markings of the porcupine quills, cheetah spots and guinea fowl feathers. Something that was a pleasant surprise was the way in which the African print cloth in the background scanned. This fabric is not naturally shimmery, but with the lights of the scanner, it mimics the texture of snake skin. This provides a comical touch of nostalgia: one of my most vivid memories of my life in Venezuela was that of coming face to face with an anaconda in my classroom. The way this cloth scanned, brings back some of my most poignant memories, helping to complete this selection of images.

Scanning using a dark room

As I had not experimented with scanning 3D objects in a dark room, I decided to experiment with this first. This developed into quite a comedy show as I sought to scan the objects without the light from my laptop affecting the scan. Our bathroom does not have a window, so it was the ideal place to try a dark room scan. Eventually I ended up with my laptop being on the floor outside the bathroom and the scanner inside.Quite a juggle, especially because I was trying to photograph strelitzias with long stems.

In the end I found that the images I took using this method were not as succesful as ones that I had taken with a combination of cloth and large box. We have just recently moved apartments. I discovered that the huge black plastic containers, were a great way of using the box methdo of scanning for 3D objects which extend beyond the dimensions of the scanner.

Inspiration

I have always loved looking through Home Decorating magazines. I realized today that one of the main reasons I enjoy them is the fresh approach that designers often bring to the conglomeration of styles, textures, patterns, colors and furnishings which can be used to create the atmosphere of the room. Ideal Home, June 2004, has an article on "Decorate with Confidence". Within this article they talk about creating a Mood Board which puts "together real samples or pictures of the possible paint shades, carpet, fabrics and other items" so that you can see what they are going to look like. In trying to work on this first assignment, I wonder about approaching it from the idea of a Mood Board. What are the objects, images, textures and patterns in my life that help to determine my personality - my overarching mood?

3D objects captured: Project #4

This was the most exciting section of the course so far. I love the depth that can be achieved through the use of a cloth and a box in combination. I would never have been able to guess that I could use a scanner in this way. It is truly inspiring. I was thrilled with two of the pictures that I made using the techniques described in this project. My two favorite pictures are the ones I called Caught Blue-handed and Hope. Color and texture seems to be the main two elements that I enjoy playing with. I love rich hues and the almost Baroque effect you can get from the scanner. The objects seem to emerge from the darkness into the spotlight.

Project #3

I really enjoyed spending hours playing with 3D objects in this project. I found it interesting playing with the image sizes. One thing that I did discover was that the scanner seems to be permanently fixed at 24 bits per pixel. My software does not seem to have a setting to change this. I did find it hard to play with compositional elements, because of the fact that apart from the scan preview, you do not personally get to see what the picture looks like from the front. It is a bit like brushing someone's hair from behind them and not being able to see what they look like from the front. I think that with time I will learn to be able to imagine better what is going on. I do love the way different fabrics scan. It is interesting that some fabrics that you think are going to scan well, end up looking drab and lifeless. Others looks positively amazing.