The digital world has created a new outlook on body image. Girls (and guys) are being pressured to look like something that is impossible to achieve. Magazines, advertisements, pictures all over our media are surrounding our society and they have all been 'digitally retouched' or manipulated. Here is a very informative website that discusses the power of Photoshop on our culture today, and especially the pressures on the women of our society. Within this website three videos are posted that I will also post below, discussing the power of manipulation over our ideas of body image.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Day 004: Digital Manipulation
As mentioned before the technology of today has allowed us to recreate deteriorating pieces of art and history. However, this also has a negative impact on the photography industry, or at least the competitive photographers. In the past, photography required more skill than it does today. Not only was 'an eye' for the artistic touch on a photo was needed, but also patience, the understanding of exposure, the printing process, and most importantly, taking the photo with perfect timing. Now, with the help of Photoshop and other similar graphics editing programs, every photo can be manipulated to have the perfect outcome. For example, as seen in this video, you can remove photo bombers or other objects you want to remove from the pictures.
Day 003: Digital Recreation
The new technology involved in digital media has created a new way for ancient images to be recreated. In my Religion and Science class, we recently watched a video that discussed a map that was drawn in the 1200s. This map was called the Hereford Mappa Mundi and was a literal, as well as symbolic world map. The following video is part 3 of 3 and shows the digital recreation of the map.
The technology has allowed us to recreate a map that was drawn hundreds of years ago. The map, that was originally drawn on animal hide, is now losing color and detail, so the digital technology allowed the original colors, details, and print to be completely restored and printed out.
The technology has allowed us to recreate a map that was drawn hundreds of years ago. The map, that was originally drawn on animal hide, is now losing color and detail, so the digital technology allowed the original colors, details, and print to be completely restored and printed out.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Day 002: Advertising
Digital art has opened entirely new worlds for the advertising industry. Photoshop tools alone allow people of all skill levels to manipulate or even create images that look appealing. Even as a student with little Photoshop experience, I have been able to find tutorials that lead anyone with a little patience step by step instructions to create a huge variety of effects on simple pictures.
For example, you can make an Adidas sneaker advertisement that looks completely professional! There is also a tutorial that describes how to make a cell phone look much more interesting and eye catching, which is one of the most important factors of an advertisement. Another way the designers of advertisements use Photoshop to create appealing images is seen through a tutorial showing how to make lighting effects within an image.
Besides adding to an image in Photoshop, there are tools that can allow someone to create an image from scratch. For example, credit card companies would be able to use this tutorial to make an eye-catching advertisement for a simple piece of plastic, without any actual images.
I was absolutely amazed at what people are able to do using the tools of Photoshop. Even more surprising, was how simple the instructions seem to create such good results. The ease to make something like these tutorials help you create will allow creativity in the advertising industry to expand to new levels. However, the ability for more, less skilled people to create the same level of work as someone who has been trained and educated increased competition in the field, and may even lead to problems in keeping jobs if companies are able to dispose their designers and open advertisements to contests. The more I see there is to do with Photoshop, the more interesting it becomes.
For example, you can make an Adidas sneaker advertisement that looks completely professional! There is also a tutorial that describes how to make a cell phone look much more interesting and eye catching, which is one of the most important factors of an advertisement. Another way the designers of advertisements use Photoshop to create appealing images is seen through a tutorial showing how to make lighting effects within an image.
Besides adding to an image in Photoshop, there are tools that can allow someone to create an image from scratch. For example, credit card companies would be able to use this tutorial to make an eye-catching advertisement for a simple piece of plastic, without any actual images.
I was absolutely amazed at what people are able to do using the tools of Photoshop. Even more surprising, was how simple the instructions seem to create such good results. The ease to make something like these tutorials help you create will allow creativity in the advertising industry to expand to new levels. However, the ability for more, less skilled people to create the same level of work as someone who has been trained and educated increased competition in the field, and may even lead to problems in keeping jobs if companies are able to dispose their designers and open advertisements to contests. The more I see there is to do with Photoshop, the more interesting it becomes.
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