Final Project

     As of now, I plan for my final project to focus on the big idea of dreams and nightmares. One image will be about the dreams we have, and the other will be about nightmares. I am going to accomplish this my using photos from the Internet, and a few of my own to create 2 collaged images, one of dreams and one of nightmares. I will use many techniques to make the collages look somewhat mystical including layering effects, the smudge tool, and also the twist tool on the liquify filter. Both the dreams and nightmares will be "coming out" of a black silhouetted head, that I will paint in black using a real image as a guide. My focus will be on the "American dream" as the dream side, and the reality of what it has become on the nightmare side. I could see this being used as an artistic piece, or maybe some kind of campaign.
   The three things that influenced me on this idea was the artwork of the artist I previously studied, Milton Glaser, the artwork of Catherine McIntyre, and the culture of America. I was very inspired by Milton Glaser's Bob Dylan CD cover. I loved the simplicity of a black silhouette, so this is how I chose to use a black silhouette in my work as well. Catherine McIntyre's work is based off of dreams and nightmares, looking at her work influenced me to also use this Big Idea, although in a different manner. Finally, in America itself, we place much emphasis on achieving the American Dream and what that dream consists of. Upon reflection, I wondered if the American Dream really is what we think it is and what it could actually turn into. We dream of the house with a white picket fence, of a happy family, of earning money. The reality is some of these things are not always so easy to achieve. With the recession, people have lost their jobs, their families, their houses. What is it that we are really searching for? This is what my overall inspiration is for this piece.


Catherine McIntyre
http://cmci.websign.ru/

http://www.dreams.ca/nightmares.htm

Milton Glaser:
http://www.poster-books.com/images/milton-glaser-graphic-design.jpg