Semester One is Done!

My first semester of college has come to an end! It was so...interesting to say the least. I've grown so much since August, it's pretty crazy. I'll admit, I was not prepared for being an art major at ASU. I just assumed it was going to be like my high school art classes where you didn't need concepts, and leaving your comfort zone was not necessary.

I remember coming home from my first few classes in Tempe in tears because I was so confused. Everyone seemed to be understanding what my teachers were saying, and I was left clueless. It probably doesn't help that I was in classes full of uperclassmen. How that worked out, I'll never know, but in the end, I'm glad I got to know them. It forced me to grow up even faster, and they always had good advice.

My final project for 3D Design was a collaborative project with a Color class. We had to create a stop-motion animation. It needed to be conceptual...completely conceptual. No cliches allowed. Let's just say I still need to work on my conceptual-ness:) but with the help of my partners, we were able to create something completely abstarct. Here it is:


My final project for Intro to Digital Media was a film. It was a very open project. The only requirements were that it was at least two minutes in length, and that it told a story. My partners and I did not really know eachother, and we decided that creating a horror film would be the best middle ground for us. Though it did not turn out as scary as we had hoped, the project was still very successful. One of my partners had an AMAZING HD camera. The shots look incredible (in my biased opinion) :). Here it is:


Now let's take a look at those goals I created at the end of the semester...

"1.) Get a 4.0 GPA
2.) Have the beginnings a beautiful Intermedia portfolio.
3.) Not get into an accident on the shuttle ride to and/or from Tempe. ;)
4.) Actually learn something from my art history classes....maybe.
5.) Survive 3D Design.
6.) Get a Summer animation internship at Universal Studios Hollywood!"

I can say I have completed goals 1, 3, and 5 so far. I currently have a 4.03GPA (until my IDM grade gets put in. It should be an A though), I did not get into any accidents on the shuttle, and I survived 3D design quite well (Ending with an A)!

I look forward to my more advanced digital media class and 2D design next semester. Let's hope the little experience I do have helps me not have a mental breakdown.

My First Stop-Motion Animation

VOILA

Class Registration!

I'm so excited to be done with my current classes and start something new!

I wanted to take 2D design, but it doesn't look like it's going to work out with my schedule. So, I will be taking drawing instead.

I've decided on two studio classes and three online classes. It's going to be challenging, but I'll only have to go to school in person two times a week :). I really cannot wait.

I'm going to take Drawing and the Digital Media Portfolio Class (ART294) in person, and Computer Literacy, Intro the Ethics, and English 102 online. It's going to be a pretty sweet semester (I hope). Maybe I will get really good at drawing ;). (Probably not) haha.

One a side note, I've decided on making some sort of stop-animation with sticky notes and a wall. It should be a long, interesting, and tedious process. I can't wait to start.

Just in Time!

As you can tell, I have been very discouraged about my major for a while now. I think a lot of it is because I haven't got to do any animation yet. All I have done is traditional art.

Well, I walked into my Intro to Digital Media class yesterday to find out we are starting our stop-motion animation unit! Now, stop-motion is not my favorite type of animation, and I don't want to do it as a career, but it is better than no animation at all.

I have been looking up stop-motion animation videos on youtube all day. I have so many ideas storming through my head, and I cannot wait to make something amazing.

My Bi-Polar Relationship With Art

I think art has always been one of those controversial majors. Most people do not think you can do anything with it outside of college. I try to think differently.

However, just because I believe a person can get a job with an art degree doesn't mean I think everyone can. It's based on talent (just like everything else).

When I first started at ASU this semester, I was completely discouraged. Everything my instructors were saying was flying right over my head, and I would cry every single night. I'm not used to being the confused person in the class.

After a few weeks, I felt like I was at everyone else's level. I was making neat projects and getting higher grades that most of my peers. I was feeling confident about my choice to become an artist instead of a doctor.

Anyways, about 15 minutes ago I looked in the grade book for one of my classes to find that I got an 85% on my last project. I understand that grade does not seem bad to most people, but I can't stand B's. They are so ugly to me. It's even worse when you spend $60+ and hours of time on a project only to receive a B.

Once again, I am feeling completely discouraged. I'm not sure if this is the major I'm meant to be in. I don't always feel the drive I think I should be feeling. I hope this is just another one of my breakdowns, but at the same time, I'm not sure I should have to experience these breakdowns at all. /rant.

Nightmares+Stress=Kristin's College Experience

It's Thursday! You know what that means? 4:30P.M. is the start of my weekend!

I really need this weekend too. My english class stressed me out until the last possible second (Even though I think my essay turned out well), and I've had nightmares 3 nights in a row. I need a chance to chill.

I'm excited to finish my Wizard of Oz 3D Design pedestal this weekend! Hopefully it turns out perfectly:). I'm a bit worried about finishing my sound project in Intro to Digital Media today. You would think somebody as in tune with music as me would have an easy time with a sound project. Oh well. I trust myself and my last second abilities.

We are half way through October, people. I would appreciate fastforwarding to December 8, 2010.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

Final Product!

For 3D Design we have to make a pedestal that can hold (and compliment) a brick. Sounds intriguing, right? Yeah, I didn't think so either until I decided to make something that relates to The Wizard of Oz and the yellow BRICK road. I am SO clever. (Kidding. Kinda...)


Anyways...The pedestal is going to be of Emerald City since the yellow brick road lead them there. Cute, right? :)

Step 1: Make the buildings out of PVC pipe! :D

English 101

I've always been a good writer. I really don't know why, but I am. Naturally, I thought English 101 would be the easiest class for me. It's not.

I had (what I thought to be) a beautiful essay, and my instructor completely tore the introduction apart.

I thought I would be able to change the intro easily until I realized the quote I used for the introduction was the base for my entire essay.

I have English class in 45 minutes. I guess she is going to see the intro she hated so much one more time because I have writers block and cannot redo this rough draft. College, you suck.

On a side note, I just had jalapeno chips and they were delicious.

It's time to do my hair and go to the most terrible, boring, frustrating class ever. English 101.

Insomnia Cure, Anyone?

I have been suffering from the worst insomnia lately. It only seems to happen when I have to be up at 7:00 the next morning to go to Tempe for a 6 hour day of classes. I would really appreciate it if someone came up with a drug-free cure for insomnia. I'm just throwing that out there. Ok, thanks. :)

Goals for This School Year/Summer

1.) Get a 4.0 GPA

2.) Have the beginnings a beautiful Intermedia portfolio.

3.) Not get into an accident on the shuttle ride to and/or from Tempe. ;)

4.) Actually learn something from my art history classes....maybe.

5.) Survive 3D Design.

6.) Get a Summer animation internship at Universal Studios Hollywood!

Sounds good, right?

The Steps of Making a Lighting Walking/Disco Stick

Finished Product!

LAST STEP: DETAILS

(I painted the burned lightning bolt gold, put a wood finisher on, put some gems on the top, and threw my amulet on)

I will update the stages of my walking stick here:

OTHER STEPS!

Step 1: Making a Lightning Bolt Shape

(I drew it onto my 2 x 4 and then cut the shape out with a band saw)

9/21/2010

Step 2: Carve in a Realistic-Looking Lightning Bolt

(I drew it on and then burned it out with a wood burner)

I also sanded it down today.

9/23/10

Step 3: Stain it.

(I used a really dark red mahogony stain)

10/02/10

I Wanna Take a Ride on Your Disco Stick

So, for 3D design I have to make a walking stick that pertains to a journey. The journey has to go hand in hand with an amulet I created in class. My amulet, of course, is a lightning bolt. I got the idea from Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' music video. I could make a walking stick that has to do with a storm, but what fun would that be? I am going to make my very own hand-carved disco stick. I'm pretty sure it's going to look just like one of her disco sticks, but with hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds carved into it. I'm pretty excited to get started on it. Let's hope I don't cut my fingers off with the woodworking tools.

3D Design and Intro to Digital Media, Oh My.

Hey guys, we should totally have one class senior year, causing us to act like a bum the whole year, and then sign up for a full load of college classes. That sounds so fun, right?! WRONG.

The transition from high school to college has been so shocking for me. I have gone from going to school for one hour each day, to attending 6 hours of classes twice a week, another hour of classes twice a week, and an online Art History class (That takes hours and hours of work, by the way). I'm not complaining, it's just really different.

With all of that aside, I would like to focus on my two studio classes of the semester: 3D Design and Intro to Digital Media. It was really smart of me to schedule both of these 3-hour-long classes on the same day. Only, it wasn't smart at all. Atleast it means only going to Tempe twice a week, I guess.

3D Design is seriously killing me. I was not expecting it at all. Our first project was basically an architecture project. I suck at architecture, by the way. Remind me to never become an architect. Anyways, After completing a cardboard cube, wooden skeleton, an orthographic drawing, and several sketches, I came up with these beauties.

The left one is the original skeleton, the middle one is the planar sculpture, and the right one is the volumetric sculpture. Atleast I have an eye for color, or so I've been told.

Next, we come to Intro to Digital Media. I must say, this class is pretty exciting. Photoshop, Illustrator, Final Cut Pro, and animation programs!? Sounds like my kind of class. We have only completed 2 raster projects so far. My first one has a theme of man vs. nature. The second one shows change over time at a lake near my home.

This Is My Blog.

I decided I need a place to keep my artwork and thoughts organized. A blog seems like a good idea, right? I guess we will find out.