Artist's Statement

I believe that manipulation of an image must change the depth and meaning of the image. Simply adding a background will not accomplish anything. The image must be altered in some way (this can be a small or large change in content, but must be "significant" to the meaning) that profoundly changes not only its appearance, but also its meaning and, in turn, value.

"sketchbook"

Final sketch, although the colors are way off due to uploading issues that I cannot figure out how to resolve.

I have always been inspired by capturing the moment when it comes to photography. In my final project i would like to create an advertisement/poster for an event that my friend is holding in Pittsburgh this summer that involves several companies that make new-age pogo sticks.

Instead of being powered by springs some of these newer pogo sticks are powered by thick rubber bands that expand and contract to propel the jumper. People can reach heights of up to 7 or 8 feet on some sticks, such as the "Flybar." My friend's event is sponsored by this company, others like it, and the city of Pittsburgh, and will bring jumpers literally from around the world to participate. 

     

Here is an example of some of the preliminary work that I have done in photoshop on my original image. This is not what the final project will look like completely, there will be other elements, but this helped me with the process of altering the original image in the way that I wanted to.

The final will also have manipulated images of the yellow bridge in Pittsburgh that spans the river (The name of the Bridge escapes me) and images of the RPG Building (below).

    

    

Finally, since I intend to use this as a form of advertisement I will probably need the event name and a little information about the event (Date, location, etc.) I want to combine all of this into a 3-5 color screen print, possibly with some parts printed digitally although I think that it will be more unified if the whole thing is screen-printed.

   

Image From The News

10 Manipulated Images

This image is from www.newscorpse.com, found on google images on 2/19/09

This image is manipulated in several ways. Firstly it appears to have come from a picture of John McCain, probably one during the election season, that was then transfered into a 3 or 4 color print. It is also meant to mimic the Shepard Fairey posters of Pres. Obama, and in a way manipulates his original idea by changing the attitude of the message presented. I believe this is a successful manipulation because it adds several layers of meaning, not just making it "look pretty," but also expanding on the depth/importance of the image.

This image was found on PhotoshopTalent.com on 2/19/09.

This is an interesting p

hotoshop manipulation of an image of a beach in San Diego. The manipulation gives an entirely new feel to the photograph, enhancing existing mood and atmosphere as well as creating new emotions and connections with the viewer. The sky has a very "unreal" quality to it, not because it looks especially unrealistic, but it gives off an eerie vibe multiplied by the images of the hawk/eagle and the large turtle in the foreground.

This manipulated image was found on www.yourcover.com on 2/20/09, and was originally used by CBS and Watch! Magazine.

This is an example of how images are manipulated to improve the image of a person, although this probably wasn't the case Katie Couric, as Watch! Magazine printed the image on the right only a month after the original was displayed by CBS. It is clear that the magazine altered her image to fit the "ideal," but when placed next to each other the photos make it obvious that Couric is not the image on the right, but on the left. There was also some color retouching, but this is not very significant.

This image was found on www.worth1000.com on 2/20/09.

I especially like this image because I feel it has many layers of meaning, especially considering it is just an advertisement. I believe the artist just used an existing photograph and superimposed the logo for 7up into the lime, but with this simple adjustment the artist completely changed the meaning. For me, manipulation is all about changing the significance and the message of the image. In this case the manipulation is simple and effective.

This is another image found on www.worth1000.com on 2/20/09.

Here is another example of manipulation in advertisement. The Nike Swoosh on the giraffe's face is nearly perfectly incorporated into the image. Because this is not something that you see in real life, in grabs the attention of the viewer and makes them appreciate the artwork. If the ad is successful enough, people will talk about it and spread the word (word of mouth is the most effective marketing method in today's society).

 

The rest of these images were found on www.worth1000.com on 2/23/09.

I especially like these manipulations because they are done so well. In most images found floating around on the internet the manipulations are usually apparent and poorly done, but these show a true mastery of the software as well as a lot of creativity.