How Technology Affect Our Life

IDEA

Back in 1861 when technology was not growing rapidly in our world, the word "technology" was used to symbolized an art creation. Everything changed when we entered the year 2000 as the word "technology" began to have new meaning which was an innovative invention. Starting from that year onwards, many new technologies were introduced into our life. From touch screen handphones to a thin size laptop and from 32' inch television to a 50' inch smart television, we can say that technology have been growing nonstop until now. From that, a light bulb started to appeared in my head. I wanted to make art that says that no matter how high or far we age, technology will keep on growing. No matter young or old, there will always be an inventor. In our life, everyone will die including the inventors but not for technology as the new younger version of inventors will never stop on introducing new stuff into our life. That was the reason why I'm calling my art piece as"Technology Do Grow On Trees". I hope that by just having a short glance on my art, it would tell you the deep meaning lies in it. As what an artist would always say, "Let the art do the talk".

(Technology Do Grow On Trees, Afiq Rahim 2013)




THE PROCESS

STEP 1

In step one, I started off by scanning my sketch into my Macbook and upload it on Adobe CS6 Photoshop.

STEP 2

After uploading the sketch as my background, I then began to find a suitable colour for my background. In this case, I chose the colour maroon as the background which would symbolized something dark.

STEP 3 

Next, I went on to add some lightings on the tree by adding on 2 layers called as light 1 and 2. Then I coloured some parts of it with the colour white and changed the effect into both divide and luminosity respectively.

STEP 4

After that, I started to coloured up the whole tree with the tool brush and changed the effect from normal to multiply.

STEP 5

In this step, I focused on the grave. As I wanted to make it very spooky, I chose the colour gray and started to paint the grave. A saturation effect was used on making it to be more realistic.

STEP 6

After doing the grave part, I then coloured the skeleton. I coloured it with white and then tried all the effect one at the time. By doing so, I would be able to get the best effect from all. I wanted to make the skeleton to look unique, so I chose the Exclusion effect which gave out the best result compared to other effects.

STEP 7

It was in this step when I coloured all the gadgets and the green spider. As I wanted to make the gadgets to be the main focus, I coloured all of it with a bright colours and choose the perfect effect for each gadgets on the drawing.

STEP 8

In step 8, I began to put up some clouds that would be add on the realistic effect on it. I used the brush tool on creating the clouds. By just increasing the size of the brush, I was able to make clouds really fast. I also added on a moon on the right corner by using the same method which was the tool brush.

STEP 9

In this final step, I wanted to the gadgets on the tree to be more outshine than the other thins on the artwork. Due to that reason, I applied spin lights on all four gadgets on the tree. Lastly, I also coloured the words below the skeleton with yellow and then changed the effect from normal into colour.

SHORT WORDS

After doing this project, it taught me that everything around me can be used on making something beautiful. Creativity is something which we can always expand from time to time. It's just up to us on how to add on more knowledges. Life is beautiful, it's just up to us on how to colour it perfect.

TECHNOLOGY DO GROW ON TREES
(AFIQ RAHIM, 2013)

When Pop Art Coloured Your Life

Shapes and Designs : "A Purify Tradition"

A PURIFY TRADITION

My 5 Sketches on "How Technology Affect Our Life"

SKETCH 1 : A NON-BARRIER COMMUNICATION

I always see the world as a communication world. Why is that so? That is because there are many ways on communicate with others anywhere and anytime without any obstacles or barriers. With all the new gadgets and communications lines, it makes everything to be convenient in life

SKETCH 2 : WHEN AN IDEA TURNS REALITY

Every child has their own imagination. For instance, in this sketch you would be able to see a little boy spending time with his father. The moment when the father carries him, the little boy feels as if he was flying. That imagination of him flying can come true by inventing new planes or jets.

SKETCH 3 : TECHNOLOGY IS THE NEW MEDICINE

Technology do affect everyone which includes both young and old generations. But what will happen if the impact be on the older generation? To me, I can see that when technology are frequently been used in old generation people, it would eventually lead them into a word called as attach. When they are too attach into technology, they might neglect their health. It's like as if technology is new medicine to them.

SKETCH 4 : NEW ROLE MODELS

Parents are role models for children but will happen if a children is been raise with various kind of technology around him? To me, I would see a child who would transform into a lazy person as he or she is have been too pampered in life. Shorter words, "A Spoil Brat Have Been Born".

SKETCH 5 : TECHNOLOGY DO GROW ON TREES
Technology will always grow in our life. Its like a tree with lots of fresh fruits. Fruits don't really come with only 1 or 2 fruits but a lot. Old inventors will die but will always be replaced by the young inventors. People will die but not for technology as it will keep on growing.

My Ideal Gym Montage

MONTAGE

National Art Gallery

NATIONAL ART GALLERY KUALA LUMPUR
(www.skyscrapercity.com, 2010)

It was on the 8th of June 2013 when I had class field trip to the National Art Gallery organized by my vern own design lecturer, Mr Khairul. I was looking forward for the trip as it will be my second time visiting it. As I'll be going there together along with my other friends, my friends and I decided to go early which was around 9am. Upon reaching the place, we then went on checking out the area as the gallery will only be open to public at 10am.

It was 10 minutes before 10am when Mr Khairul meet up with us right infront of the main entrance. He told us that we should use up all the time seeing every art and understand it. With 3 floors to explore, I was eager to go in and enjoy my time getting both inspiration and some interesting knowledges on fine arts.

So I began my journey by going up to the third floor. As I walked around slowly understanding every art, I then noticed an unique artwork. It was actually a simple art sketch which done by an artist named Ali. When I looked into his sketch, I could straight away imagine the place that I went before with my family back in 2012. The place was called Ubud, Bali. The way he sketched out the temple at Ubud was very precise as he managed to do it with details. I was very impressed as I know it's not that easy to sketching a beautiful landmark on a piece of paper by just using a pen. On that paper, he only used shapes to formed the beautiful temple of Ubud. With just curl black lines connected to each other and also some straight lines, an amazing artwork was formed. This sketch really inspired me to be a better artist as he taught me that nothing can stop you from creating something magnificent. Curl or crooked lines can easily form something as long as I have a strong imagination, then I would be able to apply anything into artwork.

After exploring the third floor, I went down to checked out more interesting masterpieces. There were a  lot of creative artwork on the second floor but none of them managed to attract me. So because of that, i decided to go on and exploring the first floor. It was on that floor when suddenly I saw something that caught up my eyes. I quickly went on checking out that artwork and WOW, I was attracted to painting.
It was a very big artwork which has a deep meaning behing the paint. As my eyes started to sparked up and my heart began to beat really fast, I went on trying convey the message that was hidden in it.

Through that paint, I could clearly understand the following four  words - protect the innocent lives. Why did I said that? That was because I could see the powerful God of Mother Earth trying everything to fight the demon who was destroying both mankind and the everything surrounding him. The place that the fight took place was horrible as everything on that land including the trees, people and animals died. Besides that, I was able to notice the existence of an another land where there was people who were still alive. I could tell that those people were saved by the God of Mother Earth who was trying hard on defeating the demon. Next, my eyes went on to looked on this powerful god. With just a glance, I knew that the god was half hurt as her left leg was stucked onto the ground which shaped up into an old tree. Based from my vision, the old tree symbolized injuries as there were snakes on it where her left hand was preventing it from destroying her. I went on to observed the god and again I saw something unique when she used up one of her power with was the sea to splash and attack the demon. I knew that the demon was dying as it was caught up in a very tight situation. Overall, the paint touched as me as it always reminds me of my parents who are my roles models. They are always there to lead and guide me. They helped me when I'm in trouble and they are truly my inspirations. Thanks to them, I am now on the right pathway on becoming a true man.

Those two paintings really inspired me and totally helped me to understand more about life and how an art bring a great impact into someone's life.

Art Movement

Not many people are aware of the existence of Oceanic Art. So what is Oceanic Art? Is it an art which looks like Pop art? Or maybe Street Art? Wait no, it's an art which has a relation to the sea or ocean? No, no and no. Now let's get back to the main question again. What is Oceanic Art?

OCEANIC STATUE ART

Oceanic Art is an art creation that has been made by the natives people of the Pacific Islands, Hawai'i and Australia. In these places there are various kinds of tribes which has their own tribal culture and many more. These places are broken into four separate regions which comprises of Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Australia. All four regions have created an art called as the Oceanic Art which was highly affected by the western influence and colonization. Their arts undergo many changes from time to time as their artistic creation began to expand greatly throughout the cultures and regions.

OCEANIC STATUES ART

Every art form has their own meaning and most of them symbolized fertility or something related to supernatural. Painting, wood and stone carving, textile work, petroglyphs and tattooing are a few of the Oceanic Art creations. 

CANVAS ART

Do you know that one of creations is very famous among people around us today? Well, there's only two words to describe it and it is "Maori Tattoo". Yes, Maori Tattoo or also know as the Polynesian Tattoo is one of the famous design that most people would like go as a tattoo as it has a strong meaning behind each's design. 

SPEAR HEADS WITH ENATAS

For instance, the spear heads which can be found in every Maori Tatto design represent a brave warrior. The design of that particular spear head is to express the courage and dare to fight. Spear heads are normally combined with other symbols to express a different meaning. For example, when a line of spear head is shown together with a line of enatas upside down along it's side, it will express the meaning of defeating enemies. 

To me, Oceanic Art is a very unique art form as it is completely different from other art in terms of both designs and the formation of it. It was back in 2009 in Honolulu, Hawai'i when I first saw a real Oceanic Art. It was a statue of a man wearing a big mask which represents the tribe's leader. Starting from that onwards, Oceanic Art quickly became a part of my soul and that was the reason why I always love Maori design until now.

Maori Tattoo

REFERENCES: http://www.apolynesiantattoo.com/

A Struggle Independence

A Struggle Independence

What can you tell from the picture above? A picture tells a thousand words. Yes that is definitely true because when I first look at the picture above, I was having a roller-coaster feeling as it's a mixture of sadness, emptiness and shockness. With just a glance, I felt really helpless as I'm looking a picture which shows me an innocent little child who was facing death. The deepness of this picture triggered the sadness in me as if there was a dagger being stabbed into my heart. Look at the picture and I can ensure you that you will stay speechless.

Hope. That was the thing that I managed to see when I looked at the small boy. The boy was dying but still searching for a hope that he would be able to get which is survival. Sadly, I could also see that the boy was giving up on staying alive. There will always be the moment when a person starts to give up something and that moment happened to that boy in the picture. What can you do when there's nothing you can do to stay alive? Will you be able to stay longer if you fail on getting your needs? Questions like these were the questions that I could see through that boy.

The next thing that I could tell was that the bird was just waiting for the right moment to strike an attack on that boy. It knows that the boy was dying and it's just matter of time then it would be to called that boy as it's food. Hunger and power were the strong elements that I can see through that bird which I called as the predator. When someone has a power and at the same time hunger for survival, it will definitely changed that person into someone else. Some might say it as a selfish predator but I called it as a ruthless monster.

There are many things that I can see from the picture but what I can tell you is that whenever I have my dark brown eyes on the picture above, I will always have a sharp dagger stabbing right into the middle of my heart.

Blue is The Colour of My Blood

Each individual in this world has their favourite colour that reflects back on that particular individual. So the main question is, "WHAT IS MY FAVOURITE COLOUR?".

A BLUE EYE

Yes, it's BLUE. Since the day that I inhaled my very own first breath on Earth, the colour blue has always been a part of my life. Blue T-shirts, jeans, shoes, watches and even toys! You name it all and I can guarantee you that the colour blue will always be the main choice. 

As you all know, each colour has their own meaning. So what is the real meaning behind the colour blue? There are many words that reflect this colour such as trust, honesty and loyalty. Blue also represent both sincerity and reserved. Confrontation would be something that go against the colour blue since it prefers more on doing things in its own way.

If we look from the psychology perspective, the colour blue symbolized responsible, reliable and bold. At the same time, confidence and inner security can also be seen in the colour blue. You can rely on it to take control and do the right thing in difficult times. It has a need for order and direction in its life, including its living and work spaces. The colour blue reduces stress by creating a sense of calmness and relaxation - the same situation when you are lying down on the ground and looking up into the blue sky. This type of sense will promote both physical and mental relaxation.

Besides that, blue is describe someone as a good speaker. For instance, a public speaker who is comfortable on doing both one-to-one and one-to-many communication. This is because the colour blue is very idealistic and enhance a person's self-expression.

Other than that, blue is the colour of devotion and high wisdom as it has a high level of intelligence. Lastly, the colour blue can also be described as a helper, rescuer and the friend in need. Success can defined through the quality and quantity of it's relationships.

We can conclude that blue is very nostalgic. It is a color that lives in the past, relating everything in the present and the future to experiences in the past.

THE BEAUTY OF BLUE

Design Principles and Elements

One word, "DESIGN"

What is design? According to Oxford Dictionary, design can be defined as a realization of a into a pattern, drawing or model which will form a new image that has it's own meaning. In order to create an artwork, both elements and principles of design are used as it's foundation.The elements of design are things that would make up an artwork or design while the principles of designs act a principle on how a person decide on combining all suitable elements into one.

There are 6 elements of design which comprises of -

(i) Line :
It is an element which can be considered in two ways. How can we know when a line is formed? A line can normally be seen when the linear marks made by a pen, pencil or brush created after two shapes meet each other.

(ii) Shape :
A shape is seen as a self contained defined area of either geometric or organic that stands out boldly from the space surrounding it due to an implied boundary.

(iii) Direction :
Lines have a lot of direction which includes vertical, horizontal or oblique. Every direction of a line has it's own meaning. For instance, a vertical line expresses equality or balance, alertness and formality. On the other hand, a horizontal line shows calmness, tranquility and stability while an oblique line suggests an action and movement. Each element of direction brings an impact on creating and changing the mood of a painting.

(iv) Texture :
A texture act as an indicator that show the surface quality of a shape whether it has a smooth, rough, low or high glossy surface. Texture can be divided into two different parts called as the physical and visual texture. A physical texture happens when you can feel the real texture of a surface by using your bare hand while visual texture takes place when you have your own illusion of the physical texture of the surface based on the materials that are used.

(v) Colour :
The 12 colour Wheel or also known as the Colour Circle is an abstract illustrative organization of colour hues on a big wheel or circle that comprises of the primary, secondary and tertiary colours. Besides that, the colours that are situated outside the big wheel are known as saturated colours.

(vi) Value :
Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour which can be called as Tone. A tonal contrast can be seen by showing the differences between the light and dark areas in an artwork. A high attention of an area can be achieve by having a massive difference between both light and dark areas in the painting that would trigger the attraction force on it.

There are 5 design principles which comprises of -

(i) Balance :

Balance occurs when the components of the design appear to be the same or equal. This principle is similar to the balance concept in physics. For example,

BALANCE (John Lovett, 1999)

(ii) Rhythm : 
A good example of rhythm is repetition. Repetition is to create a sense of pattern or movement used in a  painting. There two types of repetition.
The first one would be repetition with variation which is interesting while the second one is called as repetition without variation which can result a monotonous sense.

REPETITION (John Lovett, 1999)

(iii) Contrast : 
Contrast can be defined as the juxtaposition of opposing elements. A good way to see contrast would be by using the opposite colours from the Colour Wheel such as red with green and yellow with purple.

CONTRAST (WILL KEMP, 2012)

(iv) Dominance :
The application of dominance principle creates an interesting atmosphere of the art, counteracting confusion and also monotony. This principle can be used one or more of the elements in order to give emphasis.

DOMINANCE (John Lovett, 1999)

(v) Unity :
Unity describes a relationship between both individual part and the whole part of the composition. Furthermore, this principle also gives the composition a sense of the wholeness or breaks it apart, in order to create a new sense of variety.

First Design Artwork (Abstract)

Beautiful Silence

Imagination is beautiful. Have you wondered how an imagination is formed inside your empty mind. If you look on the artwork that I designed above, you'd be able to know the meaning of a beautiful imagination. To me, this is how I see when it comes to the formation of a magnificent imagination. The lines in the artwork represents the first step heading towards on creating an image. I always see my mind as an empty box full of darkness but then everything change when I start to think of a beautiful image. When each different colours started to clash into each pathways, it would eventually lead into something amazing. For instance, the existence of 3 different coloured flowers. Blue, Red and Gold are among of my favourite colours and that is the reason why you would be able to see the flowers which represents a beautiful image. Life is beautiful, it's just up to you on colouring it which leads to perfection. That is it called as Beautiful Silence