Photomontage: Image Hijack (Part 1)

Photomontage: Image Hijack (Part 1)

Millions Served, 2005, DahnHiuni

Now that you have completed the current module readings and Lynda.com video training tutorials, you are now ready to produce your preliminary work. In this section (Part 1), you will develop your sketches and project concepts for your Photomontage. Be sure to follow the M1 Guidelines for Preliminary Sketches & Concept Development requirements, and take the time to carefully review the design brief, guidelines, format, and resources that are posted below before you begin developing your sketches and concepts.

Project Description
Much contemporary art serves as commentary or critique, directed at various social and political issues. Often, artists appropriate (or borrow) existing images and then change them with tongue-in-cheek, altering their meaning to suit their own agenda. Think of this project as your opportunity to launch a critique within the visual culture—one that relates to a political issue close to your heart. Think: “What’s important to me? What in the culture requires some critical attention?” Then choose an image and alter it strategically, in a way that will allows you to stage such a critique.
Method and Procedure
Please follow these steps in sequence:

1 Make a list of your 3 most important political issues;
2 Do an initial search for possible images to alter based on those issues. Select only famous images that people will know. This can be a famous painting, photograph, or popular advertisement. Note: Do not select an image that is already saying what you mean to say. Rather, select an image that’s neutral or opposite, and then change its meaning by manipulating and altering it;
3 Upload sketches of your 3 possible intended ‘hijacking’ to your blog with a related brief statement to explain your direction and line of thinking;
4 Create a new discussion post and let your classmates know that your work has been uploaded by submitting a link (URL) to your blog, and the title of your project in the subject line of the discussion post. This allows your peers to take a look at your work and critique it. You should view as many projects as possible and then choose two designs to comment on using this discussion area below (not the blog). Be sure to refer to the Constructive Peer Critique structure when commenting on student work.

After critical peer feedback and reflection, choose the best solution—a balance between the importance of the issue but also the effectiveness of the ‘hijacking;’
*Obviously, this assignment is meant to produce an ironic and overtly political artwork. Take risks!
Collaborating with your peers will help you to build upon and strengthen your ideas, so don’t be afraid to share your project ideas and ask each other questions. Be sure that you are saving files properly prior to posting (i.e. hi-rez jpeg in RGB color format)
Format
Landscape or portrait, depending on the famous image chosen.
Resources

• Guidelines for All Assignments in the Syllabus& Other Course Information Documents
• ArtRemix: 26 Modern Takes on Famous Historical Paintings
• Definition of Appropriation Art
◦ Plain text version of Definition of Appropriation Art
Examples of Appropriation Art

 

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