MA+P Toolkit: Still Image
This assignment was developed by the faculty of the Media Arts + Practice division and reflects the contributions of professors Virginia Kuhn, Evan Hughes and DJ Johnson.
This project is designed to explore the power of still image creation through the effective use of text and image. In this project, you will select an image of historical importance* and transform it into a text-image composite in the style of artist Barbara Kruger. Kruger’s work makes careful use of strategies such as irony, scale, composition and wordplay. By studying Kruger's strategies and then attempting to incorporate them into your own vision you will enhance your ability to communicate a clear message through careful use of still image composition and editing.
This project is designed to explore the power of still image creation through the effective use of text and image. In this project, you will select an image of historical importance* and transform it into a text-image composite in the style of artist Barbara Kruger. Kruger’s work makes careful use of strategies such as irony, scale, composition and wordplay. By studying Kruger's strategies and then attempting to incorporate them into your own vision you will enhance your ability to communicate a clear message through careful use of still image composition and editing.
You do not necessarily need to mimic Kruger’s obsessions with gender, science, race and corporate culture, but you should be able to articulate your own goals for the image you create.
* As long as the image(s) can be defended as historically important, it can be used. You need not feel restricted to black-and-white images from 50 years ago, for example.
Ways of Seeing - a 1970s BBC documentary about visual culture
Project Parameters
1. Choose one image defendable as historically important
2. Study Kruger’s design choices and make similar choices (information and examples abound on the Web)
3. Be able to explain your strategies of visual interpretation
* As long as the image(s) can be defended as historically important, it can be used. You need not feel restricted to black-and-white images from 50 years ago, for example.Tools
Pixlr Editor - free, web based photo editingWays of Seeing - a 1970s BBC documentary about visual culture
