What If?

On Thursday March 8^th, our Art 220 class was quite interesting.  Professor Moss instructed the class to arrange our seats in a circle around the class to where we were able to see each other.  Professor Moss started off the conversation of “What if?”  Then he continued on asking us all to free our minds and imagine anything was possible and to come up with our own “What if?” question that makes everyone in the class stop and say “aahhhh,” or “oooooo.” Jimmy’s “What if” question was, “What if time wasn’t linear?” At first not everyone understood what he meant so he took a moment to explain.  But we all had our turn.  One question that stuck out to me and made me ponder was “What if our destiny’s are already written?” I personally liked this one because this is a very common topic that people try to argue and/or question. 

I feel that the goal was to make everyone stop to try and realize all the possibilities that are out there.  My “What if” was What if 9/11 never happened? And while sitting there I began to keep thinking about other questions.  I came up with at least three other “What if?” I was really getting into this topic that Professor Moss brought about that day.  I think about what ifs all the time when I am alone daydreaming.  That’s what it really is, daydreaming is a bunch of “What ifs?” in life.

Descriptive Words:

Immaculate

Decrepit

Repugnant

Math in Art Class?

On Tuesday March 6^th, we split the class into two groups.  The groups had to have the same number of men and women in each.  Professor Moss presented us with a series of numbers.  He instructed us to solve the pattern and figure out what the next number was in the series.  I immediately began to get excited; reason being was because growing up as a child from early elementary school till now math was my favorite subject.  So I personally felt the need to help my group and try to lead.  But I did not take the lead; I actually listened and try to learn how other people in my group went about their ways of coming up with the solution.  Personally I tend to be a leader by example.  I find it best in order for me to learn, I just keep quiet, listen and watch what other people say and do. 

Everyone contributed to the group in some way or another.  We found that the time we had was used very wisely.  I also noticed how much more cooperative our group was compared to the other group who was struggling to come to an answer as a group.  Our group communicated very well and found ways to input everyone’s word or idea some how. 

The next part of the activity was to select one person from our group to explain and try to convince the other group why our solution to the problem presented was the correct one.  In our group we all decided what made sense and the most convincing way to prove how our solution works.  The only problem when the final solution was presented was that our group member did not explain the solution correctly.  In the end, by the way the two groups had presented the solution, both groups were wrong.  So what I noticed was the lack of detail in the explanation was the problem that our group had.  Being able to pitch an idea, or explain a plan, needs to be short, precise, and clear.  Communication is key to relaying your message.

Descriptive words:

Naturalistic

Didactic

Pedantic

What is Art 220 and Final project

On Tuesday February 28, professor Moss stood in front of class and asked the class to explain what we have learned in our Art 220 class this quarter.  At first not one person in class spoke up.  Then after a minute of silence students starting saying what they have learned in class as Professor Moss began writing in a list of what students were saying.  After a while some of my classmates were beginning to be very vague and repetitive.  I thought what professor Moss was doing was very important.  It is very rare to have a professor such as Moss who goes back and tries to acknowledge what we have done in class.  This was the first time in my four years of college that the entire class acknowledged and reflected what was accomplished throughout the quarter.  I felt that it was a great technique that all professors should do.  This past quarter has flown by, it is really eye-opening to see what we have accomplished in class and reflect on what we have learned thus far.  The second half of class was all dedicated to planning our final project.  I spoke to some people in class as to where they stood on their projects and how they wanted to convey their message.  Everyone whom I spoke with had a different approach although the goal was the same.  I found this to be quite enjoyable.  One thing about communicating with your classmates is that you can pick their brains of the way they come up with their plan, their creative process.  I tend to pick people’s brains as to how they go about solving a similar problem and continue to do my variation with my ideas as well. 

Some Adjectives:

disillusioned

draconian

apathetic

Final Project and Talk Show in class

On Thursday February 23^rd, Professor Moss explained what our final project is.  At first when I noticed the word “Final” in my class I tend to get stressed.  Hence the reason why Professor Moss put the word project behind it.  He pointed out how the use of words can change feelings towards different goals or assignments.  So our final project is to make a one-minute video of what we think Graphic Design is at Cal State Los Angeles.  We must post this video on YouTube and show it in class.  I am freaking out because I have zero time during the weekend to make a video, yet alone turn it in for a big chunk of my grade.  I am already starting to stress out. 

After I went into panic mode during class, we touched upon another topic in class that was presented to us.  Motivation, where do we find it upon ourselves to have it.  What motivates us?  Well I noticed that some students want instant gratification, which will show immediately in what we do.  Other students work towards a long term goal that is delayed gratification in which will pay off in a later part of their career, whether it is in their career path, life, or any goal that they have in the distant future. 

Professor Moss had a hand full of students sit in front of the class and had them discuss how students felt in regards to instant gratification and delayed gratification.  Then we placed a different set of students who were presented with a different subject which was where do you get your motivation from.  At this point students were sharing where their motivation comes from.  I felt that at this point in the discussion we all had a moment where we actually dug deep in and really thought about how we each come up with our inspiration and motivation to accomplish a task or goal.  I feel that this was a key moment to everyone.  In order to know how or what you are doing, you need to know why.  I feel that knowing why your doing a certain task is essential, because it gives you that self-motivation that you sometimes need.   I feel the class was a perfect example of Concept Development due to the class discussions that we had among ourselves for that day.  We opened up about ourselves and discussed the way we develop ideas and how we come up with certain concepts.

Insignificant

Impressionistic

Superficial

Kali Nikitas and Game

On Tuesday February 21^st, we were to bring in our briefs for our games and our response papers from the AIGA speaker event that we all attended.  The speaker was Kali Nikitas.  In the beginning of class we were all instructed to place ourselves in a circle.  We were then instructed to discuss our opinions from Kali’s speech and what we got out of the event.  I found this to be very interesting due to the fact that most of my classmates including myself participated.  I was not surprised as to hear what most people got out of the event because I had taken the same stand in which they did as well.  As a student who will not going to be in the graphic design program much longer, I approach every class in from a different perspective as opposed to a student working very hard in their program.  I try to relate the topic at hand in a way that will help me in the future with a different subject.  But to touch upon our class discussion I noticed how some students had mixed feelings in regards to the guest speaker.  Voicing our opinions was very important to all of us so we can pull ideas and concepts from each other that we perhaps missed during the event.  As always it is very important to recap on events that we attend to help us grasp ideas and concepts for a better understanding and to help relate the topics to our own lives. 

For our next activity, Professor Moss had us split up into two groups and play a game.  It is very difficult to explain in writing how to play the game.  The concept of the game is to take two objects, while not saying what the objects are but calling them something other than what they are.  Then the person starting the game states what they are and sends them along in the circle in opposite directions.  The goal of the game is to send the different objects all the way around the circle of people with out messing up.  What is really tricky is that everyone must listen and pronunciate correctly at all times or the game can become very confusing.  I personally felt that I was playing the game correctly and making it very clear to my classmates but it is a group effort to accomplish the goal, which our group could not do.  What I did notice was that our group was definitely not having as much fun as the other group who did finish their goal of the game.

Recondite

Esoteric

Melodramatic

Some Adjectives

obedient
immense
efficacious

Day 2 for Critiques of Presentations

As for Thursday, our ART 220 class took the entire period to critique our colleagues presentations.  We did tend to stray away from the presentation critique and ask questions from the game.  Which I felt to be quite annoying, but for the most part I felt that everyone had their own presentation issues and weaknesses, no two presenters are the same.  What I noticed that we all could learn to be better at is be more confident.  A lot of people had confidence issues.  I feel that having confidence is key.  Knowing your own presentation contributes to confidence.  So I noticed that most of the presenters had possibly no knowledge of how to explain their game, or pitch the idea behind their game, which I found out to be a key ingredient.  It is very important to know your idea and communicate your idea to your client.  It is an essential part of becoming a designer.  The ability to visually communicate and help your client understand your idea.