Poem Visualization Book Explanation

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

In my poem book, I wanted to emphasize each adjective and visualization in the poem. Every time I read the poem, I have a mental picture in my head of what the poet is trying to convey. Therefore, I attempted to depict those visualizations by drawing them on illustrator and by manipulating the font. I chose a grave stone because I thought it suited the title of the poem. Although death is a sad and tragic thing, the author was trying to convey how she may have died, but her spirit still lives on through nature. Therefore, I thought it would be a nice contrast to have a grave stone as the main structure, but with the uplifting illustrations inside.


I did all of the illustrations on Illustrator, but I began by editing the grave stone on Photoshop. The actual photograph of the grave stone in which I found has a stained glass rose on it. I decided to used the actual grave as the front cover. Then, I manipulated the text in Photoshop to make the stone appear to be engraved. Then, I simply used the clone stamp tool to get rid of the rose for all of the other pages of the book. I also selected the grave so that the bottom foundation and the grassy background were not visible. I decided to use a type of grey poster board/ construction paper to give the book a sturdier and more textured quality. I cut the paper into 8.5” x 11” so that the grave would be around the same size. I then used a hole puncher to cut holes in the bottom for a green piece of pipe cleaner to go through, which was meant to symbolize grass or a vine.


Although I was initially very satisfied with my book, there were several things that I had to keep changing as I worked and after I printed the pages. For instance, I never realized that printers did not print white ink. Therefore, all of the white that I had on my pages turned out to be the grey of the paper I was using. Although I still like it, it does make some words a little difficult to distinguish. However, I still like that aspect of the book because it enables one to be able to see the actual color and texture of the paper I used. Another obstacle I overcame was that I had to go back into the odd number pages and select all of the imagery and text so that I could center it over the page after I rotated the grave 180 degrees. Although I used several fonts throughout the book, the main types face I used was Pristina. I like Pristina because I wanted some type of handwriting in order to make the book appear more personalized. For the word “not” in the poem I used Lucida Handwriting Italic. Other type faces I used to emphasize and relate to different words throughout the poem include Ar Berkley, Ocra Extended, Mistral, Edwardian Script ITC, Nueva Std, Eccentric Std, Ar Hermann, Ar Christy, Juice ITC, Giddyup Std, Freestyle Script, and the list goes on. The type face I used in Photoshop for the grave is called Trajan Pro.

Self-Visualization Project

Word Visualization

Dia: Beacon

The trip to Dia: Beacon was definitely a memorable one for me. The museum was not only at a great location, but was also structured in a very effective way. I really enjoyed the large number of windows within the building, which emphasized the great amount of space and minimalist atmosphere of the rooms in which the artwork was displayed. This trip defintiely gave me a greater appreciation of Conceptual Art. The fact that I could actually get up close to the work and really examine it from different angles really affected the way I felt about each piece.

Three artists' work I especially gained a greater interest in is that of Sol LeWitt, John Chamberlain, Robert Smithson, and Richard Serra. Sol LeWitt's "Drawing Series..." really had me fascinated. I thought it was interesting how he commissioned artists to draw different patterns of lines on the walls of the gallery with such great precision. I just loved how the drawings served as a sort of wallpaper, depicting different values by using varying directions of the same thickness of lines. I also enjoyed how the lines were placed in a series of blocks. Just as I thought how these lines would have been really intriguing if they had been done in color, I discovered the next room that was rendered in colored pencil. I also enjoyed the other wall drawings that portrayed other fascinating, precisely-drawn line patterns.

I really enjoyed John Chamberlain's manipulation of car parts. It amazed me how he was able to band and paint the metal parts into intricate, aesthetic sculptures. I had no idea that car parts could be made into such interesting compositions and interventions. I also really enjoyed his use of color and the glossiness of it. Although Chamberlain's work interested me quite a bit, I would have to say that Robert Smithson's work was my favorite. His use of mirrors and natural materials, such as dirt or gravel were most intriguing. He seemed to have arranged the mirrors in such a way that it really captured the viewer's attention. My favorite of his pieces at the museum was "Atlantic." This piece really captured my attention. The glass could be seen as delicate and fragile, for it was arranged in a certain way, in upright postions, which resembled ice crystals. However, it could also be seen as dangerous and harmful, for broken glass is often seen as a treacherous interevention. It was not only interesting to think about, but was a visually fascinating piece as well.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed the trip to Dia: Beacon. I would definitely go back with a friend or family member to show just how interesting the artwork is. Although I was initially skeptical of the visit, it ended with satisfaction and enlightenment. After seeing it in person, I now have a greater appreciation for Conceptual Art, as well as some newly-favored Conceptual works and artists.

Poem Visualization: Book

Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!

Mary Frye (1932)

http://www.poetseers.org/contemporary_poets/mary


I chose this poem because it sheds a more uplifting light on the death of a loved one. Instead of sending a depressing message about how she will never be with her loved one again, the author tells that person not to grieve over her death. She illustrates how she will always be with her loved one very visually throughout the poem. It can also be seen as a very spiritual poem, for although the author has passed on, her spirit lives on in nature. I really love all of the visuals the poet uses throughout the poem. As I read the poem, I am able to visualize exactly what the poet is trying to say as she describes how her spirit has lived on.

What I decided to do for my book is to create it in the shape of a tombstone, for the poem is about death and mourning, or lack there of. Another reason I wanted to use a tombstone is because it contrasts the uplifting mood of the poem. I want to bind the bottom of the pages together with a type of vine that is weaved in and out. For the cover, i want to make the text look like an engraving, like that of a tombstone, with the title of the poem, etc. I want to emphasize and enlarge certain words throughout the poem, such as the words that are significant to the images, or such as the word "not" in the final line, "I am not there, I did not die!" I also want to use images of a weeping eye, blowing wind, glistening snow, and other imagery that is discussed in the poem.

Self-Visualization Concept

When I began brainstorming for this project, I was not so sure exactly what kinds of pictures I wanted to take of myself. However, the first thing that came to mind was my love of nature. I began thinking of what photographs I could use to express my love for my natural surroundings. Consequently, I began thinking of all the photographs I had previously taken, myself, of certain insects, as well as other photographs that I had friends take of me while I was holding a certain insect or creature. I never realized just how many photographs I have of me in these particular situations. My close friends know that I love moths, butterflies, praying mantices, caterpillars, etc. I am just intrigued by them. The only insects I don't like are pests, spiders, and several kinds of creepy-looking black beetles. Although I was not originally going to use a triptych idea, it ended up turning into one. I was initially going to use a photograph of me with a butterfly that hand landed on me when I went to a butterfly observatory. However, after I began working on my project and after I discovered more photographs on my memory card, I decided not to use an image of my face or whole body. I decided to simply use the photographs I took of the insects on my hand. For the backgrounds, I also decided to use my own photographs of grass and the sky, representing insects that mostly fly or mostly live on the ground.

I used both previous photographs from last summer or so, as well as more recent photographs to express my idea. I want the project to be a two-dimensional wall hanging, but I also want it to have some aspects of three-dimensionality. Therefore, i will make certain parts of the arrangement pop out, away from the entire piece itself. I'm not quite sure how I want to arrange the photographs or how I wish to edit them. However, i do know that I want the majority of the work I do to be in photoshop. I may not decide to use illustrator at all for this assignment. I want my project to represent my love for nature in a more intriguing, and less trite way than just looking at my collection of nature-embracing photographs.

Frida Khalo

Like Cindy Sherman, Frida Khalo also depicted herself in a lot of her artwork. However, Cindy Sherman depicted herself playing the roles of different women. Frida Khalo, on the other hand, painted self-portraits of herself. Another similartity that is evident with Frida Khalo is that she also portrayed the female figure and her role in society in her work. In this portrait, for example, she portrays herself wearing a dress that was typical attire for the women of her Mexican culture. Frida Khalo also uses a mizture of symbolism and realism in her artwork. Also, while Ciu Xiuwen and Cindy Sherman execute their work through photography and technology, Frida Khalo used oil paint. One more difference is that Frida Khalo expressed her own suffering by including herself in her artwork. Therefore, Cindy Sherman's purpose to include herself in her art was different than that of Frida Khalo.

Cindy Sherman

Like Ciu Xiuwen's work, Cindy Sherman also expresses an interest in the role of women in society. However, instead of using models, Cindy Sherman uses herself to get her messages across. She plays the roles of various women from different times and different situations in her "Centerfolds" series of her untitled film stills. She also places an emphasis on the female figure by cropping herself so that she is the main focus of the piece. I personally enjoy Cindy Sherman's work, for she leaves her film stills open to interpretation. She does so by creating a certain kind of suspense due to the expression on her face while she is in the specific situation that she has placed herself in. Unlike Ciu Xiuwen's work, on the other hand, Cindy Sherman does not use any kind of digital manipulation in her pieces. Her photographs are more naturalistic and dramatic than the work of Ciu Xiuwen.

Cui Xiuwen

Cui Xiuwen's "Angel" works involve an innocent looking, thin, little Chinese girl with a straight hair cut and dark hair. Some of her works repeat this image of the girl, while others simply emphasize the one image of the girl. Cui Xiuwen's works have themes of maternity, motherhood, family, gender, and women in general. When I look at her "Angel" series, I see a very young and innocent looking pregnant girl. I believe the white dress she is wearing and the fairness of her skin suits the innocent tone of the piece. The poses that she is in are also often very soft poses with relaxed expressions on her face. I especially like this piece because the serenity of the girl is really captured and emphasized with the contrast of the scale of the girl with the background.

Illustrator Exercise

Photoshop Project #1

Exercise #1

Project #1 Photo

Cindy Sherman

I find Cindy Sherman's work to be very intriguing and unique. Like Hocks, Sherman also uses herself as the main character in her photography. She successfully plays the role of various characters in her film stills. This photograph is especially dramatic. Her work makes me really curious about how she arrived at her present state in the photograph. As is the case with Crewdson and Wall, Sherman's work is very open to individual interpretation.

Jeff Wall

Like Gregory Crewdson's work, Jeff Wall's photographs can also be open to interpretation. Before I knew what the composition was about, I was not really as interested in Wall's work as I was with the other artists. It was not until after I read about the context of his images that I was able to gain a real appreciation for his ideas. This image is actually my favorite. I especially enjoy it because Wall successfully captured a fleeting moment in nature and simultaneously showed how the people within the setting were influenced by that act of nature. It's also interesting because I don't even realize that the people are kind of in the middle of nowhere. The fact that the wind has affected them in such a dramatic way gives them a sense of belonging and connection to their designated environment.

Teun Hocks

Teun Hocks' work is very playful and dream-like. I really enjoy how he incorporates himself into his painted photographs as a sort of pitied, yet humorous character, as he is portrayed in this work. I also enjoy how he creates and paints the background that surrounds him, instead of using a photographic environment. Although Hocks always appears in a suit and tie, he never appears in the same kind of situation. He places himself in front of different landscapes and in different locations, which makes his work pretty intriguing. Each one of Hocks' works has something different to offer as a means of entertaining the viewer.

Gregory Crewdson

Gregory Crewdson's work all creates that common feeling of uneasiness or uncertainty. His photographs are usually characterized by cool, dreary colors and some area(s) that are emphasized by a sort of light source in the compostion. I especially enjoy his work that involves open car doors, such as this piece. It makes me wonder where the girl is coming from, if she is upset, or if the other passenger in the car is going to follow her out of the car. I enjoy how the viewer is left to interpret what he or she believes is going on in the photograph.

Inspired by Nature

This is one of my photographs from my favorite park that's right down the street from my house. I love being outside and being able to admire and photograph nature. I have so many pictures of the sky, butterflies, trees, and flowers. I am constantly fascinated with my natural surroundings. Nature is a beautiful entity that people often fail to recognize or appreciate.

"It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures."

-Vincent van Gogh