Saul Bass

Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996) was an American graphic designer and filmmaker, perhaps best known for his design of film posters and motion picture title sequences.





I am not sure of my feelings on this piece. I mean, I think they all send a message of freedom from war, the woman and the balloons could be celebrating her man coming home. The stick man looks dead, so there is sorrow in this one, but the number of  lives he saved by sacrificing his own is phenomenal. The man and woman running to hug are rejoicing which always a happy sight. The face with the tear must be grieving for someone, this could be a husband or wife or even child if they have any. The lower part of the body holding a broken sword is a sad but realistic part of war, men coming home with their lives but broken and disabled. The sun shade with the broken arm on and another hand pulling it down, is showing the men in hospital getting better. The birds are a nice finishing touch. Freedom. 

 

 

 

 

 

This image is different to the ones above, at first I thought Bass was a better man than this. I really don't like designers that objectify women this, this is of only the lower part of a woman's body. At least Bass has enough respect that he shows the woman crossed legged. It's either that or it's a abstract picture of the number four.

Sandy Skoglund

 

Skoglund creates surrealist images by building elaborate sets or tableaux, furnishing them with carefully selected colored furniture and other objects, a process of which takes her months to complete. Finally, she photographs the set, complete with actors. The works are characterized by an overwhelming amount of one object and either bright, contrasting colors or a monochromatic color scheme.

 

 

 



This image is strange because since when do you see goldfish floating around the room.
Although because we can see two youngsters, one awake and one asleep, we think this is
just a dream either of them are having. Now the one sleeping seems to like them or the fish
like him, because one is snuggled up to him. I can't see properly because of the angle, but
the boy that is awake, seems to be holding one of the fishes but doesn't look alive. He could
have dreamed that he killed it, we take the body language into account which suggests to me
that he's sad about killing it, so he could have done it by pure accident or intentionally, I think
it more likely to be intentional, because he is right next to the shadows. But this could be out of
fear, he may not like fish, and so they scare him, he feels the need to protect himself.




 

This image is interesting because it reminds me of us humans. At some point in our lives we take something that isn't ours to take, in fact thousands do it everyday. By not giving to charity for example, we take people's lives. I am not saying that the whole fox species is like this but is frequently seen that way. Red is also a sign of danger, a thief, goes with the saying 'caught red handed'.

Gregory Crewdson

Gregory Crewdson was born on September 26, 1962 and is an American photographer who is best known for elaborately staged scenes of American homes and neighborhoods.











This image is interesting because, this guy looks like he's dead, as if he has no life, it's all dark in the room he's in where as in the kitchen where who I assume is his wife, there is light and light represents life, and she seems to have plenty of it. He has a spotlight on him and I think it's tinted with a blue gel, again blue in my books represents hope, so maybe there's hope that he'll go into the light, he could help his wife do the dishes or help do something. But then we see the pillows and covers on the sofa, this makes me think that the wife and him are not getting along as they should. In her mind he's an old, grumpy, self centered man, she remembers the man she married and smiles. But maybe that's what the blue spotlight means, hope that the younger personality can be brought back.

 
At first gaze this looks like a happy image, and it may still be, but I can't ignore the boy just laying there, the wheather doesn't look that great, although the spotlight looks like a sun, it isn't really shining on the boy, only on the two parents and unborn baby. Now I understand the message. It's a typical older sibling getting the wrong impression that his parents don't care about him because of the new baby. Although those feeling could be true in this picture, as the parents aren't even looking at the boy, they aren't worried, they don't make a move to check on him, they only look as if they care about the baby.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman has built a name as one of the most respected photographers of the late twentieth century. Although, the majority of her photographs are pictures of her, however, these photographs are most definitely not self-portraits. Rather, Sherman uses herself as a vehicle for commentary on a variety of issues of the modern world: the role of the woman, the role of the artist and many more. It is through these ambiguous and eclectic photographs that Sherman has developed a distinct signature style. Through a number of different series of works, Sherman has raised challenging and important questions about the role and representation of women in society, the media and the nature of the creation of art.

 

 

This photo is nice, the make up is nice, and the
background colour matches the lipstick and her eyes
although it looks lovely, I don't think that jacket is the
right one for this photo, but then it must have been
the fashion back then.

 

I like this one because it shows she's not afraid
to show that even older women are beautiful, whether
this is real or Cindy's art work with make up is irrelevant.

 

These photos were completely Cindy's work, she did everything, for the lighting to the make up. I must say though she looks much prettier in the normal picture at the top.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Jeff Wall

Jeffrey Wall, who prefers Jeff , has had these honours presented to him through the years: OC, RSA. He was born September 29, 1946and is a Canadian artist best known for his large-scale back-lit cibachrome photographs and art history writing. Wall has been a key figure in Vancouver's art scene since the early-1970s. Early in his career, he helped define the Vancouver School and he has published essays on the work of his colleagues and fellow Vancouverites Rodney Graham, Ken Lum and Ian Wallace. His photographic tableaux often take Vancouver's mixture of natural beauty, urban decay and postmodern and industrial featurelessness as their backdrop.

These two pieces are very much alike, that is because Wall took inspiration from it, both look rather hectic. Although there are no people in the left image there are certain simularities, the bed for example, and the wrecked room.  

In this image is cluttered room, filled with a bed, various pieces of clothes, a draw/cuboard, broken window and door etc. Everything has been broken and isn't usable, but other than that, there isn't anything happening in the image. examining the clothes, the photo has been taken in a room or studio set. I would have to date this picture very roughly at 1960's-70's, it also seems to be summer according to the clothes, they also belong to a lady. The moment this photo is clear, there are a few possiblilites: after a robbery, after a very angered woman or gentleman tore the place up, or someone had a serious fight. The focal point would be the bed. The image uses natural and artifical lighting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These do pretty much the same as above, just different sets. They are similar because of the guy in both, the lady is behind a bar, there is a mirror behind this lady.

This image doesn't really interrest me much. In it is a lady and gentleman, the lady looks bored and expectant, the gentleman seems to be waiting. This is some sort shop or studio that has been made a shell, from the way the two people are dressed and the camera they have used I would think this photo was taken around 1878-1929, but in that time colour photos weren't avaliable, so the models' fashion and the camera are intended, so to be honest, I can't place a date on this image. The main focal point is the lady, although there are many: the camera, the gentleman, the lights. Well firstly, in whatever date this photo was taken they didn't have health and safety or they don't bother sticking to the rules, secondly, the image uses unity, where the lady, the camera amd the gentleman are sort of at equal distances apart. The lighting seems to be only ambient, the light bulbs we see are the only lighting, I think, becuase there is no natural light through the windows because it's night and dark.