Blog Entry #1

I suppose to some degree I have made art my whole life, even if I had trouble staying within the lines using crayons – it still proves to be difficult today. To be honest, this class scares me because I don't think of myself as artistic. Sure, I can make a few logos in Photoshop and I know my way around Lightwave, but that's basically the extent. I've never really liked drawing or painting, but I think that is because I've never been good at it. I guess practice makes perfect, and although perfect is probably out of the question for me, I hope to improve.

I learn the best through hearing things. The prototypical audio learner, I suppose. I usually remember things that are spoken but I have trouble remembering certain things I see. As for why I have decided to persue art academically, it's because I love 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, and animation. I can't get enough of it. My whole life I have spent more hours than healthy playing video games, and from that I draw inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration, games would be the chief source of that. To draw on a past (nerdy) experience, the first time I played Final Fantasy 7 and saw the intro cinematic, I knew that is what I wanted to do with my life. Since that time the video game industry has continued to grow and expand, seemingly in proportion with my urge to become apart of things.

I do not have very much experience with art, especially in my high school days. My high school had serious funding issues and art was a pay to participate type activity. I realize that if I was really into the idea of art I would have ponied up and paid for it, but I'm not. I can't lie and say I like to draw, but I will surely give it my best effort. I haven't really used any materials aside from Photoshop or Lightwave in the past 4 years, aside from an odd drawing here and there.

Movies, music, video games, comics, and to some extent, television are all considered art, in my opinion. The only one I have some trouble calling art would be television, especially with the low-budget reality television shows that have become popular as of late. Everyone can decide what art is, I think it's just what your opinion is. I don't get to decide, and quite frankly I'd rather leave that decision up to someone more qualified.

I don't really go to the movies very much and I don't keep up on news out of Hollywood, so I couldn't say what the best movie is that came out last year. However, last year I saw Requiem for a Dream for the first time, and it instantly became my favorite movie ever. As for an “art film” that I've seen, I'd have to say A Clockwork Orange fits the bill perfectly – very unique and owning a style of its own.

I'm not quite sure which CD is in my player at the moment, but rest assured it is a Pearl Jam CD. I've been to 6 of their concerts and have been a huge fan for as long as I can remember.