For this assignment (worth two stars), I had to make a group of post-it notes and reminders that would be on my character Ami‘s desk. To do this, I used a public domain image of a post-it note and Photoshop. The notes include a to-do list, a grocery list, a reminder, and a note from Ami’s roommate, Katiana.

Ami’s to-do list is pretty minimal. She has to shop for groceries, feed her cat, and practice for her upcoming performance on Saturday at the club. Her groceries include milk, eggs, cigarettes (she started smoking for the visual aesthetic, but quickly became addicted… She sites this as her worst mistake), and liquid bleach (maybe cleaning her bathroom, but perhaps something more sinister…). She wrote a reminder to herself about seeing her favorite movie, “Selma”, with her roommate on Tuesday. Her roommate also left her a note informing her of a party this upcoming Saturday. This could mean fun or danger (or, more likely, both).

Create A Warning Sign / Poster (3)

Warning! Texting while drozzy will cause concussion and trauma to face!

For this assignment (worth three stars), I had to create a poster for a favorite poem of mine. I chose “The Tyger” by William Blake. To do this, I used Photoshop, adding color to a public domain image of a tiger standing on a cliff. I then put a gradient in the background to represent a red sunset. Finally, I inserted the poem in a top layer.

This assignment (worth three stars) required me to create an image showing the contents of a bag belonging to my character, Folami Turay. To create this image I used Photoshop because I didn’t have access to all of Ami’s accessories.

As you can see, Ami likes to keep things simple. She keeps a few necessities in her simple black handbag. Though she wears makeup regularly, the only kind she takes on the go with her is her red lipstick. This looks great, especially when paired with her designer sunglasses on a hot summer day. A thick stack of cash from her lucrative nights at work stays on her person at all times. She smartly carries a Durex condom, making sure that she can have fun while staying safe. Her safety is also protected in part by a pocket knife that has come in handy more than a few nights when customers at her club get a little too passionate. She carries the keys to the club and along with her apartment key on a simple key ring. The final component of her inventory is her iPhone, which she uses to text friends, follow activism news on Twitter, listen to Angel Haze, and navigate her way through the bustling city.

As a roamer, Mack spends a lot of time wandering around the streets which means he carries a messenger bag with what he precieves are essenctial to his every day life.  Among those, the five that will always be there no matter the situation are:

Pocket Watch

Mack’s most prized possession is a pocket watch that was passed down to him and severed as a reminder of better times from the past.  The picture he carries in it of his son gives him small hope for a better future than the present he lives now.

Leather Gloves

The cold wind in Chicago could be the harshest on the hands.  Mack would always carry a pair of leather gloves to keep warm during the coldest winters, and also to prevent leaving finger prints.

Current Newspaper

The newspaper was Macks main way to keep in touch with his contacts.  Through wanted adds, personals and obituaries, carrying a news paper not only gave the impression of normality but also served as a way to send and receive hidden messages.

Pack of Smokes

Everyone has a vice, this just so happen to be Macks.

Camera

Mack was never one to rush, if he was given a job he would personally surveillance the area until he felt comfortable he knew enough to successful do what he needed.

Waited for the perfect timing to get my friends.

As you can see Ol Mick really likes his beer. Although he may be an alcoholic he also has a sense of humor with the Mcbooger joke and that he needs his gun. He also is showing that he has a heart because he wants to see his kid.

I added the audio to emphasize the fact that he really likes beer.

For my last visual assignment of the week, I chose one called “Newspaper Blackout Poetry.” It was worth 3 points. Here’s the link to the assignment: http://assignments.ds106.us/assignments/newspaper-blackout-poetry/

When I first saw this assignment, I knew I would want to complete it for this week. So, I picked up the New York Times from the lobby of my dorm. As I brought it back to my room, I realized that the print was extremely small! I went back and looked at the instructions for the assignment and thankfully saw that it was an option to make a picture out of the newspaper. Although my idea is pretty abstract, I think it could be seen in a lot of different views depending upon who is looking at it.

My original idea was to draw an arm filled with words that would tell some type of a story (kind of like a tattoo). But in this paper, there was a big article about Apple vs. Microsoft that caught my eye. There was a large chart on it that consisted of jagged lines. So, I drew the outline of an arm surrounding the blue data line. I kept one word from the title which was “Overtaking.” When I finished blocking everything else out I was very surprised to actually see something really cool. Since I had the background of knowing that this was an article about electronics and how two companies are growing and competing more than they ever have in history, my meaning behind this is probably very different than someone else’s.

I see what I created as a depiction of what is happening to our society. I see the data charts about growing electronics representing the veins in this arm. And as we all know, our veins are essential to our life. With a title like “Overtaking,” I can’t help but think that we as a society are now running off of technology like we cannot survive without it.

This background fits perfectly with The Road Not Taken because the poem is about taken a road that most people would not. When I saw this picture I thought it fit because I could imagine a creepy gas station attendant back down the road a little bit telling every passer which road is easier or safer to go down. The decision one would have to make is if they should take the road less traveled or the road the gas station attendant said not to go down.