Surrealism Project

For this project you are to create a surreal or dreamlike artwork. This could be inspired by your dreams, or something created from your imagination. You will be incorporating both meaningful symbols and random objects. So I want this project to have meaning and expression, as well as random coincidence. You will want to use all your tricks and tools you know to create a believable, creative, well-composed artwork.

This work must have:

• Size: 8 X 10, resolution 300
• At least ONE symbol from your dreams
• You
• A random object given to you by someone else
• At least ONE of the surrealist tricks:
  a. Double Images
  b. Placing 2 unlike objects together
  c. Scale change (size)
  d. Transforming objects
  e. Reversing natural laws
  

You will be graded on your CREATIVITY, COMPOSITION, CRAFTSMANSHIP, & COMPLETION.

TIPS & TRICKS

• Begin with something. Choose what you want to be the emphasis, your symbol, you etc. Choose the surreal rule you plan on using, for example; scale change. Begin your idea from there. As you add to your creativity, think about your composition as you go. It will be VERY EASY to get too crazy. Remember, sometimes less is more.
  
• Interaction is the key when creating work pieced together from many sources. If it looks like everything affects each other, then it will be believable. If things are at the wrong angle, the wrong size, the wrong mood, it will feel cut and paste and look silly.
  
• Use the internet to find tutorials for things you may want to have. Maybe you want it to be raining. Photoshop can make rain. Perhaps you want puddles or lightning, rainbows or bubbles, Photoshop can make each of these.
  
• Don’t be afraid to change your ideas. Sometimes during the creative process it becomes necessary to switch directions. If something is not working, then come up with something that will. However, don’t change your whole idea a day before the project is due either.

INTERNET IMAGES
I want these projects to be as creative and dreamlike as possible. I do not relish the thought of using images from the internet, this being a photo class, I expect you to go out and create photographs. However, I realize that there are many things, such as; elephants, prison, snow-capped-mountains etc. that may prove difficult to find and photograph in the greater phoenix area. So to allow for the highest amount of random, surreal, coincidence I am going to allow the use of images from the internet in your work. Having said this, I would like to also state that I do not want the use of internet images to take over and obscure your artwork. The photographs you take should be the main parts of your art. If you need to borrow SOME images, the following are the rules :

• 1 to 1 ratio. For every image you take from the internet you need to have a photo that you have taken yourself. A well done tutorial will also count in this ratio.
• Resolution must be large format. There will be NO PIXELATION ALLOWED.
• You can only use part of any given image
• You need to change or alter these images to make them unique to your artwork. No plagiarism please.
• You will need to turn in a document (word or jpg) that includes every image you use and their URL underneath. This will be turned in with your project at the end. There is an example in the outfolder.
  Any questions, ask me.

To restate the advice you gave to me to pass along to next years students:
Start with an idea. Be creative. Do not waste any time. Work hard.
This project should be a fun one. Enjoy. Do your best!