The Extensions of Man

 A gun is the extension of a man's hand. Gunpowder, introduced by the Chinese, brought about tremendous change leading to the development of the weapon. The gun was first created for military purposes. However, this has changed and guns are now used as protection. For example, frequent use of gun violence is frequently broadcasted on the news. Thanks to people's inability to defend themselves the old-fashioned way, many people's lives are lost unnecessarily.
















The printing press is an extension of man's brain. I say this because of the opportunity the printing press changed media and advertising forever. It not only made it simple to produce copies of books, but it gave more people to become literate because the printing press made books affordable. It also lead to the start of faster production of newspaper and later magazines. As the printing press developed, so did images inside books. Images were no longer drawn and painting, but printed as well. The development of this invention was historical. It shows how an idea can translate into well used machinery that leads to a starting point for more to come.

Manipulated Images

 “Photoshopping” has become one become popular in our culture whether it is for one’s own personal pleasure or in a mass medium (such as a magazine).  In the image to the right we seen many things happening, many which appear to be outrageous and bizarre. In the photo is a UFO flying by a blimp over an old ship from Canada and a woman fifty feet-tall, all being watched by a dolphin. This image has indeed been “photoshopped.”

In the image, all the objects were pasted to fit the image. Between the boat and the blimp there is a distinguishable difference between a light and dark sky, and using the lasso tool the bottom of the boat was used to make it appear that the boat is on the water and adds a bit of realism. The woman in the middle of the picture was also pasted in the lasso tool was used to remove her legs and appear that she was standing in the difference. However, the dolphin, the UFO and blimp were simply pasted into the image. 

In the next image we see that a man holding a rifle has stopped a man and told him to put his hands up and freeze. When analyzing how the image was originally, the man with the rifle appears to have been hunting by how his he aims towards the sky. The nude man’s torso was added to the photo. The picture of the man was also cloned so that his rifle is not overlapped by the nude man’s hand. Then the lasso tool is used to get rid of parts not needed in the image. Along with the nude man’s torso, legs were also added below the waist so that it looks more realistic.

Type and Contrast

This layout is very busy. It contains an all black background with neon colored stars, music symbols and lightning bolts. Not only is the background the problem but the typeface is also a problem. The type face is the same color as the lightning bolts and stars and is difficult to read. The only thing that stands out on this page is the music player. Sadly, it does not suit the page because it seems to be misplaced, and could’ve been a different color.  

This layout is well constructed and organized. Unlike the other layout, the background of this layout contains just one color (blue) and varies in the tint. The different tint forms the rays of the sun in the background. The text is also contained inside its own box so that the background does not interfere with the type, making it legible.   

Concept Themes

Warmth

Shock Value

Mischief

Human Element

Obscurity

Caprice

Nostalgia 

Practicality

Variety

Vector V. Bitmap (Raster)

Google Search

Two types of images appear throughout our lives daily, but we never take the chance to stop and think about the image. Well there are two different types of images, Vector and Bitmap (or Raster) images. To some there are no noticeable difference, but the realty is that there are many. Looking at the example below we can see how the raster image includes defined pixels, while the vector image does not have the same issue.

Google Search

DryIcons.com

The two images displayed are vector images. I thought it would be better to display based from realism and another that uses more digital enhancement. Vectors are any scalable shapes—line, objects, and fills—that keeps their proportions and quality when sized up or down. Both images use these objects. For example, the the first image uses heavy amounts of fill, and lines to contain the fill—which are used in the first image to give the basketball player shading. 

Bitmap, or raster, images consists of pixel information, where every pixel is assigned a RGB or CMYK value. This can create smoother and more detailed images for photos and paintings. However, when scaled appear distorted. The first image serves as the perfect of how distorted raster images can become. The second is the normal appearance of a bitmap image at its normal size. Although bitmap images are resolution dependent, they can handle effects easier that vector images can.

Let me tell you my type...

Typography, although it seems very dull and an unusual art to some, is the extension of all design, and typefaces give a design a mood/atmosphere. A film that helped me reach this conclusion was the film Helvetica—a full length documentary about the typeface we commonly see and have not acknowledged, Helvetica.

Helvetica was developed by Max Meidinger in Switzerland in 1957 (Typophile). It has been fifty-three years, and yet, the simple and clear-cut typeface is found quite often. Living in New York all my life, I never thought about the typeface used in all the public transit signs. Helvetica has become the common typeface used by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), who seems to have adopted it. In the underground labyrinth or New York subway system, Helvetica directs you to your destination with its simple and legible style. 

The lack of décor and complexity of helvetica helps provide some companies with a level of prestige, such as  American Airlines, and BMW, whom have used the typeface in their logos. Other companies, such as The North Face and Panasonic, also take advantage of Its simplicity by providing a direct and neutral feel. The consumers of some of these BMW, for example, may be higher middle-class and therefore the no frills and less creative aspect of the typeface help appeal to that type of customer. On the other hand, companies, such as Panasonic, target the masses through helvetica's simple, direct, and neutral style. 

Little do we know, Helvetica is very common and one of my personal favorites. It appears at street corners, our favorite retail departments, and throughout daily life. With its many ways to type are the many ways to communicate and convey a message. Using helvetica is a bit more aesthetically pleasing than the average typeface.

The Importance of a Home Cooked Meal

Fired cheese, salami,
and Mangu (mashed plantains) 

Let me start by saying that I am a “mama’s boy.” Being here at Quinnipiac University makes me not only think about how much I miss her, but also how amazing her cooking is. Being at Quinnipiac, the only meal I looked forward to was a bacon cheeseburger and a snickers ice cream bar. She’d call everyday wondering how things were and ask what I was eating. I’d smirk and say, “guess.” She was worried for me, but don’t get me wrong I tried cooking in commons (as a freshman), and I tried going to Spanish restaurants sophomore year. That’s when I realized there is nothing better than Mami’s rice and beans or platanos (plantains) and salami.

I can remember waking up early Sunday mornings, the smell of fried salami and cheese throughout the apartment, watching bits of oil burst out the pan as a new slices of salami or cheese were being replaced. I’d wait at the table salivating for the first bite of plantains. My father would soon sit by me as my mother shouted for my brother to come to the table for breakfast. It never seemed to get old. Every Sunday was mashed plantains (mangu) with cheese and salami, and till this day it never ceases to amaze me of how I haven’t gotten tired of the exact same meal every Sunday.

"La Bandera"

Unlike Sunday’s breakfast, Dinner was always a pleasant surprise followed by a special treat. Mami would turn on the kitchen television, switched it to her favorite soap opera, and was off to making magic on the stove. Before mami could call for us, we were already gathering around the table in anticipation. The result was Dominican Republic’s traditional dish named “la bandera” which included rice, beans, plantains, salad, and meat. Once we devoured dinner, we were ready for dessert, flan (custard).

Well after dessert was done, we talked and shared how each of our days went. This sometimes led to enlightening advice or heated debates, but bonding nonetheless.  The home cooked meals led to the bonding, which instilled strong family values and lessons to carry on as life progresses.