Electronics Assignment 10/18

Kevin Wagenheim

Dr. Roundtree

Art211

October 18, 2017

Skype

Skype is an instant messaging application that can be downloaded to many different devices. The app is mainly used for instant video sharing or video chatting. Since the software is available for many devices, people can talk to each other no matter what the device. Skype was initially released in 2003, and bought by Microsoft in 2011. In the current version, one can actually make phone calls and send text messages on devices that isn't a smartphone, like a desktop computer. 

The idea of video chatting could very easily be influenced by two inventions - the telephone and the camera. Phones can send one’s voice to another phone instantly through the phone lines we see on the street. The authors of Skype took the idea of the telephone one step further and made it possible to send our live images to another device. However, Skype works through the internet which is a little different than the phones. Skype can reach someone around the globe without having to pay long distance. Now, instead of just being able to share voices with one another, we can now communicate face to face. Skype can also function as a telephone to make voice calls using phone lines; so Skype is basically an upgraded telephone that is comparable with many devices, and can reach around the globe using the internet. Video chatting could also be connected to the camera. As devices became more and more equipped with cameras, and the front camera became a normal thing, it was only a matter of time that people were going to want to share live images. Instead of just taking a photo, we can call someone on Skype and instantly share our own image while seeing the other person’s. 

In the future, the idea of Skype and video chatting may also develop into a different invention. As cameras are developed stronger, and devices gain the ability to project images, maybe a virtual hologram chat could be made. Since there are devices that are projecting keyboards, I could see these projectors developing to be able to show a detailed portrait of someone live. Hologram chatting would be pretty realistic in my opinion. Another invention that could also come up is with the Virtual Reality (VR) headset game consoles. When these devices develop, maybe there will be a way we can use these VR goggles to enter a virtual room with someone, and have our own images projected into the room. Lots of amazing technologies could easily branch off of the original telephone, and inventions after it such as Skype. 

ASCII Art Assignment 10/18

Kevin Wagenheim

10/18

ASCII Art Assignment

When browsing through Chris' collection, I had to go right to the cartoon section. I found all the illustrations to be pretty funny and interesting. These images seem so simple to make, yet I know for a fact I could not sit there and carefully place characters like that. It would drive me up the wall! I have never looked through a collection like this one, but I remember making very small ones when I was into Instant Messaging software in grade school. These images are fun, and easy to share with friends.

When looking more into the collection, I noticed that some of the images were fully filled in with symbols, and some of them were just outlined using the symbols /,|, \, and (). I even found a few that were outlined, and then the next image was the same but filled in using a symbol. Some of the symbols were meaningful to the image as well. For example, there was a Micky Mouse image made of the letter M. I also ran into a calligram of a poem shaped into a dolphin, which I thought was pretty clever. 

In my Art 210 course, my instuctor shared a link with us that lead to a website of an ASCII art piece. Someone has an ongoing project to make a stop-motion ASCII art animation of the whole entire first Star Wars film. Every detail, including the setting and dialog is shown. It was pretty amazing to see that people are really into this art form I couldn't imagine the patience it must take to create a project so long and detailed. Then again, when its just made of text, copy and paste is a good tool to have. 

Animation Assignment 10/10

Kevin Wagenheim

Animation Assignment

10/10

For my flipbook assignment, I decided to use shapes and colors since my drawing skills are not the best. I attempted to make the beginning a shrinking rainbow circle. The circle then forms into a square that gets larger. It is then cut up into little squares. These squares then come back together to form another circle. Then, I had a wave like effect grow across the page, move then shrink back to a circle. I wish I had the time and skills to put a sped up slideshow, but my video of my animation being flipped through is the best I could currently do.  

Broadway Assignment 10/3

Kevin Wagenheim

Broadway Assignment

10/3


The first clip I found myself watching was the Fidler on the Roof's "To Life" (2016). I decided to watch this clip because I remember seeing this play preformed at one of my childhood schools. Within the first few seconds I realized they were not preforming on a stage. They were preforming at a parade on Thanksgiving. I thought this was really unique because they have people watching them from two sides instead of just one. So, the scene had to be manipulated a little bit to make sure both sides got a nice view. I also thought it was cool how the scene did not have many stage props and was on a green floor; however, the costumes and acting made the scene come to life.

The next show I found was City of Angels (2015). This one had a few more clips to watch so I was able to see a few different scenes as well as older and newer versions. What really surprised me about this show was how the story was actually two different stories in one - the stage was split. The story was about an author who was writing a novel indirectly about himself and his wife. So, the stage was split, one side for the author and his wife, the other side for his two story characters. They would basically be living the same lives, so they would incorporate songs together and I thought it was really clever. One of the clips I watched, the wives on both sides sung a song together, without even being in the same story. I just thought the idea was brilliant and it actually really worked out.

The last show I wanted to comment on was The Color Purple (2016). I thought these clips were really interesting because the story was actually a movie before the broadway show came out.  I watched the first clip and began thinking that it was like a broadway-movie mix. However, after reading the blog and looking at the remaining clips, I learned that it was a film turned into a broadway musical. I thought the costumes and settings were actually pretty close to the film. There were also pretty cool projections on the stage, and good dancing that the movie may not have shown. In my opinion, I probably would have liked the film a little more, but for people that are into broadway, this could be a good show to catch if you have seen The Color Purple.