Saturday, May 14, 2011

A Letter to Future Seeing Sideways Students

Dear Possible Seeing Sideways Students,
Greetings! I have just completed the experience that is Seeing Sideways. I say experience, because that's what it truly is. Calling it a class, does not do it justice.
We faced our fears, shared our passions and dreams, created some awesome things and had a lot of fun. It wasn't all just a bunch of goofing off though. We really grew as individuals and as a class. The first few classes, we didn't know what to expect. We would raise our hands if we had a question or something to say. We were pretty quiet and mild mannered. Beth was the teacher and the ultimate authority.
The last few weeks, you wouldn't even know we were the same class. We spoke when we wanted to and were eager to present our projects. We were loud and uproarious. Beth was merely an observer and sometimes a participant in what had become OUR class. We had literally become different people. Better, more creative people.
I wasn't too sure about Beth and this class when I first arrived. Some of you will be just as skeptical I am sure. My best advice to you: Trust that this class does have the power to enhance your creativity and help you produce some awesome things. All you have to do is let go of what is holding you back and embrace it.
This class has really shaped me into a different creative individual. My original capstone idea was tossed out the window and replaced with a handful of much better ideas. I stepped out of my comfort zone and did things I have never done. I built a bookcase for crying out loud! Never, in my life, have I ever built something out of wood and nails... But it was honestly one of the coolest things I have done.
Classes that I take from this point on will be approached with a very different mindset. Projects will be warped and twisted into something that interests me and keeps my creative juices pumping. This class, without trying to sound like a brown-nosing, ass-kissing, suck up, is a must take class for New Media students.
It's hard to explain what the class entails, what you should expect, or what you will gain from this class; You just have to take it for yourself. I can promise you this one thing: You WILL get something out of it and you WILL be glad you signed up for it.
-Helmet

Sunday, May 1, 2011

N385 - Seeing Sideways - Research Project

For my research project, I decided to read up on one of my favorite writers, Edgar Allan Poe.

I myself, really enjoy reading and writing and my style if influenced tremendously by Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, and H.P. Lovecraft. I think what I like about them is their ability to write about the odd or the weird or the mundane and make them absolutely terrifying and interesting.

I already knew quite a bit about Poe, but I did some more research and reread some of my favorite pieces by him. I then decided to make a poster in Photoshop that would tell anyone looking at it quite a bit about Poe at a glance. Furthermore, I tried to do so in a style that was Poe-esque so that people could get a feel for his niche and possible become intrigued.

Quotes used in the poster can be found in the following works:
The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe
The Bells, by Edgar Allan Poe
The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe
The Pit and the Pendulum, by Edgar Allan Poe
The Masque of the Red Death, by Edgar Allan Poe

Research sources I used were the following:
http://www.eapoe.org/
http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php
http://www.nps.gov/edal/index.htm
http://worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n79-29745