COMPUTER ART“War Letters” Part 2

What is a “combat artist” and why would the Armed Forces send artists to war as soldiers and artists both?(artwork courtesy USMC combat artist CWO2 Michael Fay)

http://www.pbs.org/theydrewfire/resources/artists.html

symbolism• Communicating through imagery…

• The use of symbols can be broken down into three specific areas…– signs– symbols– icons

What is a sign?• A sign is an image or a symbol specifically

created to express a known meaning without words.

• Signs are designed to convey complex information or concepts in simple or fast ways.

What is an icon?• An icon is an image that actually looks like

the objects they are supposed to represent.

What is a symbol?• Something that on the surface is its literal self but which

also has another meaning or even several meanings. For example, a sword may be a sword and also symbolize justice.

• A symbol may be said to embody an idea.

• There are two general types of symbols: – Universal symbols that embody universally recognizable meanings

wherever used, such as light to symbolize knowledge, a skull to symbolize death, etc.

– Constructed symbols that are given meaning by the way an author uses them such as the white whale becomes a symbol of evil in Moby Dick.

What is a symbol?

What is symbolism?• The creation of meaning or… • the expression of ideas (telling a story) through

the use of symbols, signs or icons instead of words.

Is symbolism universal?

Do the symbols at left seem universal in their meanings?Could anyone understand

them?

Symbols and their interpretation can vary from region to region, culture to culture and especially

from time/era to time/era.

• Most people (we assume) would recognize these symbols, and what they stand for.

• However…– Would people in non-industrialized countries recognize these

symbols?

– Will people in a thousand years, digging up the remains of the empire of “Usa”, recognize what these symbols mean?

POP QUIZ• What are the following – sign, symbol or icon?

POP QUIZ• What are the following – sign, symbol or icon?

• Sign • Icon • Symbol • Sign

• Sign • Sign • Icon

Illustration Assignment #2• War Letters.• Read through the selected pile of letter provided.

– Both provided in class and on the website provided later in this presentation…

• Select a letter that you feel moved or inspired by.– 5 good sketches…– Each with focal point, balance and good use of

negative space…• If you have a war letter from a family member, you may

use that.– This would count as extra credit…

Revolutionary War1775 - 1782

War of 1812 1812-1813

Civil War 1861 - 1865

Mexican American War 1846 - 1848

Illustration Assignment #2• War Letters.

• Your starting point for this assignment will be a letter home written by a United States soldier.

• http://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection/battlelines/index_good.html– The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

• http://www.war-letters.com/ – War Letters Archive

• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/warletters/– American Experience: War Letters

World War 1 1915 - 1918

Spanish American War 1899

Illustration Assignment #2• War Letters.

• Create an image starting with a photograph (or photographs) that includes a United States soldier.

• For this project you may find a photo from the internet – as long as your source file is at least 7 inches across.

– If you have a photo/letter of a family member from one of the time periods of conflict to use, it will count as extra credit.

Korea 1950 - 1953

World War 2 1941 - 1945

Illustration Assignment #2• War Letters.

• You must select a soldier/image from the same war as your letter.

• The image does not need to be a combat photo, simply a photograph taken during the duration of the conflict. The soldier need never have actually seen combat.

Grenada 1983

Viet Nam 1965 - 1973

Your approach…• What will you do?

• Subject matter, attitude and approach to the problem are all yours however…– You must deal with the idea of the soldier (as a warrior, a human

being and/or a citizen), not politics, politicians or civilians.

• You MUST create an image that captures the mood/feeling or embodies the text and meaning of the letter…

– Or is directly inspired by the content of the letter.

• REMEMBER…– Use the design analog sheets you created to help

“interpret” the letter as reference.

Persian Gulf War 1990(Operation Desert Storm)

Panama 1989

Your approach…• What will you do?

• Subject matter, attitude and approach to the problem are all yours however…

• You may deal with the impact that war has on the individual and his/her life (and the lives of those around them).

• You may choose to deal with the concept of the American Soldier and what he/she stands for (what does the American Soldier stand for?)

– or the concept of war as it applies to or affects the American Soldier.

– REMEMBER…• You are interpreting your letter, not necessarily creating an illustration that expresses YOUR feelings.

Somalia 1992 - 1994

Kosovo 1995-1996

Beirut 1983

Warning…• Please be advised…• If you do a Google image search for soldiers or

a Google web search for topics as open and vague as soldiers or war and photographs, some websites may contain VERY strong content and disturbing images of war and casualty related images.

• Keep your image and web searches SPECIFIC, especially if you have a weak stomach.

Afghanistan 2001 - present

Iraq War 2003 - present

In addition…• Please be advised…• Remember what we discussed as far as

copyright issues and “fair use” are concerned.

• Also, please remember, when asking permission to use an image (or part of an image in your artwork) – use proper internet safety protocols as discussed in class!

War Letters…• Some examples of “military” art…