The New Face of Art

We often think of medical procedures as a factor in its own field. But when considering cosmetic surgery, we can say there is something awfully artistic about it. The way a surgeon can reconstruct person’s face or body denotes a certain skill few poses. In Connie Culp’s case, she received a devastating shotgun blast to the face by her husband September 2004. Miraculously, she survived the horrific ordeal but now faced a new one. The life altering wound shattered her cheek, jaw and nose. A plastic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Risal Djohan, got a look at her injuries and soon began to pondered if there was anything that could be done. Facial reconstruction seemed like the ultimate solution. Cosmetic surgery, at this level, would require an in-depth understanding of the human anatomy and all its inner functions. I also think cosmetic surgery and other procedures like it require an artistic eye.
The medical team at Cleveland Clinic had a daunting task: how do you go about making the first facial transplant in America a success? On December 10, 2008, the 11medical team members took 22hours to complete the surgery. This is the fourth successful face transplant in the world, though this was by far the most extensive one. Before the operation ,Connie was disfigured and very self-conscious about the way she looked. When Connie told her story to a reporter, she talked about an incident when she had heard a child tell her mother that monsters really existed. I think the surgeons did an exceptional job reattaching all the nerves and muscles to Connie’s face.
Many plastic surgeons and Dr. Risal Djohan included, are trained in the art of constructing beauty. Like the many artist in the past, such as Leonardo da Vinci, surgeons mast have an understanding of the human body and all its parts. They must also have an artistic sense of what is anatomically correct and what is esthetically pleasing as well. There are several examples of such procedures. Breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, liposuction, and many more. Recently, some men have undergone some not so conventional procedures like pectoral implants and calve implants. All cosmetic surgery, like the above mentioned, are forms of body modification or body art, but behind these modifications are skilled professionals with bountiful knowledge of the human body.
When I was in elementary school, I had a friend that was born with a hare lip. She was teased and ridiculed for being different; the other children were relentless. During the summer break, she had surgery to correct the hare lip. When she went back to class, she appeared to be a new person and the other children’s responses were contradictory. Body modifications and processes that are similar, requires a cosmetic surgeon to delve into their artistic talents, whether they believe they posses them or not. In Connie Culps situation, the medical team at the Chicago Clinic gave a woman a new face and peace of mind. The same could be said for many other people that seek out cosmetic surgery. In my friend’s case, it made her feel like a normal person.

No Amnesty For Torturers

Throughout history, many countries and civilizations have employed torture on war captives. They used inhumane methods of intense interrogation to get information by any means necessary. But in “civilized” times, some may see the act of torture as a primitive and barbaric method of intelligence gathering from prisoners of war. There should be no amnesty for torturers and those who permitted the act, even those in the top ranks. In recent news, several torture related documents have come under public and judiciary scrutiny. The memos included torture methods that were not considered torture because they left no long term psychological effects. The culprits were United States appointed agents who, according to their statements, were just following orders. These acts of torture were not disclosed to the public until 2009.
The lawyers made it clear that these tactics would not mortally injure the prisoners or leave permanent psychological harm. Vanity Fairs columnist, Christopher Hitchens offered to demonstrate the act of water boarding on himself; he didn‘t last thirty seconds. The memos in question were concocted by the Bush administration’s lawyers which set guidelines for considering what the nature of torture is and what are intensive interrogations. If said methods did in fact divulge vital information, the act was still barbaric. They employed water boarding on 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed 183 times and 83 times against Abu Zubaydah, another Al Qaeda figure. Now, were they seeking vital information or was it payback? Neither of these options could condone the act.
The lawyers permitted these acts because we employ the same techniques on our own soldiers. For example, soldiers are water boarded to gain a resistance to torture methods of that sort. Another torture method they used was a low calorie intake diet. Which means they starved the prisoners just enough to break their will but not killing them out right. As more and more investigation is being done, the Senate Intelligence Committee is unraveling the case. They are discovering that there are very prominent figure heads behind this scheme like former Vice President Dick Cheney. They explained that these harsh tactics were justified to avert an other catastrophic event like September 11. But if these acts were done to protect the peoples, why were they kept in secrecy. There was obviously an air of mischief that was to be concealed from the American public and the world for that matter. The grand decision now rests on Attorney General Eric Holder’s shoulders and I , like many more who sympathize with my opinion, do believe this matter should not go without a full investigation. I also believe that no one is truly above the law and those who under mind justice should be subject to punishment like everybody else.

GROWING UP COMICS

As a kid, I remember my brother’s outstanding collection of comic books. I would spend my time browsing through the variety of styles art. There was only a few that really stood out from all the rest. These three comic series would inspire me to emulate the awe inspiring art of comic books. Predator and Aliens series. The three comic book series in particular were the Predator, Aliens and Swamp Thing.
The Aliens series was a series that inspired me greatly. It had a lot of gore, something that a seven year old kid could really be amazed by. The series went into more depth than the movies did. The first couple of books that came out had the human forces all ready fighting this menacing force [Aliens] and losing the battle. The series involved a lot of science fiction to it like: cloning, biomechanism, androids, high-tech weapons, and many others of that sort. I first saw the Aliens movie when I was seven, but nothing could compare to the graphic novels I was inspired by. The Predator series was one of my all time favorites. The Predator(s) were an ancient alien civilization of hunters that go around the galaxy and hunt other aliens. Like the Aliens series, the Predator books had a lot of gore and blood, something I really used in my later drawings. But the series that really inspired me was Swamp Thing.


Before I even saw the movies, I was astonished by the graphic novels. Other than the fact that my favorite color is green and he is green, I completely loved the fact that he could control vegetation. The art was inspiring as well. I took in a lot of the details and sought to incorporate that in my own style. Now, my style of illustration has taken a little bit of each; the blood, the gore, and tedious detail, to create my unique style that everyone seems to enjoy.

Risks Under the Needle

There are many people that sport tattoos; some are homemade and others are done in tattoo studios. A homemade tattoo is primarily done at an aspiring tattoo artist’s disclosed location. Many artist do from their homes, garages, or any other place that is not certified by a sanitary inspector. A vast number of people find that homemade tattoos differ in price, when you compare it to a shop’s price. Tattoo enthusiasts like the price difference. A simple three inch tattoo could cost anywhere from $60 to $120 at a tattoo parlor, whereas the same tattoo could cost you $30 at a home studio. There are certainly a couple of downsides. Most of the times, the artist are still beginners which greatly affects the quality of the work. There is also the high risk of infection from unsterilized equipment. I have heard countless stories of bad infections that were caused by less than sanitary conditions and equipment.

Professionally made tattoos are much better in a verity of ways. The quality of the work is guaranteed and the conditions are much better. The tattoo parlors have there own sterilizing machines and are much cleaner. They also have a wide range of images choose to from and a number of artist to get the job done. Another advantage is having several artist available; each has a distinct style and method of application. But the draw back is the prices, which can be very costly. With professional tattoo studios, you are guaranteed quality and cleanliness, yet people risk infection and a low quality job in exchange for a cheaper price. I have had a homemade tattoo done in the past, but I don’t think I will be going back to get the touch ups any time soon.

Australia’s Hazel Dooney

On an expedition to an art blog site, I came across a title that read Free Hazel Dooney Photograph and a picture of what appeared to be a very attractive looking model. She was wearing hot pink under, a white muscle shirt, and two straps with shotgun shells on her hip and around her chest. She was also holding a shotgun behind her head. I wanted to learn more about Hazel, so I went to her website and discovered that the model in the picture was her.

Hazel has many interesting works in her site, most of which depict women in sexy attire. Her works are very bold and have good detail. A lot the works she has appear to focus on sex and the beauty of the female body. She has uncovered a deep seeded reluctance to appreciate the art in sex and the nude body in Australia and the world. An Australian article, Australian Financial Review stated “Hazel Dooney walks the razor's edge between respect and celebrity in today's art world,” Her works have become very controversial, but are most wanted in a many exhibitions all over the world. Take a look at some of her works in her website.

Color v. Black ink

There are many ways to express a tattoo. Many people like colored ink and others like black ink. But which of the two is better? Tattoos done with black ink are the most traditional forms of tattooing. For example, tattoos done in tribal associations in the southern Pacific islands like: Samoa, Tahiti, and other Polynesian islands. These types of tattoos are very unique and, when done by a professional, can be very intricately crafted. Other reasons people prefer black ink tattoos are that they can be less costly than colored tattoos. Black ink tattoos can be very beautiful, but colored tattoos have more impact visually.

Colored tattoos tend to stand out more and appeal to many more tattoo enthusiasts. Though colored tattoos take a little longer to craft, the end result is a powerful expression of an individual’s personality transformed into art. Adding color to a black ink tattoo can help the highlights and shaded areas standout much more. Black ink tattoos are more traditional, but adding color can make your art much more prominent.

Radiology Art

There are many creatively new ways to express artistic creativity. An individual might find that there is art in unlikely places. The New York City artist, Satre Stulke, discovered the art in Radiology. I found a picture on an art blog called Radiology Art and a strange looking picture that read “The Inner Beauty of a Chicken MacNugget”. This immediately was called to my attention. At first it looked like jewelry lined with gold that sat inside a purple velvet box, but then I also saw the “inner beauty of the McNugget”.


Some people consider this as a curious look into the objects we use every day, but the use of scientific technology to take captivating images is ingenious. In a New York Times Article, the artist stated “This project is dedicated to the deeper visualization of various objects that hold unique cultural importance in modern society, this project intends to plant a seed of scientific creativity in the minds of all those inclined to participate”. He has done various CT scans of unlikely objects that divulge their inner beauty. Some of my favorite pictures were of the electronic devices like the electric shaver. It showed the inner workings of the shaver’s motor system and the various wires it has inside. See the inner beauty of the Chicken MacNugget and the electric shaver for yourself at his website Radiology Art

DC art vs. Marvel art

We all know that both Dc comics and Marvel have produced some of the world’s most famous fictitious characters like: Batman, Superman, Spiderman, the X-men, and so on. But which one is best in terms of esthetics? The Batman, Superman, and Spiderman are some of the oldest comic series around. Since their humble beginnings, they’ve produced a number of unique characters. Personally, I prefer Marvel Comic book for its variety of artistic styles the numerous artist have provided. One example is the famous graphic novel artist Todd McFarlane; who is best known for his famous comic book series “Spawn”. The plot was simple; an ex-covert operations solider was betrayed and then was sent to hell and reemerged to seek revenge. But, it was his art the really put the whole thing together. He, like many others, took comic books to a new fashion. His graphic novels are full of intricate detail; every page was a work of art. Coupled with gruesome gore and hard attitude, it was an instant success. Take a look at some of Todd McFarlane's work at Spawn.com.

Tattooing Mixes into Other Industries

The art of tattooing is probably one of the fastest growing industries within the art world. Due to the fact that tattooing has had much to do with the way people see art now, tattoos have affected many industries like clothing and television. Much more recently we have seen shows like Miami Ink and LA Ink that have been dedicated to popularizing this once taboo art form. The clothing industry has adopted the “style” of tattoo imagery to their designer logos as well. I recently went to the mall and saw that a lot of the shirts and jackets had a tattooing style to their images like Hurley and Quick Silver. Not too long ago, there was a series of clothing articles that had the sleeves “tatted up” in various forms and styles. Tattooing seems to be more prevalent now than it has been in past decades; this occurrence could be due to more and more business looking into and exploring the enormous capital possibilities of tattoos.

Art

The study and practice of art has inspired man throughout the ages. I will be analyzing and discussing all forms of art. Some examples are, but not limited to: Contemporary and Classical works, graphic novels, video game art, movie art, etc. There are many artists that have been recognized worldwide for their unique style and contribution, but few have inspired me in my style of art. For one example, the Spanish artist Salvador Dali has many incredible works. One of his famous works, The Persistence of Memory, is well known worldwide. In the last several decades, there has been a rise in new forms of art. Some examples include: comic books, video games, movie art, and body art. Two of my favorite forms of emerging art are those found in comic books and video games. Coincidentally, they are both gaining a lot of attention from an enormous institution, the movie industry. For example, the comic book series Hell Boy and, more recently, the video game Street Fighter. The art of those who have passed and still to pass will keep inspiring us for many years and many generations to come.