art essay and picture

1-Essay, 3-5 double-spaced pages.

2.  Introduction includes project description and thesis statement.

3.  Body, 3-5 discussion points that support your thesis statement.

4.  One interesting quotation, included.

5.  Close, restates thesis.

6.  Last page, 15-30 photos in a grid.

please look at example attached

Transformation Essay: Oil and Water

By Joe Thomas

Art 100 November 15, 2015

Reaction Essay

Introduction

My transformation project consists of 17 photographs of the process of semi-emulsified

colored water in canola oil as it separates and settles. I used blue and green as two separate

colors which then began to separate themselves and became more contrasting as the separation

continued, allowing both colors to be visible. The photographs were taken over time in a kitchen

in Flagstaff, Arizona. The background is subdued and blurred and a flashlight was shone through

the glass for both effect as well as the allowance of visibility. The photos were taken with a

Huawei smart phone camera using an Android operating system.

Thesis Statement

My photos reveal the sublime quality of an underappreciated and even, in these days

considered unhealthy, substance; oil. The different colors used as well as the light being shined

through help to add beauty and elegance to these otherwise mundane substances. The

photographs also show the inevitability of nature in the order of the universe and how all chaos

will eventually become order.

Colors

Since a clear glass was used this helped to make the substances within the glass more

visible to the viewer. A flashlight was also used as the source of the lights illuminating the

project. In the initial photographs, the mixture appears very dark, almost black, and had a very

unpleasant look overall. The colors were also very difficult to make out, even with the source of

light shining through. However, as the emulsification separated and the water began to weigh

down, the colors slowly became more apparent. The blues and the greens slowly became easier

to make out, which is one of the things I very much like about this transformation. The

transformation starts as unpleasant and ends as almost beautiful. The water is a jumble of

thoughts in a busy mind…slowly becoming ordered as thoughts become organized and

eventually reaching a state of serenity.

The Mundane

Another thing I enjoy about this particular transformation was its ability to make

mundane objects/substances look seemingly beautiful. A universally known fact is that oil and

water separates. In some cases it can create an unattractive look. People see it in their everyday

lives. When people cook, grease and water mix at the bottom of a pan. People also conjure up

images of oil spill wreaking havoc as the oil spreads on top of the water, even reaching the shore

in many cases. I’ve read that there’s enough potential wind energy moving across the earth’s

oceans to power all of humanity. This concept wreaks havoc on the notion that we should

continue to mine fossil resources that pollute our air, water, and soil. Though the translucent

beauty of the oil and water appear aesthetically pleasing, it also symbolizes destruction and

death.

Order of the Universe

This projects also helps to illustrate the very nature of the universe in a way. The idea that

all chaos will eventually become order is visible here. All planets in this universe began as

meaningless debris. In time, all of the chaos and disorder began to settle, and quite star systems

such as the one we live in now were formed. The galaxy itself is the result trillions of stars

having been settled. Even the human race will someday be extinct, and the species’ remains will

sink into the earth. Chaos must be created, just as the big bang agitated matter in the universe;

just as a spoon agitated water and oil in a small glass cup. But left alone, order will always win in

the end.

Conclusion

“All these moments will be lost in time like tears in rain”, is a quote uttered by a

character from the Ridley Scott film Blade Runner in 1982. This quote perfectly sums up the

idea of order, memories being chaos and agitation of the mind and the dissipation of said

memories being order, and how “in time” it will all come to pass. This project was very

interesting because it allowed me to see something lovely using an otherwise ugly medium. The

use of color was also interesting because of its clarity over time, beginning as a mess of darkness

and settling into two colors that overlap in a beautiful way. The project also helped me to indulge

the universe itself through something a cup full of water and oil.

Transformation Photos, below: