Mall Project

Week 5:
Most people go through life not paying attention to what is going on around them. You are not most people. As an artist you should be constantly observing and seeing what is happening around you, even in the most mundane boring places such as a mall. This takes practice. You have to be able to find inspiration and ideas anywhere. Sometimes the most interesting things happen in everyday places. 

For this project you will visit the Santa Anita Mall. Spend at least an hour looking at things not as a shopper but as an artist. Take notes, pictures, do sketches.

Pay attention to these things:
* Color
* Patterns
* Textures
* Smells
* Sounds
* People in the mall (shoppers and workers). Ask yourself what are they doing? Why are they there? Do they look happy, sad, tense etc.?
* Merchandise. Ask yourself what are they selling? Why? Compare merchandise between the different stores. How it is made? Where does it come from? What do you like about it? Not like about it? Are people buying it? Would you buy it?
* Look for unusual objects, things that are out of place (like the bird)
* What are the different stores in the mall?
* Look at the ceilings, the layout of the mall, the floors, the walls.
* How do you feel in each place?

This list is just a beginning point Act like you are an investigator / detective. Your goal is to make a personal cultural statement about the American Mall using at least one visual metaphor.  Keep this in the back of your head while you are observing. 

Week 6:
For week 6 you should have read the visual metaphor handout. We will discuss visual metaphor in more detail in class.  You will be presenting your notes, sketches, photos, and ideas to the class.

Bring materials to work in class. We will be developing our concepts in class. Be prepared to brainstorm. Your goal is to have a final concept by the end of class.

Week 7:
Work in class on the final project.

Week 8:
Final Project Due. I expect a higher level of finish on this project.