The Alternative Limb Project

Sophie de Oliveira Barata

The Alternative Limb project created by Sophie de Oliveira Barat provides realistic prosthetic limbs that blend with the body. They also do alternative-style limbs and take a lot of client’s ideas in consideration.

Sophie has a first class honours degree from the University of Arts London. She studied special effects prosthetic for film and TV. The kind of skills needed to do this work is: sculpting, graphics, paint and technology. The materials used for the various limbs are metal, silicone, colours, lights, lasers, mirrors, wood, jewels, bionic components, plastic painting.

Sophie also collaborates with other artists and technical people to produce the limbs for example IT experts, metalwork and woodwork, for example the alternative limb wooden arm. Sophie begins to make the prosthesis by taking colour readings and photographs. If the prosthesis is in direct contact with the skin, (e.g. finger, toe, partial foot or hand) a test piece will be made so that the prosthetist can check the fitting. If they are not happy with this, Sophie will make modifications and repeat the process. When everyone’s happy with the final piece the limb would be created.

I think the Limb Project is a great work of art. I think it’s extremely amazing how realistic they end up looking and how cool the alternative limbs turn out. I love the fact that they take the client’s design decisions in consideration and that they are really focused on the clients happiness. If I was to have a prosthesis made I would like an alternative limb like the stereo leg or the gadget arm because I think it looks really cool and could come in handy.

Reference: visited on 23/11/2014.

http://www.thealternativelimbproject.com/#

Wilkinson Eyre Architects

Gateshead Millennium Bridge

“The Gateshead Millennium Bridge was created in 2002 and designed by the company Wilkinson Eyre and structural engineer Gifford” according to the Wilkinson Eyre website. The bridge was designed across the River Tyne. It could not be too low near the water because it would obstruct the boats from crossing the river so the bridge moves for the boats. So the architect designed a curve on the bridge allowing it to open, making way for the boats to pass. The bridge was designed in a very modern way. The bridge has two curves, one forming the deck and the other supporting it.

The opening movement of the bridge is an innovative rotational movement that resembles a slowly opening eyelid. The deck extends to 105m crossing distance around 120m, which is enough to provide the required clearance above the water allowing plenty of space for boats. The modern design of the bridge has become the main attraction of the neighbourhood, they said in a short clip interview to BBC 2: “It has brought a whole different look to the area”. The bridge looks great at both day and night, but especially at night when the lights are turned on making it look more eye-catching and vibrant than ever.

In my opinion I think this bridge was cleverly done. The design idea that the architect came up with was so great and fit the area so much. I think the look of the bridge is really modern which makes the area look a lot nicer. I really like the fact that the architect took a lot of the surroundings into consideration when building the bridge and its design. I really like the curve that the bridge has I think I will probably come up with a bridge idea that has a curve because I think it makes the look of the area look beautiful.

Useful websites: visited on 17/11/2014.

http://www.wilkinsoneyre.com/projects/gateshead-millennium-bridge.aspx?category=bridges

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00chl6n

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateshead_Millennium_Bridge

Sony Bravia Adverts

My chosen advert is the Sony Bravia advert from 2007 which took place in Manhattan, New York City. It was made with stop frame animation and foam latex rabbits to advertise the colour quality in Sony televisions.

It took 3 weeks to create the adveted the rabbit’s animation in London and the rehearsal was in Brooklyn, New York. The giant rabbit at the end was made of fort with 40 animators and 2.5tons of plasticine. They tesam and wood covered with paint.

This is my favourite advert because you can clearly see they put a lot of effort and time into it and also because it looks interesting. The advert is really creative and fun.

I really like this shot because it starts off with one rabbit that soon develops into a lot more rabbits. I like the fact that the rabbit is first in an isolated place and then moves to the city which is a busy place with a lot more movement.

I also really like this shot because it shows how the rabbits have multiplied and continue to multiply throughout the video. It also shows the different variety of play-doh rabbits and their different movement positions.

 I like this last shot because it shows all the little rabbits turned into the big rabbit. I like this because it was interesting to see the development of the little rabbits. Also because the way the rabbit stands out from everything in the city making it the main attraction there.

Ari Mahardhika

This image is by an artist called Ari Mahardhika. He creates photo montages with him in different poses using a self-timer to take the pictures. He then edits the photos into one.

The setting of this image is in the middle of the street with lots of buildings around it. The image is located in a busy workplace city. There are roughly thirteen figures interacting with each other. The little figures look as if they are working together to climb up the bigger figure, they are thinking together to come up with a solution.

The composition of the image is set in a way that all the figures are together in a group form, the focus of the image is in the big figure of the man. The camera is positioned at eye level to show how the figures are climbing, this is a good effect to show things in our eyes perspective. There is depth to the photograph this is because there is life in the background with people, buildings and vehicles. The lighting in the photograph looks like natural light, the artist used the light from the background to the whole collage. The background has shadows but the figures are clearly lit with no shadows. I think he might have used only one light for the figures and no artificial light for the background.

I think the message the photographer is trying to send is that in life we need people and friends to help each other out in climbing the highest mountain and getting to the top he showed this in the background using the city life. I don’t think this is a portrait, the photographer is trying to show different identities between people.