Exercise 2: Figure / Ground - Letter Forms

Exercise 2: Figure / Ground - Circle Forms

Exercise 2: Figure / Ground - Rectangle Forms

Exercise 1: Magazine Page Modification and Interpretation

I like this particular image just because it sort of symbolizes the essence of what it means to be "successful". Whether it be what kind of clothes you're wearing or the object you use, which in this context is the cigar, it represents the whole idea of this refined man, who in his free time likes to smoke for a while and drink scotch on the rocks. In reality however, this image of that man only depends if he decides the smoke the cigar. If he does not, he is just pretending, but if he does then you see him as this sort of gentleman. How can you really tell though? Is what this image also pushes, if someone wants to just look good and mess around with having a particular rustic style, then they should be allowed to do so regardless if they smoke it or not. I mean does it hurt anyone? Or is it really hurting them. Looking into this one can assume that this man is trying too hard, to be someone of great importance, and this cigar is as much as a crutch, as it is an addiction for some people. His addiction, is looking good, which I dont think is good, especially when you consider how much it could cost him in the end.





My edited version sort of emphasizes the pointlessness of that image, or mask he is trying so hard to wear. By making it humorous and switching around the content of the words, you essentially can change everything about the image and what the man was previously trying to accomplish. His hair, is covered with pointless chatter, which is an analogy to how his mind must be running all the time with these delusions of grandeur, his form is only held for so long while he battles it out inside himself on whether or not he "looks good". But what is looking good? If you cannot feel comfortable with yourself and what is on the outside, that you have to mask it with fancy cigars and expensive sunglasses. Why cant you just LOOK good? but not look GOOD. The text plays into this fact that its all just a mind game, hes constantly running around trying to be this person so he never has to come into that conflict of his own ego. It goes through him like a bullet, and kills the other half of him that would rather be fine with who he is. Now, he has to force this refined character out in order to be a better man. It all doesn't matter in the end however. IT.