Cyborg project - rationale & self evaluation


Patryk Zarzycki

Cyborg- Rationale

For this assignment we had to produce an A3 photographic composition consisting of our own images or images found in the internet. The main theme of the project was a ‘Cyborg’ and we were supposed to present it from a utopian or dystopian viewpoint.  We were asked to consider all aspects of today’s technological development and all impacts that it has on people. The main aim of this module was to familiarize all students with popular programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom and also to have a look at current trends in image manipulation.
My initial idea for this project was to create a ‘Cyborg’ female as a symbol of today’s teenager absorbed by the world of computerization and the era of the internet. I decided to use my own photograph as I am not used to manipulate photographs of others. I can state that the manipulation process of this photograph had two main stages. First of all I strongly manipulated my photograph turning it into more ‘computer graphic-like’ image (e.g. smoothing skin, increasing contrast and tonal range , changing the ambient light to more controlled one-direction light using Photoshop tools such as ‘dodge & burn’ tool). Second stage of my manipulation process was a turning my model into a cyborg. To achieve it, I decided to use images from the Internet of car engines, electronic devices and ‘grunge’ textures. I built my ‘cyborg’ composition by pasting well considered elements in intentional parts of the body. I adapted all elements by changing their size, opacity, colours and tones. By applying masks on layers I had a full control of what I want to be visible in my composition.
The reason for my choice of the model was her attractiveness (presenting human aspiration to visual perfection) and also her body arrangement, especially her hands. When I first looked at this photograph, first thing I noticed were her hands and I knew that if I manipulate this images and turn it into a cyborg those hands will be a strong element in this composition. And I personally think that the black glove made with carbon texture and the blue ‘cyborg’ hand work pretty well.
In terms of interpretation my work presents an idea of Cyborg from dystopian point of view. The issue that I raised through my work is that computerization kills traditional ways of human activities and recreation and also leads to disappearance of interpersonal relationships and life values (e.g. disappearance of sentiments to physical objects (diaries, family albums), stronger confidence when chatting on facebook with mates and strangers).
By looking at my work we can see two cables sticking out from the models back. The first one (red) leads to slaved heart covered with steel. This portraits the fact that Internet, phones etc. became an inherent part of some people lives and technology is something they breathe in everyday. The second cable (green) looks like it has been broken for long time cutting of the connection with traditional aspects of life.
I am directing my final outcome mainly to young people as a reflective piece of work to show that life offers something more than what we see on screens of our computers. I don’t mean to present computer/technology as something completely bad but I just wanted to raise a problem of bad approach of those who sacrifice their lives for useless sitting behind the computer.

Final Outcome result & analysis

This is my final image for this module.






'Slaved heart' symbolising the computerization as the inherent part of today's existence.










Unconnected wire breaking the connection between the cyborg and 'non digitized' traditional items.

















Composition showing traditional aspects of life mostly forgotten by adolescents and probably moving towards disappearance for next generations.

Final Composition- Sketches

My initial idea for this project was to create a ‘Cyborg’ female as a symbol of today’s teenager absorbed/slaved by the world of computerization in the era of the internet.


These are my rough sketches as the experimentation of different compositions. My idea is to present a heart located externally from the cyborg, slaved and clasped by wires.


In the first sketch I wanted to show some kind of fight between a  wires and natural plants wrapping around the cyborg trying to get the its heart back.




The Second sketch is the one I prefer because it seems to be easier to achieve at the stage of photoshop editing. 
* By looking at this drawing we can see two cables sticking out from the models back. The first one (red) leads to slaved heart covered with steel. This portraits the fact that internet, phones etc. became an inherent part of some people lives and technology is something they breathe in everyday. The second cable (green) looks like it has been broken for long time cutting of the connection with traditional aspects of life.

My 'Cyborg' Female


Cyborg Manipulation Result


 These three images show the progress of process of my manipulation. The middle image shows the stage after placing all devics and adapting them to the lighting conditions in the image. The last image shows the final outcome after adding some extra light effects and a texture in the background to add some drama and make it look a little bit more 'grunge'.


materials
This image shows all materials that I used to create my final outcome. Instead of designing and bothering to make my own 'cyborg' devices I decided to use car engines from the internet.

*the main picture of a girl is my own photograph


This video is a short presentation of my my final image comparing it to the initial picture.


* link to this blog if viewed in PDF format - http://patrykzarzycki-photographicskillsb.blogspot.com/

First Sketches


First of all I've decided to draw some sketches to get an idea of initial compostion.


*My aim is to place some 'cyborg' electric devices underteath the skin. Secondly I will add some textures and patterns on the body to make it look unnatural.

Creating my own Cyborg female


I have decided to have a go and create my own cyborg female using of the portraits I took and manipulated in the past. Here I would like to show you the same image 'before and after' the post-production process. 




In some cases it quite often happens that I treat photo-editing like painting or drawing. I like to be in a full control of the whole image and making changes to whatever I want. I create artificial lighting, shadows, highlights and reflections to add some more plasticity and dynamism.I would not call it photography anymore because I think it links more to the computer graphics, nevertheless it still satisfies me to some extent.



The foregoing image shows two main steps to change the background. First of all I clicked on polygonal lasso and selected my model by clicking around it's hedges. Then by pressing ctrl + j (apple + j) I created a new layer containing selection only (the model) and this is how I separated my model from the unwanted background. Secondly I created another layer and placed it underneath the selection of the model ( see figure 2). Finally, using gradient tool I created my background. You can experiment with different colours and graduations.



This video shows how I work with lighting using dodge and burn tool in Photoshop. This is just for presentation and evidece purposes only. I took me seven minutes but I speeded the film up so it lasts 2:30. I'm sorry for a bad quality but at least it will load quickly on every computer.




*link to this blog if viewed in PDF format:   http://patrykzarzycki-photographicskillsb.blogspot.com/

This image will be my starting point. My aim is to create a cyborg out of this female.







Cyborg Photoshop Tutorials

1.Easy Cyborg in Photoshop



 http://www.devwebpro.com/easy-cyborg-in-photoshop/ 



2.Photoshop Tutorial: Create a stylish modern Cyborg
 


  http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutorials/?featureid=3252394&pn=1
  


3.Create Female Cyborg in Photoshop



http://www.icanbecreative.com/female-cyborg-photoshop-tutorial.html







Cyborg People

Steve Mann

Mann is a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Toronto. He describes himself as the "worlds first cyborg", from work with wearable web cams. He has many publications that talk about the technological advances of this generation, including "Digital destiny and human possibility in the age of the wearable computer." In 2001 Peter Lynch directed a film titled "Cyber man", which was a film about the life of Steve Mann and his inventions.





Neil Harbisson

Harbisson is a Northern Ireland based artist, known for his extended ability to hear colours. He was born with a condition called anthromatopsia so only could see in black and white. In 2004, Neil Harbisson was the first person to wear an eyeborg, the device which allowed him to hear colours.





 

Wafaa Bilal

Bilal is an Iraqi American Artist. He is known for the project named "The 3rd I", where he had a titanium plate implanted in the back of his head to which a camera is attached (as seen in the photograph below).This was for a 1 year project which began on the 15th December 2010, where he captured an image per minute and streamed his images on the internet, this was along with the location of the images taken, so people knew his whereabouts. He wanted to capture the mundane whilst not knowing he was taking the photographs. On the 4th of February however he had to have this removed due to the pain it caused. Again in Bilals' case he has used an enhancement to his body using technology so is known to some as a cyborg.

Human Modification & Technical Progress (videos)

Here I've uploaded some interesting videos of people who experienced technical revolution and people who sacrified their own health and bodies for the science.





This man has camera built-in his eye. It consists of a camera lens, battery and wireless transmitter which transfers the signal to a receiver which looks like mobile phone with a little screen displaying (live view) everything that camera sees. What's more interesting, the camera-eye moves naturally like a normal eye and it allows him to blink. The main application of this camera is undercover journalism and documentary filming.

In my opinion this device is clear evidence of todays technical progress and advancement however it's also quite scary that some people feel such a strong need to modify their bodies and turn themselves into a cyborgs.



 

 
In this video Professor Kevin Warwick conducts the experiment by implanting a silicon chip into his forearm. His aim was to connect the nervous system of his arm with the computer.

This is an article about this experiment found on Kevin Warwick's website:

 

What happens when a man is merged with a computer?

'This is the question that Professor Kevin Warwick and his team at the the department of Cybernetics, University of Reading intend to answer with 'Project Cyborg'.
On Monday 24th August 1998, at 4:00pm, Professor Kevin Warwick underwent an operation to surgically implant a silicon chip transponder in his forearm. Dr. George Boulous carried out the operation at Tilehurst Surgery, using local anaesthetic only.

This experiment allowed a computer to monitor Kevin Warwick as he moved through halls and offices of the Department of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, using a unique identifying signal emitted by the implanted chip. He could operate doors, lights, heaters and other computers without lifting a finger.

The chip implant technology has the capability to impact our lives in ways that have been previously thought possible in only sci-fi movies. The implant could carry all sorts of information about a person, from Access and Visa details to your National Insurance number, blood type, medical records etc., with the data being updated where necessary.

The second phase of the experiment Project Cyborg 2.0 got underway in March 2002. This phase will look at how a new implant could send signals back and forth between Warwick's nervous system and a computer. If this phase succeeds with no complications, a similar chip will be implanted in his wife, Irena. This will allow the investigation of how movement, thought or emotion signals could be transmitted from one person to the other, possibly via the Internet. The question is how much can the brain process and adapt to unfamiliar information coming in through the nerve branches? Will the brain accept the information? Will it try to stop it or be able to cope? Professor Kevin Warwick's answer to these questions is quite simply "We don't have an idea - yet, but if this experiment has the possibility to help even one person, it is worth doing just to see what might happen". '




Despite all the distressing 'cyborg' inventions, science can be a salvation for many people whose fate is not as sweet as it could be.

This is an interview with a deaf woman who finally is able to hear after 29years of her life.





I think we can easily state that science is something endless and it will never achieve its apogee. We don't know how far the technical progress will go but there is no doubt that people will never stop questioning.