Newsworthy - Caitlin Curran
Phase One
Assignment: Write a 250-word reflection about the article you chose and why. What feelings and associations did it evoke. Why did you choose this specific article as your subject? What is important about the event? Is it personal? Or is it something you would like to learn more about. Sketch (at least 3), take your own photos (at least 3), find photos online (at least 3) images that help to illustrate, illuminate, take a stance, or emotionally move the viewer.
Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/11/business/southwest-airlines-cancellations.html
Reflection:
One of my best friends from high school is planning on visiting over her fall break, but over the weekend she was expressing her concerns of her flight being cancelled because of strikes. This piqued my interest, so I looked further into the issue and ended up selecting it for my newsworthy project. Over the weekend, Southwest Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights, leaving many travelers stranded. Many of the articles that were first coming out were making claims that Southwest Airline flight cancellations were due to pilots striking in response to the new Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate. While this was a theory that many believed, this New York Times article that I found aims to disprove this. It gives many statistics on how there was not a higher number of pilots calling in sick than usual and compared Southwest Airlines to other airlines that have already enforced the vaccine mandate, like American Airlines. Additionally, this article discusses the actual causes of flight cancellations, starting with unsafe weather conditions on Friday. This article really brings to light how quickly individuals are willing to jump to the conclusion that the majority of people are strongly against the vaccine, even though it has received FDA approval. There were even individuals who hold power, such as a couple Republican senators who bought into the theories of vaccine strikes and made statements, going as far as to call Biden’s mandate illegal. I would like to learn more about this issue and see what all theories exist, or if weather and poor internal infrastructure truly were the only reasons, and about if this issue will continue on into the future.
One of my best friends from high school is planning on visiting over her fall break, but over the weekend she was expressing her concerns of her flight being cancelled because of strikes. This piqued my interest, so I looked further into the issue and ended up selecting it for my newsworthy project. Over the weekend, Southwest Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights, leaving many travelers stranded. Many of the articles that were first coming out were making claims that Southwest Airline flight cancellations were due to pilots striking in response to the new Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate. While this was a theory that many believed, this New York Times article that I found aims to disprove this. It gives many statistics on how there was not a higher number of pilots calling in sick than usual and compared Southwest Airlines to other airlines that have already enforced the vaccine mandate, like American Airlines. Additionally, this article discusses the actual causes of flight cancellations, starting with unsafe weather conditions on Friday. This article really brings to light how quickly individuals are willing to jump to the conclusion that the majority of people are strongly against the vaccine, even though it has received FDA approval. There were even individuals who hold power, such as a couple Republican senators who bought into the theories of vaccine strikes and made statements, going as far as to call Biden’s mandate illegal. I would like to learn more about this issue and see what all theories exist, or if weather and poor internal infrastructure truly were the only reasons, and about if this issue will continue on into the future.
My Media:
Phase Two
Assignment: Select a linear structure that effectively communicates your ideas about the subject. Do several studies on photoshop or tracing paper that start to combine the imagery collected above in several different ways. Be sure to change format, scale of individual images, construct the illusion of space, and consider figure/ground relationships.
My Compositions:
Phase Three
Assignment: Select 1-2 of your strongest compositions to develop further with a limited value scale (3 values minimum. 5 values maximum). Additional design revisions are still accepted if necessary. When you have settled on a final layout, complete a minimum of 4 value studies using marker, colored pencil, or photoshop. These are preliminary studies, but value choices must be easy to understand. Include a clear value scale with your submission.
My Developed Compositions and Value Studies:
Phase Four
Assignment: Develop your final piece! Final piece must be done by hand and must be @ 11”x14” in dimension. Final image mounted on matboard or illustration board. Photoshop or illustrator can be used as part of the design process, but the final output must be hand manipulated. Suggested materials include; paint, cut paper, colored pencil, or marker. Include a clear value scale with your submission.
My Final Piece:
Illustrated with Prismacolor cool grey markers and micron pen.
