INTRODUCTION TO THE GRAPHIC ARTS | Professor Ken Harper

Back in the day, freshman year at Syracuse University, I majored in Communications & Rhetorical Studies. Many people (no names) called this the Newhouse rejects’ major (oh, and look who’s laughing now.) Anyway, I took CRS225 – Public Advocacy. I will always remember this YouTube video my professor showed her students.

It was the Dove Evolution Campaign. This video, for obvious reasons, may affect women moreso than men. However, it invites a womb of individuals from all professions. Advertisers, make-up artists, Photoshop experts, businesswomen, businessmen, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends. The young, the old, and the inbetweens.

How far do we go to create “beauty” with a touch of technology and a bottle of foundation? Is it our fault for literally buying into this finale (whether it’s foundation to cover up acne scars, or Photoshop to make sure our Facebook Profile picture depicts a picture perfect face of ourselves)? And is it our fault for not realizing what we see has been altered? I guess, either way, it’s our fault.  

But no. This is art, most will argue. If people knew that it was Photoshopped and knew that behind all that make-up is a real person with flaws, then all of this controversy would not exist. And it’s true. It is a form of art, and people should know that those women on the magazine are Photoshopped (hello, America’s Next Top Model). And why are they Photoshopped? Because it is another form of art. We hire graphic designers to attract viewers for a website. We hire artists to create something visually pleasing for a museum. These are the people who help us define “aesthetic.” Why would Photoshopping a person’s face any different? Art is subjective.  

At the end of the clip, the billboard reads, “FASEL.” I’m pretty sure it’s an anagram for “FALSE.”

GRA217 Blog post #1.