I've officially created a website with a cohesive portfolio of my work. Please feel free to check it out.
http://www.danjclarkphoto.com/
I will still update this blog with the array of things I've always posted here, so feel free to check back here as well.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Vistaprint is a Terrible Company: a review
Those of us in the business of printing know what quality printing and 300dpi looks like. And I can tell you, Vistaprint ain't it.
"Vistaprint is committed to customer satisfaction. We will reprint or refund the cost of any product that fails to meet our customers quality expectations. [But the customer must jump through metaphorical flaming hoops in order to receive said refund.]"*
*Bracketed text added by editor for ethical considerations.
Design:
I decided to get cards for my newly established self, website and all. So I chose to use Vistaprint. I found that they require a significant margin for error so your design, should you choose to upload your own, has to be strangely close to the center. I was okay with that, so I proceeded. All over the site they advertise 300DPI!! GREAT QUALITY! PREMIUM PRODUCT! STATE OF THE ART! so I naturally expected that this would be the case when I uploaded a .PSD file of my design. Here's where things got weird.
Checkout:
They have various shipping options. That's fairly normal, but their cheapest option is marked "slow". I have literally never seen "slow" as an option before. It goes against anything I've ever known about online shopping. USPS Ground is like paying someone to kick your package across the United States with steel toed boots. What on *Earth* I asked myself could "slow" possibly be?
Turns out it's as I expected, it's the same kind of shipping as the next step up, except you pay less.
Delivery:
Upon opening the box I was elated. I could begin carrying my little cards around and show people how I'm going to be successful, the little cards would prove it. But alas, the text wasn't readable, colors bled into one another, and it was generally a disgrace to printing. So I put them back in the box and figured I would contact customer service.
Customer Service (Ha ha):
So I contact Customer service through their email system, and tell them that the cards aren't readable and the printing is terrible.
I get a response something to the effect of "We're not responsible for layout, design or typos. Here's a 25% off offer for reprints."
I pause, I re-read my initial email. No I never mentioned layout, design or spelling.
I respond and restate my issue, quality.
The response, almost the same as the first time, except this time no 25% off. How sad.
I respond again and ask to have my matter sent to a supervisor.
They assure me that it has been sent.
Days go by.
I send a reminder email that i am awaiting contact.
Another day goes by.
I send another email.
Another day goes by.
The Call:
As email has failed I begin a campaign of phone calls. But I'm defeated at first by an automated system which directs me to the email system. I pause and Google how to get a live person at Vistaprint. The best way to get a live person at Vistaprint? LIE. Yes, lie to the automated system and pretend you want to place an order. That's the only way I found to get a live person.
This person, reads off a script once I tell them I want a supervisor. I wait on hold. Another person answers and I explain the situation to him. He tells me the same thing I've been told numerous times. I tell him that I have personally printed with matte paper at 300dpi and that what I received was not "quality". He tells me that a refund will be issued (except not for shipping) and that I will receive a confirmation email.
No confirmation email as of yet. No refund as of yet.
"Vistaprint is committed to customer satisfaction. We will reprint or refund the cost of any product that fails to meet our customers quality expectations. [But the customer must jump through metaphorical flaming hoops in order to receive said refund.]"*
*Bracketed text added by editor for ethical considerations.
Design:
I decided to get cards for my newly established self, website and all. So I chose to use Vistaprint. I found that they require a significant margin for error so your design, should you choose to upload your own, has to be strangely close to the center. I was okay with that, so I proceeded. All over the site they advertise 300DPI!! GREAT QUALITY! PREMIUM PRODUCT! STATE OF THE ART! so I naturally expected that this would be the case when I uploaded a .PSD file of my design. Here's where things got weird.
Checkout:
They have various shipping options. That's fairly normal, but their cheapest option is marked "slow". I have literally never seen "slow" as an option before. It goes against anything I've ever known about online shopping. USPS Ground is like paying someone to kick your package across the United States with steel toed boots. What on *Earth* I asked myself could "slow" possibly be?
Turns out it's as I expected, it's the same kind of shipping as the next step up, except you pay less.
Delivery:
Upon opening the box I was elated. I could begin carrying my little cards around and show people how I'm going to be successful, the little cards would prove it. But alas, the text wasn't readable, colors bled into one another, and it was generally a disgrace to printing. So I put them back in the box and figured I would contact customer service.
Customer Service (Ha ha):
So I contact Customer service through their email system, and tell them that the cards aren't readable and the printing is terrible.
I get a response something to the effect of "We're not responsible for layout, design or typos. Here's a 25% off offer for reprints."
I pause, I re-read my initial email. No I never mentioned layout, design or spelling.
I respond and restate my issue, quality.
The response, almost the same as the first time, except this time no 25% off. How sad.
I respond again and ask to have my matter sent to a supervisor.
They assure me that it has been sent.
Days go by.
I send a reminder email that i am awaiting contact.
Another day goes by.
I send another email.
Another day goes by.
The Call:
As email has failed I begin a campaign of phone calls. But I'm defeated at first by an automated system which directs me to the email system. I pause and Google how to get a live person at Vistaprint. The best way to get a live person at Vistaprint? LIE. Yes, lie to the automated system and pretend you want to place an order. That's the only way I found to get a live person.
This person, reads off a script once I tell them I want a supervisor. I wait on hold. Another person answers and I explain the situation to him. He tells me the same thing I've been told numerous times. I tell him that I have personally printed with matte paper at 300dpi and that what I received was not "quality". He tells me that a refund will be issued (except not for shipping) and that I will receive a confirmation email.
No confirmation email as of yet. No refund as of yet.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Remnants.
What always seems interesting to me is what cultures leave behind. As I'm rarely around cultures other than American I have explored these types of remnants most closely. I recently stopped at what appeared to be a vacant lot. I stopped and pushed aside dense sagebrush and other desert plants to explore deeper. I discovered the remnants of a house. It seems someone deemed that whatever home had been here so unworthy of existence it was demolished and left to become an overgrown lot. It was beautiful in a sad kind of way. The foundations were left, loose roofing tiles splintered and half buried. And in the back there lies a swimming pool, filled with desert earth instead of chlorinated water.
Foundations
Front Yard
Foundations
Pool
Pool
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Outside
Outside
A Mural Print by Daniel James Clark
Through my artistic development, my work has drawn from a common theme: the blending of reality and fantasy. I’ve made the association between childhood fantasies, and the adult need for wonder, excitement, and adventure. My thesis is that as we age, our thirst for the magical, the fantastic, and the “otherworld” just out of sight does not diminish. As adults we still need to believe that anything is possible. I feel that the way we can satisfy this need is through exploration: going “outside”. Whether exploring takes us just outside our comfort zone, or thrusts us into something wholly immersive does not matter, so long as we are outside.
“Outside” examines that conclusion by drawing the character, and thereby the viewer to peer outside through the window into a universe of possibility. Printed as a 40x26 inch piece, “Outside” is intended to place the viewer in front of a scene they can immerse themselves in more effectively than a smaller print would allow.
A Mural Print by Daniel James Clark
Through my artistic development, my work has drawn from a common theme: the blending of reality and fantasy. I’ve made the association between childhood fantasies, and the adult need for wonder, excitement, and adventure. My thesis is that as we age, our thirst for the magical, the fantastic, and the “otherworld” just out of sight does not diminish. As adults we still need to believe that anything is possible. I feel that the way we can satisfy this need is through exploration: going “outside”. Whether exploring takes us just outside our comfort zone, or thrusts us into something wholly immersive does not matter, so long as we are outside.
“Outside” examines that conclusion by drawing the character, and thereby the viewer to peer outside through the window into a universe of possibility. Printed as a 40x26 inch piece, “Outside” is intended to place the viewer in front of a scene they can immerse themselves in more effectively than a smaller print would allow.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
imagine
imagine
Inspired by a loss of personal freedom, which is largely self imposed, “imagine” aims to explore the possibilities we lose as we grow older. I started this project with research into what it is children posess that we as adults have lost. The answer seems to be the ability to immerse oneself in imaginative play. Current research has found that this ability tends to decrease with age, and that the current methods used to teach todays youth may be depriving children of “unstructured playtime”.
What I aim to explore in this series is the part of this situation which recieves less attention: evidence that adults lose the ability to play imaginatively with age. A growing culture of people have begun to push back this trend and play imaginatively as adults. Flashmobs, urban exploration, historical reenactments, and numerous other groups and subcultures seek to extract adventure and fun from the otehrwise standard routines of life. The webcomic XKCD has embraced this sort of sentimental exploration of the ‘inner child’. The comic depicts characters who merge fantasy with reality frequently, and I have found the ideas to accurately voice the growing discord I feel with reality as it presents itself to me. Comic 137 entitled “Dreams” examines the limitations we impose upon ourselves as we age:
“The infinite possibilities each day holds should stagger the mind…” an unnamed stick figure says. “We live trapped in loops, reliving a few days over and over, and we envision only a handful of paths laid out before us. We see the same things every day, we respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, each day a slight variation on the last, every moment smoothly following the gentle curves of societal norms. We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
“And no, I don't have all the answers… But I do know one thing: the solution doesn't involve watering down my every little idea and creative impulse for the sake of some day easing my fit into a mold… It doesn't involve constantly holding back for fear of shaking things up.
“This is very important, so I want to say it as clearly as I can:
“FUCK. THAT. SHIT.”
xkcd comic #150 "Grownups"
Inspired by a loss of personal freedom, which is largely self imposed, “imagine” aims to explore the possibilities we lose as we grow older. I started this project with research into what it is children posess that we as adults have lost. The answer seems to be the ability to immerse oneself in imaginative play. Current research has found that this ability tends to decrease with age, and that the current methods used to teach todays youth may be depriving children of “unstructured playtime”.
What I aim to explore in this series is the part of this situation which recieves less attention: evidence that adults lose the ability to play imaginatively with age. A growing culture of people have begun to push back this trend and play imaginatively as adults. Flashmobs, urban exploration, historical reenactments, and numerous other groups and subcultures seek to extract adventure and fun from the otehrwise standard routines of life. The webcomic XKCD has embraced this sort of sentimental exploration of the ‘inner child’. The comic depicts characters who merge fantasy with reality frequently, and I have found the ideas to accurately voice the growing discord I feel with reality as it presents itself to me. Comic 137 entitled “Dreams” examines the limitations we impose upon ourselves as we age:
“The infinite possibilities each day holds should stagger the mind…” an unnamed stick figure says. “We live trapped in loops, reliving a few days over and over, and we envision only a handful of paths laid out before us. We see the same things every day, we respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, each day a slight variation on the last, every moment smoothly following the gentle curves of societal norms. We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
“And no, I don't have all the answers… But I do know one thing: the solution doesn't involve watering down my every little idea and creative impulse for the sake of some day easing my fit into a mold… It doesn't involve constantly holding back for fear of shaking things up.
“This is very important, so I want to say it as clearly as I can:
“FUCK. THAT. SHIT.”
The Floor is Lava
Secret Agent
Super Hero
Above.
"Above." is a series of photos taken to inspire people to explore their surroundings. Also included are aerial views of the locations. Not well received by initial audiences.
Gunslinger II
A pretty straightforward retooling of my original "Gunslinger" series. This time, however, I've inserted a female element to make a subtle point about female roles in history.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
There's something going on.
Or at least it feels that way. There's a movement going on. Perhaps it's a facet that's always been there and I'm just now noticing, but it doesn't feel that way.
Take a look at Owl City, the rash of childhood shows and movies being remade, footie pajamas for adults (Awesome, I know), artists working in fantasy and make-believe (myself included), and a general theme swirling around in culture: A lot of people are afraid to grow up. I mean, it makes perfect sense. I was talking with my mom the other day when I asked her "Is it really true that you used to be able to just go out and get a job?" She informed me that, yes, it was once that easy. I was at a loss for words.
People are living with their parents for longer and longer time frames now. Hell, healthcare lets 'children' stay on their parent's healthcare for an insane amount of time.
The world is a scary and unfriendly place. And not in the same ways we're used to either. We were taught as kids that the world was hard to get into, that it took hard work to get things done. But, we were not really taught that hard work often doesn't pay off. That's really confusing. And I seriously understand why that's a little frightening.
Why I'm making the art I do (yes there's a relevant point in here) is clearer to me now. I'm making art for a sort of confused generation. A generation which was told that the world rewards hard work. A generation which sees before it more natural disasters, economic downfall, terrorism, crime, and fear than we were prepared for. And as we enter adulthood it's like walking into a burning building. What in holy hell are we supposed to do? I make art. That art has dealt with our (my) escapes so far. Fantasy. Make-Believe. I suppose the next step would be to make art which addresses the fear, and I have absolutely no idea how to go about doing that.
Take a look at Owl City, the rash of childhood shows and movies being remade, footie pajamas for adults (Awesome, I know), artists working in fantasy and make-believe (myself included), and a general theme swirling around in culture: A lot of people are afraid to grow up. I mean, it makes perfect sense. I was talking with my mom the other day when I asked her "Is it really true that you used to be able to just go out and get a job?" She informed me that, yes, it was once that easy. I was at a loss for words.
People are living with their parents for longer and longer time frames now. Hell, healthcare lets 'children' stay on their parent's healthcare for an insane amount of time.
The world is a scary and unfriendly place. And not in the same ways we're used to either. We were taught as kids that the world was hard to get into, that it took hard work to get things done. But, we were not really taught that hard work often doesn't pay off. That's really confusing. And I seriously understand why that's a little frightening.
Why I'm making the art I do (yes there's a relevant point in here) is clearer to me now. I'm making art for a sort of confused generation. A generation which was told that the world rewards hard work. A generation which sees before it more natural disasters, economic downfall, terrorism, crime, and fear than we were prepared for. And as we enter adulthood it's like walking into a burning building. What in holy hell are we supposed to do? I make art. That art has dealt with our (my) escapes so far. Fantasy. Make-Believe. I suppose the next step would be to make art which addresses the fear, and I have absolutely no idea how to go about doing that.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Urban Decay
This series, titled "Urban Decay" draws from my stencil archive. This is the first black and white series I've done in quite a while. It also draws from more narrative than conceptual roots, which is almost an about face from my standard techniques.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Rant.
From my notebook (excuse the ego):
"The aim of my art is not to roll my eyes at the "is-this-art"ists. It is simply a coincidence that in attempting to do the very basic idea of "convey meaning" it sort of does.
I don't particularly care if what I do will be considered art. It is simply an expression.
If I am remembered for my art and it is to be labelled, I'd like to be placed in whatever movement made art simply to convey meaning to an audience. No jumbled messages about whether or not I meant to say that art is a representation of blah blah blah.
Movements are dead.
Art can come back out and take a breath. What we all do is art if we say it is or if someone thinks it is. (Relativity!) Point made modernists, postmodernists, anti-artists, anti-anti-artists. We get it. Say something else. And make it pretty. Not because art needs to be pretty, but because art has become like a TV show 12 seasons down the road. There are some hardcore fans that get the references and the inside jokes and the overarching messages. But the rest of us stopped watching. The rest of us are done. Make a new show.
Shit.
That was very postmodern of me. Wasn't it?"
"The aim of my art is not to roll my eyes at the "is-this-art"ists. It is simply a coincidence that in attempting to do the very basic idea of "convey meaning" it sort of does.
I don't particularly care if what I do will be considered art. It is simply an expression.
If I am remembered for my art and it is to be labelled, I'd like to be placed in whatever movement made art simply to convey meaning to an audience. No jumbled messages about whether or not I meant to say that art is a representation of blah blah blah.
Movements are dead.
Art can come back out and take a breath. What we all do is art if we say it is or if someone thinks it is. (Relativity!) Point made modernists, postmodernists, anti-artists, anti-anti-artists. We get it. Say something else. And make it pretty. Not because art needs to be pretty, but because art has become like a TV show 12 seasons down the road. There are some hardcore fans that get the references and the inside jokes and the overarching messages. But the rest of us stopped watching. The rest of us are done. Make a new show.
Shit.
That was very postmodern of me. Wasn't it?"
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