Ready to fight

DONE Edited into Wikipedia [ view article | view edit ]

Markers on paper

The common belief is that image-making is too individual as a practice to ever be objective or collaborative enough for a project like Wikipedia. And so the current Wikipedia guidelines leave room only for the creation and contribution of descriptive photographs or scientific illustrations. Nothing as exciting and creative as the lively text-based collaboration that made Wikipedia what it is.

We believe this can and should be changed. But if we want to revolutionize the role of images in Wikipedia, we should resists our initial tendency to neutralize the image for what may be considered a more factual or collaborative approach.

We believe it is essential for a liberated subjective image to hash out the difficulties before we preemptively attempting to solve them. So, though we know it won’t be easy, we’re ready to fight it out. To find a way for images to lead, not just follow in the shadows of the text.

F: Fight-or-flight response
In prehistoric times, when the fight or flight response evolved in humans, fight was manifested in aggressive, combative behavior and flight was manifested by fleeing potentially threatening situations, such as being confronted by a predator. In current times, these responses persist, but fight and flight responses have assumed a wider range of behaviors. For example, the fight response may be manifested in angry, argumentative behavior, and the flight response may be manifested through social withdrawal, substance abuse, and even television viewing.[7]
wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight-or-flight_response#Behavioral_manifestations_of_fight-or-flight
Dec 24th, 2010
9 Comments

Now Discuss:

9 Comments

  1. R. S. Shaw Dec 29th, 10

    A website interface problem: on my computer the Name, Email, and Website fields of your comment form do not show when using IE 8.0.6 or Google Chrome 9.0.597 thus making comments impossible using those browsers. Only with Firefox was I able to comment.

    Reply
    • mushon Dec 29th, 10

      Wow!
      Thanks for catching that. It was a small CSS error. I just fixed it, thanks for alerting us!

      Reply
  2. R. S. Shaw Dec 29th, 10

    The treatment of the face area needs improvement, IMO. Perhaps just removing the wash outside the line delineating the face would do.

    Reply
    • mushon Dec 29th, 10

      First of all, thanks and welcome. You’re the first one to comment on the blog, so you get a special credit here :)
      Would you elaborate on why you feel the need to keep the color “within the lines” of the face drawing? I personally like this less controlled touch. IMO it extends the contrast between the extreme situation and the calm expression on the man’s face.

      Reply
      • R. S. Shaw Dec 29th, 10

        Different people have different perceptions as well as different tastes. Your “calm expression” comment really strikes me, because I can’t see any expression at all. To me it’s hard to even make out outlines of human features. I much like the rest of the composition, but the head area just doesn’t suggest head and face to me much (other than being positioned above the shoulders). I sort of get a toupee effect from the dollop of brown at the top, and I have to study the blue line hidden in the blue wash to get some suggestion of a nose and eye. I still can’t ascribe the marking at the mid-left-edge of the blue wash to any feature (maybe part of ear, but not sure). So overall the head just bothers me a bit. But I’m speaking just as one unsophisticated viewer who has no talent for drawing or painting. Also, it just happens that my tastes tend not to favor water color style media.

        Reply
      • R. S. Shaw Dec 30th, 10

        I want to add that I really think the rest of the composition is very good. Even though most water colors don’t appeal to me, I think this makes very effective use of the medium to produce a nice effect. The blue of the water with the brown is very pleasant and the bumps of the gator’s back are combined with the wash for a great reptillian feel.

        Reply
        • galia Dec 30th, 10

          So overall the head just bothers me a bit. But I’m speaking just as one unsophisticated viewer who has no talent for drawing or painting.

          R.S. I’m very happy to get this kind of feedback as that would be the case with most Wikipedians responding to visual edits. Everybody that can read can write, not anyone that can see can draw :)
          The greatest challenge of this project is to get this process right. To be able to process and address “non-professional” feedback. One lesson I’m already taking from your point is to add the technique as a caption under any image. So you’ll be glad to know these are not water colors ;)
          I’ll need some more time to think how to address your discomfort with the head part. It might become a whole post of its own.

          Reply
  3. Sandra Dec 30th, 10

    Personally, I love the fact that the color surpases the boundaries of the lines. I appreciate the quality of the drawing, the fact that it shows as a handmade mark instead of a perfect and controlled image adds certain warmth and personal touch to the image. I love the contrast between this free hand drawing and the rigidness of the text. Thanks so much for sharing!!

    Reply
  4. Joseph Moore Jan 15th, 11

    Nice work Mushon and Galia. In this image I wonder, which animal is the aggressor?

    Reply

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