For this assignment (worth 3.5 points), I had to make a minimalist poster for a TV show or a movie. I chose Portlandia, a show I have recently started watching and greatly enjoy. I decided that this was a good choice for a show because most of the main characters are portrayed by the same […]

For this assignment (worth 4 stars), I had to make a desktop background for DS106. Because the class extends beyond noir, I decided to stick to general elements of design. I used a simple font to write some basic details about the course in the foreground. To create this image in Photoshop, I first made […]

For this assignment (worth 3.5 stars), I created a cartoon image of my character, Folami. In the image, Ami is tall and intimidating, with high cheekbones and a rather androgynous wardrobe. She is smoking a cigarette, in typical noir fashion. The light gradient and soft purple colors stand in stark contrast to her dark skin […]

For this assignment (worth 2.5 stars), I had to make some barcode art. I decided to make this related to my character, Folami Turay. This is a piece that Folami would have hanging in her living room. It expresses her internal conflict with being a stripper, someone who plays an integral part in an industry that […]

For the Design Blitz, I had to take photos throughout the week that captured some of the basic elements of design. While I took lots of pictures, many of them reflected the same concepts, so I decided to choose the four photos I found most appropriate for the assignment. I uploaded these all to Flickr. […]

Before reading The Vignelli Canon, I had no formal exposure to elements of graphic design. However, the booklet covers many topics that I had considered previously, such as font, layout, and text size. At first, I thought Vignelli was being pretentious. His attitude on page 11 seemed condescending towards those who enjoy design without a […]

This week was all about audio and how it contributes to storytelling. To learn about this, I completed several tasks. The software I use for audio editing is Garageband, so I didn’t need to download Audacity, although I did complete some of my first projects using it! 1. Audio Storytelling Reflection In this post, I studied […]

This week, I did two TDCs. Saturday For this dailycreate, I used Photoshop to create a version of the Mona Lisa composed of dots of color. This was a pretty simple task once I figured out how to use the Art History Brush. Sunday For this dailycreate, I had to create a sappy commercial that […]

Listening to the DS106 Noir-themed radio really made me realize that sound is a critical element of storytelling. I’d definitely like to create a more modern story because I find the overall bigotry sometimes found in older Noir unacceptable. I think it’d be cool to invert some of those conventions, which include sexism and xenophobia. […]

For this assignment (worth 3.5 stars), I had to set a dramatic reading of a song to the tune of another song. I chose to make my dramatic reading rhythmic, making it seem like more of a rap. The song I chose was American Pie by Don McLean, set to the music of Lorde’s Tennis […]

For this assignment (worth 4 stars), I had to create a conversation between myself and a movie character. I used soundboard.com to find some of Liam Neeson’s lines from his movie “Taken.” I then combined these lines in Garageband with my own recorded voice to create a conversation about pizza delivery.

For this assignment (worth 3.5 stars), I had to create a story about my character, Ami, using only sound effects. To create this, I compiled sounds from soundboard.com in Garageband. In the story, Folami is leaving her club for the night. She is walking down the street, cars passing by, when a man walks past her and wolf-whistles. […]

For this assignment, I had to create a bumper for DS106 Radio. Using Garageband, I created a leaning wall of dissonant noise. A simulated electric guitar then plays the opening notes of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, a piece that I feel pairs well with many of the thematic elements of Noir. A trumpet fall […]

This week in Noir 106, we are focusing on the audible aspects of digital storytelling. These include dialogue, sound effects, and nondiegetic music. To learn about these, I listened to ds106 Radio and shots from “Touch of Evil” and also read “The Ambience of Film Noir: Soundscapes, Design, and Mood” by Helen Hanson. DS106 Radio I tuned […]

Week 3 of Noir106 was all about visual projects (specifically photography). I really enjoyed this week because I enjoy working with Photoshop. I did lots of cool stuff and got to see lots of amazing posts from my peers. 1. Daily Creates I completed the Daily Creates for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and compiled them […]

This week, I completed the Daily Creates for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday On Friday, I had to create a video of myself making a paper sculpture. I uploaded this to YouTube: Saturday On Saturday, I had to create instructions for an everyday process. My post on how to properly wash your hair can be […]

For this assignment (worth two stars), I had to put the faces of me and my bae over the faces of a famous couple. For the couple, I chose Niall Horan and Harry Styles (though they aren’t actually dating) because they are our favorite members of One Direction. This is the original image: And using […]

For this assignment (worth two stars), I had to make a group of post-it notes and reminders that would be on my character Ami‘s desk. To do this, I used a public domain image of a post-it note and Photoshop. The notes include a to-do list, a grocery list, a reminder, and a note from […]

For this assignment (worth three stars), I had to create a poster for a favorite poem of mine. I chose “The Tyger” by William Blake. To do this, I used Photoshop, adding color to a public domain image of a tiger standing on a cliff. I then put a gradient in the background to represent a red sunset. Finally, […]

This assignment (worth three stars) required me to create an image showing the contents of a bag belonging to my character, Folami Turay. To create this image I used Photoshop because I didn’t have access to all of Ami’s accessories.   As you can see, Ami likes to keep things simple. She keeps a few necessities […]

This week, I took some photos in various places around campus. Here are five examples that, I believe, really capture some of the basic visual elements of noir. 1. cogitation I took this photograph in front of a blackboard in a DuPont classroom. This room has spotlights which provide a light source from one direction that […]

Do you not know how to wash your hair? Have you wondered for years if you’re doing it right but always been too embarrassed to ask? Is your hair dirty? Have you been washing your hair wrong your entire life? Are you suffering at work or in private relationships due to your less-than-clean hair? Are […]

After exploring the visual elements of noir, I moved on to analyzing noir cinema. Visually, film noir is typically characterized by high-contrast black and white images, gritty urban landscapes, and sharp, unfamiliar angles paired with geometric shapes. The skills I learned in my cinema class last semester helped me identify the visual elements involved. Here are […]

  Storytelling through Photography This week I had the pleasure of learning more about photography. Though my experience with photography in an artistic sense has been quite limited, I do take a lot of pictures (mostly of myself) on my phone. Additionally, I took a film class last semester in which I learned about various basic aspects of […]

This week, I did some noir reading, blog editing, and creative writing. I only did two daily creates (1) (2), which was an oversight on my part due both to procrastination and a misread of the weekly post. Looking back, I realize that I really should have budgeted my time better. That’s my new-week resolution […]

For this assignment, I had to write a recipe in haiku. I decided to challenge myself to find a filling main course recipe that could be conveyed in a single haiku. Using allrecipes.com, I found the perfect dish. Garlic Chicken Breasts   Sprinkle ...

This assignment required me to create a poem from the trending topics on Twitter. This poem is about my character, Folami Turay, and it helps to describe her powerful attitude and general aesthetic. Ami The #RoyalRumble sounds as she walks down the street. It’s not Valentine’s Day but she adorns her finger #WithThisRing the size of […]

While I was reading about noir, one of the works I studied was TheWild Party by Joseph Moncure March. I really enjoyed this piece, but was a bit unsatisfied with the ending. The two romantic interests of the main character get into a fight, with one dying and the other ending up in prison. This seemed quite abrupt […]

Physical Description Ami is a tall, muscular woman with a conventionally attractive athletic body. Her smooth dark skin, strong eyebrows, defined cheekbones, full lips, and rich brown eyes contribute to her overall aura of otherworldly beauty. Her hair is a Halle Berry-style pixie. Her voice is deep and silky. Her style is modern and angular […]

This week I dived deeper into the dark and exciting world of noir to gain a more complete understanding of the genre. I started this process by reading The Postman Always Rings Twice, a short story by James M. Cain. In this tale, a rugged drifter falls in love with the wife of a greasy […]