(NOTE: This post is a tutorial as part of Write Out, April 2024)
Here is one way to create a blackout/erasure poem, particularly when the Solar Eclipse comes through and the moon “erases” or “blackens out” part of the Sun. Get it?
For mine (above), I used some text generated by ChatGPT in which it explains what a Solar Eclipse is. You may want to find some other text or perhaps the Wendell Berry poem – To Know The Dark — as your main text.
This is what ChatGPT gave me for my activity:
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, obscuring the sun’s entire disk and casting a shadow on Earth’s surface. This extraordinary celestial event unfolds as the moon aligns perfectly with the sun, blocking its light and creating a temporary darkness known as totality within a narrow path on Earth’s surface. During totality, the sun’s corona, the outermost layer of its atmosphere, becomes visible, appearing as a shimmering halo around the obscured sun. Total solar eclipses are rare and captivating phenomena that captivate observers with their awe-inspiring beauty and serve as a reminder of the intricate dance of celestial bodies in our solar system.
I took that text and put it into the Blackout Poetry Maker over at Glitch. It’s a simple site to use. Just add the main text, and then choose the words and phrases that you want to remain on the screen. You can either download the final poe
This is what I came up with:
I then went into Flickr’s Public Domain image search to find a Solar Eclipse image to use as a background image. I found one that I liked, a lot.
Solar Eclipse 2017 flickr photo by Jamie Kohns shared into the public domain using Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0)
Finally, I went into LunaPic — an online image editor — and used its Blender Tool (find it under Effects) to layer my Blackout Poem with the Solar Eclipse image, creating the final project (see above).
Peace (even when the sky goes dark),
Kevin
This morning’s DS106 Daily Create prompt (one I guess I originally submitted way back when?) was to find the background code of a website and use it for art. I perused behind the scenes of the John Coltrane website for mine. I grabbed a screenshot, and then used art filters, and ended with some animation on top.
Peace (and sound),
Kevin
Here are a few morning art projects from the DS106 Daily Create prompts. Each day is a new invitation to make or create or play. It’s a nice way to start the day.
Peace (and fun),
Kevin
Another new year beckons — another CLMOOC collaboration happens.
A group of us from the Connected Learning network, connected as we have been over the years and living in different parts of the world, have come together once again to create a new year calendar of illustrations, photography, comics and puzzles.
And it’s free!
Head to the CLMOOC website to download your own copy for printing or viewing.
Peace (What The New Year Brings … please),
Kevin
I submitted the idea for this morning’s Daily Create, using River to navigate through a series of artistic tiles and end on a page of art. I made a short video of my excursion with my ten clicks. I found it interesting and mesmerizing and rather soothing.
Peace (Wandering In),
Kevin
After a DS106 Daily Create prompt yesterday (Sunday) about coming up with a new day of celebration based on Stir-Up Sunday, I decided that a Remix Monday sounded cool. Then, I thought, maybe I should try to do it — to remix a single piece of art, five different ways, over five weeks, every Monday.
I dove back into the DS106 archives and found this image and text by Guilia Forsythe that was used more than 10 years ago by the DS106 community (before my time) for a Kickstarter campaign, and began to brainstorm some ideas. I soon realized that the image was actually a remix itself, from a Sonic Youth album cover (Goo), and although the album cover seems to have a “fair use” license, it also seemed to say you had to use the entire album cover, not just pieces of it.
So, I mostly am focusing on the handwritten text that was part of the remix done way back when, although today, for my first remix (the next will be next Monday), I revamped the art itself, adding new images to replace the original, but keeping the same text, which celebrates the act of making art.
Peace (and Remix),
Kevin
I submitted today’s DS106 Daily Create prompt (perusing Beatles lyrics via a Beatles ‘bot for art). It took me a bit to figure out which lyrics I wanted to use and then how to illustrate them. Given my blog’s title, this lyric seemed just right for me.
Peace (and song),
Kevin
A neighbor of mine, after a street discussion about the potential and danger of AI to the world of art, suggested I give Runway AI a try, as it turns text and images into movement videos. I know this kind of technology (word to video) is still in early stages, so I was not all that surprised by the weirdness of the results. And yes, it was odd, all right.
I first started by uploading an image of our dog with a ball toy but it was so strange. Her face got really contorted and turned into another dog altogether (not nearly as cute!).
My next experiment was with text prompts. First, I asked for a saxophone player on a jazz club stage at night. I don’t know what kind of saxophone this is or why he is playing it with his nose, but … I was amused. (see above)
Next, I asked it in text for Wind Over Field of Sunflowers, and it is rather lovely. The flowers have an oversized head, cartoon-y look to them, and they move ever so slightly in the wind in a slow video pan. This one was the best of the bunch.
Finally, I uploaded an image of a face made in sand at the beach, and got … more weirdness. I don’t even know how it got to that ending.
Peace (and play),
Kevin
