has anyone here checked out Larry Carlson?
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everyone already knows about it and has been there 100 times?
Larry Carlson Bio
Larry Carlson is a visionary multi media artist. Working with
computers he creates artwork that is completely mind blowing. Tech TV called
him "The Salvador Dali of the Next Century", and High Times magazine labeled
him an "artistic mastermind". What sets his work apart is how he is almost
magically able to capture the multi-colored iridescent visions and patterns
of the inner psyche. Through his digital images, collages, interactive
animations, videos, and web art he presents us with the mystical dimensions
of consciousness, coaxing us into sweet spiritualized epiphanies one moment
then plunging us into completely bizarre surreal frenzies the next.
Carlson studied painting at Cooper Union School of Art in New York,
before switching to computer art. He actually works between the two media's
and generates the final results by computer. His images are seamless
amalgams of photographs,paintings, and drawings that he enhances digitally.
Most of his images are made in a collage process. Carlson cuts, splices,
mixes, and edits digital photos he takes with samples from different sources
into new formations. Each image takes weeks to construct, with layer upon
layer of manipulation, and special effects added to the original image.
Larry Carlson is known around the world for his amazing high voltage
web sites. More then just mere web sites, what he creates are massive mind
blowing audio - visual experiences. Experimental, ground breaking , and very
surreal, his web sites are at the vanguard of taking the internet to the
next level. His web art is created by combining his digital images with
animations and then layering original soundtracks he creates on the computer
by mixing and processing sound samples. His sites "Larrycarlson.com" and
"MEDIJATE" have been shown in the Paço das Artes museum, San Paulo, Brazil,
and at the Centre dąArt Contemporain museum in Normandie, France. His sites
have been reported on by the UK's newspapers Guardian and Independent and in
Istanbul's biggest newspaper, the Vatan. He has also been featured on Tech
TV and European NOW TV.
As well as making web and digital art, Larry also performs a live show
of his original visuals by mixing a collage of videos and animations in much
the same way that DJs mix records. He has provided live visuals for major
electronic music events in New York City, Las Vegas, and Los Angles and
mixed his visuals live at concerts, playing alongside such musical acts as
The Kottonmouth Kings and Aphrodite.
F. A. Q. with Larry Carlson
What is your process for making the images?
Sometimes I see a clear vision in my mind's eye of the image I want to
make and then I set out and find the images and computer effects to make it
happen. Most of the time I just experiment and have fun with combinations of
filters,layers, and 3-D rendering. I do a lot of the work with the image
editing program Photoshop. I also use 3-D rendering programs to make
computer generated objects and setttings to use in my work.
I always have a lot of unfinished works on my hard drive that I work
on for a while and then put away until the inspiration hits me to work on it
again. So most of my finished pieces are the result of months of on and off
work. I follow my own vision and try to make something new everyday. Even if
I dont feel like working, I still work on my art daily, because it helps me
stay focused and continue to make new fresh work.
As well as using computers to make images I also make old fashion cut
and paste collages. This really influences the style of my digital work, as
it helps me use Photoshop in a "real hands on" way, and not be dependent on
digital effects only.
What inspires your work?
To stay inspired, I look at a lot of different kinds of art in
museums, galleries, and online. Many of the ideas for my art come to me in
dreams and visions.I spend a lot of time out in nature, hiking, camping and
taking photos, being a part of the mother nature system has a deep influnce
on my work.
Do you take your own photos?
Yes. I take photos with a digital camera that I use in my work. I
retouch, fix up, and alter the photos in photoshop. In the city or up in the
mountains. its always an adventure getting new shots to use in my work.
How do you create your collage work?
With glue and sissors.I hunt for old books and magazines for material
to use and I print out images from the computer. I cut and splice these
samples into new formations that reconstruct culturally constructed meaning
of the original samples, opening up these received images to a multiplicity
of interpretations. Collage artists take a tiny little bit of something from
a piece and put it together with a lot of other pieces and make a distinct
whole. Sometimes I like to collaborate on collage books with other fellow
collagists, like Brian Belott.
How do you do your live VJ shows?
Basically I mix a collage of videos and animations in much the same
way that DJs mix records. The techniques and equipment are different then a
DJ, but the basic principles are the same (eg selecting, cross fading,
scratching, cutting, sampling, to the rhythm). I burn my own custom made
DVDs and much of my VJing now is me mixing content on several DVD players
through a video mixer device to the rhythm of the music. As well as the DVD
players I also use a VJ software program to mix and manipulate digital video
clips.
How do you make the soundtracks?
I make my soundtracks by mixing and processing sound samples on the
computer. I use several different sound programs to put the tracks together.
I collage samples from everywhere and anywhere, the TV, the web, radio,
phone messages, turntables and musical instruments. I also play around with
the KORG MS2000, a really cool Pink Floydish sounding synthesizer .
How and when did you get into computers?
My early experiences with computers begin when I was a kid, messing
with the old Commodore 64 home computer. Later on in college I did a big
experimental video collage piece with the Amiga video editing system as well
as experiments with Adobe Premiere. I spent a lot of time creating digital
images with Photoshop. during this time i started making music with the
computer and more then any thing I wanted people too see this cool stuff -so
publishing on the net became a must. I quickly learned how to make web pages
and my early web sites were online galleries of my digital images. So by the
time Flash came out , I was ready to really rock the system! After having
spent years of exploring so many different fields of computer art, now its
all kind of melting together into one "multimedia" experience
Do you have a blog?
Yes. Kind of....its a very experimental blog, It's not really a log of
my real life , but a log of my surreal life. It's a stream of digital, mixed
media, and collage artwork. I give you a peek at what I'm working on at the
moment, as well as open up my archives and show some old work. Check it out
here - SKYHASEYES
What is your DVD like?
Its a journey, a huge mix of video and flash animations and my orginal
soundtracks. I used diffrent programs to put it together, and scored the
soundtrack for it . If your a fan of my web sites, you should get this DVD!
It's jam packed with all new mind warping entertainment, with lightning
speeds and much higher resolution then I could ever do online. This DVD is
full of all new content not available online or anywhere else. You can watch
a sample here.- DARKSTAR TRANSMISSIONS DVD