wikipedia

Madonna (born Madonna Louise Ciccone; August 16, 1958) is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983. She followed it with a series of albums in which she found immense popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her music videos, which became a fixture on MTV. Throughout her career, many of her songs have hit number one on the record charts, including "Like a Virgin", "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes". Madonna has been praised by critics for her diverse musical productions while at the same time serving as a lightning rod for religious controversy.

Her career was further enhanced by film appearances that began in 1979, despite mixed commentary. She won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role in Evita (1996), but has received harsh feedback for other film roles. Madonna's other ventures include being a fashion designer, children's book author, film director and producer, and owner of her own recording company Maverickcorporation, as a joint venture with Time Warner. She has been acclaimed as a businesswoman, and in 2007, she signed an unprecedented US $120 million contract with Live Nation.

Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. According to theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States, behind Barbra Streisand, with 64 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Madonna at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard chart. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year. Considered to be one of the most influential figures in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. She is recognized as an inspiration among numerous music artists.

album covers



I love this album cover as its like she’s in a fantasy world. The purple hair and weird background makes it seem really unrealistic. The name of the album ‘teenage dream’ in the bubble glowing writing works really well it adds to the unrealistic and makes it seem more dream like.  I think this sort of design would work well for Madonna’s like a prayer as her song like a prayer is all about her fantasying about this man she likes and his voice makes her feel like he’s taking her to this dream like world.

I like this album cover her bright hair and the warm colours work really well together. The fact she’s in the middle of a field wearing a weird dress type thing looking really glamorous makes it seem like she’s not in a real place again a dream type world. This type of design would work well for Madonna’s like a prayer.

photoshop

Above is my photo I edited on Photoshop inspired by Julian Opie.

‘Julian Opie (born 1958, in London^[1]) is a visual artist, and one of the New British Sculpture movements. Julian Opie was raised in Oxford. After the Dragon School, Oxford, he spent some time at Magdalen College School, in Oxford. Once his studies were completed, he returned to the Chelsea College of Art and became a teacher there. He is a former trustee of the Tate Gallery. In his portraiture, the human face is sometimes characterised by black outlines with flat areas of colour, and minimalized detail, to the extent that an eye can become just the black circle of the pupil, and sometimes a head is represented by a circle with a space where the neck would be, Opie tries to portray someone's personality in as little detail as possible. Opie uses computers in art for other works. His Imagine you are... series, demonstrated how activities such as driving, walking and climbing could be represented by simple reductions. In addition, Opie uses sculpture and light installations to present items of everyday life. Julian Opie also implements computer technology by cutting out the outlines and coloured shapes, sometimes on vinyl, as in large display banners at Tate Britain. Opie is a former trustee of the Tate Gallery and exhibits with Lisson Gallery and Alan Cristea Gallery in London, England. His studio and workshop is based in Shoreditch, London. He was also the subject of a book by Mary Horlock published by Tate Publishing as part of their Contemporary Artist series.’ This information was taken form http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Opie

Like A Prayer Lyrics

Refrain:
Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone.
I hear you call my name and it feels like
Home.

Chorus:
When you call my name, it's like a little
Prayer. I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you
there. In the midnight hour, I can feel your
Power. Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there

I hear your voice, it's like an angel sighing.
I have no choice, I hear your voice, feels like
Flying. I close my eyes, oh God, I think I'm
Falling, out of the sky. I close my eyes, Heaven
Help me.

Chorus:
When you call my name, it's like a little
Prayer. I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you
There. In the midnight hour, I can feel your
Power just like a prayer. You know I'll take
You there.

Like a child, you whisper softly to me. You're
In control just like a child, now I'm dancing.
It's like a dream, no end and no beginning.
You're here with me, it's like a dream. Let
The choir sing.

Chorus:
When you call my name, it's like a little
Prayer. I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you
There. In the midnight hour, I can feel your
Power, just like a prayer. You know I'll take
You there.

Chorus:
When you call my name, it's like a little
Prayer. I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you
There. In the midnight hour, I can feel your
Power just like a prayer. You know I'll take
You there.

Refrain:
Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone.
I hear you call my name and it feels like
Home.

Bridge:
Just like a prayer, your voice can take me
There. Just like a muse to me , you are a
Mystery. Just like a dream, you are not what
You seem. Just like a prayer, no choice,
Your voice can take me there.

Intermediate:
Just like a prayer, I'll take you there. It's
Like a dream to me. Just like a prayer, I'll
Take you there. It's like a dream to me. Just
Like a prayer, I'll take you there. It's like
A dream to me. Just like a prayer, I'll take
You there. It's like a dream to me.

(Medley)

Bridge:
Just like a prayer, your voice can take me
There. Just like a muse to me, you are a
Mystery. Just like a dream, you are not what
You seem. Just like a prayer, no choice,
Your voice can take me there.

Intermediate:
Just like a prayer, I'll take you there. It's
Like a dream to me. Just like a prayer, I'll
Take you there. It's like a dream to me. Just
Like a prayer, I'll take you there. It's like
A dream to me. Just like a prayer, I'll take
You there. It's like a dream to me.

About Madonna’s lyrics 

Madonna like a prayers lyrics have a lot of meaning behind them as she is singing about her lover. “When you call my name, it's like a little Prayer” Madonna’s basically saying every time he calls her name it’s like someone holy is talking to her. The idea of him speaking and it being like a prayer makes the listen think he must mean a lot to her. “It's like a dream, no end and no beginning.” By referring their relationship to a dream its like she doesn’t know if it’s real or not and every time she’s with him its like it’s never going to end. “I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there. In the midnight hour, I can feel your Power, just like a prayer.” Madonna’s expressing her love for him, she wants to show him how much he effects her. By her saying “I can feel your power” shows it’s almost like she’s controlling her and almost guides her in the right direction like ‘God’ would. “It's like a dream to me.” Its almost not real to her, he seems so perfect to her its like he’s almost not real, like as if he’s in this perfect world. “No choice, your voice can take me there.” She sees him in a dream like world and every time she hears his voice its like he’s going to take her to this different place where they can be in a perfect world.

Pictures Are Files-Files Are Formats

Pictures Are Files-Files Are Formats

When an image is captured by a camera or a scanning device it has to be saved or memorised in a ‘file format’. The information can only be read and understood if the software recognises the format.

The dominant formats are:

·      JPEG (Joint photographic experts group) .jpg

·      TIFF (Tagged image file format) .tif

·      PSD (Photoshop document) .psd

·      RAW (Raw unprocessed information)

File > Save as- This opens up numerous options for the Photoshop/P.C. user. For simplicity it is advisable that you save your work either TTIF or PSD file because they support all of Photoshop’s features. Note: Not all formats support layers.

TIFF-This format is generally regarded as the industry standard because it is the most universally recognised format. Photoshop’s variant of this format supports image layers, adjustments, layers, paths, clipping paths and ICC profiles. It’s the most popular format for photographers delivering RGB and CMYK files to clients. Its good practice to flatten files because only Photoshop supports layered tiffs.

PSD-Photoshop’s native format supports everything Photoshop can do including ICC profile. Until version 6 it was the only format that supported layers. This format is only recognised by Photoshop so it is not advertisable to hand PCD file over to clients. 

JPEG-The most commonly used file format. It has ‘lossy’ compression that transmits what it deems to be ‘important’ content and discards colour information that it considers redundant. There is no option to save without compression but embedding ICC profile is optional.

JPEG allows you to make trade off between image file size and image quality JPEG compression divides the images in squares in 8x8 pixels, which are compressed independently. As you increase compression the squares become more visible.

100% Quality JPEG-Very hard to distinguish from the uncompressed original typically taking up to 6 times as much storage.

80% Quality JPEG-It still look good although it is 10 times smaller than the uncompressed original. Some detrition will occur however.

60% Quality JPEG- 20 times smaller than the uncompressed original. Sufficient for website use.

10% Quality JPEG- This will show image degradation with very visible 8x8 jpeg square. It is unlikely that you will ever use this level of compression but it illustrates what JPEG is doing at higher quality levels.

Photoshop: PSD (Portable document format)- This format can support layer files can be re-opened and edited in Photoshop. A group of images can be saved as a multi page document. PDF supports various compression amongst them are ZIP, JPEG and JPEG 200.

Upon close inspection of compressed JEPG blocks of 8x8 pixels can become evident. Because of this degradation it is advisable to avoid saving in this format for high quality images. JPEG can use several layers of compression dramatically reducing the size of closed files compared to their open state. If an image is shot on JPEG avoid resaving as a JPEG as it will further degrade the image; save as TIFF.

JPEG Sizes

this is how big the file size is when its not opened 

the file size then changes when its opened 

Post 1-Research

The album cover i have decided to use for this project its Like A Prayer by Madonna. Like a Prayer” is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 4th studio album, Like a Prayer. It was released on February 28, 1989 by Sire Records. A power pop song by Madonna, it notably features a gospel choir.

http://www.last.fm/music/Madonna/_/Like+a+Prayer
The tracks on the album are:
1.Like A Prayer
2.Express Yourself
3.Love Song
4.Till Death Do Us Part
5.Promise To Try
6.Cherish
7.Dear Jessie
8.Oh Father
9.Keep It Together
10.Spanish Eyes
11.Act Of Contrition

Top 10 Albums Of All Time

1. Pink Floyd-A Momentary Lapse of Reason
2. The Clash-London Calling
3. Joy Division-Closer
4. Prince- Sign "☮" the Times

5. Nirvana-Nevermind
6. The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

7.Genesis-The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
8.The Velvet Underground-The Velvet Underground & Nico 
9.Genesis-Foxtrot
10.Miles Davis-Bitches Brew

My 3 Favorite Albums From The Top 10 Are:
1.Nirvana-Nevermind because of the bold colors i think they really stand out and are really eye catchy.
2.Prince- Sign "☮" the Times because of the strange busy picture that draws in your attention.
3. The Clash-London Calling because of the big bold colorful text against the Grey photo.