I joined ds106, the open online digital storytelling course, almost on a whim this week. I was vaguely familiar with it, having seen some of the projects that were created last semester. It just seemed like the jolt I needed to reacquaint myself with the creative potential of my computer, which lately seems more like a productivity tool.
I’ve done two of The Daily Create assignments, both related to audio. When I set about to to do the first one yesterday–combine two sounds that wouldn’t normally be heard together–I knew what I wanted to do, but it had been so long since I had done anything with audio that it took me some time to figure out what tools to use for capturing and editing my audio. I ended up using my flip camera and then importing it into GarageBand for the mix down called Chicken TV.
Today, I did break the rules a bit as I did not capture any new audio. I had so much excess from yesterday and I spent the whole day in a meeting so I pulled some different clips and applied some effects to create my answer to the assignment to make an audio recording using an everyday object as a musical instrument. Probably many people would not consider chickens as everyday objects but I feed and water them everyday so I’m counting them. And somehow, I think breaking the rules is all part of the ds106 experience. Plus, I’m having fun so I don’t really care. I have fulfilled the fundamental mission of The Daily Create: Make Art Dammit!
I’m also participating in the 365 Project, taking and uploading a picture every week. So far, my photos have been fairly pedestrian, documenting my life. But I’m about ready to start experimenting with the Retro Camera app I downloaded some time ago to do some post-photo processing. Here are 12 of them:
1. Barn at Sunset, 2. Chair Decoration, 3. Chandelier, 4. Insulator, 5. Cabbage, 6. Chicken and Bottles, 7. Major the Puppy, 8. Smokehouse, 9. Happy Snowman Globe, 10. Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom, 11. Flocked Wallpaper, 12. Dottie
The farm is certainly going to give you a unique perspective on these projects and I love how you’re working with it. I’m impressed you’ve taken on the 365 project too, I’ve never been successful with trying to stick to that kind of regiment, although I probably do take at least one photo a day on my phone.
Also if I could make one little WordPress recommendation we make to most people taking the course it would be to install the Subscribe to Comments plugin to allow folks to receive follow-up comments by e-mail. It really ends up helping people track conversations they’ve been a part of.