Gradient Tool- Cognitive Dissonance

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This piece is, by far, the most complex piece that I have created so far, both development-wise as well as presentation of the actual piece. "Cognitive Dissonance" was created using chiefly the gradient tool to create depth and other likewise effects in the piece. Examples of gradients are found in every object, or at least parts thereof. For a focal point in "Cognitive Dissonance" I created an eclipse of a foreign object, presumably some form of large object in the sky (such as the moon or some likewise satelite). This eclipse became the focal point of the piece. To create the effect of the eclipse I used two ellipses, each with a specific gradient. The gradient on the black ellipse is harder to perceive (by design), and flows from a deep black to a lighter grey radially, the lighter gray making up the center of the circle and radiating out into the black of the outline. The glowing object seemingly being eclipsed is an ellipse of a slightly larger size with a very different gradient placed upon it, in which it ranges radially from a white center out to nothing. This creates the glowing effect on the eclipsed object. To add more character or meaning to the eclipse as well as add something to the art piece that creates meaning, I image traced a photograph of the human eye, added a general gradient radiating outwards from a black center to an invisible barrier, and placed this eye on the black foreign object that is eclipsing. Behind this, for the background, I played out an image traced picture of old, weathered paper, with the very same gradient effect as the eye. On top of that I created a series of bars that progress from dark grey to a seeming white using the gradient tool and blend tool. I then took a photograph of a water splash, image traced it, and added gradients to the darker parts to create depth. I then added an outer glow on this image, which then and now resembles a landmass. I used this landmass as a representation of an intermediary between the background (which the bars seem to imprison), and the eclipse with the eye (in which the eclipse is beginning to break, symbolizing the opposite of the background, instead of being imprisoned the light source here is only just being set free). The eye upon this symbol of the light coming free is a representation of the human body and thus the mind, which adds a human element to the piece that ties together the meanings and thus leads us to the title: "Cognitive Dissonance". Cognitive Dissonance in the field of psychology is a condition in which an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs, ideas, or values. This is represented in the artwork through the means of the eclipse and the bars in the background. The eye represents our human perception, and the black object represents the previous set of beliefs, ideas, or values, and the light then represents the actual reality of it. The light was once eclipsed, but now it is coming into view.