250717 – Mark Making

These are a few of my favourite outcomes during the first session. I flirted with the various possible tools that goes beyond the simple idea of being in control.

Being interested with the various facets of each possible tool, I was thus intrigued by the  ability of implanting a certain surface onto a piece of paper. Using ink as a form of medium to move the surface onto another plane, the mark making form is therefore, not created onto the paper itself.

To truly conceptualize the idea of mere chance, each tool chosen was with no sense of clear thought but rather through feelings or emotions.

I was intrigued by the rough texture of the abrasion side on a sponge. Upon closer detail, the abrasion side had a very unique surface. Almost 3-dimensional, I wanted to translate this sense of depth and perception onto a two-dimensional plane.

To draw inspiration from everyday life, I stumbled upon a pack of heavy, bathroom napkins. As mark making itself is seemingly apparent throughout every facet of our lives, I wanted to quite literally, place the sense of mundanity onto a piece of paper.

The surface of the napkin, bearing imperfections and creases intrigued me. These imperfection and creases were not of my creation. It is in fact, almost a character of a piece of napkin.

I am quite pleased with the outcome. Instead of using a carved piece of lino, I replaced it with a rectangular piece of napkin. Again, referencing to my interest in surfaces, I wanted to push the flatness of the napkin into a ‘mark’ with a perceived depth.

This piece of inspired non-deliberateness of the deliberate in creating a skid mark. As an avid fan of the skating culture, each tyre would etch an imprint if driven hard enough onto a surface via friction.

I wanted to emulate the idea of ‘friction’ through the use of ink on paper. Despite looking rather mundane, each skid itself has its own unique quality. A sense of perceived depth exists in this surface. How dark the skid is, is dependent on how hard you press the tire onto the surface.

Again, to emualate depth on a two dimensional surface, I had used a container cover with groves to mimic a piece of tyre. Drenched in block paint, I rubbed it onto the paper, with varying degrees of friction. Here, the process is not entirely automatic. Nonetheless, I wanted to give the sense of casualness that a particular skid mark possess.

I am not entirely convinced but I believe this segment has greater room for improvement.

 

Lastly, I was intrigued in the creases on a piece of a plastic bag. This apparent marks that existed on a two dimensional was rather unique. These tiny creases are not three-dimensional per se but rather, almost two-dimensional. They are either flat or ‘bumpy’ depending on the circumstance.

I wanted to place this sense of questioning, of uncertainty onto a paper. Here, I was not particularly intrigued by how it created a perceived sense of depth, instead, I wanted to place the notions of questioning directly onto a two-dimensional object.

Am I happy with the regards to the outcome? I am not too certain, maybe it is left for further questioning. Whether or not I should be happy or disappointed regarding the outcome does not seem to matter anymore. Instead, I believe the act of questioning itself should be of greater priority.