4D Project 1A: Strange Encounters

Ideation reference: Shaun Tan

Shaun Tan is an artist who has inspired me with his illustration works. He has written and illustrated many award winning children illustration books that have since been adapted to other mediums.

“The Lost Thing”  is a strange character that he has created combining tentacles to a enormous industrial boiler like container, making it/him/her a misplaced “thing” in the world that the protagonist lives in.  This idea of finding a place for what is being misplaced in society and having care for them was similar to the underlying message behind the creation of my strange world. Hence, Shaun’s work was a great source of inspiration for me.

Watch the animated clip -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVV7kxQdolY&t=494s

Reference for Technique: Rocio Montoya

I chanced upon Rocio Montoya while researching for this project.  She used traditional methods of collage making (cutting & pasting) as an extension of her photography works. She distorts reality by cutting out parts of the body and inserting them with elements from the natural environment. Her choice of colours further creates a synergy effect that allows disjointed elements come together as one. Her very intricate cuts and intentional placement of visual elements to create an aesthetically pleasing work was what I was trying to emulate in my pieces of work.

Peek at her other works -> http://rociomontoya.com/

Lavender Mist – Jackson Pollock

Jackson Pollock’s Lavender Mist is a painting created in the 1950s. He uses earthy colours  to create an abstract compositions of lines covering a large canvas. Fueled by spontaneous splash of paints on the canvas, a lot of movement is captured in Pollock’s work.  The synergy created with the overlapping lines and colours allows his work to evoke some sort of emotional response from the viewer.

Jackson Pollock, Lavender Mist