HEY!

It’s 4 in the afternoon. I’m sitting in my Foundation 2D class at B2-20 and I’m currently working on how to create this OSS site. Here’s my first post:

I’m bringing some youtiao (Chinese oil sticks) and a plastic bag as tools for next week’s mark making class.

 

I initially thought of bringing donuts instead of youtiao, but I think youtiao have interesting uneven textures both inside and outside that I can experiment with as compared to a donut.

 

The next item I want to play with are plastic bags. Have you ever seen stains or water marks left by plastic bags? They capture the folds and texture of plastic bags quite well. I want to try recreating that with plastic bags as well as seeing if I can find new ways to print with the bags.

Looking forward to the next class (and possibly munching on some youtiaos)

RESEARCH

Some artist references whose styles I found interesting:

Cai Guo-Qiang:  Gun powder art

 

I like how the directional lines created by the gunpowder flow in all directions, creating a sense of chaos in Cai Guo-Qiang’s work, yet the works seem to have a calming feeling to them as well, possibly because of the organic and round shapes that the artist himself created. Even the work where the gunpowder flows diagonally downwards (2nd picture) does not seem to show so much anger as the downwards lines aren’t completely straight or harsh, and vary in width.

Andy Warhol: Oxidation works

Similar to Andy Warhol’s oxidation works and Cai Guo-Qiang’s gunpowder art, I am aiming to create organic, round shapes with my mark making tools, specifically the youtiao.

Julie Mehretu

I really like Julie Mehretu’s works as well as they tell their own story through these extremely expressive lines and patterns. Her directional lines can make her audience go through a series of emotions that then convey the story she wants to tell. I also like how her works have depth and is not just a flat image. I hope to be able to create some depth with my mark making tools as well!

 

PROCESS

Mark making day! I’ve brought my youtiao and plastic bags to class. I’ve also decided to throw in some masking tape into the mix. I’m interested in seeing what marks my masking tape can make!

We were given both paint and Chinese ink to experiment with:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The paint gave a thicker consistency which could provide some texture while the Chinese ink was watery. I was excited to experiment and see how my marks would look with the varied mediums.

My approach

I plan to experiment with my materials and see what emotions my experiments will lead me to.

MASKING TAPE

For the masking tape, I first dipped the adhesive side of a piece of masking tape in either paint or ink then scraped the excess paint/ink away with a paint knife so that the textures and grooves of the tape can be seen when printed onto the newsprint paper.

Here are my studies:

I tried transferring the ink onto paper by using both light dabs and also by rubbing the surface of the masking tape with force after i’ve stuck it onto the paper. I found that the texture is better shown when using Chinese ink and with the rubbing method.

The texture or marks created by the tape is scratchy and seem chaotic. I thought that perhaps I could use this texture for emotions like anxiety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I first tried lining lengths of the tape next to each other to try and transfer the texture throughout the page. However, I found the marks rather flat and that it did not represent anxiety well. The marks were also too uniformed; I imagine anxiety to be more chaotic.

 

 

 

 

I then tried rolling up the tape and dabbing the tape onto the paper. The results created were tiny mountain-looking prints that did not seem to fit with my definition of anxiety. Each mark had a rounded tip that looked more joyful rather than nervous. The repeated mark created a pattern that was also too uniformed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I realised that the reason why the previous two methods were not working out for me was because the scratchy marks created from the masking tape print were too uniformed and had distinct direction — the scratchy lines seemed to be moving horizontally. I hence tried tearing off small, uneven pieces of masking tape and sticking them down in different directions. I felt that this particular method represented anxiety best for me. To me, anxiety is not only just worrying about one thing, but worrying about everything that could happen because of one situation — the mind runs free and endlessly conjures up consequences (no matter how improbable) to the preceding situation. Hence the mind is not moving in a singular direction but all over the place, in multiple directions. The results of the method here especially shows this. The arrangement of the tape pieces are not organised and the scratchy marks on each tape are moving in their own separate directions. Furthermore, the faint, uneven lines running between two pieces of tape create a separation between each piece of tape. This to me represents the different problems one thinks of and how scattered the mind is when it is anxious, as compared to my first method where the lines flow in one general direction. What I can work on next is to experiment with torn pieces of tape in varying sizes and how they would work well with each other.

PLASTIC BAGS

For this material, I had two different textures. One had the usual smooth texture of a plastic bag while one felt a little bumpy as it had small perforations on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To create the marks, I first used the paint knife to apply either the ink or the paint on one side of the plastic bag. I then placed the painted side face down on my newsprint and transferred the print by using a roller to roll and flatten the plastic bag.

I found that using paint on plastic was much better as paint is slightly sticky and can latch unto the surface of the plastic creating a nice print and hence I proceeded experimenting with paint.

As I applied more paint to my plastic bag, I realised that i could create lines by pushing paint away with my paint knife. I quite liked how the prints turned out with the extra scratches created by the paint knife, as well as the extra texture given by the perforated plastic bag.

From my experimentations, I found that I prefer the perforated plastic bag prints more as it adds a rustic texture to the overall print. I also prefer the thicker strokes created with the paint knife as compared to the thin strokes. I found that thickness and bluntness of the strokes, along with their curved shapes, conveyed a certain kind of sadness to them. The thin strokes on the other hand seemed too harsh. I felt that the thick, curved strokes that I created could be used to represent sorrow. To me, the strokes looked like waves that could represent the waves of sadness one feels when they are sorrowful. The perforated bag adds some texture to the strokes as well which I find decreases the contrast between the background and the strokes. This makes the strokes softer as compared to the harsher ones made with the smooth plastic bag. The softer strokes represent sorrow better as the waves of sadness, to me, are not forceful or hard but are soft, lingering and continuous.

YOUTIAO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the youtiao, I cut different small pieces off, dipped them in Chinese ink, and stamped the youtiao pieces onto the newsprint. I chose to use Chinese ink as it is water based and can be easily absorbed by the youtiao. From the experimentation. I liked the rounded, organic shapes the “youtiao stamps” created, as well as the interesting marks created by the interaction of the ink with the oil from the youtiao.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The results created from this first experimentation convey a positive kind of emotion because of its uniformity and roundness. However I felt that the uniformity created was rather dull and that there was too much unused space on the paper. I decided to close up the space between each stamp and see what that would give me.

I found that this second attempt was more interesting than the first and would be even more interesting if each row had a different pattern. However, I felt that there was still something lacking in the work. It still seemed a little boring and flat. I decided to try mixing up the stamps instead of using one single one throughout.

I found this end result much better than the rest. It was rather eerie looking as compared to the previous experimentations because of the organic forms created from the youtiao and how they were oddly put together. The pattern created almost seemed to look like internal organs, and the lack of gaps and slight overlapping made the image look cramped/crowded and claustrophobic. I felt that this image represented torment. The roundness of each stamp gave the impression that the problem causing this torment has yet to be solved as it is trapped within the circles created by the stamps. The overwhelming amount of circles in such close proximity also gave the feeling of one being surrounded or even constantly haunted by the problem. Although the shapes are round, they do not give off the same sense of positivity like the previous experimentations as there is a lack of repetition and uniformity. Repetition and uniformity gives a sense of safety, as I feel a viewer will be able to predict what they will be looking at next. However, for this image, each turn/point of the image reveals a different shape. This creates a sense of unease for the viewer because they are not able to predict the image that they will see next, and because there is no singular image/stamp that they are able to identify (as compared to the previous experimentations where one can easily make out the repeated image/stamp).

RUBBER BAND

As I was experimenting with my different mark making tools, I thought of trying to experiment with rubber bands as well. I got my hands on a few rubber bands and started to make marks!

 

 

 

 

 

I first dipped one end of the rubber band in a mixture of poster colour and water, then stretched and aimed it at my canvas. I then released the rubber band and let it fly and hit my canvas, creating the marks above. I quite like how the marks turned out and I also like the mixture of lines and dots created. Each individual line had varying thickness which i thought was interesting. There was another set of marks created below the canvas where the rubber bands fell after hitting the first canvas.

I then repeated the same process but on a crumpled sheet of paper. I thought that perhaps the crumpled paper might create a different set of marks when the rubber bands hit it. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of a difference, but I thought the crumpled paper added more depth to the overall image. I felt this image represented triumph as the curved lines looked like they were dancing for joy and the splatters that accompanied the lines added a sense of excitement. Also, there is no triumph if there is nothing to overcome. I felt that the crumpled sheet of paper represented the obstacle, which was then easily overpowered by the marks created by the rubber bands.

MULTIPLE MEDIUMS

Gathering some mark makings from my previous experimentations, I find that these three drawings give off positive feelings. Mostly because of the roundness and repetitiveness of the shapes. I found that being able to see a pattern or identify a shape made my mind feel at ease, as compared to the marks I made with my youtiaos to represent torment. I hence wanted to use these to express happiness.

However, I found that the patterns were too overwhelming or complex and that my mind would rest a lot easier with a pattern that is simpler. I decided to create arc like shapes, following the mountain-like prints made from my masking tape, and instead of having many of it spread all around my canvas, I wanted to have a very small number of them placed in a nice systematic order.

I wanted to challenge myself and attempt to convey the emotion without using any paint or mark making tools. I decided to go for cuts.

I decided to cut 4 arcs across a black piece of paper in a neat row, and have it pasted on top of a white sheet of paper so that the definition of the arcs can be seen. (Explanation on work in FINAL)

PAINT

For my last emotion, I had already decided the emotion prior to my experimentation:

I wanted to express attraction using paint and water which would flow towards a specific direction, imitating how one would turn and direct their attention to something he/she is attracted to. I hence placed my canvas vertically up right so that I can have my paint flow downwards.

I diluted my paint with water and starting dripping away. However, I did not like how the paint was just flowing down in one generic direction. I wanted it to flow towards a point rather than just a direction because I want to create the feeling of being pulled towards something.

 

I decided to tilt/rotate my canvas left and right so that my paint droplets will flow towards a point. I found that some of the droplets at the corners will merge and follow the paths of the droplets nearer to the centre of the canvas and ultimately flow down one main path which is directly cutting across the centre of the canvas. I preferred the results from this experimentation more as the sense of attraction was more clearly shown as the droplets literally gathered to one main path and ultimately end at a point, at the bottom of the canvas.

FINAL

Finalised Emotions

The 6 emotions I’ve chosen (including their definitions – from the Cambridge dictionary – and my personal interpretations) are:

Emotion	Defintion	My interpretation
Torment	Great mental suffering and unhappiness, or great physical pain	Prolonged suffering or pain that haunts one’s self. A person who is tormented is constantly surrounded by the problem that is causing him/her pain.
Happiness	Feeling, showing, or causing pleasure or satisfaction	A feeling that can only be felt when one knows hardships. It is a calm, stable and pleasant state. A feeling that is derived from getting the simple pleasures in life.
Sorrow	a feeling of great sadness	Waves of sadness that are seemingly never ending.
Anxiety	An uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future	Constant worrying that can lead to slippery slopes in thinking
Triumph	A feeling of great satisfaction or pleasure caused by a very great success, achievement, or victory.	The ecstatic and proud feeling one gets or is overcome by when they succeed in doing something.
Attraction	the feeling of liking someone, especially sexually, because of the way they look or behave	When someone is attracted to someone or something, both their body and mind are pulled towards the person or object of liking.

 

TRIUMPH

Mediums: Rubber band, paint, tracing paper

For this piece, my main aim was to show that triumph is an emotion that cannot be felt on a whim but can only felt after one goes through a process of trails to finally reach their goal — which by then, they can feel triumphant.

To do so, I used multiple layers of tracing paper with varying lengths, from long to short, and flung rubber bands coated in paint on to them. I chose to use the marks created with the rubber band for this piece because of how the lines were twisting and turning in all angles, as if to express celebration. The splatters created when the rubber band hit the canvas also add to the ecstatic feeling felt from the lines. This is the accompanied feeling I would get when I achieve something and feel triumphant, I simply feel like celebrating! The progression of the density of the marks was such that the longest piece had the least marks and the shortest piece had the most. I then arranged and layered the slips of paper in such a way where the longest piece was at the bottom and the subsequent ones were arranged on top, aligned to the left, till the shortest piece was on the top, to achieve the outcome in the picture above.

As seen, the density of the marks increases towards the left as the papers are layered on top of one another and the amount of marks multiply. I did this to show one’s progression through their journey to success. At the beginning, one might be overcome with failures and their goal seems unattainable, but as they progress, they began to achieve small successes and reaching their goal seems more probable. Hence, as we move towards the centre of the work, there is an increase in marks and layers. Finally, at the right side of the work, when the goal is achieved and one feels triumphant, the marks cover the entire space.

Besides using the marks as an indication of progress and the eventual feeling of triumph, I also made use of the translucency of the tracing paper. The translucency allows for the marks on the previous slips of paper to be still visible when a new one is placed over it, though not as visible as the marks on the very top layer. The reason behind this is that, as I have mentioned, triumph is only felt after the arduous process of trial and error. Hence, I aimed to express triumph as the layer on the very top, backed by the other layers below it which represent the process towards triumph.

SORROW

Mediums: perforated plastic bag, paint, drawing block

My focus for this piece was to show how sorrow is felt in waves, following the saying “waves of sorrow”.

I executed this by using the method done with the perforated plastic bag during my experimentation, which was to spread paint onto the bag then scrape it with a paint knife, creating directional curved lines that imitated the movement of waves.

Besides using that transferring method, I also painted my base grey. As said above in the process part of this post, I did not want the waves to have too much contrast. I felt that the contrast made the waves look harsher, warping my sorrow into a deep sadness or even anger. I find sorrow to be a heavy yet mellow kind of feeling. While it can completely take over a person, it is not the kind of emotion to make one feel like venting. It is rather a feeling that makes one depressed and lack motivation to carry out simple, everyday activities.

I chose to use waves to express sorrow as, besides it relating to the saying “waves of sorrow”, I do feel that the feeling of sorrow is constantly coming in waves. It is a feeling that is constantly there. It may die down at times but it would easily build back up again and crash into you just like an oncoming wave. With my work, I wanted to express the first wave of sorrow. I did so by creating a big violent strokes as seen on the left side of the piece, and let it slowly subside as it moved towards the left.  I also chose to have the waves flow out of the canvas as sorrow to me is overwhelming, especially when it first hits you.

ANXIETY

Mediums used: Ink, masking tape, drawing block

My aim for this piece was to express how overwhelming and disruptive anxiety is.

I did this by tearing varying sizes of masking tape and sticking the adhesive side unto the paper after i have dipped it in ink, as shown in my process. I used different sized masking tape to create tighter and also larger patches across the canvas. I did so as anxiety to me is being constantly worried about something even when you are not really thinking about it. Those moments when you are not thinking much about it are represented through the smaller, distant patches, while the big patches represent anxiety at its peak.

I chose to use masking tape as I liked the texture it gave me, as well as how there was some form of direction created with the tape marks, which is something I could play around with. I pasted  the tape in multiple directions and multiple sizes across the canvas to create this uneven piece. It’s uneven-ness and chaotic nature represent what it feels like to be anxious to me.  One’s mind is constantly running all over the place (hence the multiple directions), thinking about all the possible turn of events or outcomes for the problem that is making him/her anxious, and can sometimes also conjure up exaggerated situations that would probably never happen. Also, besides the multiple directions created, the chaotic nature of this work is used to express how the feeling is constantly in one’s mind and cannot fully be shaken off until the supposed situation is settled.

A happy accident created during the process of this final piece was how some bits of the paper would tear off as I peeled the masking tape away. This added effect where the white, blank patches interfere with the work create the sense of patchiness or scratchiness which can be irritating, much like how one’s anxiety over something can be constantly bothering them or scratching at them, as well as constantly popping up into one’s mind.

TORMENT

Mediums used: Chinese oil sticks (youtiao), ink, newsprint paper

The aim for this piece was to create a disturbing image that makes viewers feel uneasy when they see it.

For this piece, through my experimentation, I used the centres of the youtiao as stamps to create this work.

To express torment, I wanted to create a haunting image as I felt that when one is tormented, they are constantly being reminded of or thinking about the situation that they are unable to overcome or get over. Rather than nagging, torment is haunting to me as nagging creates a sense of irritation but haunting creates a sense of despair, it makes me want to close up and hide or desperately run away from the problem. To create this sensation, I used the roundness of the youtiao as a metaphor for the problem. It is stuck within the circle or space created by the youtiao and is unable to be released because it has not been solved. To have these spaces containing the problem appear all over the canvas creates an overwhelming sensation where the problem is constantly asking for once attention and won’t leave one alone, hence tormenting the individual.

The organic shapes created by the different youtiaos also create a sense of unease due to how eerie they look. They can resemble a cluster of organisms or innards. Both these images are unsettling and would make one feel uneasy when looking at the work, just like how being tormented can make one feel disturbed. The lack in a pattern and the minor overlapping would also make the viewer feel disturbed as he/she would not be able to identify a singular shape nor will they be able to predict what they would see next as there is no clear pattern to follow. There is no sense of certainty when looking at the painting and hence the viewers are at the mercy of the work. One could say that this would make them feel quite lost, much like how one would feel if they are being tormented as they may be at a lost at how to solve the situation that torments them, similar to how the viewer cannot locate or identify a subject or pattern in the work.

HAPPINESS

Mediums used: Drawing block, Black paper

For happiness, I wanted to create something that was simple and easy on the eyes as I wanted my viewers to feel the comfort and contentment looking at my work, as well as because happiness to me is being able to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

I chose to create four arc-like cuts in a symmetrical and orderly manner because it gives the work uniformity rather than chaos. The symmetry of the work can also make viewers feel at ease because patterns or neatly arranged things tend to make people feel a sense of joy and peace. The roundness and uniformity of the cuts also portray positivity as it gives a sense of wholeness and ease, unlike straight lines which would better represent hard and explosive emotions. I also chose to create cuts that reveal the white paper underneath as I wanted to create a eclipse like outcome when one looks at the work from the front. I used this to create something similar to a silver lining.

I wanted to use the silver lining as a portrayal of happiness as it represents hope and optimism. Hence the black paper chosen was used to represent hardships and trials, as I feel that one cannot fully enjoy happiness or the simple pleasures in life if they have not gone through hardships before that.

ATTRACTION

Mediums used: Drawing block, paint

For this piece, I simply wanted to express the feeling of having all of one’s attention being drawn in by something or someone, hence I used the lines created by the diluted paint and paint drops to all flow towards one point of the page. By having the paint drops at the very corners connect to the main path midway presents how one’s attention will be forcefully (but willingly) grabbed and drawn in, into the item or person of interest. As seen, the intensity of the ink gets darker at the very end as all the attention is channeled towards that one point, while the beginning of the piece on the left is much more diluted or faint.

Also, I used multiple lines at the beginning to all end in one main path as regularly, our minds will be engaged in doing a few things at once, such as eating, talking, observing, all at the same time. However, when we see something we are attracted to, all these different activities happening in the brain stop and immediately shift their focus onto that one item or person, hence the multiple channels all stream down into one main path, some normally while some very abruptly.

FINAL THOUGHTS

After completing this project, I have come to truly understand the importance of research and experimentation and the benefits they give you, such as finding out about a new or interesting method of doing things and helping me to build ideas. I also learnt how to think more visually. I learnt to be sensitive about how I create my works, Such as why I would put a stroke on my paper at this certain point and what kind of stroke am I using or creating.

I must say, I really enjoyed this project  as it has pretty much warmed me up for my next few projects and I am feeling more encouraged to experiment and explore more, and to push my boundaries.