Project 3 Ego

Final Product

Project Summary

As the end of the semester is nearing, so was our final project in Foundation 2D. Unlike the previous 2D projects, this project was different. We got to incorporate color into our compositions. This was a big step for many of us because our previous projects restricted us from using color. I see now, that this was so that we focused on the skill specific to the project. For Project 1, the basis of the project was mark-making. Restricting me from using color helped me focus my attention to making unique and innovative marks. This same revelation can be said for my second project with focused on subverting and composition.

Ego in Different Settings, focused on how us as people are not stationary. We change our behaviour, thought process, and  personality based on different settings or people. Using color to either symbolize or enhance the message we are trying to convey in each row, we created an overall composition containing four rows of three 200mmx200mm boards. The first square represents “me”, the second square represents “the setting/situation”, and the last row represents “the change/ new me”. All the squares are open to our interpretation, it can be abstract or it can be representational. Even our media choices were open ended, we could use traditional or digital medias for any of our squares.

Intro to Color

Color is an important design element that adds, subtracts, or symbolizes certain messages or experiences in a painting. Some people believe that color is embedded within the composition itself and is not just a supplementary addition to embellish an artwork. I believe that it is both, color is a part of our everyday life while adding a little something extra to what we see and experience. Even the absence of color makes us feel and reflect.

With color, there comes color harmony. Specific sets of colors that compliment each other by creating harmony or juxtaposition. Primary colors and Secondary colors fall under a broader harmony set called the Triad color harmony. The triad color harmony creates an equilateral triangle on the color wheel. The Tetrad Color Harmony creates either a square or rectangle on the color wheel (usually contains two sets of complimentary colors). Complimentary Color Harmony is a pair of colors on opposite ends of the color wheel, this pair is compliments each other because of the contrast it creates. From complimentary colors, comes Split Complimentary Color Harmony. Split Complimentary Color Harmony is when you take one color and take the two adjacent colors to the right and left of the complimentary color for the first color. Split complimentary creates the same contrast as complimentary yet it is less jarring in comparison. Analogous Color Harmony is when you take the colors right and left of one base color. And finally Monochrome Color Harmony, which takes one color and plays with the tone, shades, saturation, and tints.

Color Harmony Chart

Row 1

Uncooked Ramen+ Formal Setting= Uncooked Pasta

Summary:

For row 1, I decided to focus on my outer appearance; specifically my hair. My hair has always been a dilemma for me. When I was young, every one wanted and had straight hair; I was the only one with curly hair. This led to a decrease in confidence for my hair for the the longest time in my life. I would rebond my hair frequently, however after seeing the damage it could have to my hair’s health, I decided to grow out my natural curls and merely straighten it with a hair iron during important events. This was because, even though I started to regain my confidence for my hair; curly hair is still quite difficult to manage and visually messy in comparison to straight hair. This is why I straightened my hair during important events or formal situations.

I decided to use acrylic paint not only because it is one of my favorite media but also because it creates a specific texture to the composition.

Color:

Square 1:

Since the original packaging of the instant noodle packaging was red, I decided to work with it and make my first square an analagous of red. Coincidently, red is also the color that represents passion and energy, qualities I have garnered towards my curly hair that can not be tamed. Because the focus on the composition is my instant noodles, I experiemented on ways to make the bachground harmonious with the noodle. Initially I planned on scraping a mixture of red and white onto the canvas. However, that made the overall composition chaotic and messy. My second plan was to take the base color (red) and paint the background a very vibrant and bold hue of red. Yet this decision also distracted the viewers focus from the center object. In the end I went for a slight tint of the base color in the background, enhancing the color harmony while not distracting from the focal point.

Square 2:

For square 2 I decided to go for complimentary colors (with a hint of Tetrad color harmony to pay homage to the first and last composition). The reason why I chose purple to be my base color as purple was because purple is the color commonly associated with royalty and formality. Yellow (purple’s complimentary color) is associated with gold (especially the darker yellow) because of the antiquity of the shade. Royalty and gold was meant to symbolize the importance and formality of the the dining table layout. The small hints of green and red were sneak peaks of what came before and what will come in the last composition.

Square 3:

I specifically looked for a green pasta bag, because I wanted to create the contrast from the first square. The green and red (complimentary color) added to the 180 difference that can be felt from having curly hair to straight hair. And since the last square was supposed to be a mirror of the first square, I chose to use a green analogous color harmony. This worked out in the end because the noodles in square 1 are more orange in hue while the pastas in sqaure 3 are more yellow in hue.

Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook) :

I chose to use instant ramen to represent my curly hair because of an old illustration I planned on creating. I also specifically chose the “Shin Ramen” brand instant noodles because it is the most popular (both inside and out of Korea) instant noodle brand from my birth country. The second square shows a formal dining setting with a very classy and expensive meal and cutlery. The third square has a painting of uncooked spaghetti noodles. The pasta represents my straight hair, and the foreign brand symbolizes the strange feeling, and even alienation I now feel towards myself when my hair is straight.

Reference Images:

Reference Images Photoshopped to Help Visualize the Overall Composition

Process:

While it was tough getting back into acrylic paint after so long, my hands started to loosen up and get back to the old medium I love.

Painting my Squares

POWER OF WHITE PAINT

White paint served to vital functions in my composition. The first being the color to cover up all my pencil marks and the second being a base for my future colors so that the color could come out more vibrant and clear (especially because the acrylic paint I used was lighter).

Painting my Squares

Row 2

CHOcolate+ Singapura= cHOcolaTe

Summary:

Row 2 talked about a physical reaction I have to a certain environment. Specifically, my bodies reaction to heat. I illustrated the reaction based off of what happens to chocolate in the sun. The first square shows a representation of me, dark chocolate. I chose dark chocolate for two reasons; the first is because I really like dark chocolate, and the second is because my last name “cho” is in the word “CHOcolate”. The second square represents the hot climate of Singapore, by having the Merlion with sunglasses and a parasol. The last square is a picture of the same chocolate from square 1, but it is melting in the corner. This symbolizes me sweating due to the heat of the sun.

I chose to use a digital medium for this row.

Color:

Square 1:

Following the color of dark chocolate, I chose to make my color scheme monochromes of brown (which is a dark shade of red/orange). The grooves and highlights of the chocolate are all just from the same family of brown.

It was very difficult finding the right shade of dark chocolate that was not black.

Finding the Right Dark Chocolate

Square 2:

I decided to settle on yellow monochrome because it symbolizes the sun and heat. A very saturated yellow at times can bring out the vibrancy and happiness felt on a nice sunny day. I was originally going to use a deep blue-green because it was the complimentary hue of red-orange. This was to help create the contrast between chocolate and hot weather, two things that should not mix.

Blue-Green

Square 3:

Since square 3 was merely a reflection of square 1 with a melted corner, the color scheme stayed relatively similar to the original square. There was an addition of one or two darker and lighter shades to add extra emphasis and realism to the melting chocolate.

Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook) :

The name of the chocolate was a longstanding pun that I hoped I would be able to use sometime in my future works.

Row 3

Seemingly Normal+ Count With Me. 1. 2. 3.= Nevermind

Summary:

For my third row, I decided to focus on my personality. From my exterior appearence one would believe that I am normal, simple– not so different from anyone else. But once you get to know me, truly get to know who I am, I am a very quirky, weird, and 4-Dimensional person. I chose a passion fruit to represent this idea of a seemingly normal but quirky personality of mine.

Color:

Square 1:

For square 1, I decided to use the split complimentary of violet. Violet is the color commonly associated with a passion fruit’s exterior. The Yellow-Orange and green create a sense of contrast and help the violet passion fruit stand out.

Square 2:

Square 2’s color scheme is a monochrome of blue. I chose blue because blue is commonly associated with hospital’s (more specifically surgeries) and it also creates a sterile and clean perception to the square.

Square 3:

For square 3, I chose the tetrad color scheme of (Violet, Yellow, Red, and Green). This encompasses the colors of the passion fruit and adds a quirky combination of different colors.

Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook):

I alway come off as slightly more reserved towards people who have yet gotten to know me well. This is because I am scared that the reaction upon seeing my personality will be negative. Lately, I have been showing my
“weirdness” to people in small doses so that I can learn to be more confident with myself. The action of opening up is represented in a surgeon getting ready for his procedure (getting to know me). This is because surgeon literally have to open up their patients during surgeries. Before the nurses give you the anaesthetic before surgery, the ask you to “count with me (them). 1. 2. 3.” and as you count, your mind slowly falls asleep.

I chose the passion fruit because the exterior of the passion fruit is seemingly normal, like any other fruit, however, when you open it up it is different, unique, even quirky and strange. This is a very accurate representation of my personality when someone tries to get to know me.

Process:

Compilation of my Water Color Swatches (appears more fluorescent on post)

Row 4

Summary:

Tomato+Tomato Farm+ Toma-NO

For my final row, I focused on something more superficial about me. Nothing too deep but at the same time nothing to obvious. Which is why I decided to focus on my reaction when I am put in a setting where I have to see or smell a tomato. I like tomatos when they are grilled or in salsa, but the smell of the raw tomato itself does not sit well with my stomach.

Color:

For all three squares, I used complimentary colors. I used complimentary colors to reflect the contrast and disparity between the affection I have for tomatos (specifically raw tomatos).

Square 1:

The first square is the pair, blue and orange. While I struggled to find the right shade of blue that did not come out blue-violet on the printer, I chose blue for a a specific reason. According to research, blue is a difficult color to find in nature, specifically in food. And when we see blue food, we tend to be repulsed or confused because of the color. This is why I chose blue for the color of my tomato, to represent the same confusion and unsettling feeling that arises whenever I see a tomato.

Square 2:

Square 2 is yellow and violet because purple represents creativity. I felt that creating a tomato perfume was a very creative feet on my part (yay).

Square 3:

Lastly, square 3 is green and red. I chose green because green is usually assoicaited with sickness, vomit, and other ailments.  Bringing that feeling over and pairing it with a toilet seat gives us the image/ impression of vomiting. This is the same feeling that arises when I smell or eat a raw tomato.

Original Sketch/Brain Storm (refer to sketchbook):

My color scheme and style of the overall row was inspired from Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych.  I took the pop art style of posterizing the image to contrasting colors into consideration when I created my row.

Reflection

Through this project, I have understood the importance of color in the overall visual execution and emotional delivery of an artwork. Though I have a lot more to learn about color harmony and the most effective ways to employ it, I have left the project knowing so much more about color harmony. I hope that in the future I can explore more techniques like color illusion to make my works even more compelling and innovative. This project also gave me more time to reflect about myself and understand who I am, I hope to incorporate more of myself in future artworks.

 

Final Product with Classmates Critique

I could not add several process works because I exceeded the maximum files I can upload on one post.

Project 2 Forest Grump

Summary

For our project 2 we were tasked with the mission of finding 4 quotes from either one or four different movies. Interpret the four quotes in our own unique way and create a black and white composition. We will eventually chose one of the four compositions and create a silkscreen that we would eventually screen on a tote bag.

Final Tote Bag in Action

Quote 1

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Meaning

This quote is from the movie Ferris Beuller’s Day off. This movie is about a group of three friends who decide to ditch school to enjoy the best day ever. They choose to enjoy their day to the fullest; from driving their father’s Ferrari, sneaking into a restaurant, watching a massive parade, and simply enjoying life. The entire movie is based off of the quote above, the world keeps moving and we keep missing those amazing opportunities around us.

My Take: I took the quote through an objective view point. I did not relate it to any personal experiences, instead I tried to make it more universal. Flowers are always the topic of beauty and meaning. Each flower carries its own meaning unique to different cultures. Yet we only cherish a flower when it is fully bloomed, that is when the flower is at its prime. But we humans are too busy studying about biology instead of observing it, working for nature but never involving themselves in nature, or immersing themselves in social media. We miss out the beauty of nature and the world even though it is right infant of us, proliferating right under our noses.

The flowers on the right are supposed to be dominating and overpower,  the dominance of the flowers represents that even though what we should is appreciate is that obvious to us, we are still oblivious to it. The people are even on a vast grassy field open to new possibilities yet still chose to be absorbed in the material world. They focus solely on studies and work that I chose to switch their heads with the tools they need to study and work. This irregularity of the human form draws our attention to it and makes us do a double take on the form. Originally, there were several globes that made up a hot air balloon with a person inside watching the flowers. Only this person was watching the flowers, everyone else was too busy. Yet, the hot air balloon and the woman took away from the composition as a whole. The composition looked chaotic and messy, which is why I chose to remove it from the composition as a whole.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
(Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

Quote 2

“But it shouldn’t affect how you see yourself.”

Originally, I took this quote too literally. I would refer to the movie on more than one occasion and in the end my composition looked more like a poster for the film. However, after a group consultation with several members of my class I dared to reinterpret it differently. I chose to add a bit of a personal flare to the reinterpretation by relating it to my personal experiences.

As I was growing up, I dealt with a clash of different cultures. I would often be called a “twinkie” or “banana” as a joke between some friends because of my “Third Culture Kid” personality. Using the previously mentioned experience, I reinterpreted the quote. The quote to me is stating that though there are people out their would perceive you, want you, expect you to be a specific way just because of certain influences. Nothing should affect the way I see myself- I should be the only one having the final say about myself. Western culture tries to have a dominant influence in my life by “throwing” western culture in forms like media, morals, and ideas. There is nothing wrong with the influence, merely that I would like to keep a nice balance between the two.

The composition depicts a girl in a traditional Korean Hanbok, she is holding a banana in her left hand. The form of the banana is pointing towards the girl, drawing our eyes from the girl to the banana and then back to girl. The banana is meant to represent a “twinkie”. A twinkie or banana is a slang term used to describe someone of Asian race who has been strongly influenced by Western culture. The patches of designs coming down the right side of the compositions are a mixture of Korean and American symbols that are supposed to resemble a Scout’s sash.  A scout’ sash is supposed to hold patches that symbolize a mastery of a certain skill, in my case, finally finding balance between the two cultures. The buckets of white paint lead our eyes down the composition to the girl. The white paint came from the idea of “white-washing”. Originally, I was going to leave the background blank but a last minute decision urged me to find a suitable background. However, looking back, leaving the background white would have been cleaner decision.

“But it shouldn’t affect how you see yourself.”
(The Duff)

Quote 3

“좋은신발은좋은곳 으로데려다준다”
“Good shoes will take you to good places”

Meaning:

I chose this quote because I was feeling uninspired from my previous quote. I was taking my quote to literally and kept referring back to the film. So to counteract this, I chose another quote. I looked at this quote with a fresh mind and a new perspective. Instead of just accepting and agreeing with quote, why not agree with it but take it one step further. Yes you need good shoes, but sometimes you need something more. A good pair of Louis Vuittons or Jimmy Choos will not get you to where you want to stand (whether it be fictional or a goal), it requires hard work and thinking outside the box. This is why you see flightless birds finally flying because they thought beyond the norm and created products that would genuinely help them fly. They have finally reached their goals, which will allow them to bigger and greater things.

The galaxy background of the composition is meant to represent the endless possibility of “good places” that you can be a part of. The midground shows Hogwarts and a modern mansion. This creates a sense of symmetry between the vertical axis of the paper and a distinction between the background and the foreground. Hogwarts represents the fictional part (much like Land of Oz) and the mansion represents the nonfictional dream (having a successful and stable pay-giving job). And entering the deep forest to reach their dreams are a bunch of people who took the wrong pair of shoes from the discarded pile in the foreground. The discarded shoes in the foreground were left their by previous travelers who have either given or up or discovered the secret. The foot prints follow the line of the snowy hills and swirls out into the background by following the galaxy. This ultimately leads our eyes to the flying flightless birds

Final:

“좋은신발은좋은곳 으로데려다준다”
“Good shoes will take you to good places”

Quote 4

“Feels strange to be going home, doesn’t it?” “I’m not going home. Not really.”

Meaning:

I took this quote from my all time favorite movie and book series, Harry Potter. Specially, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stones. This quote was at the end of the movie when the trio were boarding the Hogwart’s Express back home. Harry states that he is not really going home because he has realized that his home (after 12 years of never feeling comfortable at the Dursleys house) is Hogwarts with his friends.

When I think of home, I don’t think of one specific location. I think of several different locations. Because I moved around a couple times, witnessed different cultures, meet new people, I have realized that home isn’t always the place you grow up or where you’ve always known. Home is where you make it to be, the place where the memories are fondest to you or the place where your family or friends are.

The picture frames contain pictures of the places that I lived. The two empty frames symbolize the possibility of new places I will live in in the future. Below the picture frames is a family looking up at the different locations. The father is pointing his finger at the frames, teaching the girl about the places that were and the places that could be her new home. And to the right of the family is a train that protrudes out from the earth, ready to take its passengers (the family) to there next destination wherever it is. The train has a slight 3D effect where it feels as if it is popping out of the towards the viewer, emphasizing the movement towards the future.

“Feels strange to be going home, doesn’t it?” “I’m not going home. Not really.”
(Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone)

I ultimately chose this design to print on my tote bag.

Tote Bag:

I printed my screen on different bags and decided to choose the best from the ones I have already printed. This allowed me to take into consideration everything, from the positioning, overall paint distribution, and the color of the tote bag. And based on the thread count of the tote bag altered the transfer of the design and how much pressure we needed to apply to the squeegees.

 

 

Project 2D: My Line is Emo

Final Project

My Line is Emo

Brief Summary

For our first project in Foundation 2D, we were tasked to express six emotions (or any of the sub-emotions within the chosen six emotions) using mark making. We were given the liberty to chose any media or method so as long as we kept it black and white. We cut our emotions into strips and pasted them on A3 mounting board.

Process

There was a lot of experimentation linked with this project because we were given the leeway to use whatever we pleased. From using different objects (organic and man made) to create our marks to using different media (paint and pen) as a way to make our marks visible, our experimentation lead the way to new ideas. Not only did I want to make the mark an expression of my emotion but also the medium and process I used to be related to why I felt what I felt.

Experimenting with Monoprinting

Passion (Let Your Passions Shine)

Glitter Option 1
Glitter Option 2

For me, passion (a secondary emotion of love), can be seen in both a sexual or zealous emotion. Regardless, passion is the giddy love for something blooming into an intense love that strengthens you. I chose to demonstrate the first part of passion, the giddy start full of indecisiveness and innocence. Originally my intension was to replicate the fluttering of a heartbeat when you come to realize that the emotion you feel can turn into passion as well as the swirly tingles you feel in your stomach as you start to anticipate what you are passionate about.

Original Idea
Original Idea using Water Color

I started to realize that I did not feel my passion translated in my marks. Which is why I chose to switch to glitter; glitter has always been a constant in my life. Glitter is shiny and comes in all different types of colors and styles, it brightens up a dark room and leaves behind a unique texture. And like all the passions we have, we should let them shine and captivate the room.

First Experiment with Glitter

Even though the glitter is black in color, it still manages to shimmer and reflect the light.

Contentment (When You Read, You Step Into Another World)

Reading has always been something that made me happy and now it has taught me to be content. I used to believe that since reading takes me away from reality, that it made me happy. However, reading shouldn’t make you love one world and hate another, instead it should help you see the world in another way. I use reading as an outlet as well as a tool to survive this world. When I read a childhood book, I not only feel satisfied but also reaffirmed.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 20th Anniversary Edition

On that note, I analyzed the actions relating to my contentment. I noticed that when I was truly content and at ease, my head would continuously follow the words of the book without stopping. From left to right back to the left only to go right. Using this as a guide I chose to translate the first page of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in morse code. I used this lines because thin lines tend to express a softness and calm rather than thick lines that invoke a heavy and dense feeling.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 20th Anniversary

Frustration (Like a Volcano)

For frustration, I chose to express myself more through my actions rather than my marks. While my mark, a quick rough scribble that replicates the fleeting annoyance represents irritation (my original emotion). This was overshadowed by my use of collaging.

Annoyance

The collaging was accidentally created when my initial plan to create an “irritated mark” failed which lead to me accidentally ripping the paper as I was erasing the pencil marks. I tried to use this accident to my advantage as I realized that what is frustration other than being unable to achieve what you have set out to do and being unable to change the mistakes you have made on the way. The irreversible emotion of frustration is shown in the way my lines no longer add up to become one cohesive mark.

Surprise (The Baseline is Constantly Changing)

After reading an article in my SAT test, that talks about how the standard is constantly changing throughout generations I began to understand the whole “When I was your age” statement. Thinking back to this and using new knowledge I have garnered throughout the year, I have come to a new realization. That surprise is constantly being beat out by new surprises. We will never truly be surprised because we keep setting a level that needs to be overshadowed by our own desire to feel the same (or even better) surprise. I chose to express this by using the the circles (representing the balled up feeling we have before we a surprise happens) that keep floating down from an unidentifiable source. We will never know our peak surprise, nor will be ever see the circles pop.

Experimenting with Different Circle

I also used the Hero Archetype line to resemble the flow of the circles in order to explain the withdrawal symptoms and crash of surprise.

Loneliness (Even in a Crowded Room, Can’t You Help but Feel Lonely?)

Everyone feels lonely or alone at least one time in their life, whether it be physical seclusion or emotional seclusion. I chose to express this emotion through fingerprints.

My Brainstorm for Loneliness and Anxiety

Fingerprints are a unique attribute of a person that differentiates them from everyone else. I asked several people from my hall to lend me their fingers, and after masking the white area (which represents my finger print) with masking fluid, I told them to stamp random parts of the paper. I finished t up by adding my own fingerprints, which represents that though there are people like me, I still feel the sense of detachment from them.

Hysteria

When I think of hysteria, I think of the panic everyone has before a major examination or the night before the final submission for an art project. We want to finish something in time, whether it be memorizing or drawing so that we can have something to show them afterwards. I tried to represent this through my frantic rush to “cover the canvas black”, even leading me to color in the wrong color marker and thread (white).

The lines are rushed and messy, there is no order and everything seems haphazard. Nothing is completely filled in and even the medium used is not constant.

Experimenting with Frantic/Hysteric Actions
Experimenting with Frantic/Hysteric Actions

 

Final Project

Conclusion

Things I Learned:

  • That there are different ways to express myself
  • That it is okay to self reflect and dig deep into yourself (even if it means bringing up feelings that trigger my senses)
  • That experimentation and documentation is very important (I need to get into the habit of it)

Things I Need to Work On:

  • Being fearless with my experimentation (don’t be afraid to experiment more)
  • Confidence with my own work (my work is my own)
  • Time Management
  • Expressing my emotions using marks (not just representational and symbolism)
  • Documenting (I have never done it properly and it has yet to be a part of my routine)

Things I Struggled With:

  • Trying to express myself
  • Finding a way for other people to feel what I am feeling
  • Hoping that others would understand what I am feeling
  • Understanding myself and my emotions

 

Agnes Martin

Agnes Martin a Canadian born artist known for her departure from the art scene in 1967 only to reappear in New Mexico.

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/hyunjae001/wp-content/uploads/sites/1905/2017/08/art-agnes-martin-on-a-clear-day-3.jpg accessed on August 17th, 2017