[Research & Process] Project 3 – Ego

Artist References

In my free time, I enjoy looking at the works of professional illustrators, graphic designers, and filmmakers from different corners of the world. For this project especially, I kept finding new sources of inspiration for colour as well as style and technique.

colour References
I. Kevin Tong
Works by Kevin Tong

Kevin Tong is a Texas-based illustrator who has been practising the craft since 2005.

  • Use of vibrant colours to establish highlight
  • Lighting in monochromatic palettes
II. @mcwolf_man
Works by @mcwolf_man

MC Wolfman, or Dan Betro, is a New York-based illustrator.

  • Harmonious use of high chroma colours
  • Sense of fun and wackiness, humour established with bright colour palette
III. Nicolas Winding Refn
Works by Nicolas Winding Refn

Nicolas Winding Refn is a Danish filmmaker most notable for his works, The Neon Demon (2016), Drive (2011), and Only God Forgives (2013).

  • Use of neon-style colours as burst of highlight
  • Neon colours against palette of darker colours
  • Monochromatic colour palettes (especially purple) are used well; brings about sense of mystery
IV. Robin Eisenberg
Works by Robin Eisenberg
Style & Technique References
I. @dirtyrobot
Works by @dirtyrobot
Works by @sloppy_joseph_
Works by @lumps_uk
  • Use of abstract symbols and objects in place of emotions and human physique
  • Use of bright colours
  • Humorous facial expressions
  • Attention to detail through outline
  • Creation of texture through line work

Process & Drafts

My process involved brainstorming for a concept, planning for the art direction and style (and at the same time looking to reference artists for inspiration), gathering content through asking friends for personality traits, and experimenting with colour palettes.

Brainstorming for concepts
Planning panels
Associating objects to personality traits
Associating objects with personality traits
Associating objects with personality traits
Draft sketches

[Final] Project 3: Ego

Overview

For our final 2D project, we were tasked to apply our knowledge of colour properties to create equations with panels that represented ourselves in different scenarios.

Final Product

Project 3: Final product
ConCept

The concept I decided to base my panels on is portraying personality traits during significant stages in my life, as well as how they change during scenarios most prominent during that particular stage. Therefore, I approached friends I hung out with most often during those stages and asked them to describe my personality. I then drew self-portraits that embodied a combination of those traits given to me as well as my personal interpretations of myself, followed by pairing them with particular and the following outcomes.

To establish a better sense of continuity, and to make the panels more interesting to look at, I decided to follow a movie-inspired layout where the self-portraits are done and laid out in such a way that they resemble photographs to be submitted for casting calls, the settings resembling movie sets (complete with film equipment and dramatic lighting), and the outcomes as movie posters of different genres.

In terms of style and colour, I was inspired by some of my favourite illustrators on Instagram, namely lumps_uk, mc_wolfman, dirtyrobot, and Robin Eisenberg. Inspired by their line work, attention to detail, interesting subject matter, and vibrant colours, I wanted my works to emulate that as well. I therefore aimed to create panels that relied on symbols and colours to convey the intended message and mood, and at the same time, embodied a sense of awkwardness and humour to add a layer of vibrancy and fun.

Techniques Applied

Since I was planning to head in the comic book-style of illustration with heavy outlines and focus on details, I thought that a bright and vibrant colour palette would only be fitting. The colours used are also selected based on how filmmakers use particular colours to convey a certain mood or personality.

Equation 1

The first equation was meant to depict my childhood. The content displayed in the three panels shows my personality as a child, followed by settings that depict the events most significant during that period of my life, followed by how my personality changed according to said event.

Panel 1
Equation 1, Panel 1
Left: Original
Right: Printed

Staying within the context of a casting call, the personality traits reflected in this panel comprise of others’ interpretations, as well as my own, of my personality during my childhood days. The traits and symbols depicted in this panel are:

Mild Calm and bored facial expression
Sheltered and pampered Objects commonly associated with royalty (the sceptre and cloak)

The gadget holding up a rotary fan to keep myself cool

Closed-up Translucent astronaut helmet

I decided to go with an analogous colour palette for this panel, choosing shades of blue and green. I initially started with green as a base colour, mainly because of its colour psychology, where filmmakers are said to use green in film to depict immaturity. Vibrant shades (high chroma) of blue and green were then used to complement the style of heavy outlines, while varied tones of blue and green were used to create shadows (muted tones) and highlights

Panel 2
Equation 1, Panel 2
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The setting of this equation is meant to depict a birthday party, but set up in a style of a movie set. Looking back on my childhood, significant memories that stand out usually revolve around birthday parties and how there would always be something that usually goes wrong – like at my 8th birthday party, when one of my friends cried because she lost her sock, and another cried because a hairbrush got stuck in her hair (this was my fault), and how I completely forgot to find one of my friends during a game of hide-and-seek and left her while I went to play video games. It was also during such events that I was always tense as I had to socialise with others, and I did not want to do that at all.

Based on colour psychology, it is said that filmmakers tend to use yellow to portray a sense of uneasiness. I therefore used yellow as a base as I thought it was the most appropriate colour to portray a happy event (i.e. birthday parties) as something that is tense and uneasy for me, as a child.

Panel 3
Equation 1, Panel 3
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The last panel follows the layout of a typical comedy poster; the background is empty and the main characters are usually posed in some kind of comical and cheesy position. As an awkward child forced to interact with others in social settings, it usually ends up with something funny and cringe-worthy happening; hence, I thought a comedy-style movie poster would be apt.

Based on Joy’s suggestions, I used a triadic colour palette (blue-green, yellow, and orange-red) to make it vibrant and eye-catching. I thought the colours worked well with the concept of it being comedic as comedy-style movie posters tend to use bright colours and are typically eye-catching.

Equation 2

The second equation follows the adolescent stage of my life, and revolves around the concept of myself in Secondary school.

Panel 1
Equation 2, Panel 1
Left: Original
Right: Printed

Similar to Panel 1 in the first equation, I consulted friends I hung out with a lot in Secondary school about my personality. The following traits and their respective symbols are based on a mixture of others’ interpretations as well as my own.

Judgemental Repeated motif of pointing fingers (thanks to Ryan for the idea!)
Starting to have a sense of humour Cracks in the television set
Starting to indulge in pop culture (TV shows and movies, especially) Television set

I chose a complementary colour palette for this panel, mainly because of the colour psychology associated with purple and orange. Filmmakers are said to use purple to represent arrogance whilst orange is used to represent humour. Vibrant shades (high chroma) of purple and orange were then used to complement the style of heavy outlines, while varied tones of purple and orange were used to create shadows (muted tones) and highlights, as well as to reflect objects of different values (e.g. the difference between the pinafore and the hand).

Panel 2
Equation 2, Panel 2
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The second panel depicts a school hall decorated for a prom, within the context of a movie set. A significant event during my Secondary school days was prom after ‘O’ Levels where we had subpar food and a peculiar emcee. I used a monochromatic colour palette of pink shades, based on the idea of filmmakers usually using the colour pink to represent innocence and sweetness. I thought using pink, but with darker tones would represent the concept well because of the idea of representing sweet memories with a darker undertone.

Panel 3
Equation 2, Panel 3
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The last panel is meant to depict a poster for an Indie, coming-of-age movie. Using desaturated colour palettes and minimal colours usually present in Indie-style movie posters, I hoped to recreate that in this last panel using an analogous colour palette with shades of pink and purple. Similarly, the tones of pink and purple were varied to create highlights and shadows.

Equation 3

The third equation depicts myself currently, and the content mainly revolves around how I feel about entering the workforce.

Panel 1
Equation 3, Panel 1
Left: Original
Right: Printed

For my first panel, I wanted to reflect the adjectives used to describe my personality by my friends in ADM and my ex-coworkers. The personality traits and associated symbols are:

Opening up more Zipping back skin
Vain Mirror behind
Good-natured Flowers and grass
Like my dog (lazy and calm) My dog in a barrel
All of my past jobs and internships A beer mug filled with coffee, and stationery

For this panel, I wanted to use a complementary colour palette (pink, a varied shade of red, and green). Similar to the previous panels, I chose pink as a base colour because of its association with sweetness. Additionally, using brighter shades of pink against more desaturated tones of green helps draw focus to the objects and making the composition more visually-appealing and not too jarring.

Panel 2
Equation 3, Panel 2
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The second panel in this equation is meant to depict a bar in the context of a movie set. Using an analogous colour palette of shades of blue and green, I tried to vary the saturation levels of the colours to differentiate it from earlier panels. I also found using more saturated tones of blue and green helped in conveying a more sinister and tense feeling, as well as portraying it as an alien-like environment. I felt this helped in conveying the concept better, where working in new places always made me feel tense and always feels very foreign.

Panel 3
Equation 3, Panel 3
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The final panel uses an analogous colour palette with shades of blue, green, and purple. Similar to the previous panel, I wanted to create a more tense and alien-like mood, conveying the same feelings as horror movie posters normally would. By using high chroma shades as highlights with low value and desaturated shades, it helped in conveying the ‘sinister’ and foreboding kind of mood.

Equation 4

The final equation portrays the future and what I hope to be.

Panel 1
Equation 4, Panel 1
Left: Original
Right: Printed

This panel’s self-portrait is based on what I’d hope to be in the future. I hoped to represent the idea of a personality being formed through some ribbons forming a face with a mass of pink goop.

I used an analogous colour palette of yellow, pink (varied shade of red), and orange. I chose these colours primarily because of wanting to experiment with other colours as well as seeing which are best fit for representing excitement and joy. The bright and warm shades helped in better conveying the message of how I am looking forward to the future.

Panel 2
Equation 4, Panel 2
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The second panel portrays a laboratory dressed up like a movie set, a common setting in sci-fi movies. Using a monochromatic colour palette of desaturated yellow with a heavier focus on darker tones helped in establishing the overall mysterious mood.

Panel 3
Equation 4, Panel 3
Left: Original
Right: Printed

The final panel is meant to recreate a Sci-fi movie poster in a non-existent place. I wanted to show that I was looking forward to the future by showing myself waiting on the side of the road for something.

The panel uses a triadic colour palette of red, yellow, and blue, and is modelled after vintage Sci-fi movie posters, where more desaturated colours are used. Wanting to be more adventurous in using colour palettes, I found using this particular triadic colour palette interesting and helped to recreate that vintage-style kind of poster.

Challenges

  • Time was a big issue for me as hand-drawing then digitally altering them and digitally painting them was extremely time-consuming. As a result, printing the panels were compromised due to time restraints.
  • Some of the prints did not come out as expected as well. Trying out a new printer, due to time restraints, some of the colours in the prints came out darker, especially the pink tones in the second equation.

Feedback & Improvement

Feedback left by classmates
Feedback left by classmates
  • The first panel of the second equation could have used a yellow as opposed to orange to make it less jarring.
  • The third panel in the third equation could have benefitted from using a more varied colour palette

[Final] Project 2: Forrest Gump

Overview

After a long, treacherous journey of cropping images and freezing in the dark room, we finally get to present our compositions and silkscreen products! The following post will be detailing the concepts and techniques behind my four compositions as well as the feedback received during critique. 

Final Product

Final product
Left: Printed compositions
Right: Totebag
Concept

Intrigued by the surrealist art movement, I intended to create compositions based on the methods of storytelling adopted by surrealist artists. The compositions were a result of attempting to emulate the approach in creating films by renowned filmmaker, David Lynch. Inspired by his methods of addressing the ‘various layers of reality’, namely waking, sleeping, and dreaming, I wanted to create compositions that depict narratives related to those areas. The stage of limbo/sleep paralysis is added as a personal choice.

The documentary (around 06:22 – 06:54) discusses his film’s trademarks and recurring motifs used, as well as how his works focus on different layers of reality. 

Keeping the different states of reality in mind, the movie quotes chosen are to serve as textual representative of the states, as well as to give a context to the related composition. 

Composition 1
Composition 1: ‘He’s a looney. Just like his tunes.’ – Baby Driver (2017)
I. Concept & Approach

Composition 1 is a pictorial representation of the movie quote ‘He’s a looney. Just like his tunes.’ from 2017’s Baby Driver. Aiming to depict the state of dreaming, I wanted to establish a surreal setting by having things emerging from a man’s head, and using an under-the-sea theme (as shown by the deepsea diver helmets, squid tentacles, and goldfish) to show the nonsensical nature of dreams. To further reinforce a dream-like state, the elements pictured are a result of putting non-related objects together; this includes the straightjacket made up of tentacles and leather straps and a band of deepsea divers. 

The elements used are also representative of the words ‘looney’ and ‘tunes’. For ‘looney’, I chose to use a clown with a crazy facial expression and tentacles and leather straps forming a straightjacket. For ‘tunes’, I chose performing musicians (a singer, banjo player, and saxophonist in this case). 

Composition 1: Silkscreen on tote bag

II. Techniques Applied

Using a combination of storytelling methods, I tried to construct an accompanying narrative for this composition. The composition was a result of expanding on caricature and anthropomorphism, which is evident in the clown’s striking features being exaggerated (swapping his long tongue for a squid tentacle), as well as using tentacles to resemble a straightjacket. 

Some of the principles of design I experimented with included: 

Balance and unity
The Gestalt Principle (proximity)
Scale and size
Textures and values

Following a star-like layout, I wanted to establish a sense of balance by aligning the main elements with one another; the structure of the main elements – the clown and deepsea diver musicians – are parallel to one another, and from the vertical centre, the elements and breathing space on the left and right sides are somewhat similar (e.g. the goldfish on the right balances with the squid tentacle tongue, and the musicians on the far left and far right balance with the leather straps on the bottom of the tentacles). 

I also tried to experiment with a proximity in the composition; having images of musicians with completely non-related instruments and attire, I wanted to try using proximity to establish them as a whole, and therefore, placed deepsea diver helmets on their heads to reinforce them as a group of related elements, and at the same time, contrast them against the clown and goldfish. 

The elements are also a result of varying scales and sizes. In terms of sizes, I wanted to reinforce the idea of dream-like states and surrealism through enlarging typically small objects and downsizing life-size objects; enlarging goldfish and downsizing humans. As for scales, similar to the idea behind the goldfish and humans, the composition is made up of life-sized goldfish and squid tentacles, different from their realistic counterparts. Additionally, having two contrasting scales of human figures (i.e. the clown and musicians), helps to establish a more surreal mood. 

With regards to value, I wanted to create contrast by varying the levels of threshold; this is shown in the black and white spaces in the clothing of the clown and musicians, and the textures given off by the tentacles and deepsea diver helmets. The textures of the tentacles, different types of clothing, and shine in the helmets and goldfish skin, also helped in creating contrast. Threshold was also useful in creating a silkscreen print as it helped formed the figures. 

Composition 2
Composition 2: ‘Sometimes I think I have felt everything I’m ever gonna feel.’ – Her (2013)
I. Concept & Approach

Composition 2 is a representation of the quote ‘Sometimes I think I have felt everything I’m ever gonna feel’ from 2013’s Her. Following the concept of David Lynch’s various stages of reality, this composition explores the state of being awake, depicting a divine entity who has reached the pinnacle of feeling all. 

Focusing on the words ‘felt everything’ and the idea of the divine, I wanted to use a combination of recognisable religious symbols; lotuses and lit candles to represent Buddhism, a halo to represent Christianity, and the repeated motifs of hands to represent Hinduism. To further emphasise the idea of the ‘all-seeing’ and the worshipped, I chose to have a realistic third eye sat atop a Greek sculpture bust. 

II. Techniques Applied

Similar to Composition 1, I used literary devices to help construct a narrative for Composition 2; hyperbole and imagery were mainly used. Hyperbole is evident in taking the sensation of feeling everything and exaggerating it by featuring a being that has reached the utmost point of feeling all there is to feel. Imagery, on the other hand, is shown through the motifs of hands and eyes to represent the sensation of touch, reinforcing having ‘felt everything’.

Balance and emphasis
Scale and size
Pattern
Textures and values

Keeping the theme of divinity in mind, I wanted Composition 2 to echo that of psychedelic patterns, thereby following a radial layout, with the hands, lotus, and halo forming a circle, encompassing the bust in the centre as the main element. Its radial layout allowed for balance, with the elements on the left repeated and aligned on the right. Emphasis is also achieved by placing a contrasting element (i.e. the Greek bust) in the centre, breaking the repeated motifs of hands and lotuses. On the contrary, the repeated motifs of hands and lotuses in a radial format also help to create a pattern. 

Composition 2 also expands on the idea of scale. Having trouble finding a suitable image of a halo, I decided to enlarge a picture of a gold ring. In terms of scale, the enlargement of the gold ring into a halo helps to reinforce the composition’s surrealist style. Originally a small object, especially in contrast to hands, lotuses and sculptural busts, the gold ring is now enlarged to the point that it becomes the largest and most prominent element in the composition, further reinforced by its black and white value achieved by threshold. 

With regards to value, I chose to use halftones for the majority of the elements. Because of the nature of the original images, halftones had to be used to clearly depict the elements. However, the halftones displayed in the bust were able to create an interesting texture and contrast, showing signs of light and shadows, thereby giving it a more realistic depiction. As mentioned previously, the halo was created using threshold as a means to show contrast to the other elements, as well as to create a variance in texture. 

Composition 3
Composition 3: ‘I chose not to choose life. I chose something else’ – Trainspotting (1996)
I. Concept & Approach

Composition 3 follows the quote ‘I chose not to choose life. I chose something else’ uttered in 1996’s Trainspotting. Representing the state of sleeping, according to David Lynch’s dissection of reality, this composition is a representation of what happens to one’s body when he/she decides not to deal with matters in life and goes into hibernation mode; construction workers performing maintenance work on the body to prepare it for another day of work. 

Echoing the idea of sleep, the elements, namely the man sleeping with smoke coming out from his head and mobile (an ‘adult-style’ mobile made up of doves instead of toys, to symbolise peace as a mechanism to fall sleep) above, are representative of the state. I also chose to draw focus to the words ‘choose’ and ‘life’, where to reiterate the idea of ‘life’, the symbols chosen were the Life magazine and a man sleeping, while the industrial switch on off-mode symbolises the notion behind making a choice. 

II. Techniques Applied

When analysing the quote, I used hyperbole and parody to help reconstruct a narrative completely different from its original context in the film. Originally based on choosing to take heroin in the film, I wanted to completely deviate and exaggerate the idea of choosing between facing life and going to sleep, also creating a parody of what happens to one’s body when he/she goes to sleep. 

Emphasis
Scale and size
Pattern
The Gestalt Principle
Textures and values

Similar to Composition 1, Composition 3 follows a star-like layout, with the main element (i.e. the man sleeping and Life magazine) placed in the centre, and accompanying elements extending from them, with the exception of the mobile placed on top. This helps in drawing the viewers’ attention to viewing the supposed main elements, followed by its accompanying minor elements, establishing emphasis.

Composition 3 is also a demonstration of variance in scale. To reinforce surrealism, some of the human figures in the composition are shrunk; by contrasting them against a regular, life-size human, it reiterates the surreal mood of the composition. Size was also shown in showing the gradual decrease  in the sizes of the construction worker in accordance to the perspective of the composition; the worker in the front is the biggest and the one in the back is the smallest, helping to establish a sense of foreground, middle ground, and background. 

To make a more interesting and visually appealing composition, I used geometric patterns to establish a base. The patterns helped in establishing a sense of direction for the composition’s layout; the arrow-like shapes help to draw the viewers’ attention to the main elements (i.e. the man sleeping and Life magazine). They also create a contrast in texture and value; made up of solid black and white values, they contrast against the halftone value of the main elements and the threshold textures of the construction workers and industrial switch. 

I also wanted to expand further on using proximity in the Gestalt Principle. Since the construction workers were a minor element, I wanted to group them together to establish a better sense of clarity; this was done through downsizing them to roughly the same size as well as using the same values of threshold to unify them. The same technique was done for the mobile, where the metal frame and repeated motifs of doves were used to show that they belong to the same group. 

Composition 4

 

Composition 4: ‘I’m nothing. I’m not even here’ – Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
I. Concept & Approach

Composition 4 is a reconstruction of the quote ‘I’m nothing, I’m not even here’ from 2014’s Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Meant to depict the state of sleep paralysis or limbo, the composition tells the story of an unknown figure disappearing through a portal in the ground. Inspired by photographer Nicolas Bruno, whose works revolve around capturing moments he witnesses while experiencing sleep paralysis, I wanted to create a composition that mirrors the terrifying nature of his photographs and the accounts of people who suffer from this state. To do so, I blurred out the identity of the human figure in the composition by placing a sack and deer antlers over her head. 

Deconstructing the words ‘nothing’ and ‘not even here’, the elements chosen are supposed to revolve around the idea of travelling and disappearing without a trace. This is shown through depicting a suitcase, airplane seat, direction arrow, and the figure waving goodbye, as well as the portal underneath. 

II. Techniques Applied

In constructing the narrative of this composition, I tried using hyperbole and anthropomorphism. Exaggerating on the words ‘nothing’ and ‘not even here’, I wanted to give the composition a surreal feeling by using a non-realistic way of disappearing (i.e. a portal), as well as using hints of anthropomorphism (assigning deer antlers to a human figure). 

Pattern
Emphasis
Textures and values

Similar to Composition 3, Composition 4 follows a simple layout of having the main focus (i.e. the human figure) in the centre of the composition with accompanying elements branching out from it. This helps in directing viewers’ gaze to the main focus followed by the minor elements, also paving the way for emphasis by drawing attention to the centred main element. The elements also attempt to achieve a sense of balance by aligning with one another; the slanted planes of the arrow, airplane seat, and suitcase are parallel to one another. The placement of the hamburger with a straw in the centre also establishes a more balanced look between the upper and lower sections, thereby helping to create a neater and more visually-appealing layout. 

Additionally, reinforcing the concept of the figure disappearing into the portal below, I tilted the elements in the composition, and cropped out the bottom of the suitcase. 

Composition 4 also uses patterns, as seen in the circular portal at the bottom. Similar to earlier uses, the solid black and white value of the pattern helps to create contrast in texture and shadows against the halftones of other elements, as well as create variance in structure with its repetitive geometric shapes as opposed to the organic shapes of other elements. 

Feedback & Improvements
Feedback left behind by fellow classmates
Feedback by fellow classmates
Positive Improvements
Composition 1 High contrast helps to make it seem more vivid and its wild nature

Simple composition with minimal elements

Unequal sense of balance; the elements on top outweigh the bottom, making it seem more heavy

The under-the-sea theme could have been swapped out with something more related to the quote

Composition 2 Good use of symmetry and balance  Reduce the use of halftones to create more variety and contrast
Composition 3 Use of lines helps to draw viewers’ gaze to the main focal point The use of threshold for the construction workers and doves could be improved upon; their features are not clearly distinguishable
Composition 4 The elements used as symbols are straightforward  The pattern used could have been swapped out for a more radial pattern to make it more obvious as a portal and to make the composition more visually-appealing

Challenges

Unpredictability of images

The main challenge I faced in this project is the unpredictability of the images used in the compositions. Keeping the requirement of using only found images and black and white tones, it was challenging and tedious to find suitable images and altering their brightness, contrast, and saturation values to compliment one another. Furthermore, having minimal experience with halftone and threshold, it was difficult in adjusting the black and white values of the images to clearly show the details and at times, they would just appear as blobs of black and white, or grey circles (if using half tones). However, with tutorials, I was able to get a better idea of how to use halftones, and using trial-and-error methods with a bunch of different images helped in this process.

Link to research and process:
https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/research-process…t-2-forrest-gump/

References

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/mediaviewer/rm2864190720

Composition 1:

https://depositphotos.com/23602849/stock-photo-saxophonist.html

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-goldfish-image16533151

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tentacles-octopus-isolated-on-white-background-404070004

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tentacles-octopus-isolated-on-white-background-404069971

https://hu.pinterest.com/phil_sidey/

http://mainestategrange.org/?tag=music

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2015/oct/30/funny-peculiar-extreme-clown-portraits-by-perou-coulrophobia-in-pictures

Composition 2:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=870901&objectId=1341986&partId=1

https://www.definicionabc.com/salud/muneca.php

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-illustration-cross-religious-symbol-crucifix-logo-design-icon-image54056213

Lotus

http://chek.lv/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=121

https://www.123rf.com/photo_1415056_small-white-candle-on-a-white-background.html

https://www.catbirdnyc.com/classic-hammered-ring-yellow-gold.html

Composition 3:

http://time.com/4763638/jfk-covers-life/

https://science.idntimes.com/discovery/bayu/ini-15-fakta-ilmiah-unik-soal-tidur-yang-jarang-orang-tahu

http://www.fansshare.com/community/uploads42/7369/pvc_pipe_fittings/

https://www.pinterest.com/freecycleusa/recycled-lighting/?lp=true

https://browniesincinema.bandcamp.com/track/never-going-back

https://www.123rf.com/photo_42784196_vertical-view-of-construction-workers-working-outdoors.html

http://www.fotosearch.com/CSP992/k12824999/

http://www.freeimages.com/premium/worker-putting-out-safety-cones-966568

https://www.pinterest.com/rocketlandphoto/retro-cool/?lp=true

cropped-blue-sky-white-dove-flying-new-desktop-wallpaper-in-hd-free-download-birds-images.jpg

Composition 4:

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/legs-in-the-air.html?blackwhite=1

https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/3D-Models/seat

https://www.amazon.co.uk/slp/swag-bag/5kx6sbpthakw7cn

https://depositphotos.com/stock-photos/cheeseburger.html

https://www.houzz.com/product/40854476-distressed-red-finish-lighted-led-arrow-wall-hanging-industrial-novelty-signs

https://www.picquery.com/c/antlers_pdvUD3b8SDZv4j0qvyVAu9*ZGJNNaDFTK8QiZVDe43Q/

 

 

[Research & Process] Project 2: Forrest Gump

Research

Art Movements

Dadaism
Dada artists

The aim of Dada Art was an aid to stop the war as well as an outlet to ‘vent frustration with the nationalist and bourgeois conventions that had led to it’. ‘Their anti-authoritarian stance made for a protean movement as they opposed any form of group leadership or guiding ideology’. 

Dada artists are usually agitated by politics and sought to ‘incite a similar fury in Dada audiences’. Dada artworks involve presenting ‘intriguing overlaps and paradoxes’, where ‘they seek to demystify artwork in the populist sense but’ ‘remain cryptic enough to allow [viewers] to interpret works in a variety of ways’. For example, some artists portrayed people and scenes ‘representationally’ ‘in order to analyse form and movement’. Some perceive that in order to understand these works, one must be able to ‘reconcile the seemingly silly, slapdash styles with the profound antibourgeois message’.

Crucial components:

  • Irreverence: A lack of respect for bourgeois convention, government authorities, conventional production methods, or the artistic canon.
  • Readymades and assemblage: Often chosen and assembled by chance or accident to challenge bourgeois notions about art and artistic creativity, bizarre
  • Chance: Used to embrace the random and accidental as a way to release creativity from rational control
  • Wit and humour: Interest in humour, typically in the form of irony; an awareness that nothing has intrinsic value; also gave artists flexibility and expressed their embrace of the craziness of the world, thus preventing them from taking their work too seriously
I. Hannah Hoch
Portrait of Hannah Hoch

Hannah Hoch, the ‘It Girl’ of Berlin Dadaists, was considered the pioneer of the Dada ‘cut-and-paste’ style. Hiding in a tiny suburban cottage away from Nazi scrutiny, due to her bisexuality and anarchic art, Hoch was branded a ‘degenerate’ by Nazis and being constantly being edged out Dadaists. She, however remained a notable figure in the Dada movement, with her distinguishable use of photomontage, the original ‘art of protest’, and the ‘aesthetic of liberation, revolution, and protest’. 

Works of Hannah Hoch
From left to right: Flucht (Flight) (1931)
Ohne Titel (1930)
Untitled

Satirising Weimar politics, Hoch’s works are said to be ‘so balletic’, as if her ‘snipped images and dismembered figures dance on the page like leaves in the air’; her work is perceived as ‘tough and punchy, yet always delicate’. Often possessing a ‘narrative undercut’, one can distinguish Hoch’s works through the enlargement of a single feature and deviations from being ‘doctrinaire or narrowly-focused’, where many of her works ‘make men into women and vice-versa’. In contrast to her male counterparts in the movement, Hoch ‘never seems to have lost her characteristic sense of wonder’, possessing a ‘desire to ‘show the world today as an ant sees it and tomorrow as the moon sees it”. 

Surrealism
Surrealist artists

Growing out of the Dada movement, Surrealism was also considered a ‘rebellion against middle-class complacency’, however with artistic influences coming from different sources.

Sharing the same ‘anti-rationalism’ as Dada, Surrealist artists used art as a ‘reprieve from violent political situations and to address the unease they felt about the world’s uncertainties’. This was done through using ‘fantasy and dream imagery’ to create works in a variety of media that ‘exposed their inner minds in eccentric, symbolic ways’, ‘uncovering anxieties and treating them analytically through visual means’.

Mediums include:

  • Surrealist paintings
  • Surrealist objects and sculptures
  • Surrealist photography
  • Surrealist film

Some distinguishable Surrealist factors, methods, and techniques include:

  • Hyper-realistic style (objects depicted in crisp detail and three-dimensionality, emphasising their dream-like quality)
  • Saturated colour schemes
  • Reliance on automatism or automatic writing as a way to tap into the unconscious mind
  • Unlikely and outlandish imagery including collage, doodling, frontage, decalcomania, grattage
  • The ‘prosaic photograph removed from its mundane context’
  • Vernacular snapshots, police photographs, movie stills, documentary photographs posted in Surrealist journals, disconnected from their original purposes
I. Salvador Dali
Portrait of Salvador Dali

‘Epitomising the idea that life is the greatest form of art’, Salvador Dali, one of the most prolific artists of the 20th century is the most famous Surrealist artist. In addition to the fame credited for his works and collaborations with other notable figures, Dali was also renowned for his ‘flamboyant personality and role of mischievous provocateur as much as for his undeniable technical virtuosity’.

His works embody ‘obsessive themes of eroticism, death, and decay’, reflecting his ‘familiarity with and synthesis of the psychoanalytical theories of his time’, his work is embedded with ‘ready-interpreted symbolism, ranging from fetishes and animal imagery to religious symbols’.

Works of Salvador Dali
From left to right:
Persistence of Memory (1931)
Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach (1938)
The Temptation of Saint Anthony (1946)

His body of work also ‘evolved the concepts of Surrealism and psychoanalysis on a worldwide visual platform’, as well as ‘modelled permission for people to embrace their selves in all our human glory’.

  • Shows visual representation of dreams
  • Exquisite draftsmanship and master painting techniques
  • Paved the way for artists to inject the personal, mysterious, and emotional into works
  • Showed that there was no separation between man and work
  • Used avant-garde filmmaking, provocative public performance, and random, strategic interaction, bringing his work to life in ways differing from paintings
  • Spearheaded the idea that art, artist, and artistic ability could cross many mediums and become a viable commodity

Techniques

Storytelling Methods
Hyperbole Exaggerated statements or claims not to be taken literally.
Metaphor A comparison between two objects with the intent of giving clearer meaning to one of them.
Caricature A picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.
Parody An imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.
Anthropomorphism The attribution of human characteristics or behaviour to a god, animal, or object.
Juxtaposition The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Imagery Words or phrases that appeal to any sense or any combination of senses.
Personification A figure of speech which endows animals, ideas, or inanimate objects with human traits or abilities
Reference Artists
I. David Lynch
Portrait of David Lynch

David Lynch is a director and screenwriter most well-known for his ‘dark, offbeat’ films and TV series, the more recognisable ones including Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Twin Peaks

Works of David Lynch
From top to bottom: Twin Peaks (1990)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Blue Velvet (1986)

Branded with his own style, the ‘Lynchian Style’. Lynch’s films are known to be ‘bizarre’, with ‘dark worldview[s], disturbing subject matter, and a surreal tone’.  In his approach to films, he uses repeated motifs, emphasises on setting, and expands on the idea of ‘superreality’ and the subconscious

II. Joe Webb
Portrait of Joe Webb

Joe Webb is an artist recognised for his ‘collages with a message’. Reimagining found imagery through simple editing, he addresses issues that range from ‘climate change’ to ‘war and inequality’, ‘challenges of living in today’s modern world’.

Works of Joe Webb
From left to right: The Cloud Eaters
Citizens of Earth
Antares and Love
Stirring Up A Storm

“Joe navigates a rich landscape with grace and humor, making nice with many recognizable visual pastimes. He plays them against each other in a way that puts different eras in dialogue, allowing characters to travel far from their 50’s Home Gardening Magazine roots to the far cosmos. He flirts with the themes of nostalgia and loss but ultimately composes lighthearted images that are in dialogue with today’s sampling culture, collapsing and hacking together sources from across the universe in fun and rudely jacked up color schemes.” – Wangechi Mutu

III. Eugenia Loli
Works of Loli

Collage artist Eugenia Loli is most known for her style of works where she uses ‘photography scanned from vintage magazines and Science publications’ to ‘create bizarre visual narratives’ that have hints of ‘pop art, dada, and traditional surrealism’.

IV. Nicolas Bruno
Works of Nicolas Bruno

Nicolas Bruno is an established photographer who suffers from sleep paralysis, a condition in which ‘keeps him in a halfway state between being asleep and being awake’. Through his haunting, yet incredible images, he recreates the experiences from his dreamscape. He starts with experimenting with dream recollections, ‘creat[ing] a concentration of work’ where he ‘[warps] his anxiety into a positive product and expresses his vision to the world’.

Learning Points
  • Distinguishable factors of Dadaist works
  • Distinguishable factors of Surrealist works 
  • Varying methods of using found imagery in forming new compositions 
  • Different, modern approaches in Surrealist art

 Process

The processes in this project is made up of two main stages: preparing the compositions and silkscreening. 

Preparing Compositions

In preparation for composing our prints, we were first required to have an understanding of the two major art movements we would be drawing inspiration from; Surrealism and Dadaism. This was followed by selecting our movie quotes. 

QUote Picking

When selecting appropriate movie quotes, I began with narrowing down some of my favourite films and directors, keeping films with excellent dialogue and writing in mind. I then filtered through these films by bringing in the direction I was going for; using David Lynch’s method of dissecting reality into three states – being awake, sleeping, dreaming (and limbo, added as a personal choice). The quotes were then categorised into the respective states. 

Quotes Category: Awake
Quotes Category: Asleep
Quotes Category: Dreaming
Quotes Category: Limbo

The quotes were then narrowed down further after considering their literal context and if taken out of context, their ability to reconstruct a completely different and surreal narrative. Some of the words that stood out in the quotes were also taken into consideration. After deliberating and brainstorming some ideas, I decided to go with the following quotes:

Dreaming: Baby Driver (2017)
Awake: Her (2013)
Asleep: Trainspotting (1996)
Limbo/Sleep Paralysis: Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Composition Arranging

After finalising the quotes and having a clear direction in mind, I was ready to layout the compositions. Since this was based on Surrealism, I decided to take the quotes completely out of their contexts and focus only on selected words and ideas.

I. Composition 1

‘He’s a looney. Just like his tunes.’

Keeping in-line with depicting the state of dreaming, I wanted to create a composition based on the nonsensical nature of dreams. The following images show different compositions and ideas. 

Composition 1: Drafts

Drafts 1 and 2 reflect the same concept; portraying the madness associated with conspiracy theories through the use of symbols such as aliens, red thread and thumbtacks, and spaceships made up of musicians, vinyls, and bell jars. Draft 3, on the other hand, depicts a man who has ‘lost his senses’, and as a result, has his sense of hearing and taste jumbled up, resulting in him wanting to eat music. However, given the nature of the images in threshold and halftone value, they were not able to fully form on the silkscreen. 

Composition 1: Breaking down ‘looney’ and ‘tunes’
Composition 1: Breaking down ‘looney’ and ‘tunes’
II. Composition 2

‘Sometimes I think I have felt everything I’m ever gonna feel.’

Exploring the state of being awake, Composition 2 was originally meant to represent the sense of feeling and touch.

Composition 2: Drafts

With regards to feeling, I wanted the composition to show various levels of emotions; the use of knives to represent anger, pill bottles to represent sadness, and flowers to represent happiness. The repeated motif of hands and the third eye were meant to embody the sense of touch. However, after consulting, the message being conveyed was not as clear, and I decided to try another concept of divinity and depicting an entity who has reached the pinnacle of feeling all there is to feel. 

Composition 2: Breaking down ‘felt everything’
III. Composition 3

‘I chose not to choose life. I chose something else.’

Expanding on the state of sleeping, I wanted the composition to convey a narrative of what happens to one’s body when one chooses to sleep instead of facing life.

Composition 3: Drafts

Satisfied with the elements used, I chose to try out different layouts as the layout was pretty messy; the main focal point is difficult to pinpoint. This was adjusted by changing the directions of the geometric patterns, as well as altering the Life Magazine direction and adding more elements representative of the situation. 

Composition 3: Breaking down ‘not to choose life’
IV. Composition 4

‘I’m nothing. I’m not even here.’

Based on the state of limbo or sleep paralysis, I looked to photographer Nicolas Bruno for inspiration. Known for his works where he captures moments and figures he witnesses during his encounters with sleep paralysis, his works echo Surrealist elements and reinforces the terrifying nature of sleep paralysis. 

Composition 4: Drafts

Generally satisfied with the layout of the composition, I just experimented further with changing some of the elements to make it more visually appealing. In this case, I swapped out the paper bag for a potato sack to make the figure seem more terrifying and draw a better sense of unity amongst the elements.

Composition 4: Breaking down ‘nothing’ and ‘not even here’

 Silkscreening

This project also had a silkscreen component which allowed us to learn more about preparing for and exposing our own silkscreens, followed by printing our own tote bags. 

Experience
Silkscreen process

The silkscreen process, although tedious, was eye-opening. We were taught the process of preparing silkscreens, the technical aspects of each procedure, and the functions of various materials. 

Personally, I faced quite a number of challenges in exposing my own screens. After preparing my first composition, I was quite satisfied with the layout and the elements I used; the positive feedback received made me all the more confident with how the print turned out. However, given the nature of the original images, they did not turn out very well when imposed with halftones and threshold and as a result, the silkscreen print did not turn out as expected. 

Silkscreen: Trial 1
Silkscreen: Trial 2

Given the time constraints left in preparing other compositions and the limited time left in exposing our screens, I was not able to experiment with varying levels of threshold and halftone, and had to change the top half of my composition completely. 

Challenges
  • Using threshold and halftone values 
  • Adjusting compositions to fit the layout of found images, therefore working in reverse
  • Silkscreen issues and pinpointing exactly where the problem rose from

Link to final:

[Final] Project 2: Forrest Gump

References

https://quizlet.com/4073015/list-of-poetic-devices-flash-cards/

https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/mvbne3/an-oral-history-of-the-movie-trainspotting

https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/6/27/15874888/baby-driver-review

A Romance for HER (and him)

https://www.indyweek.com/arts/archives/2014/10/31/movie-review-birdman-soars-despite-some-turbulence

10 Famous Surrealist Artists You Must Know

Dada

http://www.thecallalilydialogues.com/the-dialogues/2016/10/24/hannah-hoch-a-pioneer-of-photomontage-a-pivotal-figure-in-dada

http://time.com/4318151/salvador-dali/

193 Portrait of David Lynch

MAGRITTE: COME VIVERE LA VITA CON IRONIA

https://hanguppictures.com/artists/joe-webb

https://www.biography.com/people/david-lynch-9389739

http://www.artnet.com/artists/david-lynch/biography

http://www.joewebbart.com/about/

Surreal Collages by Eugenia Loli

https://fstoppers.com/originals/interview-nicolas-bruno-sleepless-photographer-7958

http://www.theartstory.org/movement-surrealism.htm

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-dali-salvador.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/10545071/Hannah-Hoch-The-woman-that-art-history-forgot.html

http://www.theartstory.org/artist-hoch-hannah.htm

Project 1: Experimentation and Process

Brainstorming

Research and Reference
Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup

After conducting research on recognised artists in the mark-making field, I found the works of Andy Warhol and the impact it made especially enlightening, particularly his 1960 works that portray everyday objects. Upon learning more about the impact he made on the art world through utilising an array of out-of-the-ordinary mediums and techniques (most prevalent in his Oxidation series), as well as giving life and character to regular, everyday objects (through the abstract enhancement of their qualities), I hope to integrate some of the qualities he displayed through his works in my experimental techniques, as well as conceptualising. 

Furthermore, in Warhol’s Shadows series, I found the methods in which he used to create different hues and spots of light innovative. In my experimentation process, I hope to emulate this by adopting different techniques and tools to create hues, textures, and lighting.

Please refer to the following link for a more in-depth analysis of Andy Warhol’s works: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/mark-making-building-blocks-in-art/

Concept

Initially wanting to have a concept that surrounds emotions I face at my workplace (a place in which I spent most of my time before enrolling into ADM), I found using object association as a conceptual basis a more effective approach as it is a more general concept providing much more room to experimenting and using different tools and techniques. Therefore, in my final concept, I aim to represent emotions on an abstract and non-representative level with a theme of composing them in such a way that it uses a variety of visual elements to symbolise an object or sensation that is commonly associated with the emotion in question.

Experimental Process

Mark-Making Techniques

To aid in creating our lines, we were introduced to a couple of mark-making methods – constructing our own mark-making tool and mono printing.

Process: Making monoprints
Process: Artist research

Creating our own tools involved coming up with innovative methods to apply ink onto a canvas; for example, we could come up with a new tool that when used to apply marks onto a canvas, forms certain patterns or strokes that traditional tools (e.g. paintbrushes or pencils) are not able to achieve, or methods of application that involve splattering paint or pouring paint over a canvas. Mono printing, on the other hand, can be carried out by using a machine to flatten materials over a canvas, forming a shape or pattern using ink. In addition to these two methods, I also explored using a range of mediums to form different textures and layers of depth in the hopes of conveying the emotions more effectively.

Breaking Down Emotions
I. Love
Moodboard: Love
Emotion Subset Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
Tenderness

Fondness

Affection

Sentimentality

‘Butterflies in stomach’ feeling

Flowers

Hearts (literal and metaphorical)

Journeys, long periods of time

Blushing, palpitations

 

Wavy strokes

Soft textures

Hazy backgrounds

Faded, watery strokes

Paint splatters, spots

Top: Water filter dipped in black paint
Bottom: Water filter, hot glue gun, cotton bud dipped in white paint
Right: Leaves
II. Joy
Moodboard: Joy
Moodboard: Joy
Emotion Subset Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
Ecstasy

Euphoria

Drugs

Heavy patterns

Sense of flying; freedom

Waves

Blurred visions

Radial movements

Circular strokes

Thrill

Exhilaration

Explosions of energy

Masses of energy

Fast movements

Fast, spontaneous gestures

Sharp strokes

Splatters in upward directions

Top (Left): Rim of cup
Top (Right): Tube of spray bottle
Bottom (Left): Toothbrush
Bottom (Right): Oil and paint
III. Surprise
Moodboard: Surprise
Emotion Subset Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 Surprise Widened eyes and mouth

Hidden elements

Explosive mannerisms

Unexpectedness

Build up of suspense

Circular motions

Gradients

Isolated strokes

Left: Cotton wool
Right (Top): Banana peel
Right (Bottom): Wire brush
IV. Anger
Moodboard: Anger
Emotion Subset Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 Irritation

Aggravation

 Pet peeves

Scratching,

Lack of uniformity

 Irregular strokes

Mixture of organic and geometric shapes

Spontaneous gestures

Focus on harsh and textured strokes

Rage

Fury

Ferocity

Rapid movement

Shouting

Veins popping out

Violence – stabbing, tearing

Cracks

Irregular strokes

Spontaneous gestures

Sharp, geometric shapes and strokes

Harsh textures

‘Windshield-wiper’ movements

No sense of direction

Top (Left): Sleeve of coffee cup
Top (Right): Crushed paper with white thread
Middle (Right): Finger prints, meant to replicate motions of pet peeves (e.g. tapping sounds, sharp scratching noises)
Bottom (Left and Right): End of paintbrush

Anger: Chinese herbs to make patterns
V. Sadness
Moodboard: Sadness
Emotion Subset Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 Depression

Grief

 

Melancholy

Pills, medication

Unmade beds, untidiness

Tears

Feeling of stillness, calm

Bodies of water

Single rays of light

Spilled milk

Hidden feelings; bottling up

Sighing

Soft textures

Paint splatters

Irregular movement

Waves, organic shapes

Gradients

Haziness

Left: Green tea leaves
Right (Top): Tissue paper dipped in black paint
Right (Bottom): Torn up leaf
Left: White paint on black paper (meant to represent idea of bottling feelings up)
Right: Party popper streamers
Left: Spilled milk, enhanced with white paint
Right: White paint on black paper (meant to convey idea of a still lake, refer to reference picture in mood board)
VI. Fear
Moodboard: Fear
Emotion Subset Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 Horror  Mystery, hidden elements

Veils

Tree branches

Demons, supernatural entities

Gradients

Sharp, heavy strokes

Geometric shapes

Darker strokes

Haziness

Nervousness

Tenseness

Tension; tightened grips

Breakage

Palpitations

Nerve signals

Scratches, fidgeting

Gradients

Sharp, irregular strokes

Messiness; mixture of strokes and shapes

Top (Left): Cotton buds
Top (Right): Powedr on black paint
Bottom (Left): Handprints
Bottom (Right): Black droplets created by shaking paper
Top (Left): Crushed paper with black yarn
Top (Middle): Black and white paint
Top (Right): Static floor wipes
Bottom (Left): Spray bottle
Bottom (Middle): Black paint on newspaper article about Hurricane Harvey
Bottom (Right): Shoe prints
Paintbrush and walnut print (meant to represent nerve endings)
Walnut used

Takeaways

Throughout this process, I was able to adopt different methods of mark-making to create visual elements that I can use in my final product. Experimenting allowed me to venture out of my comfort zone and through the use of various mediums, create prints that focus on conveying emotions as opposed to literally depicting them. 

 

For the final product, please refer to: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/project-1-my-line-is-emo

For research on mark-making artists, please refer to: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/mark-making-building-blocks-in-art/

Project 1: My Line is Emo

After weeks of conceptualising, experimenting, and wrapping our heads around the idea of emotions, our critique for Foundation 2D’s Project 1: My Line is Emo is finally up!

Final Artwork

Final artwork

Final artwork
Top to bottom: Horror, Ferocity, Euphoria
Final artwork
From top to bottom: Affection, Depression, Surprise

Project 1 centred around the use of abstract, non-representational line works and visual elements (ranging from point, line, shape, space, scale, texture, and value/tone) to evoke a series of emotions. We were then required to experiment with various methods of mark-making, letting our creative juices flow onto different mediums and eventually, displaying our products for critique.

Concept

After going through various changes in concepts, I decided to base my final works for Project 1 on a theme of common association where the lines are structured in such a way that symbolises/represents a common object or sensation associated with the emotion in question. The idea of this concept was mainly derived from Andy Warhol and his depiction of everyday objects, where I found an interest in how he managed to transform the look of regular objects into works of art embedded with abstract details and emotions. 

Please refer to the following link for a more in-depth description of artist influences in this project: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/mark-making-building-blocks-in-art/

Process

However, becoming too invested in the abstract qualities of the work with regards to creating texture and depth, I did go off-track and created more three-dimensionally based works as opposed to two-dimensional ones. Therefore in the following notes, I will be addressing the works in its three-dimensional format followed by how I could have carried out the same intentions within a two-dimensional context.

The process in creating the final works comprised of three stages – brainstorming, scouting for materials and methods, and experimenting and application.

Please refer to the following link for a more in-depth description of the process of breaking down the emotions: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/project-1-experi…tion-and-process/

I. Love

In the case of Love, I wanted to expand more on the tertiary emotion of Affection, and therefore came up with these associated objects and feelings along with visual elements usually depicted with this emotion.

Emotion Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 

Affection

 

Sensation of butterflies in stomach

Positivity and negativity in times

Paint splatters

Swirls

Wave-like strokes

Soft, watery strokes

Mixture of dark and light

Whilst researching, I was inspired by the following images that centred around Affection:

Reference: Affection

To portray Affection, I therefore wanted to give an abstract visual quality (with the associated visual elements already in mind) to the sensation of having ‘butterflies in your stomach’ (which is a common feeling possessed when being around someone you are affectionate with), coupled with portraying love in times of positivity and negativity.

Creating the line involved firstly using a two-toned space which consisted of off-white newsprint and crumpled black paper pasted side-by-side to reflect the linear nature of time. Water filters, both white and black, were then pasted to represent ‘butterflies’, and black and white paint was applied in a splatter and wave-like fashion to give the line a two-dimensional layer. With this, I hope to convey the idea of affection towards another being prevalent in both good and bad times.

To make the line more visually-appealing, I wanted to make use of mirroring where the elements are arranged in such a way that the black components reflect the white components. I also hoped to create a layer of depth by using different textures and a combination of two-dimensional (paint and medium) and three-dimensional (water filter) elements.

II. Joy

As for Joy, I focused on the tertiary emotion of Euphoria. Euphoria, defined as an ‘intense state of excitement and happiness’, and thus the following objects and sensations are associated with it.

Emotion Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 

Euphoria

 

 Drugs Different textures

Explosive direction

Mixture of shapes

Messiness

Whilst researching, I was especially taken aback by the following image that centred around Euphoria:

Reference: Euphoria

 

With the aforementioned visual elements in mind, I wanted to use abstract qualities and materials to depict the idea of drugs as a tool to create a euphoric sensation.

Euphoria: Sprinkling salt

In doing so, I used black paper to establish the space, giving a more effective contrast to the white visual elements. Three-dimensional objects were then used as the main subject matter – coffee beans painted white as pills, and hot glue stuck with sprinkles of salt as cocaine, along with two-dimensional white paint to represent cigarettes.

In addition to using shapes and textures to represent literal objects (as well as creating layers), I also wanted to expand on the idea of direction to reinforce the sensation of Euphoria. Therefore, I structured the elements in such a way that they all flow towards the right end of the paper, ending it with explosive-like and spontaneous shapes.  The messiness and irregular placement of visual elements was also to emphasise the uncontrollable sensation of ingesting drugs.

III. Surprise

For surprise, I decided to go with the more general approach and finalised these objects, sensations and visual elements.

Emotion Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 

Surprise

 

Bursting-forth motion

Build up of energy

Gradients

Explosive direction

I was especially intrigued by this image:

Reference: Surprise

 

I therefore, wanted to use abstract visual elements to replicate the notion of energy being built up over a period of time and eventually bursting forth, using different materials to create the idea of tension.

To do so, I balled up recycled paper to create a textured ball and taped it behind off-white newsprint. The newsprint was then scrunched up around the shape of the ball to form texture and relay the idea of something trying to burst through the paper. On the right end of the paper, I cut strips and taped it back down onto the newsprint and placed balled up black paper atop it; the strips of newsprint meant to emphasise the ball bursting forth. The two-dimensional aspects were splatters of black and white paint around the right end of the paper to reinforce the energy of the ball bursting forth.

Experimenting more in the areas of texture, depth, mediums, and contrast, I wanted to focus more on three-dimensional aspects to convey this idea as I felt it was a more effective method in replicating the same energy as the one in the reference picture.

IV. Anger

In the case of Anger, I decided to narrow down my approach to expanding on Ferocity. These are the commonly-associated objects and visual elements:

Emotion Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 

Ferocity

 

 Veins popping out Messiness; no sense of direction

Sharp and harsh strokes

Mixture of textures

Dark strokes

The images that influenced my approach were the following:

Reference: Ferocity

 

The most commonly-associated sensations with Ferocity is Rage and the images that surround this feeling usually go back to shouting and screaming with strained facial expressions. These expressions are also accompanied with veins popping up in a state of high pressure. I therefore, wanted my line to give an abstract representation to this symbol of Ferocity.

Creating the line consisted of (two-dimensional) using black paint to paint straight, sharp strokes onto off-white newsprint, followed by (three-dimensional) twisting strips of black paper in twig-like structures, and pasting them onto the print, along with strings of black yarn. This was meant to reinforce varying intensities of the veins.

In this line, I wanted to emulate the intensity of the appearance of veins when in a state of rage, and therefore turned to the idea of depth and using a mixture of two-dimensional and three-dimensional elements to create layers to enforce this idea.

V. Sadness

For Sadness, I decided to expand more on the tertiary emotion of Depression, using the following objects and visual elements as a basis of influence.

Emotion Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 

Depression

 

 Unmade bed

Tears

 Softness

Paint splatters

No sense of direction; irregularity

Faded strokes

The image that influenced this idea is:

Reference: Depression

When thinking of Depression, I immediately thought of prominent objects present in a state of Depression, most notably an unmade bed. To emphasise the emotion and making the concept more obvious, I added tear drops to the line as well.

This was carried out via cutting up a piece of white satin cloth and splattering droplets of black paint in an uncontrolled manner. The satin cloth was meant to represent bed sheets; additionally the sheen of the cloth also added a layer of depth to the emotion it was meant to convey, by reiterating the softness of bedsheets and it being able to reflect light made it seem closer to its literal counterpart. Furthermore, I wanted to splatter black paint in an irregular method to emphasise the messy nature of Depression.

Using different materials, in this case, helped me with conveying the emotion more effectively.

VI. Fear

Lastly, for fear, I decided to dwell more on Horror.

Emotion Objects Associated Visual Elements Associated
 

Horror

 

Supernatural entities shrouded by veils  Darker strokes

Gradients

Mixture of haziness and sharp strokes

The image that intrigued me the most was:

Reference: Horror

I felt that this was one of the most common occurrences in horror movies, and the fact that we are not able to see the entity as it is shrouded by something makes it all the more terrifying. Therefore, I wanted to replicate that feeling by creating a line that represented the object that blurs our visions in seeing the entity in its true form – the veil.

To do so, I cut up the netting of a laundry bag and glued it to a black strip of paper. The centre of the laundry bag was then painted black with fast strokes.

In addition to using visual elements commonly associated with the idea of horror, I also wanted to, similar to Depression, use different materials as a basis to more effectively convey the intended emotion.

Critique

Some of the main points regarding my works brought up during critique were based on research and application. According to Prof. Joy and classmates, my research was evident in the lines displayed and the concepts they were based on are clear-cut, and after explaining the concepts, viewers were able to see the intended message and emotion.

On the other hand, as mentioned previously, due to my eagerness in using textures and depth, my lines utilised more three-dimensional elements as opposed to two-dimensional ones, which gave me an unfair advantage in representing the emotions as I had the ability to display the emotions close to something in their literal form. My lines also could be better able to convey the emotion if there was a designated direction for the visual elements. Furthermore, I felt that I could have done a better job in displaying my lines during the presentation with neater alignment and better cropping.

In response to this, what I could have done in this project was instead of focusing too much on the three-dimensional aspects of the visuals, I could use two-dimensional methods to replicate the visual. For example, with regards to depth and creating layers, I could have used fainter and blurry strokes to represent something in the background (this can be carried out through using water-based inks as well), and heavier, harsher strokes to represent elements in the foreground (this can be further reinforced by using textured paint such as acrylic paints). Additionally, I could have turned my focus to how the elements complement one another in general – by clearly establishing the direction in which the elements could flow, it would have been a clearer representation of the energy or movement associated with the emotion it was meant to portray.

Takeaways

Challenges

One of the main challenges I faced in this project was time imbalance where I devoted more time to coming up with a proper concept before creating prints. Due to the huge amount of time coming up with various concepts and discarding most of them, I was not able to find time in experimenting and coming up with innovative and creative mark-making methods to create the lines. Should I have properly planned my time, I would have been able to explore more two-dimensional methods of portraying the emotions. 

Response

After receiving critique along with reflecting on the challenges faced, I hope to, in future, better plan my time in projects leaving room for more experimentation and trying out different concepts. I also aim to pay more attention to the ways I display my final works; making them neater and more aligned, giving them a much more professional look. 

For the process, please refer to: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/project-1-experi…tion-and-process/

For research on mark-making artists, please refer to: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/mark-making-building-blocks-in-art/

Mark Making: Building Blocks in Art

In our first project, we return to the very basics of creating art in the form of mark making.

What is Mark Making?

Often referred to as a fundamental element in creating art, mark making is defined as ‘the different lines, dots, marks, patterns, and textures we create in art work’. With this, we are able to express emotion, movement and other concepts we wish to display in an artwork.

How is Mark Making Done?

Mark making is carried out whenever a brush, pencil, or any other tool, hits a canvas, creating a line and thus, making a mark. This can be carried out across different surfaces of various materials – examples include ‘paint on canvas, ink or pencil on paper, scratched marks on plaster, digital paint tools on screens, or tattooed marks on skin’.  Creating such marks can be done loosely and gestural, or controlled and neat as well.

Artists therefore, rely on gestures to express feelings and emotions in response to something seen or something felt. These gestural qualities can also be used to form abstract compositions.

Case Studies

I. Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was a successful magazine and ad illustrator who went on to become a leading artist in the 1960s Pop Art movement, and eventually, an iconic figure in the history of art. He had a hand in a wide variety of different art forms, some of which included performance art, filmmaking, video installations, and writing. All of which challenged the conventional definitions and subjects of art, blurring the lines between fine art and mainstream aesthetics.

Debuting the concept of ‘Pop Art’ – ‘paintings that focused on mass-produced commercial goods’ – Warhol’s acclaimed paintings depicted Coca Cola bottles, vacuum cleaners, and hamburgers, as well as celebrities that range from Marilyn Monroe to Mao Zedong. Gaining fame and notoriety, he received hundreds of commissions for portraits from socialites and celebrities, allowing him to create ‘Eight Elvises’ which resold for $100 million in 2008, making it one of the most valuable paintings in world history.

Shadows (1978-1979)

Warhol’s Shadows (1978-1979) at Yuz Museum, Shanghai

Amidst iconic Pop Art paintings featuring celebrities and everyday objects, Warhol also produced Shadows, a series consisting of ‘102 silkscreened and hand-painted canvases featuring distorted photographs of shadows generated in the artist’s studio’. The paintings, always installed edge-to-edge, extend uninterrupted for almost 450 linear feet around the museum’s curved galleries, ‘[emphasising] the cinematic quality of the work’.

A display of his signature palette of bright hues, the backgrounds featured in Shadows were created using a sponge mop, with ‘the streaks and trails’ left behind ‘adding gesture to the picture plane’. Seven or eight different screens were used, as evident in the slight shifts in scales of dark areas as well as the arbitrary presence of spots of lights. They also alternate between positive and negative imprints as the series progresses. Warhol is said to have portrayed the idea of perception in Shadows as he chose to focus on the shadow to devise light (or sparks of colour).

Oxidation (1978)

Warhol’s Oxidation (1978)

Another of Warhol’s more notable works includes Oxidation, or colloquially known as his ‘Piss Paintings’ made in the late 1970s. In an ironic twist and towards the end of his career, this series was a deviation from his glory as the ‘king of Pop Art’, where he turned to something he has been avoiding – abstract art.

Oxidation was a product of Warhol and his acquaintances urinating on canvases he had prepared with metallic and acrylic paints. This resulted in urine reacting with the copper in the painted grounds, forming deposits of mineral salts that evolved at different rates, sometimes turning green or blue, and black at other times. His treacherous process included experimenting with different metallic paints and the amounts of used fluids. Food ingested by participants influenced the effect urine created on the canvases (one of Warhol’s favourites, Ronny Cutrone, created ‘pretty colours’ due to his increased intake of vitamin B).

Despite its controversy, Warhol still managed to blur the lines between genres and art forms, with their mode of execution breaching established art practices. ‘Aesthetic form achieved through the use of bodily fluids, and not any fluid but the one considered a waste, complicates their interpretation, and positions oxidation painting between the discourses dealing with social divisions, experimentation with body, abstract art, and eroticism’.

II. Emma Kunz

Emma Kunz in Waldstatt (1958)

Emma Kunz was a Swiss telepathic healer and researcher in the 1940s. With this, she became a notable arts figure, where she channelled drawings for patients using coloured pencils, crayons, graph paper, and a pendulum. Serving as a telepathic healer, Kunz’s drawings operated as both documentation of research into and as conduits for patterns of vibrational energy that can be used to realign psychic imbalances underlying her patients’ medical conditions and thus, cure them. Kunz is now recognised as an exceptional artist whose incomparable artworks have been exhibited in over 50 museums around the world, and leaving behind a comprehensive legacy of works consisting of approximately 400 drawings.

Work by Kunz

Describing her artistic energy as ‘design and shape as dimension, rhythm, symbol, and transformation[s] of numbers and concepts’, Kunz recorded her knowledge in large-format drawings on graph paper. They were visual testimonies of her research, represented by geometric drawings with pencil, coloured pencils, and oil pastels, ‘providing answers to questions about life and its spiritual implications’. To her, every colour and every shape had a precise meaning in her understanding of the world.

Her pictures were regarded as ‘holograms’, ‘spaces you could walk into, as well as ‘images to be unfolded or collapsed back down again, usually multilayered in their construction’. They served as ‘cryptic answers to numerous questions’ that fascinated her (both in spiritual or philosophical in nature), where they might contain causes and treatments of illnesses, and explanations for political situations and resulting consequences. On another level, Kunz’s pictures were used to aid her patients’ physical or mental problems.

III. Rorschach Test

Rorschach Inkblot

Created by Hermann Rorschach, the Rorschach Test is defined as ‘a method of psychological evaluation’ that psychologists use ‘in an attempt to examine the personality characteristics and emotional functioning of their patients’. Often employed in diagnosing ‘underlying thought disorders’ as well as ‘differentiating psychotic from non-psychotic thinking’ in scenarios where a patient is reluctant to openly admit to psychotic thinking, particularly in symptoms related to depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders. It is administered using 10 cards, each with a complicated inkblot pattern, where subjects are instructed to look at the shape, shading, and colour.

When viewing the inkblots, subjects are often said to be able to see many images – this is due to ‘the number of images elicited by these inkblots [being] determined by the irregular shapes at the edges of each’. Researchers focused on fractals (or repeating patterns that can be seen at all scales), and have deduced that when fractals are more complex, people see fewer images than when patterns are simpler. These fractals are said to ‘fool the visual system’, where the brain is adapted to process patterns.

Conclusion

After getting to know more about mark making, I came to realise the importance of utilising and expanding on concepts, as well as experimentation and adopting new approaches (especially outside the arts field) in creating art.  In the case of Andy Warhol and Emma Kunz, both artists  – renowned for their imaginative approaches to art) – have inspired me to look pass traditional art mediums such as paper and graphite to convey emotions and ideas, and instead expand into using objects that are usually not associated with creating art. With regards to the Rorschach Test and its development process, I hope to also, look into using abstract shapes to represent objects and convey emotions as opposed to  constantly relying on creating works that portray objects in their literal form.

 

For the process, please refer to: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/project-1-experi…tion-and-process/

For the final product, please refer to: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/vwong005/project-1-my-line-is-emo/

References

https://www.thoughtco.com/how-does-mark-making-affect-your-paintings-2577630

http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/exam-help/themes/mark-making

How Experimental Were the Andy Warhol Piss Paintings Actually?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-art/2015/01/13/frame/4OpbN6KtkEMxFAoFgwd1zM/story.html

https://www.biography.com/people/andy-warhol-9523875

https://www.moca.org/exhibition/andy-warhol-shadows

https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/illustration/master-of-the-month-emma-kunz/

https://www.emma-kunz.com/en/emma-kunz/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/rorschach-inkblot-test/

Images

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test

https://www.emma-kunz.com/en/

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/andy-warhol-fun-facts

https://www.emma-kunz.com/en/emma-kunz/

http://artasiapacific.com/Magazine/WebExclusives/AndyWarholShadows