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

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:

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:

 

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.

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:

 

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:

 

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:

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:

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/