UWM - Mixed Media
"Weight"
Polymer Clay and Acrylic Paint
April, 2017
Polymer Clay and Acrylic Paint
April, 2017
With the use of acrylic paint, I was able to apply more emphasis towards the fists which I painted to be as realistic as I could with splatterred blood. The fists are what give the whole piece its meaning. I had the goal to create a visual representation of one being brought down by their own damage caused and their own decisions. This is why the fists are painted to be bloody, I felt that bloody fists kind of shows "inflicted damage". I purposely left the small figure to be colorless and lifeless to sort of direct the attention to the fists. I think I did this pretty well.
Inspirational Artist/Work
The work of Xooang Choi usually has a simple form with one or two exaggerated body parts. This is usually what makes his sculptures so simple but yet beautiful. His ulptural work is what I'm using as inspiration for this project. To create a simple form with one or two emphasized parts is my main goal. To create something original that he has not created is my side goal, along with it having a meaning and looking visually decent. |
Brainstorming
I quickly lost interest in my original idea and came up with another (right). This second idea continues the theme of a blank subject/form with one or two parts emphasized. There's no particular meaning behind the fact that I have it as an octopus, simply because I like them. In the image you can see little to no detail in the body and 7 out of the 8 tentacles, this is done on purpose because the emphasized part is the 8th tentacle. In addition to the tentacle I thought of having a harpoon used for large sea animals puncturing the tentacle.
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Finally, I had my final idea that I was actually able to work with and develop a meaning. Also I was more fond of this idea than the previous two. With this idea I planned to have the fists be very large in comparison to the figures body, this and the fact that the figures body will be relatively small will both help put emphasis on the fists. Although I also planned to paint the fists to be as realistic as I'm able to along with splatters of blood (red paint).
The whole message behind this idea was to convey a figure that shows stress/sorrow or desolation from the damage that it has caused itself. To, in a way, give a visual example of one living with their own choices and damage caused. One way I decided to do deliver this message was to make the figure's body small and the fists exaggerated to give emphasis on this amount of damage. Along with this I figured I could use acrylic paint on the figure to add detail and even more emphasis. Lastly it comes to the position and pose as you can see above.
The whole message behind this idea was to convey a figure that shows stress/sorrow or desolation from the damage that it has caused itself. To, in a way, give a visual example of one living with their own choices and damage caused. One way I decided to do deliver this message was to make the figure's body small and the fists exaggerated to give emphasis on this amount of damage. Along with this I figured I could use acrylic paint on the figure to add detail and even more emphasis. Lastly it comes to the position and pose as you can see above.
Process/Experimentation
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Reflection
While I was making the hand I started to become very pleased with it at that point. Once I started painting, I started to become a lot less pleased with it. I over estimated how detailed I would be able to detail it. When I got my critique at UWM, I made some adjustments to improve the piece such as removing the blank figure completely because it was really holding back the entire project. Leaving just the broken hands created the same meaning but with a much better delivery which I am very happy with.
ACT Connections:
- Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork. With the work of Xooang Choi, you can see how his sculptures are consistent with basic forms consisting of minimal details which puts emphasis on the one or two parts that are colored and have extreme amounts of detail. You can see the same concept with my piece.
- What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
- What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
- What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
- What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?