Experiment - 1
For my final major project I wanted to create a mixed media piece, using photos, paint, prints etc. I also had to ensure that all the pieces would represent their individual illness/disease.
I tried out my first experiment on canvas and used 3 images that I would then deface. I wanted to have texture in the piece, so I add thick slabs of white paint to the canvas, as well as add pages from an old book onto it.
For the first experiment it was difficult to figure out how I wanted this to look. I tried to find influence and inspiration from my artists but I struggled to do so and keep it being my own work.
I also found that I didn't associate this piece with any of my mental illnesses/ disorders, so it was difficult to develop a story within the piece.
Overall I liked how the piece turned out but I wanted to see what other surfaces I could use as a base for my piece. I wanted to also work on creating layers so that the whole piece doesn't seem overly flat.
Experiment - 2
In my second attempt I decided to try several ideas on cardboard to see how the results would vary. I wanted to work on layering and adding texture, so I used a thick layer of PVA glue when adding my images. The images became very saturated and would warp and crinkle which I found interesting.
I also found that when I added paint to the cardboard, the places with glue would create this crackled/marbled look once it came into contact with paint. I tried to replicate this another time to see if it would work and the results were even better than before.
|
Development
I knew that my piece had to have a lot of mediums incorporated into it, so I began to gather images which I knew would work really well with the overall theme. I also gathered old books and magazines so that I could have a variety images, texts as well as texture to choose from.
I wanted to collect images that related or could be associated to each mental illness/disorder. I wanted to have a large assortment of images so that I could mix up images and see what would work together.
For my following pieces I began to try different bases which would represent the illnesses and disorders. I decided to find colours that would represent each illness as well as laying down the paint in various methods.
For insomnia I used the colour blue as it visually speaks out as the colour associated with insomnia/sleep/night. I also used a palette knife to create a messy hectic layer, as I believe that insomnia leaves people in a volatile, mentally draining illness. |
I began to explore different techniques to create a base. I mixed paint and PVA glue together to make a thick paste. I then splashed it onto my base in large strokes.
This was to represent Bipolar, as it is a mental illness which has two fluctuating emotions that are difficult for people control at times. For all my themes I tried several techniques that would represent them as best as they could. I applied my hand prints using paint, applying bleach, pouring paint, layering thick coats of paint etc. I wanted them all to have their own style similar to what I had done in my Viewpoints work. |
Evaluation
Overall this process was a long and tedious one. I started out with a confident approach to what I planned to develop but with lockdowns and restrictions, I was feeling very mentally drained and lacking motivation. I tried to use that emotion by pushing myself to start creating this piece.
Just like in my two previous assignments, I focus a lot on mental illness/disorders. In my viewpoints assignment my work reflected a persons emotion associated with mental illness. So with this new assignment I wanted to dive deeper into looking at various mental disorders/illnesses, in order to get a better perspective of mental health. I also came back to using a models face and defacing them from the whole piece. I have had a long run with defacing my models face, as it is something I find is essential to display in my work relating to mental health.
When it came to research I found many artists that were very impactful and influential. Tracey Emin was an artist who stood the most to me, an really helped me to drive my idea and theme overall. Tracey produces art in a range of mediums she is famously known for her installation piece which depicts a bed in which she lay in during a very dark and depressive period in her life. Her work has always revolved around her relationships with people and her mental struggles. To see how she displays these emotional moments in her life is something that I was drawn to in her work. I became driven by how she expresses these traumatic points in her life. This give me the inspiration to do somewhat the same thing but reflect it on the individual disorder itself.
Overall I found that my final outcome was very successful. I found that I wasn't focused entirely on what I wanted to paint or have a visual idea of how each piece would look in the end. This helped me a lot as the spontaneity of just creating it give me an unpredictable final piece which I found more rewarding. I do believe I could have planned out my time better as I do feel like I was overwhelmed to the point of rushing to get it complete. But I would say that that pressure also enabled me to really think about what I was doing during the process. Lastly I found that each piece tells a story similar to my previous assignments which I was hoping I could portray in the work and thankfully I believe I achieved that in the end.
Just like in my two previous assignments, I focus a lot on mental illness/disorders. In my viewpoints assignment my work reflected a persons emotion associated with mental illness. So with this new assignment I wanted to dive deeper into looking at various mental disorders/illnesses, in order to get a better perspective of mental health. I also came back to using a models face and defacing them from the whole piece. I have had a long run with defacing my models face, as it is something I find is essential to display in my work relating to mental health.
When it came to research I found many artists that were very impactful and influential. Tracey Emin was an artist who stood the most to me, an really helped me to drive my idea and theme overall. Tracey produces art in a range of mediums she is famously known for her installation piece which depicts a bed in which she lay in during a very dark and depressive period in her life. Her work has always revolved around her relationships with people and her mental struggles. To see how she displays these emotional moments in her life is something that I was drawn to in her work. I became driven by how she expresses these traumatic points in her life. This give me the inspiration to do somewhat the same thing but reflect it on the individual disorder itself.
Overall I found that my final outcome was very successful. I found that I wasn't focused entirely on what I wanted to paint or have a visual idea of how each piece would look in the end. This helped me a lot as the spontaneity of just creating it give me an unpredictable final piece which I found more rewarding. I do believe I could have planned out my time better as I do feel like I was overwhelmed to the point of rushing to get it complete. But I would say that that pressure also enabled me to really think about what I was doing during the process. Lastly I found that each piece tells a story similar to my previous assignments which I was hoping I could portray in the work and thankfully I believe I achieved that in the end.