CHOICE PIECE
Still Not Asking For it
Size: 22 cm X 15 cm
Medium: Block Print
Date: April 2017
Exhibition Text:
This piece aided me through depicting my obsession of drawing the female figure. I try to illustrate that women drawings on paper appear less pleasing to the eyes. Through this art I tried to convey the idea of rape culture and victim blaming. The idea behind the piece is more so to stress the notion that victims of rape are never to blame even if they are promiscuous or partake in sexual behavior, much like the woman depicted in the image above. I created this piece by carving a plate and using ink to copy the image onto paper. This piece was is self-made.
Medium: Block Print
Date: April 2017
Exhibition Text:
This piece aided me through depicting my obsession of drawing the female figure. I try to illustrate that women drawings on paper appear less pleasing to the eyes. Through this art I tried to convey the idea of rape culture and victim blaming. The idea behind the piece is more so to stress the notion that victims of rape are never to blame even if they are promiscuous or partake in sexual behavior, much like the woman depicted in the image above. I created this piece by carving a plate and using ink to copy the image onto paper. This piece was is self-made.
Inspiration
Sam Kerson and The German expressionist movement
Sam Kerson
Kerson, S. (n.d.). Cirque Erotique , Theatre Cosmique. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from http://www.samkerson.com/cirquerotique/reviewprocess.html
These works exhibit the artist's lengthy experience and profound understanding of composition. Kerson's handling of space, volume, perspective and the human figure is deft and original. The designs are playful, fanciful, imaginative and simultaneously forceful and articulate.
The images cast in rich black and luminously white, seem to speak in color and of color. Kerson uses rhythm, repetition, sequence, and opposition as if they were color. These images argue that black and white contain all colors. Perhaps if we squint, adjust the light, or spin the designs rapidly the colors will become apparent.
The images cast in rich black and luminously white, seem to speak in color and of color. Kerson uses rhythm, repetition, sequence, and opposition as if they were color. These images argue that black and white contain all colors. Perhaps if we squint, adjust the light, or spin the designs rapidly the colors will become apparent.
German Expressionism
The German expressionism movement began in Germany after World War I. It was meant to captivate moments after the hard and deadly war. The use of lines created a sense of relaxation that I wanted to incorporate in my art piece.
Expressionism emerged simultaneously in various cities across Germany as a response to a widespread anxiety about humanity's increasingly discordant relationship with the world and accompanying lost feelings of authenticity and spirituality (http://www.theartstory.org/movement-expressionism.htm)
Within that Idea I wanted to make a piece that would speak of that same anxiety in the society that live in today.
Expressionism emerged simultaneously in various cities across Germany as a response to a widespread anxiety about humanity's increasingly discordant relationship with the world and accompanying lost feelings of authenticity and spirituality (http://www.theartstory.org/movement-expressionism.htm)
Within that Idea I wanted to make a piece that would speak of that same anxiety in the society that live in today.
Process
Planning sketches
While I was creating my sketches for the piece, I looked at various examples of German Expressionism. I loved the way the portraits in this movement are not very realistic and unproportional. I knew I could incorporate my own style into block printing but still keeping true to the German Expressionism style. I was for the most part inspired by artist Same Kerson.
Carving
Once I had finished with my sketch, I made sure to copy it into my piece of linoleum. Once I transferred the image, I made sure to pick out a tool for the outside, and for the medium and the smaller details. Then, it was time to carve. Carving my design was quite difficult since there were a lot of curves, and small spaces in between other lines. When I got done carving with the detail I carved the outside, which was a little bit easier. However, there were times when I would carve too deep and make holes into my linoleum piece so I taped them from the back so when I did my prints it wouldn't create a mess.
Creating Prints
The first trials were actually quite difficult. Especially because I didn't know for how long to apply pressure with the baren onto the print so that it could actually show up nice and even.
REFLECTION
The outcome of this project came out well. It was the first time I ever used this form of art medium. When I was introduced to the technique, I immediately thought that it was going to be easy, because it seemed like all you did was carve out your design and put ink on top of it. The carving stage was the hardest. It was very difficult to carve out tine details, seeing as though we had bigger tools to work with. In addition, carving was at times painful. I happened to cut myself a number of times. The inking process was also a struggle, because I had to do multiple prints until I get a clear saturated image. I didn't know how much ink to put on or how much pressure. I did multiple prints and I finally found a good ratio of the two components. After that I made more and more prints and they all came out clean and saturated, If I do this type of art ever again, I'll make sure I use what I learned in my experimentation and apply it to all of my future block prints. Looking back I realize that I should have focused a little more on a deeper meaning instead of focusing so much on making the piece a strong mix of the two art movements.
TOOLS
ACT QUESTIONS
1.) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your work.
The artist has a lengthy experience and profound understanding of composition. Kerson handles space, volume, perspective and the human figure very well. Kerson also uses rhythm, repetition, sequence well in his works. That directly affected the way I decided to
2.) What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My overall approach was to use the idea of negative and positive space in the works to create the feeling of the yin and yan. I was inspired by Kerson's
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspirations?
The images cast in rich black and luminously white, seem to speak in color and of color. Kerson uses rhythm, repetition, sequence, artist's lengthy experience and profound understanding of composition. Kerson's handling of space, volume, perspective and the human figure
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My central idea was to stay true to the idea of expressionism. Which was for the art to come from within the artist rather than from a depiction of the external visual world. That is exactly what I did. I created sketches in my own artistic style. That represesnts who I am and how I choose to express myself.
5.) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your
research?
I inferred that with these art movements, I would be allowed a little more freedom. With other art movements, I would have to incorporate important elements in order for it to be considered that art movement. With expressionism I could create art that came from within me.
The artist has a lengthy experience and profound understanding of composition. Kerson handles space, volume, perspective and the human figure very well. Kerson also uses rhythm, repetition, sequence well in his works. That directly affected the way I decided to
2.) What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My overall approach was to use the idea of negative and positive space in the works to create the feeling of the yin and yan. I was inspired by Kerson's
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspirations?
The images cast in rich black and luminously white, seem to speak in color and of color. Kerson uses rhythm, repetition, sequence, artist's lengthy experience and profound understanding of composition. Kerson's handling of space, volume, perspective and the human figure
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My central idea was to stay true to the idea of expressionism. Which was for the art to come from within the artist rather than from a depiction of the external visual world. That is exactly what I did. I created sketches in my own artistic style. That represesnts who I am and how I choose to express myself.
5.) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your
research?
I inferred that with these art movements, I would be allowed a little more freedom. With other art movements, I would have to incorporate important elements in order for it to be considered that art movement. With expressionism I could create art that came from within me.