Illustration- Negative
Title: Consumed
Size: 38 cm by 25.5 cm
Medium: Mixed Media (colored pencil and magazine)
Completion: November
Size: 38 cm by 25.5 cm
Medium: Mixed Media (colored pencil and magazine)
Completion: November
Exhibition text:
Media will consume everyone if they let it. The piece "Consumed", is an example of a man fighting against the urges to play more video games and travel further into the realm of media. It was inspired by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, a mixed media artist. Overall, this piece reminds people to slow down before they have no control left.
Media will consume everyone if they let it. The piece "Consumed", is an example of a man fighting against the urges to play more video games and travel further into the realm of media. It was inspired by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, a mixed media artist. Overall, this piece reminds people to slow down before they have no control left.
Inspiration:
The inspiration for this piece was not an easy thing to find. I wanted to be able to find an artist that focused both on a powerful meaning, while also including mixed media into their piece. Eventually I came across; Njideka Akunyili Crosby (Akunyili Crosby for short). She is known for creating pieces out of photo transfers. On initial impression, her work appears to focus on house hold rooms or apparently, everyday scenes and social gatherings. Many of Akunyili Crosby's images feature figures - images of family and friends - in scenarios derived from familiar domestic experiences: eating, drinking, watching TV. Rarely do they meet the viewer's gaze but seem bound up in moments of intimacy or reflection that are left open to interpretation. This allows the viewer to have a wide range of possible interpretations of the work. Continuing, the work allows the viewer to feel along with the piece. For example. the piece of the people dancing allows the viewer to feel happiness and warmth while the people in the piece would appear to be feeling the same way. Contrastingly. the little girl standing staring at the viewer makes the viewers feel confused and uneasy. I wanted to incorporate this same type of emotion into my piece. I did this by using the magazine (similar to the photo transfer) to add another layer of thought into the piece. This piece was also inspired by Wassily Kandisnky. His use of color and changing shapes allowed me to focus on a beard that was not consistent with the rest of the styles shown in the colleges. Lastly, Akunyili Crosby uses a wide range of colors in her work to push the viewer to continue looking deeper into the piece. I used this same method in my artwork by using magazine scraps that had a lot of colors and thus created more emotion. I focused on making the viewer feel confused, but intrigued, similar to Akunyili Crosby's work with the little girl. Although, some of the images used in her work are from the artist's archive of personal snapshots, magazines and advertisements, while others are sourced from the internet. These elements present a compelling visual metaphor for the layers of personal memory and cultural history that inform and heighten the experience of the present. Metaphor played a big part in her work, as stated, and it also forced me to include a metaphor for media in mine. |
Planning:
Similarly to how all great things start, I needed a step by step plan in order to have my piece look cohesive with both the colored pencils and the magazine scraps. I began first by finding magazines that had a lot of colorful interesting images. This would allow me to include lots of color and emotion into my piece, similar to my inspiration. Once I had all my magazines I knew I had to had to figure out what shape of collage I would want so that I could sketch out and then make a collage in the same shape. This meant sketching out my final piece. When I first began sketching I struggled with what drawing should be my center piece. Eventually I realized that a portrait would make most sense. I knew that I would be creating another a piece after this, a positive piece, and so in order to add contrast I would make this piece look masculine, and my positive piece look more feminine. This helped me decide on an older looking man with a beard that is made of media, beginning to consume himself.
This lead me to then figure out what theme I wanted to use in my piece. I knew that it would be important to focus on a theme that was dark and negative in order to truly create a contrasting piece. Similar to my inspirations work I figured out my theme would be confusion. Confusion can be represented in so many ways, and often other emotions come with it. Having confusion be my theme allowed me to both have the viewer feel confused, but also have the viewer feel nervous and unnerved. In order to best include my theme into my piece I worked on using colored pencils for the face that would create deep red eye bags, and weird hints of green in the skin. Almost to give the illusion that the man was close to his last day on earth. Continuing, I also knew that in order for he magazine and the colored pencil head to fit together nicely, I would need to have similar colors for both. This helped me choose which colored pencils I would use on the face, and which I would use to add details to his eyes, hair, and other features that were more important. Finally I had to plan how best to use the dimensions of my paper to the best use. I wanted to have the paper feel full, but at the same time not overwhelming with media. This helped me realize that I should only do a collage for the mans beard, and not also for his hair.
Similarly to how all great things start, I needed a step by step plan in order to have my piece look cohesive with both the colored pencils and the magazine scraps. I began first by finding magazines that had a lot of colorful interesting images. This would allow me to include lots of color and emotion into my piece, similar to my inspiration. Once I had all my magazines I knew I had to had to figure out what shape of collage I would want so that I could sketch out and then make a collage in the same shape. This meant sketching out my final piece. When I first began sketching I struggled with what drawing should be my center piece. Eventually I realized that a portrait would make most sense. I knew that I would be creating another a piece after this, a positive piece, and so in order to add contrast I would make this piece look masculine, and my positive piece look more feminine. This helped me decide on an older looking man with a beard that is made of media, beginning to consume himself.
This lead me to then figure out what theme I wanted to use in my piece. I knew that it would be important to focus on a theme that was dark and negative in order to truly create a contrasting piece. Similar to my inspirations work I figured out my theme would be confusion. Confusion can be represented in so many ways, and often other emotions come with it. Having confusion be my theme allowed me to both have the viewer feel confused, but also have the viewer feel nervous and unnerved. In order to best include my theme into my piece I worked on using colored pencils for the face that would create deep red eye bags, and weird hints of green in the skin. Almost to give the illusion that the man was close to his last day on earth. Continuing, I also knew that in order for he magazine and the colored pencil head to fit together nicely, I would need to have similar colors for both. This helped me choose which colored pencils I would use on the face, and which I would use to add details to his eyes, hair, and other features that were more important. Finally I had to plan how best to use the dimensions of my paper to the best use. I wanted to have the paper feel full, but at the same time not overwhelming with media. This helped me realize that I should only do a collage for the mans beard, and not also for his hair.
Process/Techniques/Inspiration:
As I began putting the final piece together I had had to focus on using my skills as both an artist, but also as a person with a love for design. I wanted my piece to cohesively work well together, while also giving off the emotion of confusing (thus not going together perfectly). I began by sketching out the head of the man so that it would take up a majority of the composition of the paper. This would guide the viewers eyes to the face, rather than the white background behind the man. Next, I began coloring in the skin tone of the face. I wanted the piece to be semi-realistic, it should look like a person, without actually being extremely realistic. I did this by being loose with my pencil and enlarging the eyes and the bags of the face to create an almost more "cartoony" look to the drawing. This would help me further show my theme, confusing, to the viewer because the man looks both realistic, while also looking extremely unrealistic.
Continuing, in order to create the best quality piece that I could, I focused on my colored pencil technique a lot. For example, for the hair and the eyes I wanted a very sharp end to the pencil so that I could get very defined lines that stood out against the rest of the piece. Contrastingly, for the skin and the eye bags I wanted a blunt pencil that blended very easily so that I could create a smoother texture for the rest of the piece. Similar to my inspiration, my piece included both realistic elements, but also elements of imagination and the known. I finished my piece by glueing the two together so that I could have one cohesive final piece.
As I began putting the final piece together I had had to focus on using my skills as both an artist, but also as a person with a love for design. I wanted my piece to cohesively work well together, while also giving off the emotion of confusing (thus not going together perfectly). I began by sketching out the head of the man so that it would take up a majority of the composition of the paper. This would guide the viewers eyes to the face, rather than the white background behind the man. Next, I began coloring in the skin tone of the face. I wanted the piece to be semi-realistic, it should look like a person, without actually being extremely realistic. I did this by being loose with my pencil and enlarging the eyes and the bags of the face to create an almost more "cartoony" look to the drawing. This would help me further show my theme, confusing, to the viewer because the man looks both realistic, while also looking extremely unrealistic.
Continuing, in order to create the best quality piece that I could, I focused on my colored pencil technique a lot. For example, for the hair and the eyes I wanted a very sharp end to the pencil so that I could get very defined lines that stood out against the rest of the piece. Contrastingly, for the skin and the eye bags I wanted a blunt pencil that blended very easily so that I could create a smoother texture for the rest of the piece. Similar to my inspiration, my piece included both realistic elements, but also elements of imagination and the known. I finished my piece by glueing the two together so that I could have one cohesive final piece.
As shown in the first picture, I began with the hair and slowly worked my way around the piece. While I worked on the colored pencil, I also prepared the collage that would be the mans beard. I focused on getting clean straight edges with the magazine. I bettered my skills in color theory, shape and design, and overall a better understanding of how to use colored pencils.
The hardest part of putting the project together was definitely deciding on the background. I finished with a white background and magazine dripping down to create a more negative background (rather than the happy looking green originally). |
These final two photos show how I put together the collage. I started with a rough sketch of the shape of the beard, and and I slowly overlapped different images* that I had cut out. I glued them down to the paper and then cut out the final shape of beard. I finished by glueing it down to the paper, creating a look as if the paper was consuming the man in the shape of his beard.
*None of the magazines have any logos so that it would just look like general media. |
Experimentation:
In my past experimentations with art, colored pencils do not usually work well with the visions I create for them. This creates a struggle for me when I have to create a piece with colored pencils. I took this into account when I started my piece. I first began my piece by focusing on just the final composition of the mans face. I knew that I wanted him to look old, but not dead. So I experimented with different shades of white for his face. I also knew that I wanted him to have very extreme eye bags so I experimented with different shades of red and purple for his eye bags. Doing these things helped me better understand how to put together the final composition for the piece. During the process I learned three very important things: 1. Colored pencils are not a very easy medium to work with, the more blunt your pencil the easier it is to blend out colors. 2. Creating hair with colored pencils is extremely hard to do well. After a while blending it out is just better looking. 3. Exploring background colors is extremely important to creating the final mood/tone of the piece. (Green vs white) Continuing, as I worked on the project I also experimented with the composition of the collage for the mans beard. Collages are all about having random images that originally would make no sense together, but when placed side by side correctly, they create a beautiful image. This was something I struggled with originally because I could not get the composition quite right. Eventually I was able to have enough negative and positive space and colors that it it created a beautiful collage. I was able to manifest my way to a collage that truly represented my theme of confusion. Finally, with these revelations I was a was able to decide on a background, hairstyle, and collage composition that made sense. Using my new skills surrounding technical art, I had a better understanding of color creating mood, and technique with colored pencils. |
These two photos show the difference in the colors of backgrounds. These two photos show the contrasting methods I used The green background is more positive, the white seems to be more to create the hair on the mans head. The one on the left is negative and confusing. lines, the one on the right is blending.
Critique:
Similarities:
1. Medium: In both "Consuming" and my inspiration piece, magazine pictures and other cutouts were both used in order to create more depth to the artwork. Both are mediums that are important to the works final look and composition. The magazines help both work create a theme of confusion. This shows how the inspiration directly affected my work. 2. Color Theory: Both art works use warmer tones in order to create the final mood. In my work I focus on warm tones in order to bring to life the man starting at the viewer. In the inspiration piece warm tones are used in order to bring the room to life, as well as draw the viewers attention to the entire piece, not just the one center piece. 3. Technique: In "Consuming" I used magazine papers to create a collage that I later glued to the paper. This helped me organize the space better, as well as know exactly what the final product was going to look like. In the inspiration piece, pictures of many kinds were transferred onto the paper using glue so that the artist could also see the full final product. 4. Point of Emphasis In both artworks the point of emphasis sin the work was in the center of the page. Although the two center points are not the same size, they both draw the viewers eyes into the center of the artwork and then slowly to the edges of the art work. This also shows a direct correlation between the inspiration and my own work. |
Differences:
1. Medium: Although both artworks share the medium of magazine pages, they both also use other mediums to finalize the piece. In "Consuming" I use colored pencils to create the mans head, but in the inspiration piece oil paints and other form of pictures are used in order to finalize the piece. This creates two different outcomes in final looks. 2. Space: In "Consuming" the space of the piece focused on the center of the artwork, the white background is used to add a sense of nothingness behind the media that is taking over the man. Contrastingly, in the inspiration piece the space of the piece is more equalized. The background has more activity than the center piece, but it is done in a muted tone so that it does not overpower the center. 3. Scale: The scale in the inspiration piece is more realistic and shows the entire body of the main subject. The desks are proportional to the girl standing amongst them. The room looks life like because it is proportional. On the other hand, "Consuming" focuses on a much closer view of the man. It focuses on the details of the mans face and how the mans eyes sink into his face. 4. Balance: Finally, the balance in the inspiration piece is equal to the background, foreground, and middle ground. The entire piece is balanced together, whereas in "Consuming" the background is empty and the foreground is busy and a focus point. |
Reflection:
Looking back on the final piece that I created, I am very proud of the process and product I was able to produce. I was able to adapt quickly to using a skill set I was not used to using, which helped me learn about what my strengths and weaknesses were. Continuing, I was able to see a clear connection between my inspiration and my final piece. I included similar mediums, as well as similar ideas in creating my piece. I knew in the beginning of this piece I had to focus on getting to a final product and not correction every single mistake that I would make. Although I am not a perfectionist, when I work on art I tend to over analyze the piece I am creating and never finish my projects. Knowing this was something I would have to work around I planned out each day and how much work I would get done on that day. This helped me to finish my painting in a timely manner and create a piece I was truly proud of.
Continuing, my favorite part of creating this piece was definitely creating the collage. I had never created a collage completely out of magazine pictures before and so I had a lot of fun playing around with it. I enjoyed the amount of creative freedom it gave me when I worked on putting all the different images together. Another favorite part of the process I had was working on the eye bags. When I draw in the style of; semi-realism, I tend to include big eye bags a lot. It is a part of my style that I enjoy creating and having. This was something that stayed consistent through this piece. My least favorite part of the process was creating the hair. Even now, I am still unsure of the proper way to draw hair with colored pencils. It was something that I really struggled to make look good, and to complete in a way that I would be proud of.
In conclusion, I hope that other view my work as a chance to look back on their own life. My work is supposed to confuse the viewers so that they have to think of a deeper meaning, not just what someone could see at first glance. I want people to be able to be immersed into the art work and be able to enjoy looking at it. I want the craftsmanship of my artwork able to be seen. This way I can understand how to further my own work, and how to make my next piece even better.
Looking back on the final piece that I created, I am very proud of the process and product I was able to produce. I was able to adapt quickly to using a skill set I was not used to using, which helped me learn about what my strengths and weaknesses were. Continuing, I was able to see a clear connection between my inspiration and my final piece. I included similar mediums, as well as similar ideas in creating my piece. I knew in the beginning of this piece I had to focus on getting to a final product and not correction every single mistake that I would make. Although I am not a perfectionist, when I work on art I tend to over analyze the piece I am creating and never finish my projects. Knowing this was something I would have to work around I planned out each day and how much work I would get done on that day. This helped me to finish my painting in a timely manner and create a piece I was truly proud of.
Continuing, my favorite part of creating this piece was definitely creating the collage. I had never created a collage completely out of magazine pictures before and so I had a lot of fun playing around with it. I enjoyed the amount of creative freedom it gave me when I worked on putting all the different images together. Another favorite part of the process I had was working on the eye bags. When I draw in the style of; semi-realism, I tend to include big eye bags a lot. It is a part of my style that I enjoy creating and having. This was something that stayed consistent through this piece. My least favorite part of the process was creating the hair. Even now, I am still unsure of the proper way to draw hair with colored pencils. It was something that I really struggled to make look good, and to complete in a way that I would be proud of.
In conclusion, I hope that other view my work as a chance to look back on their own life. My work is supposed to confuse the viewers so that they have to think of a deeper meaning, not just what someone could see at first glance. I want people to be able to be immersed into the art work and be able to enjoy looking at it. I want the craftsmanship of my artwork able to be seen. This way I can understand how to further my own work, and how to make my next piece even better.
ACT Questions:
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
- In my artwork, I can clearly identify the cause and effect relationship between my inspiration and its affect through the media that was used in both pieces, and the warm tones of color that were both used. These help me make a direct correlation between the inspiration and my final piece. I can also see its effect through the final composition of both pieces, you can obviously see the similarities.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
- The overall approach the author has regarding my topic of inspiration is; focusing on creating a moment out of artwork. Akunyili Crosby wanted to create a scene in each artwork that was both personal to her, but could also be personal to her viewer. This was done through her use of everyday situation and social events. She was then able to implement the photo transfer into the floors and walls which created that theme of confusion.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
- While creating my database of research, I have been able to make generalizations about peoples need to feel connected. When Akunyili Crosby creates her pieces she is able to create a connection with the viewer because of the raw need to feel connected hat people have. She focuses on making pieces with very common social interactions and thus the viewer feels drawn in and connected. I have always been able to generalization about color theory, and other forms of art as I work on creating a singular theme.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
- The central idea around my inspiration research was confusion. I wanted to focus on creating a piece that was both interesting to the viewer, but also caused the viewer to stop and think twice about what they were looking at. I wanted to also find this in the inspiration I used. My inspiration fit just that criteria of confusing, but also interesting.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
- While reading my research I had to make inferences about purpose and style. When doing any research about an artist or inspiration, you do not know the full intent of the artist because they are not next to you telling you what it is. While conducting my research I had to make inferences about intent of the artist, and why they made the stylistic choices they did.
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
- In my artwork, I can clearly identify the cause and effect relationship between my inspiration and its affect through the media that was used in both pieces, and the warm tones of color that were both used. These help me make a direct correlation between the inspiration and my final piece. I can also see its effect through the final composition of both pieces, you can obviously see the similarities.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
- The overall approach the author has regarding my topic of inspiration is; focusing on creating a moment out of artwork. Akunyili Crosby wanted to create a scene in each artwork that was both personal to her, but could also be personal to her viewer. This was done through her use of everyday situation and social events. She was then able to implement the photo transfer into the floors and walls which created that theme of confusion.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
- While creating my database of research, I have been able to make generalizations about peoples need to feel connected. When Akunyili Crosby creates her pieces she is able to create a connection with the viewer because of the raw need to feel connected hat people have. She focuses on making pieces with very common social interactions and thus the viewer feels drawn in and connected. I have always been able to generalization about color theory, and other forms of art as I work on creating a singular theme.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
- The central idea around my inspiration research was confusion. I wanted to focus on creating a piece that was both interesting to the viewer, but also caused the viewer to stop and think twice about what they were looking at. I wanted to also find this in the inspiration I used. My inspiration fit just that criteria of confusing, but also interesting.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
- While reading my research I had to make inferences about purpose and style. When doing any research about an artist or inspiration, you do not know the full intent of the artist because they are not next to you telling you what it is. While conducting my research I had to make inferences about intent of the artist, and why they made the stylistic choices they did.
Bibliography:
Miro, A. (2018). Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.victoria-miro.com/artists/185-njideka-akunyili-crosby/
Miro, A. (2020). Njideka Akunyili Crosby participates in the 2020Solidarity project. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.victoria-miro.com/news/1486
Solway, D. (2017). Nigerian Painter Njideka Akunyili Crosby Is Piecing Together the Afropolitan Story in America. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.wmagazine.com/story/njideka-akunyili-crosby-artist-painter/
Zwirner, D. (2017). Njideka Akunyili Crosby - Biography. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.davidzwirner.com/artists/njideka-akunyili-crosby/biography
Miro, A. (2018). Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.victoria-miro.com/artists/185-njideka-akunyili-crosby/
Miro, A. (2020). Njideka Akunyili Crosby participates in the 2020Solidarity project. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.victoria-miro.com/news/1486
Solway, D. (2017). Nigerian Painter Njideka Akunyili Crosby Is Piecing Together the Afropolitan Story in America. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.wmagazine.com/story/njideka-akunyili-crosby-artist-painter/
Zwirner, D. (2017). Njideka Akunyili Crosby - Biography. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.davidzwirner.com/artists/njideka-akunyili-crosby/biography