Coraline Doll
Title: Max
Size: 13 inches by 6 inches Medium: Wire, Tin Foil, Clay, Acrylic Paint, Yarn Completion: August Exhibition Text: Animation has been a huge part of movie development and overall different art cultures. This Coraline doll is a depiction of my brother in the style of Tim Burton from an animated classic; Coraline. It depicts a fairy tale version of a person in my artistic minds eyes. Inspired by Neil Gaimen's book Coraline, this doll is meant to invoke imagination in the viewers mind.
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Inspiration:
While searching for an artist that could mimic the type of art I was hoping to produce I came across Neil Gaimen's artwork. Both as a person and as an artist, Gaimen was devoted to taking inanimate objects and making them come to life. Originally Gaimen focused on just the core idea of what Coraline would be about. He states; "You never sit down and go "I will write something and then it will become this thing and it will be a film". Gaimen was a spiritic artists that liked to indulge in his work completely, until he got interested in a new idea that is. Although, Gaimen was not alone in this process. An article interviewing Gaimen states; In the case of "Coraline" it was pretty easy. I finished the first draft nine years ago in 2000 and I gave it to my agent and said: "Please give this to Henry Selick," because I had seen "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and even though it was called "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" I was smart enough to understand that the main man was Henry Selick. This collaboration allowed Coraline to be the truly unique master piece that it is today. The emotional intensity of his work and drawings impressed people for years to come. The art works are of interest not only in their own right, but also for the parallels that can be drawn between his writing and his visual output during the years worked on the movie. The book turned into movie, allowed a lot of viewers to create their own expectations for the movie as well. Understanding artistic style and choice was something that Gaimen understood, and thus why he choose such a peculiar person to direct the creation of his movie. Gaimen's style focuses on telling stories that are not dissimilar from folk tails, but also not fairy tale style. He wanted to be down to earth, while also having fantasy mixed in to the rest of the story. Coraline did just that. It allowed the viewers to focus on the neglect of the little girl, while also being blown away by a mother with buttons for eyes. Gaimen states; "It's what I hoped Henry would make, which is Henry's film. It's very much a film of my book and it hits all the beats of the book and it expands a little bit because it's not a very big book. But he instilled it with Henry's wonderful imagination and he doesn't stop anything. I love the fact we still have the ghost children in there. You still have the rat's head bitten off by the cat. It's so strange because I think adults have a lot more problems with this kind of story than children do." As I took all of this research into consideration, it helped me formulate what type of piece I wanted to create from this inspiration. Similarly to the way in which Gaimen created in multiple themes, I wanted to do the same thing. This inspired me to focus on finding a new medium to experiment in. Specifically I focused on using the main set themes in his movie to adapt my own creations to connect to the original doll. As I I viewed the movie/doll over and over again, I realized that a doll looking similar to a family member would only be fitting for me to do. This lead me to the idea of creating a doll to represent my brother as my final inspiration. |
The Coraline movie poster, showing casing Coraline
Tim Burton as a portrait, smiling
Nightmare Before Christmas, another movie designed by Tim Burton
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Planning:
As I began working out my planning process for this piece I knew I would have to be specific about the connections that I was going to make so that it could be more obvious to the viewer. I needed to find an inspiration that showed use of color to create a person, while also being disturbing for the viewer to look at and enjoy. I drew most of the elements from the original Coraline doll. The doll had the same large head and button eyes, while also having a different outfit and a longer torso. This allowed for the two to not be identical in nature, but still extremely similar. In order to match the theme that Neil Gaimen had when creating his book, and soon movie, I focused on three things.
1. Button eyes- Match the whole theme of buttons for eyes in the Coraline movie and is a trademark
2. Pale Skin- To give an eerie appearance and also hint at the fact that the doll is a dead person
3. Yarn hair (messy)- To match the personality of my brother and be more true to the original yarn hair
These three things helped me to shape my artwork into a piece that would truly show emotion and show the main themes of the work. In order to properly plan this piece I began by laying out what I wanted to accomplish each day that I would work on the piece. I began with picking out a color pallet that would properly fit into the theme of my piece. This would allow me to keep my creativity balanced while also being productive. Next, I worked on what my main focal point would be. I planned on following in my inspirations footsteps, and using the eyes, the most vulnerable part of the face, as well as the mouth, to show the amount of emotion in the piece. This would allow me to use all of the three elements listed above to truly show the theme. Lastly, I planned out my construct, because my piece was three-dimensional I had had to take extra time on this step. I wanted the piece to be able to fit to the original aesthetic and also be recognizable as my brother. To do this I had had spend time making sure the clothes stayed on the front of the piece, and not being messy all over, which would cause it to distort the final products aesthetic. Eventually, I worked on hot gluing the pieces together to create a final product that was both strong in balance and focal points.
As I began working out my planning process for this piece I knew I would have to be specific about the connections that I was going to make so that it could be more obvious to the viewer. I needed to find an inspiration that showed use of color to create a person, while also being disturbing for the viewer to look at and enjoy. I drew most of the elements from the original Coraline doll. The doll had the same large head and button eyes, while also having a different outfit and a longer torso. This allowed for the two to not be identical in nature, but still extremely similar. In order to match the theme that Neil Gaimen had when creating his book, and soon movie, I focused on three things.
1. Button eyes- Match the whole theme of buttons for eyes in the Coraline movie and is a trademark
2. Pale Skin- To give an eerie appearance and also hint at the fact that the doll is a dead person
3. Yarn hair (messy)- To match the personality of my brother and be more true to the original yarn hair
These three things helped me to shape my artwork into a piece that would truly show emotion and show the main themes of the work. In order to properly plan this piece I began by laying out what I wanted to accomplish each day that I would work on the piece. I began with picking out a color pallet that would properly fit into the theme of my piece. This would allow me to keep my creativity balanced while also being productive. Next, I worked on what my main focal point would be. I planned on following in my inspirations footsteps, and using the eyes, the most vulnerable part of the face, as well as the mouth, to show the amount of emotion in the piece. This would allow me to use all of the three elements listed above to truly show the theme. Lastly, I planned out my construct, because my piece was three-dimensional I had had to take extra time on this step. I wanted the piece to be able to fit to the original aesthetic and also be recognizable as my brother. To do this I had had spend time making sure the clothes stayed on the front of the piece, and not being messy all over, which would cause it to distort the final products aesthetic. Eventually, I worked on hot gluing the pieces together to create a final product that was both strong in balance and focal points.
Process/Technique/Inspiration:
As I began putting the final piece together I had had to focus on using my skills as both an artist, but also focusing my creativity. I wanted my piece to cohesively work well together, while also giving off the complexity I was hoping for. I had not worked on three-dimensional pieces very much in the past, so this was a test of my skills as an artist, as well as my understanding of the process I had set for myself. I began by sketching out the body and face, and then working to the clothing so that the piece would surround the face and eyes most. This would guide the viewers eyes to the details of the head and body, rather than the paint of the face. Next, I had to focus on how the head would attach to the body. I needed a solution that would allow me to have the body have movement. I was able to create a body out of a clothing hanger and some clay for the head. This allowed the arms and legs to move, while also looking similar to the doll in the movie. The only problem was that the head was very heavy, and so it was fragile when being moved around. This ended up not being a problem moving forward though.
Continuing, in order to create the best quality piece that I could, I focused on my technique a lot. For example, I focused intently on not having the super glue show on the surface of the piece. This would promote better composition of the piece in the end. Furthermore, I focused on having the edges on which I cut the fabric to be clean and done well. This added a lot of time to the overall process of my piece, but resulted with a cleaner finishing product. The hair, for instance, took a long time to complete; but the overall finished look gave the exact look that I was going for. Giving the final product a complex and clean look. Finally, I focused on my technique of spacial awareness as well to allow the doll to fit in a box and be able to be given to someone as a present. I wanted to keep it as realistic to the movie so that the connection between the inspiration and the final piece would be obvious. The wire allowed for movement and flow, as the wire was malleable. In another project I would want to create a short animation showing the movement of the doll so that the viewer could see very aspect of the intended use. Overall, the piece gave way for more inspiration as I added each element together. All in all, the piece very obviously is a Coraline doll that was based off the movie and that was the goal from the beginning, so I would call it a success.
As I began putting the final piece together I had had to focus on using my skills as both an artist, but also focusing my creativity. I wanted my piece to cohesively work well together, while also giving off the complexity I was hoping for. I had not worked on three-dimensional pieces very much in the past, so this was a test of my skills as an artist, as well as my understanding of the process I had set for myself. I began by sketching out the body and face, and then working to the clothing so that the piece would surround the face and eyes most. This would guide the viewers eyes to the details of the head and body, rather than the paint of the face. Next, I had to focus on how the head would attach to the body. I needed a solution that would allow me to have the body have movement. I was able to create a body out of a clothing hanger and some clay for the head. This allowed the arms and legs to move, while also looking similar to the doll in the movie. The only problem was that the head was very heavy, and so it was fragile when being moved around. This ended up not being a problem moving forward though.
Continuing, in order to create the best quality piece that I could, I focused on my technique a lot. For example, I focused intently on not having the super glue show on the surface of the piece. This would promote better composition of the piece in the end. Furthermore, I focused on having the edges on which I cut the fabric to be clean and done well. This added a lot of time to the overall process of my piece, but resulted with a cleaner finishing product. The hair, for instance, took a long time to complete; but the overall finished look gave the exact look that I was going for. Giving the final product a complex and clean look. Finally, I focused on my technique of spacial awareness as well to allow the doll to fit in a box and be able to be given to someone as a present. I wanted to keep it as realistic to the movie so that the connection between the inspiration and the final piece would be obvious. The wire allowed for movement and flow, as the wire was malleable. In another project I would want to create a short animation showing the movement of the doll so that the viewer could see very aspect of the intended use. Overall, the piece gave way for more inspiration as I added each element together. All in all, the piece very obviously is a Coraline doll that was based off the movie and that was the goal from the beginning, so I would call it a success.
As shown in these two photos, in the movie the eyes are sewn on, but in using a clay head I could not sew them on so they are just super glued on instead.
Experimentation/Critque:
In my past experimentations with art, I have not focused on creating a three-dimensional piece. This creates a struggle for me when I was given the opportunity to create a piece entirely focused on the three dimensional form. I took this into account when I started my piece. I first began my piece by focusing on just the final composition of how I would connect my inspiration to my final creation. I knew that I wanted the piece to look cohesive, while also being made up of several different components. So I experimented with different shades of color for each element of the face and clothing, as well as adding other unusual shapes that would end up creating the jacket and pants. 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. Manipulating wire is not easily done without learning specific techniques along the way. 2. The colors brown and white are very easily associated with a fall vibe, and thus good use when I wanted to create clothing for the season. 3. Planning out every layer is important for the final integrity of the piece. Continuing, these three things helped me evaluate my success as an artist and my understanding of my inspiration as I worked on it. I also experimented with the techniques I used to attach the fabric together. Originally I tried attaching the two pieces together with super glue, but as soon as I bent the piece, it would start to rip apart. This led me to using sewing, which ultimately was most successful, but took a lot more time. Furthermore, the composition of the entire piece was extremely important. This can be interpreted in many ways but ultimately had to be focused onto one singular meaning. This was something I struggled with originally because it was an aspect of the piece I knew was important, but I had so many ideas. Eventually I was able to have enough ideas that I could create a singular focal point, while also looking like it was a cohesive piece. Finally, with these concepts, I was a was able to create a piece that flowed and used line and balance to create a doll that looked like my brother. Using my new skills surrounding technical art, I had a better understanding of using clay and wire to create a three-dimensional art work. Finally, my final product and the product from the movie both showed a theme of fantasy and horror esc. because of the use of buttons for eyes and a life like doll. These contributing factors were also a main choice for Tim Burton when he was originally planning out and designing the movie. Both pieces also use warm colors to allow the doll to resemble a human, while not being photo realistic. The dolls defer in their use of materials; such as the sewn on vs glued on eyes and the clay vs cloth head. They also defer though in their final resemblance. I choose to base the doll of a human, where as Burton's doll is based off of another animated character. |
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 themes, as well as similar final lessons for the viewer to take away. I wanted to focus on the "underdog" of the artwork and make it the entire piece. That way it would flip the subjects from the original movie. 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 doll 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 hair for the head. I had never created a piece completely out of yarn before, so it was a fun test of skill. I enjoyed the amount of creative freedom it gave me when I worked on putting all the different ideas in my head together. Originally I did not know what to put as hair, but as soon as I realized it could move and I loved the idea of incorporating it into my own work. Continuing, when I try and create a three-dimensional piece it can be difficult to stick to a specific theme. This was something that i worked hard on staying consistent through this piece and this was reflected in the final product. Even now, I am still working on improving my skills when it comes to felt, but this process showed me the strengths and weaknesses I already had.
In conclusion, I hope that others take my work as a chance to look back on their own life. This piece, although relatively innocent on the outside, has a lot of darkness from the movie, and this makes it even more meaningful. If I were to do this piece again, I would want to focus more on the face and painting it so that it was smooth. The roughness of the mouth takes away from the final product In a way I wish it did not.
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 themes, as well as similar final lessons for the viewer to take away. I wanted to focus on the "underdog" of the artwork and make it the entire piece. That way it would flip the subjects from the original movie. 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 doll 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 hair for the head. I had never created a piece completely out of yarn before, so it was a fun test of skill. I enjoyed the amount of creative freedom it gave me when I worked on putting all the different ideas in my head together. Originally I did not know what to put as hair, but as soon as I realized it could move and I loved the idea of incorporating it into my own work. Continuing, when I try and create a three-dimensional piece it can be difficult to stick to a specific theme. This was something that i worked hard on staying consistent through this piece and this was reflected in the final product. Even now, I am still working on improving my skills when it comes to felt, but this process showed me the strengths and weaknesses I already had.
In conclusion, I hope that others take my work as a chance to look back on their own life. This piece, although relatively innocent on the outside, has a lot of darkness from the movie, and this makes it even more meaningful. If I were to do this piece again, I would want to focus more on the face and painting it so that it was smooth. The roughness of the mouth takes away from the final product In a way I wish it did not.
Act Questions:
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
- While completing my artwork I was able to clearly identify the cause and effect relationship between my inspiration and its effect on my artwork through the discussion of focus unique media. My inspiration directly influenced the base of the model to be the focus of the entire piece as well use not traditional forms of media to create a model.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
-Tim Burton wanted to create confusion while also allowing the piece to be interactive with the viewer. He focused on including multiple mediums while also allowing the product to look professional and finished.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
- As I researched the inspiration I came to the conclusion that often times people take a closed mind approach to the idea of what a abstract art/preforming art can be. Burton was originally told that his pieces were going to be too obscure for children (his intended market) but he continued to create despite these warnings.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
- The central idea/theme of my inspirational research was personality. This allowed me to focus my research on finding pieces that related to this idea in Tim Burton's work. I wanted to show how specific features about a piece can make it come to life in ways the viewer would not originally expect it.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
- While researching I had to infer what the thought process was behind creating the doll itself, rather than the idea behind the story of the doll. This was not as widely talked about because people were more interested in the movie itself, not the ways in which the doll (a small part of the show) was created.
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
- While completing my artwork I was able to clearly identify the cause and effect relationship between my inspiration and its effect on my artwork through the discussion of focus unique media. My inspiration directly influenced the base of the model to be the focus of the entire piece as well use not traditional forms of media to create a model.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
-Tim Burton wanted to create confusion while also allowing the piece to be interactive with the viewer. He focused on including multiple mediums while also allowing the product to look professional and finished.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
- As I researched the inspiration I came to the conclusion that often times people take a closed mind approach to the idea of what a abstract art/preforming art can be. Burton was originally told that his pieces were going to be too obscure for children (his intended market) but he continued to create despite these warnings.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
- The central idea/theme of my inspirational research was personality. This allowed me to focus my research on finding pieces that related to this idea in Tim Burton's work. I wanted to show how specific features about a piece can make it come to life in ways the viewer would not originally expect it.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
- While researching I had to infer what the thought process was behind creating the doll itself, rather than the idea behind the story of the doll. This was not as widely talked about because people were more interested in the movie itself, not the ways in which the doll (a small part of the show) was created.
Citations
https://collider.com/neil-gaiman-exclusive-interview-coraline/
https://collider.com/neil-gaiman-exclusive-interview-coraline/