The emotion that I chose is empathy. It is an emotion less expressive than others as it is not shown through physical appearance or actions, unlike being angry, happy, and sad, etc. I focused on this emotion because even though we are not subconsciously aware of this emotion as much as others, it is what connects us to people. We are able to have a relationship or friendship with someone because we understand him or her, and vice versa. We empathize towards the people we care about and feel similar feelings to them because of our ability to understand them.
Part 1: Drawing from Imagination and Observation, and 3D Representation
Sketches and Ideas:
These are a couple of sketches I did for the soap carving. I wanted to make my carving look very obvious that there are two parts connecting or conjoining.
Soap Carving 1: Puzzle Pieces
At first, I went with the two puzzle pieces because of how the two perfectly connects with each other. But after my first carving of it, I thought that the concept is too simple and that I should expand on it more, so I decided to settle on the conjoining extension cords. The objects are attached to one another on the inside that we cannot see, just like empathy is not really shown through physical expressions but it is there. It is also what makes us understand each other. The idea of extension cords come from the extension of our relationship with someone. If we don’t have empathy to one another, our relationship will not last long because our lack of understanding with someone.
Soap Carving 2: Two Extension cords interlocking
From the previous sketch, I already came up with the idea of two extension cords, so I decided to go with it instead. Because the two cords connecting is my main focus (connection), I didn’t carve the rest of the extensive cables.
Sketches of different angles and views:
Final Soap Carving:
Orthographic Projection:
Part 2: Expressive Drawing Based on Observation
Sketches and Ideas:
Digital Based:
Expressive Drawing 1:
I based the background in black because I wanted the object to really stand out in the drawing but then I thought that the colors might not carry out the feeling I get from this emotion as well. Blue and green are cooler colors, and these colors also give more of the effect on technology and connecting through social media than self. When I look at this drawing, I get the feeling of spark and connectivity, rather than warmth and safety.
Final Expressive Drawing:
Because even though empathy is an emotion we don’t often see through physical appearance or facial expressions, I wanted to the connection between one person to another to show through in my drawing. As my soap craving is of two extension cords connecting, showing only the connection on the outer space, on my drawing, I wanted to do the opposite: giving the object almost like an x-ray affect. I first took a photo of the carving and warped the object digitally. I did this to show that the differences of appearance or personality of two people can still have an inner connection and understanding of one another. On top of my objects a drew two hands holding, to make the connection almost literal, yet allowing the object underneath to show through.
When I think of empathy, it immediately gives me a sense of safety and warmth, hence the colors of the drawing. I feel safe and get the feeling that something is wrapping around me, just like how the arms are around the object, but I did not make the object fit totally inside the hand to emphasize on the fact that not all of us have to be the same or click instantly in order to have one’s empathy. The blue wriggly lines from one hand to another is to execute the idea of connectivity between one end of the extension cord to another.
Progress Poster:
