Category: Drawing through the making center

Overview:

For our final project we were open to focus on our choice of materials and methods explored through this course syllabus. The assignment was open to interpretation and self expression, however we were required to select two artists from our visit to “The Long Run” exhibition at the MoMA. Who’s work that we felt was most loathing.

Materials & Tools Used:

• Plexi Glass
• Vinyl Sticker
• Black Foam
• Double sided tape
• Adhesive spray
• Gold paint
• Wrapping Paper
• Etching Needle
• Adobe Illustrator

About the Piece:

History, is a sculpture that ignites and motivates the idea of women empowerment, with a focus on women of colour. It explores the idea of growth and transformation of women from colonial times to todays modern and futuristic generation. This being said our generation is largely driven by pop culture. Hence, I wanted to focus on a women of colour who inspires our current generation through pop culture.

As I did my research it was evident that Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was one of the most influential woman worldwide. I decided to create my work around her with the statement of the change she made in her appearance at the 2018 Coachella music festival. Her appearance at this festival was quite critical as she was not only the first African American women to headline the the festival performance, but has artfully represented through musicality and performance, the richness in cultural blackness and aesthetics with a commitment to showcase feminism and freedom. She also inaugurated her appearance with the black national anthem regardless of the lack of diversity in the audience population. The artist also celebrated Black history  with a focus on a college theme where she made references to historically-black fraternities and sororities simply through her clothing and music. She also played quotes from Civil Right activist Malcolm who acclaimed black women as  band played melodies from Nigerian legendary anti-colonial singer Fela Kuti, who criticised colonialism.

This being said after my research on her biography and performance being a women of colour and a student currently in an arts based college, it inspired me to show case that every single girl can make a change. A change that can make an impact and bring about a legacy of oneself regardless of what type of field their in, they can change History.

Process:

After the visit to the exhibit we had write a written responses in order to identify the artists who’s work we didn’t enjoy and how we further plant to develop an final project idea. Attached here is the document to the response Response to Artwork-1jely6w

Once we had our final ideas completely sorted through, the next step was to create a rough sketch of a prototype. For which I drew a pencil sketch as seen in the image below. I focused on creating my figure in relation to the costume worn on during the Grammys performance in 2018.

For the next step I began sketching the final version of the figure and text. Here I decided to have the figure position itself similar to that of Virgin Mary as resembled in the image next to the sketch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The font that I used to create the sticker was a hand drawn gothic styles sketch that was drawn with black ink, as illustrated in Figure 4. This style of font was show to resemble the overthrown idea of women in colonial times.

 

 

For my next step I began transforming the above sketches into an Illustrator drawing. This step was done in order to cut my figure out of a plexiglass and also to make the sticker of the text

On the plexiglass of the model since I wanted it to have more dimension to it, I etched several parts of the details on the figure. This was done in oder to create a sense of interaction with the audience to look deeper into the figure.

Once these details were completed I began working on the base of the model. As I wanted my figure elevated I created a three tiered staircase using black foam board which also represents the growing awareness and unity of the rise of women of colour. The foam board was delicately wrapped a with a black and gold hand made paper which can be seen in the image below. In order to have tI also created a back support with the same foam board, for the black plexi sheet in order to have the sheet standing straight, which is evident in the image below

From the base I started fixing the piece together, where I began by aligning the stickers that were quite delicate due to its how thin and intricate they were. In order to do so I first placed a T-square horizontally ato identify the base line at which the text is to be aligned. The next step was to carefully remove the stickers from the sheet and place it onto the plexi glass which don with the help of a sharp blade.

Once I placed all the pieces together the final model looked as present as in the images below

 

Purpose of Material Choice & Symbolism:

Foam Board:  Women are often associated with being gentle and soft. Now, a foam board has a similar characteristic and I personally feel that being soft isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact I feel its an important attribute for a person to have because this attribute signifies that of strength. Gentleness breeds peace and calmness which brings about a clear mind in decision making, whether this may be in business or home like environment. Being gentle also helps in gaining a trust with another individual which is another critical element in life because if you want to growth in any form of relationship in individual should be able to feel the sense of trust.

Hand made wrapping paper: This paper that is made from Nepal is used to support women labourers who are underpaid but yet their product brings about a sense of delicacy, another positive attribute that is often connotated with women.

Plexi Glass: For this project I used black and transparent plexi glass in order to create a more futuristic minimal sensation. A glimpse into a future for people who look at the piece. I used transparent plexi glass so that people could look at this empowering women Icon recognise her legacy and then look through it, to see themselves. The black wall like plexi glass is used as mirror (As seen in the image below.) to have young girls like myself look at themselves and then look up to the stickers and identify that they can make a change.

Design Choice for the figure: Coming from Indian/ Hindu ethnicity surrounded by catholics. I wanted figure out some way resemble a combination of these two religious ideologies. Hence, I decided to focus on her 2018 Grammys outfit. That signified Mother Mary and Durga, the Hindu Goddess and Mother of the Universe. I also choose this outfit because the artist was pregnant at the time. Often women are pinned down and are told that they cannot do their work well, while they are pregnant and I wanted to illustrate that they completely underestimate the strength of a women.

Reflection:

The project provided me the opportunity to unravel an expressive part of me that has been in me for a while but wasn’t really given a platform to showcase this thought. It was interesting to see how this came about from from picking the two random artists who’s work I disliked. With this project I was also able to go back and overcome technical troubles that I had with my previous work in regards to labs that we used for this course.

Overview:

In this assignment we focused on different mediums and ways in printed matter. We are also required to create the designs through illustrating ideas that cam to our mind while reading about an ancient Myths or Legends. We began by focusing on monotype prints, then moved onto mixed media prints influenced by original moprints and then moved on to etching and drypoint prints.

 

Process:

From the given readings, we were required to select three of the short readings and create an illustration for it. However, for this we required to use three basic monoprint colours; Magenta, Yellow and Blue. For which I used a combination of water colours and ink.

Once we created our three basic sketches we were then required to create a mixed media illustration of using on of the above created sketches. For the mix media I wanted use explore different mediums in order to bring about different texture which would in turn bring about a variety of responses.

I decided to use the pieces influenced by Pandoras box. I recreated the basic sketch and have it popped out f the paper using double sided tape in order to create an illusion that makes it appear that she coming out of the frame as she opens he box.

For the background I used charcoal as a shading effect and splatters of black ink with a tooth brush to create a more mythical feeling. Using a mono print flat paint roller I was able to combine and layout an interesting texture using the same colour combination as seen below.

I also wanted to explore and focus on using simple middle school materials like glitter, a highlighter and a golden washy tape.I was able to adapt these materials in minimally into the piece to avoid it from being to loud but at the same time help emphasise on the figure.

The next correlated project was the dry point print. This technique was like using a a pen without an ink, it involved creating a an impression of a sketch by tracing over it using an etching pen tool. that is a sharp metal pen like tool. The tool helps in creating method that involves scratching an image into a plate, for which we used acrylic sheet. These lines create a burr that holds ink once the process of applying the paint was completed, a damp paper was brought and placed on top of the sheet and passed through a roller. The paper and the sheet are compressed together as they pass through the roller. This process allowed the paper absorb the paint and create an impression of the original etched out sketch as visible in the image below.

                     Final Outcome->            

The process had to be repeated several times in order to generate the right quantity of paint that needed to be applied onto the acrylic sheet. This was caused an error mostly because if the there was to much paint then the details would disappear and if there was not enough paint applied then the paint would not completely transform an impression on to the sheet.

Reflection:

I think that the project provided a unique opportunity to focus back on print making. I also felt like this was an interesting topic to focus on, as with the rise of technology hand printed matter is slowly drifting away. Having the basic tools and ideas of how to hand print something brings about not only provides one with a new skill but also brings about a a different perspective to the art style.

Overview:

The first form of stickers ever known to be created was a stamp. As they were in fact a form of adhesive paper with an image. The stamps served as an image that acts as an evidence of payment of postage. Overtime the purpose of the sticker grew from using them to create traffic signs, symbols, to even a creative art illustration. Today we see stickers on our phones, shopping stores and even windows. For this project we were required to create a sticker for a window of our choice that illustrated a sort of illusion.

Process:

I began by brainstorming on ideas related to objects and themes that I’m interested in. I was able to make I list of few thing such as, floral designs, Buddhism, my home in India and so on. With these categories in mind I began drafting sketches, as seen in the images below.

 

Once I drafted out my final sketch the next step was to draw these images using adobe illustrator. Here I used the pen tool to trace (as represented in the image below) over my drawings in order to portray my stickers on a digital platform which is was later used to print.

 

The magenta coloured tracing that goes around the image illustrates the outline for manner in which the stickers are to be cut out.

Sticker. 1: Is a scenic silhouette that represents major monuments from India. The sticker is placed on my dorm room windowsill as an illusion to make it seem like its part of the window.

     

Sticker. 2: Is a floral design that is placed in the apartment of my friend’s dorm. We discussed how having a space outside the window to grow flowers would be nice. Hence, I created a sort of flower wreath with a black out line having the sky filling in the colours.

    

Sticker. 3 : Is an outline of Buddha a metaphorical illusion that there exists a spiritual being within this translucent space.

  

Sticker. 4: Is an image of an eye that pops up in the corner of the window acting as an Illusion that signifies someone is always watching and one may not even realize it. Within the eyeball one can see a fist resembling a sudden awareness.

   

Reflection:

As I worked strongly on bold outlines with all the stickers I realised how critical the choice of using a particular stroke and size was. I was able to recognise the significance of proportionality between the sticker and the window in order to create the right illusion. The project also helps identify the importance of perspective as the angle at which the sticker is placed can change the way one may want to create the illusion.

 

Overview:

Jewellery designing is an art form of its own, where one gets to work with intricate details and customisation. For our first assignment we were asked to create jewellery designs of our own through which we could cut out using the laser lab. The focus of this assignment is to identify how the laser cutter can be used to create various objects including a jewellery piece.

Process:

Each of us were assigned a fellow classmate as a client. We then had to interview are client which is one of the most critical steps because for this project it helps in recognising the clients requirement. Once we were able to set base on what the client would like, the next step was to create our concept ideas. Here, before designing the jewellery we took the required measurements in relation to to jewellery we chose to make. For which I decided to make a necklace. I then began drafting a sketch (As seen in Figure 1.1 & 1.2) of possible ideas based on the personality, like and dislikes of my client.

As one of the main goals of this project was to create a jewellery design for my client I decided to focus on creating a more sentimental piece. From the interview it cam to my understanding that my client is found of dancing (Ballet in specific) and Biology. Keeping these two concepts in mind I designed a silhouette of a ballerina and used a biology symbol to use as two separate pendants as seen in Figure 1.1

For this design I focused more on the places that my client has lived in. She spoke about how these places played a significant role in her life and how she considers all of them as home. Hence, I created a pendant design that illustrates all three places my client lived in using curvaceous lettering as seen in Figure 1.2

 

Once a design was picked and finalised the next step was to create a paper prototype. Prototyping the design plays a crucial role especially for custom made products as it helps gaining accurate measurements. Prototyping also helps to identify minor problems that could play a significant role in the function of an object. For example, when I created my prototype I noticed how the weight of pendent plays a significant role on how the jewellery design falls on a body. The prototype also assisted in the selection for material choice.

Once all the defects were identified the next step was to sketch out the design on Adobe Illustrator. Using the pen tool I was able to create a clear outline of the designs to be cut through the the Laser Cutter. Once the test run of the outline was run the cutting process began.

The next step was to assemble the pieces together and begin filling the colours in. I started of by gluing the wooden cut outs and preparing the cord that would be used as a chain. Since I used a suede cord that was rolled up, I had to straighten it out by tie ing it two ends and leaving it in that state for an hours in order to get a straight and firm cord. While this was left to straighten out I began painting the surfaces of the cut outs with Black acrylic paint. Once this was dried I began filling in the hollow spaces with blue glitter. The choice of colour here was used based on the clients fondness to the colour. However, the glitter choice was used to create a more symbolic meaning. Since black usually symbolises negative connotation hence I decided to use blue glitter to signify the little joys and happiness that unravels even at the most darkest times, just through these activities or hobbies if you may. All in all it symbolises the contentment that comes to oneself, in specific to my client. After the pieces were dried and ready I began attaching the pieces to the suede cord. The images below exhibits the completed piece of the Jewellery Design.

Reflection:

There were a few things that I had to alter and fix from the design which were

• The length of the necklace ( as it was longer than anticipated once the client wore it)
• The hot air used to dry the glue from the glitter to dry faster created bubbles creating holes within the space. I then had to pop the bubble and refill the spaces

Through this project I was able to understand and Identify how certain resources like the laser cutter can not only help you manipulate and create unbelievable objects but also identify how certain things need to be altered as you prolong in the design process. As a student who has never worked with designing jewellery it was interesting to look into and grasp a gist of what this area of study is like.