Intersubjective Self: Expansion of Memory, Sited Dreaming, and the Dissolution of Limitation
Iteration mock ups
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/825988387919713861/
The concept of this design was focusing on ‘intersubjective self’, exploring the interconnection between the different images different people have of us using symbolism of spider webs.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/825988387917015264/
The concept for this design was looking at the coexistence of multiple personalities/ images of our self that is created from what others percieve of us. I wanted to explore a symbiotic relationship in nature and represent it in the painting. I also wanted to use expanding foam as a way to ‘dissolve limitations’.
This last design was a literal take on ‘expanding memory’ and ‘dissolving limitations’. I wanted to portray our childhood images/ ideas we have about growing up and utilizing expanding foam to show how distorted that image is.
Process
I chose to complete this painting on a 22 x 28 inch canvas, where I prepped it with 3 layers of gesso and did a bit of wet sanding- I did not want my surface to be too smooth. I then divided my reference with a 6 x 8 grid, which I also did on the blank canvas, I used the grid method because I was blowing the reference up and I wanted to make sure the proportions were as accurate as possible. As for the underpainting, I diluted alizarin crimson down with a lot of gamsol and sketched out the light outlines of everything before going in with washes of alizarin crimson and a paper towel to blot in the tones. Since I wanted my painting to have a mostly blue palette, I went with the opposite colour for the underpainting.
Since last class, I went to the studio twice. The first time, I decided to works a bit more on the skin tone, another layer of colour to some areas that were more diluted and light. I also reinforced the shadows and highlights too, and blotted in the background colour to allow me to get a better visual of what the final painting would look like. On the second time I went in, I focused mostly on the face and hair, I allowed enough time for the skin and eyes to dry before reinforcing some of the colours. I then used a small round brush to do the eyelashes and brows. I used a bigger round brush to get the outline of the hairs before using the thinner brush to paint the loose strands. I have always loved to paint hair and eyelashes, it is something that I feel like I can be so free with but also with this painting, I think it is something that is really crucial in tying the painting together.
For the last few studio times I spent on this piece, I focused on reinforcing ths darkest darks and the lightest highlights, the really bring out the eeriness and environment that piece is set in. By adding details with the highlights I tried to create a ‘wet’ look on the subject and the mostly blue and red colour palette helped enforce a sense of translucency in the skin, giving the subject an amphibian look.
Once the painting was completely dry, I two two different gauges of nylon cord to imitate the image of lingering spider webs over the painting. I drapped the cord in a composition with tape first and tied pieces of cords together to change up the direction of webs and make it look more natural and organic instead of straight, linear lines. I used hot glue to seal the cords in place in the end but I also realised that hot glue can create thin strings that resemble webs but I did not end up going through with using straight hot glue on my painting.
Overall, I really had fun doing the painting, it really shows the accumulation of skills and techniques that I have learnt and developed in this class, ranging from paint handling to use of colour, whilst also being able to incorporate skills that I had before but in the medium of oil paint instead.
‘Interconnections’ (2022)
24 x 28 inch
Oil on canvas, nylon cord and invisible sewing thread
Detail shots:
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‘Interconnections’ is a piece that explores the topic of ‘intersubjective self’ but more specifically the coexistence of different images and personalities one possess through the perspective of others. Whilst researching about symbiotic relationships in nature, I became interested in spiders and the interactions spiders and other species of organisms have with spider webs, and the symbolism behind spider webs as a form of interconnection.
