Printing Collage and Social Engagement

Printing Collage & social engagement Portfolio educ 20077 Yee Ann, (ean) Tan 573608

KEY LEARNING POINTS

There are different collage styles that we can employ

1. Anthrodomorphic (attaching animal parts to human figures or portraits.)

- It is ideal to select images that compliment the color and mood to create

an impaction collage

2. Facial Manipulation

- Changing of scale and duplication of certain elements creates a quirky effect

- Shattering and breaking the portrait

- Weaving portraits

3. Scale Manipulation

- Putting different elements of different scale and how they relate to each other.

4. Shock Response (creating something unexpected, combining things that seems

to have no relations to each other)

- Cutting out and replace elements

- Provoke Thoughts

5. Juxtaposition ( Telling a story )

- Can be used to inform or provoke thoughts

6. Mix Media (adding text, sketches, Painting ,Stitching)

-The mixing of different mediums to add richness to the composition

Week 1:

1. Anthrodomorphic

This collage is crossing a girl with a Dust-mite. This collage represents the hidden ugliness of people and how it crawls out and reveals our true personality at times.

The hand suggest how we seek acceptance and try to conceal our ugly side.

1. Facial Manipulation

This Collage is a simple cut ad paste of a person’s face removing the eyes. This provocative collage draws the focus on the mouth and removes attention from the eyes.

This collage represent how in todays society many people are blinded and lost. This confusion is perpetuated with the empty conversations and debates that people speak.

Week 2:

3. Scale Manipulation

4. Shock Response

In this Collage I used different scale to create this composition. This composition is themed: Day Dream.

It induces a dream-like emotion, where the dining table starts to merge with one’s dream.

The knife is what cuts between the dream plane and reality.

Week 2:

4. Shock Response 5. Juxtaposition

Placing objects (penguin, robot) which has no relevance to the background invokes a shock response. The color schemes creates a sublime mood to the piece.

The underlying message to this piece is to show the rapid loss and disintegration of vegetation and the scarcity of wildlife. The colored penguin draws focus which induces thought on “ how is the penguin going to survive�...

The skull signifies the lifelessness of the robotic/scientific age. Indicating a post -apocalyptic theme to the piece.

Week 2:

3. Scale Manipulation 4. Shock Response

This piece utilities both Scale manipulation and Shock Response.

This piece is themed Life.

The climber on the mountain peak suggest the difficulties in which we face in life.

The monster which labels herself with the words “I love Hugs�. Shows how in life there are big monsters that hide themselves with false embellishment to their hidden agendas.

The skull juxtaposes the true intentions of this monster.

The composition takes on a surrealistic expression.

Week 2:

3. Scale Manipulation

In this childlike composition it shows a cartoon rat in front of a dark and scary hole. This composition seeks to encourage children not to be afraid of the dark or what they do not know.

Hence the mouse holding on to books, suggest how with knowledge we no longer have to be afraid.

This composition is created relatively haphazardly. If given a chance I would have changed the background or added pen drawings of monsters in the hole, this newer composition could lead to a variation of interpretation.

Week 3:

6. Mix Media

This piece utilities white pen to highlight the flow of the women’s hair. I stopped this project as it was getting a little boring and not as interesting and decided to move on to the next collage composition, to experiment with more style and methods in the use of mix media.

Week 3:

5. Juxtaposition 6. Mix Media

This composition is similar in technique to that of the previous composition.

This pieces emphasizes the highlights and the shadows of this androgynous man’s face. The emphasis of the light and darkness of the person is to juxtapose the message of how every person is capable of great evil and great good. It also conveys a message that everybody is always a state of conflict between good and evil. Although the message seems cliche but the message holds true.

Week 3:

4. Shock Response 5. Juxtaposition 6. Mix Media

In this collage I employed the use of paint and pen renderings. This composition references Comedy and Tragedy. The two children holding each other’s hands shows how these two mask contrast and compliment each other. The composition has another message.

The sublime undertone suggesting how children nowadays are becoming more exposed to the crude and dirty environment hence the need to protect them with masks to shield the innocence. However the clothes of the children suggest a different time frame, implying how children of today might have already lost their innocence.

Week 3:

4. Shock Response 5. Juxtaposition 6. Mix Media

In this collage I used a famous photo of Neil Armstrong on the moon.

The use of mix media shows the addition of an alien and other rockets and an additional moon, creates a ‘shock’ response in the falsifying and playfulness of this collage.

This composition is focused on bringing out my own childlike playfulness in creating this collage.

Week 3:

3. Scale Manipulation

4. Shock Response

In this Collage I used different scale to create this composition.

Where a girl in a bath seems to be floating and having fun at the harbor instead of the pool.

Week 4:

In this week’s task, we were tasked to draw over a foam (polystyrene) board and print out the design.

In order to attain black lines I printed the image with white paint.

In my second piece that I did was a simple illustration of a hot-air balloon. In this piece I had the chance to test out writing text mirrored so that it would be printed correctly.

Week 4:

In this week we were also given the chance to pick our child artist and their art work. Looking at the ‘Big� magazine. I looked at some samples of how this project would run.

Week 4:

This is my child artist’s art work. I have received.

Apparently I realized that I have received the photocopied version in Black and white and responded it in Black and white. Despite the miscommunication I was able to create something unique which can be seen in the later part of this journal.

Week 5:

I decided to use these images and recreate the child’s artwork and respond to it by reinterpreting the sea monster that the child artist, Jason M has drawn.

Image 1 is an image of a Isopoda.

I used this image and edited the color and scale to appropriate for the use in my collage

Image 2 is an image of a Sea Monster. I appropriated the color, scale of various elements to create my collage.

Image 3 is an Image of a surfer diving into the sea. I used this image as my background for the composition.

Week 5:

Combining and arranging the elements to the collage I added extra details to represent the sea monster that Jason depicted, through my interpretation of his collage.

In this image to the left it is clear that we can see elements in Jason’s art work reiterated as a response.

1. The shell and the patterns 2. The scales on the body and the banding of color 3. The Horn of the Sea Monster.

4. The legs of the Sea Monster.

Week 5:

In this image I have digitally added coral patterns to the foreground to create a greater sense of depth. In contrast to the work by Jason M I have reinterpreted the sea monster in a more dynamic way suggesting its movement and its next pose as if taken in a burst shot camera.

Week 6:

Upon review by Marniee and Gina I have decided to crop the photo to accentuate the details of the art work and shaded certain details to add dynamism and depth to the composition, as if the sea monster is swimming behind the iceberg.

Week 6: Lino/foam cut

This week we were given the chance to try out Lino cutting. I chose to print this image . To do so I copied the image, after which I shaded the back of the paper (Step 1), and traced the image, printing the image onto the “lino� sheet. (Step 2) I darken the lines with a ball point pen. (Step 3) I used the cutting tools to cut out the white space in the image.

(Step 4) To test out to see what would be printed I used soft paper and used a soft color block to run over the image getting the rough idea of how the print would look.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Week 6: Lino/foam cut

This is a project I decided to take home and prepare before class and do an additional print to experiment and learn more about this new technique which I have just learned.

Week 7: Lino/foam cut

In this week I continued with the lino cut that I was working on and I Printed the foam print I did at home and worked on 2 additional Lino projects.

I created my Logo and a seal of my name seen below.

From the 2 additional prints I have learned an important tip in print making. I have learned how the negative space of the print is just as important as the positive as the scratches might be printed in the printing process.

In addition I learned how the spoon is a useful tool to capture all the details of the lino cut and to ensure a clean and crisp print.

Assignment 1: Jason x ean

Preconceptions of Child artist and realization:

Artwork by Jason M

My response to Jason’s Artwork

Prior to receiving the artwork of the child artist, I didn’t have any expectations.

However, upon looking at the quality of all the child artists’ collages, I was taken a back.

Child artists have utilized cut ups of Albrecht Dürer’s Rhinoceros illustration to create their collage. Their collages showcase their untethered creativity as compared to adults who have gone through many more years in life and have become accustomed to conform to the sciences, mathematics and the Rules/ laws of various institutions and nations. Children’s innocences and inquisitive nature results in the creation of ‘oddly beautiful masterpieces

Assignment 1

Jason’s Creative Process:

Reaction to Jason’s Artwork:

From Jason’s artwork I am Utilizing the cut ups of a Rhino reminded of my own childhood.

Jason created a sea monster. Jason As a young boy I would watch converted the rhino’s ‘tail’ to form cartoons, play pretend in the the face of the new creature, garden, draw pictures of dinosaurs, appropriated the ‘armor’ to form sea monsters and animals in the the sea monster’s shell and uses wild. the legs to form the fins/tail of In addition, the use of black and the creature. To tie all of these white was something I could relate components together, Jason used to with my predominant use of a mix media collage technique by pencils to draw. drawing and shading the body of the creature to create the scales and texture on the sea monster.

My response to Jason’s Artwork: Jason’s color and subject choice for his composition created a special affinity within me. I saw my younger self in his artwork, remembering how I would draw creatures and animals, and trying my best to replicate them to the best of my ability. This is evident in Jason’s the intricate detailing of his artwork.

Assignment 1

My Creative Process: In response I chose to use a mix medium collage technique as well. I started by brainstorming and researching for images, namingly 1. An ocean background.

2. A sea monster 3. A shell

parallels and contrasts: Thus, formulating the basic layout of my collage, I applied sophisticated line-work to depict Jason’s sea monster, through my interpretation of the creature’s skin and patterns.

Through great scrutiny of images Online, I selected a sea monster that instills a After finding appropriate images sense of dynamism to my art I selected desirable images and composition. This sea monster’s appropriated them to the right movement is accentuated through my additional shading detail, to insinuate the sea 1. Scale monster’s movement around 2. Color the iceberg.

3. Position

1. Color Scheme Jason utilizing a Black and white composition with more white in his collage, conversely I reiterated it in a Monochromatic scheme skewing towards the shades.

2.Triparte composition I too followed Jason’s threepart composition, which suggests how the image could be photographed at the edge of the ocean’s horizon.

Assignment 1 Jay x ean

Preconceptions of Child artist: I did not really specifically created collages for the child artist; during my selection phase I selected this artwork because of it surrealistic and shock effect. Despite of my composition’s sublime message the bright colors seem to compensate for that.

Unlike some child artists, who provide a short description to their art piece, I submitted my artwork allowing the child to respond to her own interpretation.

My Artwork

Response by Jay

Assignment 1

My creative Process: I utilized scale manipulation and Shock response techniques to compose my collage and inspiration from Salvatore Dali’s surrealistic art pieces, adapting his use of physical metaphor.

My collage is themed ‘Life’ with a sublime undertone to the meaning of the artwork.

The symbolic elements are

3.The skull symbolizes death and juxtaposes the true intentions of 1. The climber on the mountain this monster. peak, which suggests the difficulties It also symbolizes the inevitability and trials that we face in life. of death which all of us must face.

2. The giant monster that has labeled itself with the words “I love Hugs”. Shows how in life there are big monsters that hide themselves with false embellishment to their hidden agendas.

4. The Pink and purple sky and clouds, symbolizes a higher cosmic consciousness and a state of enlightenment. Where once one looks at this from a distance everything seems clear.

Assignment 1

Jay’s response to my Artwork:

2. A Pool This could be an interpretation of change in time and is revealed as Jay picked up all four main the sun crosses the sky. elements in my work, through Alternatively from my personal mimicking my collage’s layout. childhood experience, it could Upon closer examination of her be that she ran out of the color artwork I noticed several elements black or perhaps another child that differed from my work. was using the color pencil, hence choosing the closest color purple.

The differences and how I interpreted them.

1. Amalgamated the mountain path striaght to the monster.

This suggests the impending doom that the mountaineer faces.

Insights: Through collaboration with Jason and Jay I was able to see how roles have blurred between teacher and student, adult and child, 1 and the only things that mattered were how these 2-artwork converse with each another.

I could see how Jason set the parameters and lead how I the response would look like; conversely I had control the boundaries in Jay’s work.

Within these parameters, it is our individuality and personal experience, which shape the artwork1.

856 words

Assignment 1 reference

1.Knight, L. (2009). Mother and child sharing through drawing: Intergenerational collaborative processes for making artworks.

International Art in Early Childhood Research Journal, 1(1), 1-12

Week 8: etching

This week we learned another printing technique. The use of etching. For this week’s class I started by finishing off my lino cut design of my Logo and the my Chinese seal lino cut.

Then I moved on to creating a print using etching and finished half of my next etch project.

Week 8: etching

I shall now document the etching process which I have learned, for future references.

Step 1: Draw/ find images to trace that preferably have beautiful line work, as it would be printed on the paper. Hence I decided to trace the image of the stag with beautiful line work.

Step 2: Trace the image that I have selected/drawn.

I etch as much of the line work on the clear plastic sheet Step 3: Wet a piece of paper, make sure its not too wet.

Step 4: Using a block spread paint/ink on clear plastic making sure the ink goes into the grooves of the etching Step 5: Clean the access ink off with a cloth.

Step 6: Putting the piece of damp paper over the plastic and running it through the press I attained the result of the finish print.

Through this experience I learned how etching process is similar to sketching in a way where intricate details can be translated via the scratches translated on to the plastic sheet. This technique seems to be the olden day version of a photocopier. Some tips I learned from this technique is that the scratch should be deep to ensure the print being reflected

Week 9: etching

In this week I continued my etching of my second project and printed the old project again and added food coloring to the damp paper creating a even more dynamic and interesting composition

I learned that the print can be used to print 2 copies per time. The second copy is generally lighter but has a more intricate and detailed resolution. In addition I learned how it is important to press the print homogeneously to get a proper print.

Week 9: Thinking about Assignment 3

We are tasked to think about our next project. The topics are 1. Voice 2. Land 3. Home 4. Identity 5. Rights 6. Space I selected Identity as the theme for my project. I started brainstorming and researching on how best to create a composition.

I came up with several design composition concepts. Seen in the sketches on the right. Over the week I worked on the various images that composition would uses.

Images of the conceptual sketches

Week 10: Preparing For Assignment 3

Images of the conceptual sketches

Despite research I still had an unresolved concept. It is only when I too a step back to make sense of what I am trying to convey through my collage that I realized my conceptual collage has 2 different ideas.

1. The homogenization of Culture through Globalization and also through intermarriages between different ethic couples resulting in a group of people without a distinct cultural group.

2. The loss of ones identity though pressure of society and the loss of originality.

After writing out my concepts I realized what I truly wanted to create. I chose the second idea as it was more personal to me.

The social pressure imposed on youths in this century through the skewed perception of media celebrating wealth , success, unrealistic standards of beauty... played a big role on my personal development in my adolescent years.

This message of something that I believe the youths of my generation can relate to.

Week 10: Preparing For Assignment 3

RESEARCH FOR PREVIOUS CONCEPT: Having my concept sorted out. I realized that most of my images I generated were catered towards the 1st concept and not the one that I had a greater personal connection to.

These are the images that I have created to portraying different ethnicity, age, gender, social status, religion.

This concept seeks to show case the different identities around the world and how we are influenced by one another and how we are united as the human race hence using the same ‘base’ human.

There are several other underlying concepts that I have though of, however I decided to let this project go as the design message was not clear.

The creation of the various iteration helped inform my main composition for my assignment 3.

I might consider using and creating a second composition in addition to the main composition if time permits.

I decided to let this concept go in order to get a clearer concept.

Images generated for my initial concept that was let go off as I progressed and realized what I really wanted to create.

Week 10: Preparing For Assignment 3

A close up of the photoshopped images that I spent time to create.

I did not refine the edges as I knew I was going to cut them out. Its a pity that I did not get to use them for my final project.

Week 10: Preparing For Assignment 3

So I started to work on my main project that seeks to convey the I decided to use a group of faces that are blank and has no character and originality imposing on a picture of me. The stress influenced by the masses slowly shapes me to transit towards the masses becoming one of them. This image shows appeal to become one of ‘them’ .

Week 10: Preparing For Assignment 3

These are the images of the transition stages of me transforming to the masses.

Week 11: Preparing For Assignment 3

In this week I did some fine tuning to my final collage by coloring white gaps and trimming the edges of my image.

The copying process allowed me to trim and clean up the image making it more crisp.

Assignment 3

DESIGN CONCEPT

Be YoursElf

Out of the 6 topics (Voice, Land, Home, Identity, Rights, Space). I selected the fourth topic, identity. The image on the right is the mixed media collage I have created in response to the selected topic.

The concept for this art work is to question the audience on how much they would change and negate themselves just as to assimilate to society.

ANALYSIS OF THE This art work may not directly COMPOSITION emphasis specific issues that youths of this generation face. This message is portrayed through: But, this composition allows the everyone in the audience 1. Transition of picture of my to interpret the aspects where side profile to faceless man: they have been ‘forced’ to This shows how I as an assimilate to. individual would assimilate to fit in to the masses as depicted Examples of such issues in the art work. include 1. The standard perception of Beauty.

2. The flow of the transition 2. The skewed perception of shows a certain tension that happiness. occurs within ones’ self: 3. One’s sexual orientation.

This portrays the certain degree of reluctance that This composition also suggest everyone of us have when it the loss of one’s individuality comes down to conforming. and creativity as a result of pressure imposed by society.

3. The masses staring in the background: It suggests the social pressures generated by the masses.

The numbers in the mass also shows its appeal to become part of the greater community and part of ‘them’.

4. The faceless figurines: The blank faces depicts the lack of character and originality.

Assignment 3

Young suggest how street art is created with different intentions.1 It varies from, stating one’s personal or political opinion, to merely to put a smile on the audience.

I would like that this composition help remind people in the society that there are things that we should not conform to and that we should evaluate things that we are influenced by.

This project would preferably be printed on postcards that can be disseminated, to spread this positive message.

As Whitford stated art has a great impact on people and how it can be used as a tool to guide people towards meaningful occupation.2 Similarly, I hope that this art work would simulate thought and self reflection to benefit individuals within the society.

DEVELOPMENT

“Creativity is playing with objects found, reconstructing things that already exist, transforming ideas or stories I already know”3 As Shaun aptly states in his Online write up on originality and creativity.

I derived this concept of being yourself and not letting the society influence you negatively. This concept maybe cliché however the images, the experience, my personal understanding of being an individual differs from others.

Assignment 3

Be YoursElf Be DifferenT Be Unique Be CreATive Be Original Be Free

To finish off the postcards, with several quotes/catch phrases that encapsulate the concept. I used different fonts to accentuate the idea of staying unique and true to yourself. The image of the proposed concept can be seen on the right.

Be Just The way you are Be YoursElf

Be CreATive

Be DifferenT

Be Original

Be Unique

Be YoursElf

Assignment 3

CHALLENGES 1. Original images In the process of creating this art work I faced several challenges.

The first issue was to try to create an original artwork with original images. Hence to ensure that I created an original artwork I took photo of the main image and drew my own illustrations.

Image found online hence I which inspired my stylised version of this composition

Side profile of myself

2. Conflicting Concepts.

In addition, during the brainstorming process I several concepts mashed into a single conceptual composition. I decided to let go of this conceptual idea as it was too messy.

The previous conceptual concept involved of creating a series of different race, gender, age, religion using a base character.

This to portray the insignificance of these characteristics and how we are losing the identity that we may have due to globalization.

Images that I have generated and printed in preparation to the conceptual design that I have let go of.

Assignment 3

At the end of this series was supposed to be a generic humanoid that has a graduate hat a gold chain and a mask.

This suggest how globalization has stripped away our individual characteristics forcing us into a mold demanded by society, This conceptual composition also speaks to the homogenization of culture through globalization through intermarriages and migration causing a group of people with a confused cultural, national identity.

The background was suppose to be a mechanical conveyor with post apocalyptic mood showing how our identity is loss through the restrictions that society puts on the people. Young states how Melbourne’s street art has great vibrancy due to its isolation and protection from external influences1. Hence the need to protect oneself from imposition of the society Because this conceptual complex and incoherent I decided to stop it and move on.

Images that I have researched in preparation to the conceptual design that I have let go of.

Assignment 3

INSPIRATION I drew Inspirations from Miyazaki’s spirited away No face spirit who has no direction in life and doesn’t know who he is.

Similarly I drew the reference to representing the society to be like the ‘No-face’ spirit.

I also drew inspiration from the previous collage study where we transform people into animals and other objects.

REFLECTION AFTER COMPLETING Upon completion I feel pleased with the final composition. I would seek to repeat such

Be YoursElf

process and techniques that I have learned from this course and apply to my presentation in my architecture study.

Assignment 3 reference

1. Young, A. ... [et al.]. (2010). Street/studio: The place of street art in Melbourne. Fishermans Bend, Vic.: Thames & Hudson (pp. 12-26).

2. Whiteford, G. (2007). Artistry in everyday occupations: Connection, continuity and context. Journal of Occupational Science, 14 (2), 78–81.

3.Tan, Shaun ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVITY. Retrieved from http://www. shauntan.net/essay2.html