Mixed Media Self Portrait
A College Education
91 cm x 91 cm
April 2019
Exhibition Text:
A College Education rebukes information that has been recently discovered from the March 2019 College Admission Scandal, education is really based on one's wealth. Influenced by my frustration from the scandal along with my fears of college next year, the purpose of this piece is to display a reality where money is reality. This piece is primarily inspired by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Media use for this piece Fun Bucks Play Money, and Black Sharpie on a 36 in by 36 in canvas.
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Meaning
My piece illustrates the message that wealth is a major factor needed in order to be successful and afford going to college. Growing up, I grew up with the mentality that I could be/do anything. Until recently, I somewhat maintained that mentality, knowing that some money could aid in college admissions, but only for the benefit of the university. Shortly after learning that many children of celebrities cheated their way into college, it angered me to the core, especially as I recently took the ACT. From a family that doesn't even make the tuition cost for many of my dream schools, I knew I wanted to incorporate a sense of injustice into my piece. I wanted to incorporate the symbol of money, while composing an alter ego of a more privileged version of myself. I was inspired by Roy Lichtenstein simplistic/cartoony along with the repetition seen in Andy Warhol's pieces.
Inspiration
The art movement I was primarily inspired by was Pop Art. I love how repetition and the use of contrasting colors, and it inspired me to use them in my piece. The Museum of Modern Art describes the movement as, "...[a] climate of turbulence, experimentation, and increased consumerism that a new generation of artists emerged in Britain and America in the mid- to late-1950s. " The poster-like composition I got from the movement is an element I incorporated into my piece.
My main inspiration for this piece is Roy Lichtenstein. According to Stamberg (2012), "Lichtenstein's 1960s works were comic-inspired — they're angsty frames, often featuring ladies in distress. " He emphasized on the dramatic features with melodramatic undertones. The colors used were solid, along with smooth, dark-colored outlines. In the piece, Girl with Ball, the girl seems melodramatic, her facial features exaggerated, despite looking behind the viewer waiting to play with the ball. Repetition was a major element I wanted to incorporate in my piece. Andy Warhol, another pop artist, used repetition of seemingly irrelevant objects. In his silkscreen piece, 200 One Dollar, Warhol incorpartes repeating money background, something I consideered for my own piece. According to Cotter (2009, "The year [1962] ... Warhol made this work was a big one for him: he decided to stop being a commercial artist and start being an art-artist." He made pieces based on fascination, a message I wanted to turn ironic. |
Lichtenstein, Roy, "Girl with Ball," 1961, oil on canvas painting.
Warhol, Andy, "200 One Dollar Bills," 1962, silkscreen.
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Planning Sketches for Subject
For this project, I really wanted to go for a more illustrated pop art face, lacking texture other than dark contour lines. For my first sketch I did not know whether or not I wanted to include most of my face or upper body. However, after comparing it to the other sketches, I noticed that I did not like how it felt distant, so I considered adding having it closer to my body in Sketch #2. For this sketch, I liked the sketch, and I decided to choose this one. For Sketch #3 I considered making the eyes smaller, which I did not like, after I compared it to sketch two. In these sketches, I later decided to go with the sketch #2 as it seemed to have the best pop art feel to it among the
Process/Techniques and Experimentation
Experimentation with Brushstrokes
As I was considering whether or not I wanted to paint or use black sharpie, I wanted to know how the black paint would come on canvas, especially with my allotted brushes I had. I wanted to know how much paint I should add as I painted through. I noticed that thin, dark lines could only be created by a lot of black paint on an thin brush lightly moved across the canvas. It was this experimentation that aided me on what parts of my piece I should consider painting/adding Sharpie to.
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Experimentation with Painting on Fun Bucks Play Money
I wanted to know how it would be like to paint on Fun Bucks Play Money, as I planned to paste the money down on the canvas first. I examined it physical, and I noticed that unlike canvas, it had a soft paper-like surface. I knew that canvas has a ridged surface and paint would stick to it because of it, but after painting on the money, the paint did not seem that it would completely adhere to it. I later decided that painting on paper was not an option.
Process
From here, I filled in with black sharpie the eyes (excluding some light to make it seem I am more human.) I edited the nose, something I regret later. I also filled the triangular from the chest area of the graduation gown and I also filled in the tassel with black sharpie. While trying to fix the nose, I glued it money on to where the nose is. I then hotglued the money clip onto the money.
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Final Product
Reflection & Critique
A College Education
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Lichtenstein, Roy, "Girl with Ball," 1961, oil on canvas painting.
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Warhol, Andy, "200 One Dollar Bills," 1962, silkscreen.
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Compare
Girl with Ball and A College Education
200 One Dollar Bills and A College Education
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Contrast
Girl with Ball and A College Education
200 One Dollar Bills and A College Education
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Reflection
My art was mainly inspired by the art movement, Pop Art. I found myself really rooting for the movement from the beginning. I am glad that I experiment with my use of black paint BEFORE using it, which greatly increase the quality of my piece. O believe I did a great job using dramatic facial expression for my piece. In general, I am very pleased with the way my piece turned out, I can sense the message after analyzing it. My use of a grid square made the piece look more and more like me. One part of my piece I could have improved was pasting the Fun Bucks Play Money. At first, it became overwhelming and uneven which required me to rip off the money and re-paste onto the canvas and when I messed up with the sharpie, I also had to rip it and and replace it, which resulted in me buying another packet of Fun Bucks Play Money. This was a challenge as it required me to scrap it off with a knife without messing up the gesso. Another success I had with this project was that the work that after evaluating it, I could sense the unity all the elements the portrait has. Overall, I believe this piece was a success in conveying my message.
ACT Response Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork? Lichtenstein's piece inspired me to add dark lines to my piece, which emphasize the overall shape of my portrait.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Cotter presented Warhol in a form of fascination, while explaining his style and purpose.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that when people observe work from Warhol and Lichtenstein, their eyes follow the repetition and color in their respective pieces, while looking for a deeper satirical meaning.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research was to find artworks that were ironic and "popped."
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Throughout my research I inferred that Lichtenstein's piece was a rebuke of the over exaggeration of pop culture, an idea that influence me to go deeper.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Cotter presented Warhol in a form of fascination, while explaining his style and purpose.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that when people observe work from Warhol and Lichtenstein, their eyes follow the repetition and color in their respective pieces, while looking for a deeper satirical meaning.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research was to find artworks that were ironic and "popped."
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Throughout my research I inferred that Lichtenstein's piece was a rebuke of the over exaggeration of pop culture, an idea that influence me to go deeper.
Bibliography
Cotter, Holland. “Long-Term Return: Andy Warhol's Money Factory.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Nov. 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/arts/design/13warhol.html.
Gershman, Rachel. “Roy Lichtenstein Overview and Analysis.” The Art Story, 2019, www.theartstory.org/artist-lichtenstein-roy.htm.
“MoMA Learning.” MoMA, Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/pop-art/.
Stamberg, Susan. “One Dot At A Time, Lichtenstein Made Art Pop.” NPR, NPR, 15 Oct. 2012, www.npr.org/2012/10/15/162807890/one-dot-at-a-time-lichtenstein-made-art-pop.
Gershman, Rachel. “Roy Lichtenstein Overview and Analysis.” The Art Story, 2019, www.theartstory.org/artist-lichtenstein-roy.htm.
“MoMA Learning.” MoMA, Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/pop-art/.
Stamberg, Susan. “One Dot At A Time, Lichtenstein Made Art Pop.” NPR, NPR, 15 Oct. 2012, www.npr.org/2012/10/15/162807890/one-dot-at-a-time-lichtenstein-made-art-pop.