Tittle: "Men"
Medium: Block Print
Size:
November 2017
Exhibition Text
"Men" was created to exhibit The Seven Deadly Sins onside all of us. Pride being the main sin, to lust and gluttony, all of the sins combine make society and humanity, this is what we have become, full of ourselves and nothing more. The decay of ourselves is what made these sins true.
Meaning
"Men" was created with much texture to show no matter how close or far away we are, our race or skin tone we are all sinners, how we at some point or another commit one of these seven sins and sometimes don't even realize it and keep on living with these sins through our whole lives.
Experimentation
This would be the second block print of my career and even though I had previously experimented and had previous knowledge I decided to experiment even more.
I challenged myself to draw a human like upper body, this was something that I had never done, thus I experimented. I sketched different ways that an upper body could potentially look like and how I would have to adapt it to fit the meaning of my piece. Once I had experimented enough I sketched it into my planning sketches, once I chose the sketch transferring it to the block was another opportunity for me to experiment. I tried to transfer the sketch into one side of the block and it did not turn out any wood, so I went back to paper and sketches some more, after a while I transferred the drawing into the block.
I challenged myself to draw a human like upper body, this was something that I had never done, thus I experimented. I sketched different ways that an upper body could potentially look like and how I would have to adapt it to fit the meaning of my piece. Once I had experimented enough I sketched it into my planning sketches, once I chose the sketch transferring it to the block was another opportunity for me to experiment. I tried to transfer the sketch into one side of the block and it did not turn out any wood, so I went back to paper and sketches some more, after a while I transferred the drawing into the block.
Process
1. Finding ideas
From my previous experiences and experimentation I was determined to create another block print. I began to research artists who would create block prints. I wanted to be inspired my someone who created art of human figures, that is when I came across Stephen Alcorn. Alcorn is an artist that creates block prints with many human features and faces and this caught my attention, from there I became inspired to do an art piece where I could exhibit the inside of humans with a metaphor and I did some more research and I came a cross "The Seven Deadly Sins". These sins are the sins that humans commit the most, this inspired me to create the inside of an individual without creating their organs.
2. Planning sketches
My main goal was to show the sins of a human, this lead to many ideas on how I could do this. I narrowed my options to three from where I sketched and chose the best one.
From my previous experiences and experimentation I was determined to create another block print. I began to research artists who would create block prints. I wanted to be inspired my someone who created art of human figures, that is when I came across Stephen Alcorn. Alcorn is an artist that creates block prints with many human features and faces and this caught my attention, from there I became inspired to do an art piece where I could exhibit the inside of humans with a metaphor and I did some more research and I came a cross "The Seven Deadly Sins". These sins are the sins that humans commit the most, this inspired me to create the inside of an individual without creating their organs.
2. Planning sketches
My main goal was to show the sins of a human, this lead to many ideas on how I could do this. I narrowed my options to three from where I sketched and chose the best one.
3. Transferring the sketches into the surface
Once I had chosen the sketch that I wanted to follow I began to sketch I on the rubber. I began to sketch the man on the bottom, this was the most challenging part of this step, I had never drawn the human body and even though this was a small portion of the body the proportions were not entirely correct. Finally when I was done with the human I drew a crown on it and began to space out as evenly as I could the circles. These circles were all the same size and I created them by using a compass. I finished transferring the sketch into the surface when I drew all of the seven symbols on each circle.
Once I had chosen the sketch that I wanted to follow I began to sketch I on the rubber. I began to sketch the man on the bottom, this was the most challenging part of this step, I had never drawn the human body and even though this was a small portion of the body the proportions were not entirely correct. Finally when I was done with the human I drew a crown on it and began to space out as evenly as I could the circles. These circles were all the same size and I created them by using a compass. I finished transferring the sketch into the surface when I drew all of the seven symbols on each circle.
4. Carving
Using the carving tool I began to carve the background, I did this by carving in horizontal lines and in long strokes, this created texture in the background that would eventually show up on the paper. After I finished all of the background I began to carve the symbols inside of the circles extremely carefully, without carving over the lines or too much into the center. Every symbol is different, therefore carving took a different time from each circle.
Using the carving tool I began to carve the background, I did this by carving in horizontal lines and in long strokes, this created texture in the background that would eventually show up on the paper. After I finished all of the background I began to carve the symbols inside of the circles extremely carefully, without carving over the lines or too much into the center. Every symbol is different, therefore carving took a different time from each circle.
5. Ink transfer
When all of the carving was done I began to prepare my work space to do the ink transfer. I placed two papers, one where I would put the block to transfer the ink into and the other one to place the inked paper. I placed some ink into a flat surface where I spread it out with a role, then once I had enough ink on the roll I rolled it over the block to adhere the ink into the uncarved places of the block, once all of this area was covered I carefully placed a white sheet of paper on top and another paper on top, then with circular motions I placed force on top so that the ink could easily transfer to the paper. I did this process a couple of times to get some experimentation and then actually create my piece.
When all of the carving was done I began to prepare my work space to do the ink transfer. I placed two papers, one where I would put the block to transfer the ink into and the other one to place the inked paper. I placed some ink into a flat surface where I spread it out with a role, then once I had enough ink on the roll I rolled it over the block to adhere the ink into the uncarved places of the block, once all of this area was covered I carefully placed a white sheet of paper on top and another paper on top, then with circular motions I placed force on top so that the ink could easily transfer to the paper. I did this process a couple of times to get some experimentation and then actually create my piece.
Artist Inspiration
Henry David Thoreau
1982 Relief-block print (B & W) 13 x 10 in. image, 23 x 17-1/2 in. paper |
Stephen Alcorn was my inspiration to create this piece. I came across this artist when I was looking for artists who would incur[orate human features into the work. The two works that inspired "Men" were "Henry David Thoreau" and "William Faulkner", these block prints inspired me because of the usage of line and texture, here Alcorn was able to create human featured without defying details. I waned to incorporate lines of the background and the geometry into the main point.
"Men" and these two artwork relate to one another in the way that texture and lines are use to create the print. Alcorn used smooth lines to create shadows and contrast, as well as these elements are used in "Men", I mimicked his technique to create texture in the background while creating contrast between the circles. I used a variety of length and thickness of lines to vary the portions of where the print would show shadows and highlights. |
William Faulkner
1985 Relief-block print (B&W) 12 x 10 in. image, 23 x 17-1/2 in. paper |
Reflection
"Men" was a success because I was able to exhibit the true identity and the inside of a human without realism. This was my main goal and overall it was achieved. Some failure that accompany "Men" is that perhaps it is not so easily viewed that these symbols on the circles are The Seven Deadly Sins, therefore it won't be so easily relatable to the viewer. One thing that I would change about this piece is that maybe I could somehow label each sin, making the meaning more relevant. Overall I am pleased with this piece, due to its craftsmanship and exhibition of the meaning. I believe that this piece shows a clear way that a human might have al seven sins and that was my goal.
ACT Questions
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
"Men" was inspired by "Henry David Thoreau" and "William Faulkner" by Stephen Alcorn because of the usage of lines and textures used when creating these pieces, similarly used to create "Men" and show texture through the whole piece.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The point of view of the author of my researched focused strictly on the usage of technique and tools used by Alcorn to create these pieces.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Throughout my research I found that The Seven Deadly Sins were created because to an extent they are true to some. Everyone on the world is not a saint, thus committing sins and it would most likely be one of these seven sins.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My inspirational research theme was based around soli on techniques, I had the desire to be inspired by texture and how textures gives the piece a different meaning if it were not to have any texture.
5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
The inferences that I made while reading my research were that technique is a tool that many artist use to give a piece meaning, either harsh lines to define strong concepts or soft lines to show peace.
"Men" was inspired by "Henry David Thoreau" and "William Faulkner" by Stephen Alcorn because of the usage of lines and textures used when creating these pieces, similarly used to create "Men" and show texture through the whole piece.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The point of view of the author of my researched focused strictly on the usage of technique and tools used by Alcorn to create these pieces.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Throughout my research I found that The Seven Deadly Sins were created because to an extent they are true to some. Everyone on the world is not a saint, thus committing sins and it would most likely be one of these seven sins.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My inspirational research theme was based around soli on techniques, I had the desire to be inspired by texture and how textures gives the piece a different meaning if it were not to have any texture.
5) What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
The inferences that I made while reading my research were that technique is a tool that many artist use to give a piece meaning, either harsh lines to define strong concepts or soft lines to show peace.