Further Studio Work

Alongside the three main works I created in the space space, I also made a separate piece that followed on from the idea of masking using geometric shapes and pastel paint. I decided to try and build the print up a bit more by adding a 3D element. Having looked artist Carlos Donjuán, I was inspired to try and create a mask using the geometric shapes I was working with that accentuates and emphasised the eyes. I think I was successful in this, as I cut ‘eye holes’ in the card and fixed the raised card so that the holes matched up with the eyes.

I then decided to try and make a clear connection between this piece and the other 3 pieces I had made, and so added the pastel shapes on top of the work using the same process I had previously.

The intersting thing about this work is that not only do the eyes follow you, but it is light sensitive as the black circle over the face reacts to different lighting states, and changes the visibility of the eyes. I think it would be really effective to play around and experiment with this work in some different lighting situations to see how the overall effect of the piercing eyes would be altered. I think as well, that I would want this piece to be viewed very square on to itself, meaning that the viewer would be the immediate recipient of a very piercing and meaningful stare.

I also did some other smaller experiments following on from my work with newspaper pages, using circle templates as shape guides on top of the faces.

I think particularly in the first image, the pink and green colouring challenges the idea of masculinity and femenitity as the harsh and ‘set’ stare given off from the male in the photo juxtaposes strongly with the use of the soft circles and playful colouring.