Media 1 - Sculpture:

In these pages, I am trying to explore the accurate proportion of the human face.

I first explored how to draw the human face in proportion. After being more familiar with the proportions, I began to sculpt the clay bust in the most accurate proportion.

Through my evaluation on my clay bust, I noticed that my bust lacks a chin, and because of this, it looks less realistic. I also need a more obvious jaw line to make the bust look more realistic.

In the image on the bottom right corner, I noted that the nose on my bust is too pointy.

In these pages, I am further exploring the technique of sculpting with clay and further evaluating my clay bust as I make it, so that I can improve my bust one step at a time.

I discovered that the proportion of the facial features of my clay bust is to a large extent quite accurate. However, I’ve noticed that the neck is too thin, and anatomically, it is not a true depiction of real human beings. I also noticed that my shoulders and too flat and the nose is still too sharp.

To further improve my clay bust’s shoulders, I took a picture of my friend’s collar bone and decided to use the image as a guide.

The guide did help me improve the structure of the shoulders.

Clay Bust Project

In these pages, I have recorded the last couple steps of completing my clay busts. I have added and improved in all the facial features, such as the eyes and nose. Because I was inspired by Ah Xian, who often keeps the clay bust clean and simple, I’ve decided to keep my clay bust as the color of the clay.

The next page is my artist research into the three artists that inspired me to create my bust.

These pages are the continued pages of my artist research.

In these two pages, I have further investigated the forms of the clay busts created by the three different artists.

At the end of the page on the right, I have included all the resources I used to retrieve the information that is in my artist research.

Media 2 - Acrylic painting:These pages records the beginning of a new project.

The theme I chose to work on was “Stop Copying Me.

I was inspired by Andy Warhol’s soup can for the “Stop Copying Me” theme. The soup can has been copied by many other artist, to the point that it could be seen very commonly in society.

Media 3 - Photography:I was also inspired by Maurizio Anzeri for my second piece, where I used cotton and sewed a photograph of myself, which I took. The gesture of myself in the photograph was inspired by Audrey Hepburn. Through my evaluation, I concluded that I will need to edit the picture of myself in the bottom right corner.

Thematic Project 1: Stop Copying Me

In these pages, I am continuing to work on editing the photograph I took, which include adjusting the exposure, color and filters.

I was also experimenting with the imprinting technique. I took McDonald’s logos, printed them in black and white, cut them out and imprinted them onto my canvas with my can.

Through my experimenting, I have discovered that it is hard to imprint the logo because the logo itself is very thin and fragile. It can easily get ripped when applying glue.

Media 4 - Embroidery on Photograph:During this step, I finally began to experiment with sewing photographs. I printed by photographs on hard photographic paper so that the photograph itself will not crumble up or wrinkle easily when sewing. I experimented with single stitching and double stitching. I discovered that single stitching makes the photograph visually look better because it gives the work a sense of delicacy and neatness.

Through the process, I also discovered many more difficulties, which are recorded on the pages.

I also began to work on a 3rd piece of work for this project. I decided to explore using black and white acrylic paint.

In these pages, I continued to work on my 3rd painting and began stitching a new photograph.

Being inspired by Robert Rauschenberg, I began to explore layering real life objects/materials onto my canvas. To begin to do so, I began layering newspaper on top of newspaper and then covering them with paint.

Through my testing, I discovered a few difficulties and through the experiment, I learnt how to make the work appear neater and more visually appealing. One thing is trying to tie the end knots stronger and closer to the photograph because in my previous testing piece, I discovered that when the strings get loose, it does not make the piece look delicate enough. Through my experiment, I was also able to discover how time consuming it is to create one single embroidery piece. Initially, I wanted to create a series, however, due to the lack of time, I have decided to create only one piece.

In these pages, I have shown my ending process of my embroidery piece.

The page on the right, I continued to work on my two acrylic painting pieces.

The first piece on the right page was the piece that was heavily inspired by Rauschenberg, I began to layer random materials found in my art room onto the canvas, such as the plastic and the sequences normally used for decoration.

Originally, the second painting of the page was covered with McDonald’s logo and the background of the painting was white. After a class critique, I realized that a white background does not bring much of a impact to the audience and it also makes the piece seems incomplete. Thus, I began to use the same technique as the first painting’s, where I began to layer paint on top of paint, random materials on top of some other random materials.

In this screen and the previous screen are my synthesis or investigation for different artworks by the two artists that inspired me for my project.

I analyzed Maurizio Anzeri’s work in order to provide me some insight into the technique Anzeri uses.

Through my investigation for Rauschenberg’s Estate, I was able to identify the themes behind his works and most importantly, the technique he uses to layer materials on top of materials, images on top of images. Through my interaction with Rauschenberg’s work, I was able to get some insight into abstract art as well.

Thematic Project 2: Layering It Up

In these pages, I began to work on another thematic project. This time, I chose to explore the theme “Layer It Up”. This is because through my previous interaction with Rauschenberg’s work.

I began to explore abstract art more deeply and began to fell in-love with the works created by abstract artists, such as Jackson Pollock.

Pollock inspired me to explore action painting.

In these pages, I continued to explore creating abstract art with action painting. I began to use the motion of my body to splash and pour paint onto the canvas, creating a free and boundary-less painting that explores my emotions at the time of creating.

At the same time, I continued to explore layering. I layered paint, applied through action painting.

Through layering paint, I have discovered myself another technique. I began to wash paint off of the canvas once I have poured paint onto the canvas. This creates a subtle tone and lines on the canvas. The effect created by this technique is illustrated on the images in the left side of the screen.

Further more, I began to explore a technique of ‘blending’, where after I’ve layered paint, I would use the dry brush technique and blend colored together, creating a gradient and ‘dream’ like effect. This is illustrated in the painting on the right side of the screen.

In these pages, I continued to explore the two techniques that I developed and was inspired by Jackson Pollock and Robert Rauschenberg.

To further enhance the visual appeal of my work, I began to layer more real life objects onto my paintings.

I decided to use leaves and flowers that I picked from the school garden and layer them onto my painting. To preserve the color of the plants and to prevent the plants from drying, I used matt medium to adhere the plants onto the canvas. The testing of this technique is illustrated on the left side of the screen.

At the bottom of the right page, I once again decided to experiment on Pollock’s action painting technique.

In these pages, I continued to work on layering plants onto one of the pieces and layering paint on my other series work.

In my series piece, I began to use oil paint to add some colors.

The image on the bottom of the left page shows my end product of my experimentation with Pollock’s action painting technique. As you can see, the painting did not work well. The colors don’t work together well, and it just looks very messy. For this reason, I decided to color the entire canvas and work on a piece that uses a similar technique as the ‘blending piece’.

The left page depicts the complete ‘products’ created for the second thematic project.

The page on the left is an artist statement for the last piece I created.

Thematic Project 3:Development

These pages depicts the beginning of my third project, which is about development. Through the progression of IB Art, my style of art has changed drastically, from more structured art to more abstract art. I have grown as an artist. So through this project, I want to further develop my technique in creating abstract art.

These pages records the process of creating the first two pieces of painting in the project.

Inspired by Pollock, I began to use tools rather than paint brushes to apply paint onto the canvas. I began to use spatula and smear paint onto the canvas.

These pages shows the process towards the end of completing the two pieces for the project.

I experimented with modeling paste, however was unsuccessful with it.

Thematic Project 4: Development

On the left side of the screen, there is my artist statement for one of the pieces I have created in the third project.

The right side of the screen records the beginning of my fourth project, which is still about development.

I discovered texture gel, so on the top of the page, I was experimenting with the effect that texture gel gives.

These pages shows my progress for the first two pieces I was working on.

I began to use texture gel to create a grainy texture for my paintings, at the same time, layer newspaper and biotic materials onto the canvas.

In these pages, I have shown the close to finishing work from my previous works and began working on two more new pieces. The technique used are very similar to my previous pieces, where I layer paint and ‘junks’. However, I have decided to experiment with layering materials that were not biotic, such as foil paper.

In these pages, I have shown the working progress of all four pieces I was working on for the fourth project.

The left page shows the complete paintings for three out of the four paintings I was working on.

The right page is one of the artist statements for my work. The artist statement further explores my theme, my technique as well as some reflection on the process of creating.