When this project was presented, we were given the option of making a mechanical, zombie, or expressive self-portrait. When I thought zombie, I thought of a more ghoul-like figure, something that would disturb me more than the typical gore and decomposing zombie. This figure was haunting, supernatural, stealthy, and had just enough human features to really get under someone's skin. I followed that vision with this drawing as opposed to my other concepts because I was instantly intrigued by the idea. The concept is very surreal and Occult, which are two styles that have always fascinated me. In general, the lines I used follow the natural contour of the face, but the lines in the skin pulled over the eyes were draw in a way that would really imply tension. For the values in this piece, I just shaded a basic outline of the shadows and highlights, then went back and pushed the values until I was happy with the darkness. I think the most important aesthetic quality in the piece is how the darkness of the drawing and the subject matter present a stark contrast to the white paper. For some reason having so much blank white space surrounding something so nightmarish adds to the impact of the piece and makes it far more pleasing. I think choosing graphite for my piece gave the viewer a unique experience because it had just enough definition to make the piece seem solid, but just enough blend-ability to allow all the lines to fade together into a believable piece. Everyone who looked at my piece said that it disturbed them, that the creature depicted was unsettling. I think the key to this effect was to highlight an instinctual fear of the unknown. The audience has no clue what this creature is and can't identify it as a human who has been damaged because the eyes are blocked from view. Eyes are the windows to the soul, and without those windows, we aren't sure how to react.
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2016
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