Candy
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Artist and Inspiration
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Max Zorn is a British street artist who creates pieces inspired by the 50s. His main goal is make the viewer feel as if they plays a major role in the setting of the image. In other words, give a moment of imagination with the piece. Majority of the time the pieces are images of cityscapes and moody portraits. The moody feeling is emphasized by the medium he used in order to create these. Packaging tape also makes the portraits give a sepia tone often seen in old photographs as well as a warm feeling especially when the pieces are often seen at nighttime, hung up on lights or windows. I was inspired by Zorn to do something similar with packaging tape and brown candy wrappers. I used Zorn’s technique of using a scalpel to create cut out shapes to form a portrait and layered and removed the packaging tape to create shadow and highlight. My second inspiration was Andy Warhol and his goal of expressing the obsession society has for celebrities, fame, food, money, etc. He used repeated imaged in order to eventually stop the viewer from depicting a person and eventually just be seen as something found in a supermarket or as an everyday consumer good. I branched out from the idea of obsession and decided to focus on addiction. Similar to Warhol, I chose to express addiction to drugs and treat it as if it was candy. Like commercial goods, drugs have become something everyone knows about and are aware the issue of addiction. To catch the viewer's attention and hint at the meaning of my piece I used a brightly colored wrapper to contrast from the brown, similar to the bright colors Warhol used in his pieces. |
Planning
After deciding what materials I would used to go about this piece. I started sketching different ways I could represent the idea of addiction. Since I wanted to focus on the addiction of prescription drugs, I decided to represent a pill as a candy. I sketched out several possibilities such as a hand holding a pill with a candy background, an anonymous child in a candy store holding a bottle of painkillers, a pill bottle pouring candy into a mouth, until I decided to have a woman or gender less person with a pill in their mouth with a cityscape in the background. This would represent the drug problems in cities around the US. The cityscape was inspired by Max Zorn while the brightly colored candy wrapper was inspired by the bright colors Warhol uses in his pieces.
Process
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To begin, I removed the plastic cover from the acrylic glass from one side and used an erasable marker to create an outline of the image I wanted to create. After having a rough outline, I erased any extra lines and cleaned the image up. I then flipped the glass and removed the plastic from the other side where I would tape. I started taping the background since it was going to be the darkest. I had to do at least five layers to get it to the color I wanted. I then cut out the outline of the woman to clean and do a separate layer later. I then started cutting out the cityscape in the background along with the light reflections in the water. In order to cut out, I needed to have a light touch to only cut out the layers needed and not peel off more than necessary which was difficult. If I did cut out more than I intended I simply, replaced the mistake with the tape needed to fix it. After the city was down, I moved on the woman. I did one basic layer, cut out the highlights in her skin and layered the shadows. I used more tape on her hair but only enough so it could contrast from the background. I then cut out light reflections in the hair. Finally, I used a candy wrapper for the actual candy in her mouth to contrast from the brown.
With help, I used the appropriate measurements to create the frame and stained it to make it look neater. After it was dry, I placed the image onto the frame and used Glazier's points to keep it in place. The first set of lights were tape lights so they were easily be placed onto the frame. Then, I used stronger lights on the bottom but they need to be hot glued on because nothing was holding them in place. After the lights were placed, I dismantled a cardboard box, placed it on top of the frame and cut any excess cardboard. Using a staple gun, I stapled the cardboard to the cardboard to help keep the light inside. Finally, I covered the gaps the cardboard created with several layers of tape. |
Experimentation
For experimentation, I used my window in order to create a gradient and figure our how many layers are needed to create the shades I may need. In other words, I layered them to use a reference when I started the actual piece. I also decided to have a practice run by creating a small square and cutting out some buildings. That way I can get a feel for the material. As for how I was going to create an outline on the actual acrylic glass, I tested if I was able to use a washable marker on one side and it worked. I was able to create an outline on one side and I with use the actual tape on the other side. The image was reflective but since there were no words, I didn't have an issue with it. When I started taping the background, I realized that it was difficult to avoid bubbles in such a large piece. To get rid of them I simply used the scalpel to pop them and flatten them with my hand. As for the dust and adhesive that would create bumps, I did my best to get rid of them using a scalpel but it caused holes in the piece itself. Realizing that they didn't really affect the piece very much, I left them alone. For the frame, I realized the gaps of the cardboard affected the piece, so I took tape and taped over the gaps with several layers to help get rid of the light that was cause by those gaps. I also needed to create holes through the cardboard in order to let the wires out.
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Reflection
I faced many challenges throughout the process of creating this piece and there are several things I would have done differently if I were to do another project similar to this. For instance, in the very beginning, I had trouble removing tape for the glass because the adhesive wouldn't come off easily. Then I looked back at Zorn's website and noticed that he first covers the glass with clear tape in order make it easier to peel off the packaging tape. If I would have done this, there wouldn't be any residue at the bottom of the piece and would have made the beginning of the process much faster and more efficient. I would also probably have made it a slightly smaller size so the light distribution would be more even throughout the piece or I could've also used stronger lights. Overall, this was a new type of project that I enjoyed making but now knowing how to make a project like this, I would change a couple of things throughout the project to make it better.
The medium and techniques were inspired by Max Zorn. He use an exacto knife in order to create detail in the tape and make cityscapes in many of his pieces. He used his space effectively as well as the distribution of light and shades to add a night or daytime effect on the rest of the piece. I used these aspects of his artwork as reference to guide me in deciding where there would be highlight or shadows. Warhol's piece inspired me to use a different colored material for the candy to catch the viewers attention with a focal point hence why the candy is in the center of the piece. The broad lines for the shade were inspired by his prints because his art pieces never really had extreme detail, mainly consisting of repetition to portray the idea of obsession or addiction. Similarly, I wanted to do a piece where addiction can happen to anyone whether it be something as simple as candy. Because there is so much addiction and obsession in society, it tends to be overlooked even if it's as severe as drugs or internet usage. Overall, I was inspired by Zorn's use of use of space and Warhol's concept of obsession.
The medium and techniques were inspired by Max Zorn. He use an exacto knife in order to create detail in the tape and make cityscapes in many of his pieces. He used his space effectively as well as the distribution of light and shades to add a night or daytime effect on the rest of the piece. I used these aspects of his artwork as reference to guide me in deciding where there would be highlight or shadows. Warhol's piece inspired me to use a different colored material for the candy to catch the viewers attention with a focal point hence why the candy is in the center of the piece. The broad lines for the shade were inspired by his prints because his art pieces never really had extreme detail, mainly consisting of repetition to portray the idea of obsession or addiction. Similarly, I wanted to do a piece where addiction can happen to anyone whether it be something as simple as candy. Because there is so much addiction and obsession in society, it tends to be overlooked even if it's as severe as drugs or internet usage. Overall, I was inspired by Zorn's use of use of space and Warhol's concept of obsession.
ACT Questions
1) How are you able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork?
I used Zorn's technique of light and dark contrast and the medium he uses in all his work. I was then inspired by Warhol's goal to express obsession and decided to do a similar topic.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors were either very enthusiastic and praising over the artist or very factual and straight to the point. Max Zorn was factual and informing in how he created his art.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I concluded that once something or someone is everywhere, then society tends to no longer acknowledge it like before because it's so common, it's part of everyday life now.
4) What was the central idea for theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea was obsession/ addiction and how it is part of everyday life. One may not notice it but because everyone is so addicted to something, they don't know that are addicted.
5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I can infer that it doesn't take much time for Max Zorn or Andy Warhol to create their pieces.
I used Zorn's technique of light and dark contrast and the medium he uses in all his work. I was then inspired by Warhol's goal to express obsession and decided to do a similar topic.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The authors were either very enthusiastic and praising over the artist or very factual and straight to the point. Max Zorn was factual and informing in how he created his art.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I concluded that once something or someone is everywhere, then society tends to no longer acknowledge it like before because it's so common, it's part of everyday life now.
4) What was the central idea for theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea was obsession/ addiction and how it is part of everyday life. One may not notice it but because everyone is so addicted to something, they don't know that are addicted.
5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I can infer that it doesn't take much time for Max Zorn or Andy Warhol to create their pieces.
Bibliography
“Andy Warhol.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017, www.biography.com/people/andy-warhol-9523875.
“Andy Warhol Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, The Art Story : Modern Art Insight, www.theartstory.org/artist-warhol-andy-artworks.htm#pnt_3.
“Andy Warhol Biography.” The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts - Andy Warhol Biography, Warhol Foundation, warholfoundation.org/legacy/biography.html.
News, CBS. “Dutch Master Max Zorn paints with packing tape.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 21 May 2017, www.cbsnews.com/news/dutch-master-max-zorn-paints-with-packing-tape/
“Andy Warhol Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, The Art Story : Modern Art Insight, www.theartstory.org/artist-warhol-andy-artworks.htm#pnt_3.
“Andy Warhol Biography.” The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts - Andy Warhol Biography, Warhol Foundation, warholfoundation.org/legacy/biography.html.
News, CBS. “Dutch Master Max Zorn paints with packing tape.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 21 May 2017, www.cbsnews.com/news/dutch-master-max-zorn-paints-with-packing-tape/