DP/Project 1 - Self-Portrait

DP; PROJECT 1

27/9/2021 - 15/10/2021 (Week 6 - Week 8)
Diane Lim En Wei / 0345187 / B'Creative Media
Design Principles

Project 1/Self-Portrait

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LECTURES

Week 7 (4/10/2021) How artists explore identity 

In the video 'How artists explore identity,' examples of three different artists; Frida Kahlo, Glenn Ligon, and Andy Warhol were shown. They each had their own different ways of expressing/finding their identity. All of which were tied to their characteristics, whether that was Frida, who took how her husband had seen her, and flipped it on its head, drawing herself as the opposite, instead of drawing herself with long hair as she had in real life, she drew herself with short hair, etc. Ligon, who had asked his peers to describe him as if he had gone missing, and Ligon who did not explore his own identity, but instead explored the identity of Marilyn Monroe.

Such as these three artists, artists in general use and explore their characteristics to determine their personal and social identity. However, these constructions of us as individuals created by not only our own minds, but the minds of others, is either tied down or related to our history, stereotypes, or descriptions of our identity takes the conventional route relating to our gender, sexuality, race, etc. 

What is a self-portrait?

A depiction of who you are as a person, whether that is through colors, shapes, lines, etc. The self-portrait may not look like you, but it should represent you, with it not necessarily needing to show a face. So as long as the piece screams, you. 

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INSTRUCTIONS

Week 7 (4/10/2021)

One thing that I have always tied to my personality and identity as a person, has always been my Drawing tablet and Pen. Along with that, I've had some life changing occurrences happen in my life, and wanted a way to show that. This brought me to the thought of my current computer setup, and what better person to take inspiration for that than from Chilled Cow's Lofi-hip-hop-Girl. 

Fig 1.1 ; Chilled Cow's Lofi-hip-hop-Girl (14/10/2021)

Before drafting up the first sketch of the self-portrait, I decided to list somethings that I was proud of;

Things that I am/was proud of; 

• The things I am working on right now
  
• I am designing Clothes for YouTube content creators
• A drawing of mine was used as inspiration when designing a plushy 
  
• My IGCSE results
• Graduating high-school in 2018
• Dropping out of A-levels to pursue Art
• Getting accepted into Taylor's
• Going through with back surgery

I then sketched the first layout of the portrait; 

Fig 1.2 ; First layout sketch of self-portrait (15/10/2021)

The plan for this was to have mementos of what I was proud of on the wall that is on the right of the girl that is suppose to be depicting me. I wanted my drawing tablet and pen to have some close relation to me, so I drew myself holding my pen. 

After receiving feedback from Dr. Charles, I drafted up the second layout sketch of the self-portrait, which in the end was what I had gone ahead and finished. 

Fig 1.3 ; Second layout sketch of self-portrait (15/10/2021)

I started the line-art process during this week; 

 

Fig 1.4 ; Line-art done of sketch (15/10/2021)

Week 8 (11/10/2021)

I, at first, started putting up mementos by just pasting them on the wall, but felt that it looked too unnatural, unfortunately I do not have an image saved of that, but while exploring ways to put my mementos up, I thought of just putting them up on a simple cork board of sorts. That way it would bring everything together, creating unity between my setup, and the wall. Along with that, I put a calendar on the wall, and marked out my birthday. In the mementos, I included my high-school graduation, an x-ray to depict my surgery, and a few Taylor's mementos (lanyard and brochure).

Fig 2.1 ; Final Line-art done, with mementos included (15/10/2021)

I then proceeded to finish it up, coloring and shading it, and wanted to give it a bit more life, so I created an animatic out of it. 

Fig 2.2 ; First frame of animatic (15/10/2021)

Fig 2.3 ; Second frame of animatic (15/10/2021)

Fig 2.4 ; Third frame of animatic (15/10/2021)

Fig 2.5 ; Fourth frame of animatic (15/10/2021)

My favorite frame out of all of these was definitely Fig 2.2.

Fig 2.6 ; Same image as Fig 2.2, just larger (15/10/2021)

I put all the frames together and created this GIF; where the girl, depicting me, is moving her wrist with her pen in her hand, while taking a glance at the camera every so often. A drawing program is opened on the left monitor, while the right monitors has discord open. Very synonymous with how my screens are in real life.

I strongly recommend you click on the GIF to see it in full resolution 

Fig 2.7 ; Final Self-Portrait (15/10/2021)

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FEEDBACK

Week 7 (4/10/2021)

General feedback - Find a way to project yourself, don't be too cliché. 

Specific feedback - When referring to Fig 1.2; Dr. Charles stated that he was not too sure about the orientation, and recommended I made it landscape. He pitched the idea to animate it, I wanted to follow the vibe of the Lofi-girl. There was an idea in which the eye looks away from the monitor and towards the camera, though I am not sure who brought it up or how that idea came to fruition. 

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REFLECTION

This definitely felt a little bit too rush, but despite that, I quite like the outcome of the piece. I struggled a lot to find ways to depict the list of things that I was most proud of, resulting in very little being displayed, and I am quite disappointed about that. However, I am happy with how I've managed to depict myself, with nothing being too straight and orderly, nothing is perfectly parallel to each other, just like how I am in real life, just a tiny bit messy, but I make it work. 

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REFERENCES

ChilledCow's Lofi-hip-hop-girl; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qap5aO4i9A

isaacwhy YouTooz Plushy; https://youtooz.com/products/isaacwhy-plush-1ft

Tate. (n.d.). Cultural Identity – Essay. https://www.tate.org.uk/artist-rooms/collection/themes/cultural-identity