Exhibition text: The artist created an acrylic on canvas piece of a design that signifies the mexican culture. Her goal was to design a symbolic piece using Shepard fairey and the aztec calender as her inspirations.
Process:
The very first thing that I did for this projects was to jot down some ideas of what specifically on what to create a design for Mexican culture. Which after brainstorming some ideas I came to a conclusion that I wanted to paint a design that allowed having a basic symbol in the middle of the painting and the having some design surrounding the symbol. Also I came to a conlusion of what specific colors that I wanted to use in my painting. The colors that I chose were the colors from the mexican flag: red and green but instead of using white I wanted to use black so that I can keep the colors to be as bold as possible.
Then after all the brainstorming part , the hands on part was to start. Where I first skecthed out some ideas that I had then make a canvas which was 1 foot by 1 foot. After that I began to start sketching my final piece onto the canvas and later on start painting over the sketch with acrylic paint. |
Experimentation:
Some experimentation that I have done throughout this project was that I tried many different designs to do with the Mexican culture. The first thing I did for my experimenting was to look up the some symbols that relate to the Culture and try to see if one of them would really catch my attention and use it for the symbol of my painting. I chose 3 symbols to pick from and then I had dropped down to one after examining each one. But not only did I draw the symbols but I also created a design behind them to see which one had caught more of my attention and felt like it was the best one. I had the same detailed design that is supposed to surround the symbol for each one because after looking at the Aztec Calender many times I had chose to do certain designs that I had decided to make for my piece that I had in mind.
Meaning:
The meaning behind this piece is that it would show a symbolic form of my Mexican Culture. Where the main symbol of the bird represents the eagle for the mexican flag. So instead of using the exact same eagle I decided to use the more complex version. With this piece I wanted to create also something that has to deal with a design that most can see as a representation of the culture. The reason why I chose to do an acrylic painting design based on the culture is because my culture means a lot to me and I feel that it isn't emphasized as much as some other cultures. I wanted a design that can catch the audiences attention but to also be simple so that the people could draw the design as well and us ethe design for anything. I believe that having a main subject for this project makes it easier to know what exactly to make a design for.
Artist inspiration: Shepard Fairey & Aztec calendar
Shepard Fairey Brings Dissent to Hong Kong. (2016, October 18). Retrieved December 12, 2016, from http://www.graphics.com/article/shepard-fairey-brings-dissent-hong-kong
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Introduction to the Aztec Calendar. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2016, from https://www.azteccalendar.com/azteccalendar.html
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I descided to use Shepard Faireys piece that is shown above because when I first saw the piece I admired the way he had put details surrounding the symbolic bird in the middle. It is eye catching when there is something big in the middle and then have details that lead away from the middle as if it was leading your eyes to see thepiece in different views. He also uses solid colors to keep the piece bold as possible but then he has some form of details within the lines as background details. He makes the details not as dark because in this piece it seems to be as if he mostly wants to keep the audience focused more onto the design and symbolic piece rather than the details. Especially since he is a social activist so he tends to try to design a project that can get everyones attention and to spread the word towards a message. Shepard Fairey borrows from graphic styles of the 20th century, blurring the boundary between high and commercial art through type and image
While I also used the Aztec calender for its usage of design and detailed work. It caught my eye with all that detail that the Aztec Calender consists of. Each design has its own meaning, since they do represent the months in a year. So the aztecs decided to use symbols as their reading of a calender than having writing such as we do for our calender. It describes the days and rituals related to the seasons. Just like shepard Fairy the aztec uses bold colors to emphasis the meaning on the colors, for example the colored rendition of the Sun Stone, or the Stone of Axayacatl. Depicts the 20 daysigns around the Sun God.
Introduction to the Aztec Calendar. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2016, from https://www.azteccalendar.com/azteccalendar.html
Shepard Fairey. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2016, from http://www.artnet.com/artists/shepard-fairey/
Shepard Fairey. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2016, from http://www.artnet.com/artists/shepard-fairey/
Reflection:
In this piece the most challenging part would be brainstorming and choosing a main symbol for the middle , so that it will meet my wants of the design. There were many symbols to choose from but only choosing one was really hard since they were all good to use and seemed to have a good purpose for each one. After choosing the one I really wanted to use it seemed to be easy on where to go off of the symbol easily than choosing the symbol. But another challenge was also coming up with some details that surround the middle symbol so that it can tie all into together. I felt that I could have done better with this project because of how simple I feel that it is. I felt as if I could have added more detail than just open space. That would be one main thing that I could have changed. I feel that I might add more onto this piece later on.
Connecting to ACT questions:
1.) The two inspirations used in this piece, Shepard Fairey and the aztec calender do have a cause-effect towards my artwork because of how it leads to narrowing down to some details that can meet both inspirations details and work. It helps with how much detail and what kind of detail that can be put into my piece overall.
2.) The author of my research is approaching the basics of what each of the piece consists of. As well as what each piece's purpose and what it highlights overall.
3.) I have discovered that many artist use visuals as a representation of what they want to express. Such as using the visuals as to sending a message to the audience. Some visuals consist of either being the kind of person one may be or expressing the kind they are. As well as using visuals for cultures such as the Aztec calender, where they use that visual to read the days by using designs rather than writting.
4.) My central theme was to make a symbolic piece for the Mexican culture. So that the people will be able to see a design that represents the culture in one out of many ways.
5.) Some inferences that I made in my research is that the two inspirations are very alike in some ways. But not totally alike. They both have a big purpose on to why the pieces were intended to do as well.
2.) The author of my research is approaching the basics of what each of the piece consists of. As well as what each piece's purpose and what it highlights overall.
3.) I have discovered that many artist use visuals as a representation of what they want to express. Such as using the visuals as to sending a message to the audience. Some visuals consist of either being the kind of person one may be or expressing the kind they are. As well as using visuals for cultures such as the Aztec calender, where they use that visual to read the days by using designs rather than writting.
4.) My central theme was to make a symbolic piece for the Mexican culture. So that the people will be able to see a design that represents the culture in one out of many ways.
5.) Some inferences that I made in my research is that the two inspirations are very alike in some ways. But not totally alike. They both have a big purpose on to why the pieces were intended to do as well.