Block Print
Exhibition Text
The artwork "The Lost Feelings" is a piece about a man that holds a Dodo bird which are describes and develops the feeling of loneliness and extinction. It’s also about how one drowns on our clogged feelings, as they consume you. While this concept is also explored and represented within the jar It’s inspired by Otto Dix, and Kathe Kollwitz line work in their woodcuts as it shows depth and form. It’s also inspired by their dark pasts as they both show responses to horrible things they've seen.
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Process
The first thing I did was I used the lead transfer method to place my sketches on the print, and I then highlighted it with pen to see it better and clearer. I used both the v shaped tool to carve the dodo and background and the round shaped tool to carve the man and the hand. I knew I wanted the lines to be white so it could have a greater contrast so I craved out the lines.
Planning
I had to first sketch a few ideas of what I want to create and I made these two pictures on the right. I had originally intended to make one or the other but in the end I combined them both. Some main differences that I considered to use were in the dodo bird itself. I was going to make the dodo bird seem savage and wild but I found it to be distracting so I left it as a domesticated looking dodo. I also considered to add about twice as much more lines in the hand drawing to give it a stronger emphasize, only if I would have chosen that one because I found it as empty and limited. If I would have only chosen the man with the dodo I would have added some kind of background of extinct animals like a saber tooth tiger. I would choose the saber tooth tiger to continue the theme, but in the end I choose both as one because I felt that the dodo and the man gives the meaning of loneliness while the sinking hand gives a literal sinking feeling. I felt that these small choices would relate to the themes that Otto and Kathe would use as they would make responses to things they found to be problems. To me depression is a problem and that my art piece is a responses to the issue and it reflects upon its principles. So I feel that this is how I also tie in the line work because its supposed to create the form in the art piece.
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Inspiration
Experimentation
On the right there are four images of my experimentation which are the prints themselves. I had to do about six or seven but the first ones came out terrible, but these four shows my progress as I got better with the inking process. I learned that I needed more ink on my roller to apply it on my piece. I also had to roll the ink in multiple directions and this in itself was the main part. The differences can be seen in the prints themselves as they have areas where the ink is too light. The last thing I improved was pressing harder on the paper to transfer the ink and create the print because I had pressed it to softly leaving a lot of the ink on the block print and the paper seemed to be half printed and just plainly looked sloppy. With all of these improvements done I was able to create a flatter and even spread of ink on my block print and eventually I was able to create two good prints. Obviously I choose the best one as my end result. But the last complaint of my art work was that one of them can out crooked.
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Reflection
I feel that I did great as it is something very new to me still, especially because I basically only know how to sketch, so carving is a very fresh concept in my mind. I also feel it is great as I did not have many issues with the carving process and it actually came out good. Which surprises me because I struggled with clay and carving clay which is different from this carving. I even enjoyed the carving and printing process, but something that I would improve of my piece is cleaner lines as many times I would almost cut myself. Luckily I only scrapped myself once in the entire carving process. I also believe that i showed great use of the carving tools with the special carvings I made with the V shaped knife, which were arrow heads.
For my research I had to actually dig through the internet and after two or two and a half hours of research I found Otto Dix. Because in my previous art history class we talked of Kathe Kollwitz and It was insufficient information for me to analyze and relate my work to.
For my research I had to actually dig through the internet and after two or two and a half hours of research I found Otto Dix. Because in my previous art history class we talked of Kathe Kollwitz and It was insufficient information for me to analyze and relate my work to.
Act Question Answers
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
I was inspired mainly by Otto Dix background on his life and his art work themes, while I was inspired Kathe kollwitz line work and the form created by her line usage. This is displayed in my piece's theme and the jacket/shirt of the man.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The author of my research sites were plainly neutral, with no bias as it was an informative museum site on the biography of both Otto Dix and kathe Kollwitz.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I learned about the German Expressionist movement being about pain, self reflection and monochromatic.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea of my inspiration was at first loss but it turned into personal feelings.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
What I can infer from reading my research was that German Expressionism was used to survive the war and in some instances it was to protest against war just as Otto Dix would do.
I was inspired mainly by Otto Dix background on his life and his art work themes, while I was inspired Kathe kollwitz line work and the form created by her line usage. This is displayed in my piece's theme and the jacket/shirt of the man.
What is the overall approach (pov) the author (from research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The author of my research sites were plainly neutral, with no bias as it was an informative museum site on the biography of both Otto Dix and kathe Kollwitz.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I learned about the German Expressionist movement being about pain, self reflection and monochromatic.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea of my inspiration was at first loss but it turned into personal feelings.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
What I can infer from reading my research was that German Expressionism was used to survive the war and in some instances it was to protest against war just as Otto Dix would do.