Prima Ballerina

"Prima Ballerina", mixed media on canvas, 14 x 18"

Another canvas for the Tender Age series. This one explores the psychological disorders that can be attributed to the stimuli of childhood. I'd estimate most women (including myself), or their daughters, have attended dance classes as a child, and so I believe the ballet slipper is a good symbol for this concept. To be the prettiest dancer, to be the most graceful and most of all to make Mummy and Daddy proud. Let's not forget comparing our immature bodies to that of our tiny, dancing peers.

Tattoo face girl is surrounded by the roots of negativity, and they've already begun planting themselves in her head as the slipper's ribbons curl around her legs, drawing her into a life of misery. I think it's pretty easy to understand.

The usual mediums; artist ink, black acrylic paint and graphite pencils. Hoorah!

Obsession

"Obsession" (mixed media on canvas, 12 x 16" )

Another one in the Tender Age series. The one on the left (Tattoo Face Girl, kitted out in blue this time) falsely idolises the seemingly perfect character on the right.

Delusion

"Delusion" (mixed media, 14 x 18"), 2009

Today I dedicated all my waking hours - well virtually - to creating this artwork. Feeling inspired to create a series based on the character whom I affectionately - and blandly - nicknamed "Tattoo Face Girl" that I used in "Tender Age" (below), I did a sketch about a week ago of the image on this canvas. I'll explain everything...

"Tender Age" (mixed media on canvas, 50 x 60 cm), 2007

Tender Age (formerly called 'In Bloom') is about a girl on the cusp of womanhood, which is represented by the way she sniffs into the flower. The 'tattoo'/pattern on her face is a sort of symbol for all her negative thoughts and experiences, which are made to look like roots and seeds - as though she indeed has some sort of mental illness, and along with her emaciated figure it indicates that she had/has severe body image issues. The bee in the background flower warns that she'll soon be hurt. The swirly stuff in the background is just decoration, really :)

Delusion is a portrayal of the hurt hinted at in Tender Age. The large, solid-coloured face which dominates a large portion of the canvas denotes that her pain was inflicted by another person. She's been hurt by someone's words, as shown by the black swirls escaping the plain face's mouth, which wilt tattoo face girl's flower.

There are many more canvases to come of Tattoo Face Girl, and if anyone can suggest a better name to christen her, I'd really appreciate it. While there is quite a bit of difference between the two already made aesthetically, the subject matter is very much the same. The difference in the images comes from different supplies and brands of materials, in addition to 14 months of artistic development.

It's the first time I've completed an artwork in a day - well, one on canvas anyway, so I feel rather accomplished. Both works were made of artist's inks, black acrylic paint (just black), and graphite, but as I mentioned above, all different brands.

I can tell you I won't be using Jasart canvases again, which is what I used for Delusion today. It was a nightmare attempting to put the ink on, everything seemed to pool as it contracted - as though the canvas were like a sponge. It wouldn't let the liquid spread upon the canvas properly unless large amounts were put on. I was rather peeved because it made the process last a whole lot longer than it had to, and in addition to this, once it dried, there were little spots of white canvas poking through where I had doused the fabric with colour. I used a Jasart for 'Androgyny' as well, but because I didn't lay down the colour as I did in this work (Androgyny is just lines, lines and more lines), I barely noticed this horrid little phenomenon. Fine for acrylics though. Haha.

Collection of Works

These are a collection of drawings and paintings I have done over the past 2 years (2007 - 2009). I've done quite a few more, but these are some I would like to show on my blog. I'm improving as I go along. I use a variety of mediums and often create a variety of mixed media works, but I haven't settled on just one yet, but I'm finding myself starting to develop a soft spot for artist's inks. I use a variety of different techniques too. I've began experimenting with palette knives as opposed to paint brushes, in fact, I've even got a substitute for a palette knife - I use a plastic cake spatula! Trust me, I'm not trained in anyway.

Visit my deviantArt page:

illy93.deviantart.com

Vase Series: "In Bloom", "Withering" (both: mixed media on canvas)

"Tender Age" (mixed media on canvas)

"Krist Novoselic" (graphite on paper)

"Kurt Cobain" (graphite on paper)

"Moonlight, Suicide" (graphite on paper)

"Sassy" (oil pastels and soft pastels on paper)

"Head Over Heels" (oil pastels and soft pastels on paper)

"Pollution" (mixed media on canvas)

"Them Bones" (acrylic on canvas)

"Androgyny" (artist's ink on canvas)