SW+10

** Speak Your Power ** August 2012   Plaster + Acrylic on Canvas

Hopefully this will be my last piece involving the use of superhero identities. I thought the use of lips was a different way to show the identities because it symbolizes how people use their lips to speak and say what we want.

**What were the artistic and/or cultural influences for this project?** **Who/what influenced either the composition and/or the style.**

I didnt have a specific artist that influenced my work. The composition and style was influence by Marjorie Strider. She was a part of the Dada and Surrealist movement along with Pop Art. The way she makes parts of her paintings pop out like 3D influenced how i made the lips look like 3D. **What materials/media/processes did you use and or experiment with, and how?**

This piece consisted of 2 parts, the first part was making the lips out of clay, i followed an online tutorial to help me. After that i waited for the clay to dry and then i used plaster to make three different lips. After i'd get the basic shape of the lips i'd fix them even more until they'd dry so i can paint over them with acrylic. After that i stuck them on the canvas where i painted the rest of the face and the background with acryclic.

**How do you think you have responded to advice and criticism during this project (and during the term), both from fellow students and the teacher. Did you actively seek advice? If so, was it useful?**

Since this was a summer project i didn't have accest to a teacher to ask her about the idea i came up with and friends with me in class. instead i took advice from my mom and along with another friend who helped. They told me to carry on with this idea and they gave me the idea of making lips out of clay because i had a really hard time trying to figure out how to make lips the size that i wanted.

**C****learly explain the weaknesses/areas for improvement**

In this project i get the feeling that it's missing something, like colors, i think it needed more colors. Something else that i noticed is that the lips look weird, they don't look realistic at all. I also struggled with coming up with the right sized lips. it took me around three trials and sometimes more. Another weakness is i think i chose the wrong color for the skin. I though metalic silver whould have an effect, but at the same time it has an unrealistic look that matches the lips.


 * Clearly explain the strengths of the piece **

I think the strengths of this piece was the actual idea where i made the lips in 3D to add emphasis on that part. the fact that i used mixed media makes it a strong piece. I added emphasis on the lips because we use lips to speak. There is also a contrast between the colors, it makes each part bright.

**What could you take through to the next project and develop further? This could be anything, from a technique to an idea, not neccessarily just the theme.**

I want to get out of the superhero ideas so for my next project i think i want to do my idea of the shadows but i think ill have to add to it to make it more creative and advanced.