Mixed Media
Title: Family Tree
Size: 55in x 32in Medium: Mixed Media Date: 12/02/18 |
"Family Tree" the title of my piece is based on my two inspirations, Alligator by Linda Brenner and Family Group by Henry Moore. Family Tree is a family based artwork it holds a similar meaning as Family Group and the form is inspired by Alligator. Each branch, 5 total, each represents a member in my family. For example the far left branch represents my little sister as it is the smallest branch. Each branch is connected to each other to represent unity and connection within my family.
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Inspirations
There are two inspirations that inspired me to create, "Family Tree". The first inspiration Alligator by Linda Brenner. this piece is a paper collage on wood, paint and beads on concrete base created in 2017. The second inspiration that inspired me was Family Group by Henry Moore a large scale bronze sculpture created in 1950.
Alligator by Linda Brenner, what really drew me to this sculpture was the form in which it stood. The sculpture is a dead tree reused as a piece of art in which the tree was made into an art piece that holds meaning. This inspired me to do something similar. For my piece I reused old dead wood, which once was a tree and used it to create a piece that now holds meaning. When creating Family Tree I wanted to have a similar form as Alligator but to hold a different meaning in which I did. I kept the similar structure as Alligator, a tree, but made sure to have a different meaning. This is were Family Group comes in. My second inspiration ,Family Group, this artwork really inspired my work, it gave it a similar meaning and some structure. What attracted me to Family Group was the meaning it holds, connection, bond ship, and unity within a family. I took the aspect of family this piece holds and added it to my piece. The 5 branches within my piece represents a member in my family. The connection of the branches is what holds the bond ship, and unity within my family. Over all both artworks strongly inspired me to create Family tree, they contributed many aspects in which I used. Both were a balanced none contributed less or more. |
Alligator by Linda Brenner
“Linda Brenner.” InLiquid, inliquid.org/artist/brenner-linda/. Family Group by Henry Moore “Family Group (Moore).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Oct. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Group_(Moore).
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Planning Sketches
These on the bottom are my three planning sketches that I came up with. Each sketch has the same meaning as the other, just shows it in a slightly different way. The sketches all portray a shape of a tree. I tried different ways that in which I can show the same meaning but in a slightly different way, you can see this in each sketch on how they are planned out.
The first planning sketch is in a form of a tree, with branches. In this sketch the bottom half has five lines this represents the five stick it would have the same goes as the top. Also in this sketch the five branches are connected through the sticks on top.
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My second planning sketch is all so in a form of a tree. Similar to the first sketch the bottom half also has five lines this represents the five stick it would have. The only real difference from this sketch to the first sketch is the fact that this one has more straight branches.
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My last sketch this sketch is way different then the other one but holds the same meaning. This sketch has five branches on top and only three on the bottom. Each of the branches in this sketch are different in size, this represents the members of my family. An example the far left branch represents my little sister as it is the smallest branch.
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Process for creating Family Tree
The first step I did before starting to create my piece was lay out every material I was going to need, this included: a rectangle block sander, gloves, measuring tape, drill, screws, pencil and wood sticks. Next step was to measure out all of the sticks to an appropriate size. After measuring the sticks out I then had to cut them with a saw machine. As I was cutting them I started to arrange them like in my sketch to get a good view on how the artwork is turning out. After cutting and arranging them I then started to sand out every piece of wood I cut, there were about 23 piece I needed to sand. After sanding them the next step was to drill holes were screws are going to be put in to hold the cut pieces together. Next step was to drill in the screws everywhere were I had previously drilled in holes. After all the cut pieces of wood were nailed in placed, I set my completed piece onto the floor to see if I had to fix any loose pieces. After that I took a clean picture of my work and uploaded it onto photoshop to added in the background. The background would be white. I used the cut feature to cutout my image and paste it onto the white background. After this final step I was done. |
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Critique
In my piece Family tree there are many similarities and differences towards my two inspirations, Family Group by Henry Moore and Alligator by Linda Brenner. A similarity between Family Group and my piece would that both pieces show and represent a similar meaning. They show and represents connection, bond ship, and unity within a family. Family Group shows this though the figures in the sculpture and my piece shows this through the five branches. A difference between Family Group and my Piece would be that they visually look very different. They look different through in Family Group it shows figures and in my piece it deals with wood aspect, not figures. A similarity between Alligator and my piece would be that they both visually look very similar. Similar in the fact that they are both tree figures and are made from wood. A difference between this pieces would be that they have different meanings. My artwork represents connection, bond ship, and unity within a family, in which Alligator is a college of many things.
We can see here that visually these two pieces look very different. One shows figures made from bronze in which the other is wood and has no figures.
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Visually these two pieces look very similar to each other.They are both tree figures and are made from wood. You can see that both are made from wood and have branches.
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Experimentation
I did a bit of experimenting with my artwork during the build process. I experimented with letters, what I mean is that I was thinking of adding the first letter of each of my family members name to represent them in that way. I didn't do this because I didn't look as good, it looked better with out them. Another thing that I experimented with was with added more wood pieces to my piece during the build process to make it look more like a tree. when I added these extra wood pieces they looked like they didn't belong so I took them out and stayed with the original plan from the sketch.
Here are the two examples of how the letters were going to look if I were going to added them. The look a little big and not as good. They would also be trick to add with out seeing the screws and having them look good.
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Here are the extra wood pieces that I was thinking of adding. They were supposed to give my piece a more tree like figure. I ended up not using them for two reasons, the first reason being that the top would be to heavy and the piece would just keep falling ad the second reason being it doesn't really fit in with the piece as well.
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Reflection
Crating my piece Family tree was a new experience and a stressful one. It was a new experience because I never worked with wood in that kind of way. I also learned many things when working with wood and that is sand it because you can get splinters. Another thing I learned was how working with wood can be nice because you can use it to create many things and its a really hands on work. The stressful thing when creating this piece was adding in screws to hold up the piece and keep them in place. It was so hard adding the screws because there was no support when screwing them in so each time you try screwing them in the would move and that would make you have to start all over. Another thing when working with wood like this, is to be carful when screwing in the screws because the wood can split and mess up your project.
ACT Responses
1)Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
I was inspired by two different artworks. The first one being Alligator by Linda Brenner a paper collage on wood, paint and beads on concrete base. My second inspiration being a large-scale bronze sculpture, Family Group by Henry Moore. What I took from Alligator was the form or structure of the piece. What I took from my second inspiration Family Group was what it represented: connection, bond ship, and unity within a family.
2)What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The over all approach the author has regarding Alligator would be a paper collage on wood, paint and beads on concrete base. The over all approach the author has regarding Family Group would be the approach or representation of a family based piece.
3)What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
A generalization that I've discovered while researching my two inspirations would be that both inspirations are sculptures one mix medium and the other a bronze sculpture.
4)What was the central idea or theme around your inspiration research?
The central idea or theme when researching my inspiration would be inspirations that are family based or are mix medium art works.
5)What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Inferences that I made while reading my research would be that one art work is a family based piece and the other a mixed medium art work.
I was inspired by two different artworks. The first one being Alligator by Linda Brenner a paper collage on wood, paint and beads on concrete base. My second inspiration being a large-scale bronze sculpture, Family Group by Henry Moore. What I took from Alligator was the form or structure of the piece. What I took from my second inspiration Family Group was what it represented: connection, bond ship, and unity within a family.
2)What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The over all approach the author has regarding Alligator would be a paper collage on wood, paint and beads on concrete base. The over all approach the author has regarding Family Group would be the approach or representation of a family based piece.
3)What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
A generalization that I've discovered while researching my two inspirations would be that both inspirations are sculptures one mix medium and the other a bronze sculpture.
4)What was the central idea or theme around your inspiration research?
The central idea or theme when researching my inspiration would be inspirations that are family based or are mix medium art works.
5)What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Inferences that I made while reading my research would be that one art work is a family based piece and the other a mixed medium art work.