Project 3-Block Print
Wear a Mask!
size: 10 in x 8 in medium: block print completion: November 2020 exhibition text: Wear a Mask! is a representation of the correct way to wear a mask when in public. It's heartbreaking that this has to be taught, however, my main goal was to focus on the aspect that wearing a mask properly shows love and care for others. I've seen this happen too often and I wanted more attention on the pandemic and for it to be taken seriously. I was inspired by Keith Haring's Ignorance = Fear, where the majority of his attention was on the aids crisis but brought attention to it. |
Inspiration
I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this project, but I wanted to do a block print. There were several ideas I had in mind and I wanted to bring attention to the pandemic. Like Keith Haring who brought attention to AID's in his piece, Ignorance=Fear. When I searched up his work, I felt very inspired to create a street poster for my block print. Haring's mural, Crack Is Wack, also inspired me to create my piece. Many of Keith's artworks were based on political activism, where he focused on nuclear disarmament and against apartheid in his brief career. In his final years, he focused more on the AID's epidemic seen in Ignorance=Fear. His images created a direct impact towards his audience and stakes were raised by the American Government's way of failing to bring more awareness of the crisis. Haring used willfully blind, deaf and dumb figures to create a punchy slogan with the three figures covering their eyes, ears and mouth. Gran Fury, who came up with the slogan, also made an LGBT symbol of the pink triangle, in which is seen in Silence=Death, created in the same year. In Crack Is Wack, Haring creates a mural that was inspired by the crack epidemic in New York City. This piece was first made independently, and created as a warning. His studio assistant, Benny, became addicted to crack and many failed attempts with addiction without insurance or hospital assistance. He chose to take his frustration at a near handball court in a park near Harlem drive, taking down the ineffective government and their solution on drug-related problems. The third picture is a poster that sparked my interest, I wanted to show the different ways of wearing a mask. This is located at my job, at the Milwaukee County Zoo where masks are required throughout the park. These signs are placed all throughout the park to remind guests to wear their masks correctly so they don't harm anyone else. The use of Keith Haring's dumb, death and blind characters will help symbolize part of society that don't understand the correct way of wearing a mask in which is very simple to understand.
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Planning Sketches
In my first planning sketch, The one I intend to use, I show the different ways of wearing a mask. Two of which are wrong, and one that is correct. In the first figure (left), the "dumb" character is wearing his mask below his mouth and nose, which is as effective as wearing no mask. As well in the second figure (middle) who has it over his eyes. I thought this would also take a comedic turn and make other laugh. The third figure (right) is wearing it over the nose and mouth and is holding a heart as a symbol for caring for others during the pandemic.
In my second planning sketch, I liked this idea, but I didn't find it as effective and it didn't bring as much awareness to the situation as I had hoped for. Both figures are wearing their masks correctly, and the figure on the left is holding a heart. Similar to planning sketch 1, the heart is a symbol for caring for others. The figure on the left is meant to be handing over the heart to the figure on the right. The figure on the right is supposed to be surprised and in "awe" from the actions of the figure on the left. I wanted the "wear your mask" to be large, so that it was the main thing people noticed. However, I felt as though, I wanted the figures to speak louder than words. The lettering felt too big and took too much attention from what I wanted to demonstrate. In my third planning sketch, I used the same figures from planning sketch 1, but combined both planning sketch one and two. However, all 3 figures are wearing their masks properly and all have hearts. This is important to show that everyone has to do their part in order to get through this. I included the "wear your mask" but I don't think this is as good as the first planning sketch in my personal opinion. Therefore, I won't be using this sketch to continue my block print. |
Experimentation
Part of my experimentation consisted of me forgetting that my picture flips when I print it on the paper. From junior year with my first block print, I noticed that the picture flips but I didn't think of it when I was created this one. I carved the piece exactly how I wanted it without thinking that it would flip when I was creating the final piece. In the first picture, (my third print), I liked how it turned out, it was a crisp image, but I continued to print even though I knew that it wouldn't change. However, I thought I would just invert it for the final product since it was too late to start over. The third picture is the print I took right after the first picture, this time, I didn't add any ink to the lino. After I took it off the paper, I realized that it wasn't the best idea and I would have to continue to add ink in order to get a good print.
Process
- The first step was to make my planning sketches, and once I picked one out, seen in the first photo, I drew it onto the lino cut. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do the graphite transfer method because when I tried a small part of it to test if it would work, it wouldn't show up.
- After I drew it on the lino cut, seen in picture 2 and 3, I carved my drawing, the things I colored in, I specifically didn't want to carve, and leaving the background as is.
- Once I finished the carving process, in picture 4, I placed my ink on a board, and I began to spread it out (also in picture 5) making an even coat.
- Once I had it spread out evenly, I made sure I had enough on my brayer, where in picture 6, I set the ink onto the lino cut, to start the printing process.
- When the lino cut was covered in ink, I grabbed my printing paper, and neatly placed it onto the lino cut, so it would create a nice image.
- Unfortunately, I didn't have a barren to apply pressure between the paper and the lino cut, I had to improvise and use my hand to apply pressure and make sure that the image shows up.
- I then lifted up the paper to reveal the print and set it out to dry
- Lastly, I repeated steps 3-4 until I felt satisfied with a finished product.
Reflection
Overall, I was satisfied with the finished product once I inverted it. I didn't think it through that when I printed it, the image would flip, but I think it provided a good learning experience to understand that this happens with any kind of printing, if I plan to do it in the future. The image itself brings awareness to everyone since we are all dealing with this pandemic, and it brings more attention that wearing a mask is important and the correct way is a way of love to everyone. I don't know if the piece would be as good if there weren't any words just because people would maybe get the wrong idea. If I knew that the words would affect the printing process, chances were that I wouldn't have included them. Maybe I would include the words and not have done a poster, and most likely considered photo shop or illustration. Besides the little mistakes I faced along the way, I like how the carving turned out and how the piece turned out in general.
Compare and Contrast
Similarities
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ACT Responses
1) Clearly explain and describe how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
My piece and Haring's piece Ignorance=Fear and Crack Is Wack all use unity and send out a message to the public to bring awareness.
2)What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Haring raised awareness around many issues like the crack epidemic, AID's, and many more, which was put out in public for others to see.
3)What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I learned more about how art can change an audience's perspective on an important issue
4)What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
I specifically wanted to focus on the pandemic going on and bringing attention to the matter that many people don't know a basic concept such as wearing a mask.
5)What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
I can conclude that Haring was aware in the world around him and wanted to advocate for change.
My piece and Haring's piece Ignorance=Fear and Crack Is Wack all use unity and send out a message to the public to bring awareness.
2)What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Haring raised awareness around many issues like the crack epidemic, AID's, and many more, which was put out in public for others to see.
3)What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I learned more about how art can change an audience's perspective on an important issue
4)What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
I specifically wanted to focus on the pandemic going on and bringing attention to the matter that many people don't know a basic concept such as wearing a mask.
5)What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
I can conclude that Haring was aware in the world around him and wanted to advocate for change.
Bibliography
All That's Interesting. "The Story Behind Keith Haring's Original 'Crack Is Wack' Mural." 13 June 2019. Web. 09 Nov. 2020.
"Keith Haring's Ignorance = Fear: Political Activism." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 23 Aug. 2019. Web. 09 Nov. 2020.
"Keith Haring's Ignorance = Fear: Political Activism." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 23 Aug. 2019. Web. 09 Nov. 2020.