Abstract beetle # 1
edbje
Ideas: 3 lino cut pieces portraying the patterns of bettles and nature
For these three pieces, I wanted to create an abstract pattern based on the patterns I've seen in nature and bugs. I was fascinated by the way that nature seems to just grow these unique patterns and shapes, so I decided to play around with them. I don't have a solid meaning down for this series since it started out with just fascination, but I really want to expand on this portrayal of shapes in nature and the supposed "perfect-ness" of them, and how we can relate that back to humans and their creation too. I know this is kind of wonky and weird, but It's one finished piece I have right now. I am also using this for my college portfolio.
Materials: iPad, Linoleum block, carving tools, printing ink
Process: I created design on iPad, transferred to linoleum block, carved pattern out, used screen printing ink to print design on paper
*I will be re-printing the final image, this was just a test run and the design came out good, caved out the scrap bits that showed up in the test run*
REFLECTION: *THIS REFLECTION IS BASICALLY THE SAME FOR MY OTHER FINISHED PIECE BECAUSE IT APPLIES TO ALL THREE PIECES OF THIS SERIES* (i will go more in depth on the processes aspect for the second finished piece instead of focusing on the meaning behind it)
This doesn't necessarily go with my inquiry question I have now, but I am planning on changing my inquiry anyways, and I've put in a good amount of effort on this series for my college portfolio and it is a finished piece.
I think this project was a very interesting one to do, and it also helped me hone my skills with lino cutting. Since I created the original image on my iPad, it had the most straight lines it could possibly have, so I had to be really thoughtful and careful when cutting out the design on the linoleum to get it as close as I could to the original image. I obviously couldn't get it as straight because I'm a human, but I think that the result was actually closer to the message I wanted to portray. Having the imperfections in the design made it feel more natural and as if it was created by nature, because nature was created with flaws. Even though my goal at the beginning was to make the design as perfect as it could be, because I viewed the patterns I was creating to be the image of perfect, I think the end result was much more truthful and connected (although that determination did help me get better at carving). The idea that many people strive for, which is to be perfect, whether it be through their physical appearance or their actions or behaviors--- is something that isn't truly attainable in the sense society is looking at. The perfect state is actually not perfect, it is a state of growth, which is something I overlooked at the beginning of the creation of this project. Although patterns in nature are seen to be perfect, there is always a difference -- between organisms within the same species, plants, trees; everything in nature is different and "unperfect", just as humans are. I know this kinda sounds confusing, but even the pictures I had of the animals had imperfections-- an antenna was crooked, none of the leaves looked the same etc. Scientists regard nature as a perfect creation, and nothing in nature looks exactly the same, so why should humans uphold themselves to a standard of looking "perfect" when perfect is really "unperfect"?
( I know this is really confusing and I could probably make a better portrayal of this idea to connect back to meaning, but this is one of the only finished pieces I have at the moment, If you want me to revise to try to connect the print more to the meaning next semester then I can)