CLAIRE'S PORTFOLIO
Project #2
"The Insane Mind"
Outline
This project was inspired by a poem labelled "The Insane Mind", and it portrays someone searching through their mind for a certain idea or thought while others also reach out and try to grab the person. This inspired me to portray someone trying to find their idea(represented by the hand they are grabbing) while others are trying to hold onto them.
I started off by going digital and drawing in grayscale, so I could get the lighting more accurate. I had the background be lighter than the final piece so I could see the contrast within the painting, especially since I had the intent to have the hands glowing.
After I got far enough in grayscale, I made a gradient map in an orange-yellow tone. I wanted the light to hit the woman's face from below to portray the feeling of frustration.
Here, I began to edit the background so the hands and woman could contrast against the dark background, and make it more visually appealing.
Our
Story
Conclusion
The final piece is 2961px in width and 1959 px in length. This piece relates to my inquiry question through the struggles and extra effort women have to go through to be taken seriously. While I made this piece for a poem, I was inspired through the incredible efforts women have to put into their daily work to simply be taken seriously in their work, which is portrayed through the woman's frustration as she tries to "gain the attention" of one of the hands.
I decided to go digital with this piece because it would provide a lighting I could not offer with paint, which would provide more dramatic lighting onto the face of the woman through the glowing hands, which seems to be grabbing her to pull her down. This part of the painting represents how women often try to gain the attention and respect from the world around them, while the patriarical society simply wants to grab them and drag them down.