hand narrative

My inspiration for this work was conveying a certain feeling of not just the vulnerability in femininity but the rawness and the feeling of being prey, or meat. The  design in the hands and arms are meant to portray a sensitivity, and tenderness. This girl/woman is stripped of her skin revealing her muscles and veins.  

The process of making this was very experimental. I started off with a rough sketch and I intended to transfer it onto canvas or watercolor paper but instead I modge-podged it to a canvas and painted over it. After  I completed the initial painting I went in with gel pen and ink to add small detail with highlights and definition.

I did a few sketches before I settled for one and had a few I didn't like. I was having difficulty translating the idea in my head onto paper. I was planning on doing a more detailed background since the subject was somewhat realistic, but I was inspired from the abstract painting classes I took this summer and did a more deconstructed background of foliage.