Sustained Investigation #8

Title: Intertwined

Size: 9'' x 8.5''

Statement:

This piece shows an outline of a body with an emphasis on the hair. Above the head is a moon. Around the subjects sides are flowers, and under the front foot is a sun. Around the figure is a bright red background. The figures hair is intertwined with the symbols around her. The red around her is meant to represent menstruation. The woman intertwined in the natural symbols is meant to also symbolize female connection with nature and the world. I wanted to keep the image simple, not using a lot of detail, in order to focus on the bright red background and the winding hair.

For the black outlines, I used black pen. For the hair, moon, flowers, and sun, I used watercolor. The bright red around the figure is done with red ink. Between the red background and the figure and symbols, I used a very light pink wash of watercolor.

First I started with a sketch of the body and hair. I initially was going to just do the body and the hair filling the page. I decided to add the symbols in order to further my idea of female connection with the natural world. I then did a light watercolor wash on the hair, moon, flowers, and sun. I originally was going to surround the female figure in bright red, but I thought that would be too much in one place. I then added the red around a bubble of pink around the figure. I like how bright the red came out and how her hair is entangled in everything around her.