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Ideas: Display various different aspects of identity through color, depth, media, and different techniques.
Materials: Acrylic paint, oil pastel, color pencil, alcohol marker, cardboard, newspaper, glue, paper, and canvas
Processes: Canvas sketch, newspaper background; layered monochrome face pieces build depth, added piece by piece.
Resources: Drawing inspiration from Pablo Picasso’s block portraits with the use of contrasting colors and a sense of depth
References - Pablo Picasso
In my exploration of identity within my painting, I found inspiration in Pablo Picasso's block portraits, drawn to their use of contrast, light, and perspective. Picasso's distinctive approach to deconstructing forms resonated with my attempt to dissect and reveal different parts of identity. Much like Picasso's ability to convey the complexity of human experience in his portraits, my painting aspires to mirror the layers of identity in a compelling manner.
"Identity Unraveled"
Mixed media
16" x 12"
Pablo Picasso's block portraits
Reflection
I began this piece by creating the background I chose to use newspapers from my soccer team's regional final and state final games as a way to add a touch of my personal identity without taking away from the subject. With an emphasis on identity, I knew I was going to experiment on this piece with different mediums, materials, and techniques just as people experiment with their own identities. I wanted the piece to reach out to the viewer. I use cardboard as a way to add depth to the painting to symbolize the areas of our identity that we project more to our peers and monochrome color schemes of the subject to display pieces of our identity that we withdraw from others. I combined these materials and methods on purpose to make a unified and expressive piece that fits well with the main theme of exploring identity.
In creating this piece, I intentionally embraced experimentation by exploring various materials and techniques. Unlike previous assignments where I stuck to a single medium, I used my sketchbook to test perspectives, techniques, and materials. Peer feedback encouraged me to incorporate newspapers into the background, a technique I continued refining. This exploration shifted my focus to self-expression and identity. The composition became a platform for experimenting with color, materials, perspective, contrast, and media, demonstrating my commitment to practice, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
This artwork became a guide for what I plan to create next. I'm excited to incorporate the mediums I discovered through experimentation here. My upcoming pieces will still reflect important parts of my life, and I aim to keep using symbolism. I'll introduce more subjects in future works, along with a narrative that viewers can interpret.
Process of creation in pictures
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