Category: Studio

Chapter 34:
My present situation was one in which all voluntary thought was swallowed up and lost. I was hurried away by fury; revenge alone endowed me with strength and composure; it moulded my feelings and allowed me to be calculating and calm at periods when otherwise delirium or death would have been my portion. (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. 1818)

During the final critique, we were able to see the work of other students and receives feedback on our own work.

Concept art for the monsters.

Sketchbook and development of the story.

Chapter 9:
Nothing is more painful to the human mind than, after the feelings have been worked up by a quick succession of events, the dead calmness of inaction and certainty which follows and deprives the soul both of hope and fear. (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein.  1818)

The assignment required we used only dry medium. I was looking to great a foggy ambiance, as if all the neighbour and figures watching the main character were undefined, and all similar. They could all phase into one. Plus the mist, or the fog is omnipresent and can sneak in everywhere.

I tried using markers but the result was too sharp for what I wanted to make. I wasn’t able to blend them the way I wanted.

Colour pencil were more appropriate for the project. I was able to create more subtle nuances, and the result fitted with my expectation.

Chapter 5:
It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that al- most amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. 1818)

From the beginning, I had a clear idea of the atmosphere I want to create. The song reminded me of industrial and mechanical ambiance, but had a very monotonous tone. I was looking for colours representing this sensation I felt while listening to it.

The blue though, was an obvious choice due to the mention of “the blue light of a TV” in the song. I chose a vivid light blue to represent it.

I tried using warm greys and sepia at first but the tone was too warm, and didn’t represented well the cold and mechanical aspect of the song. I settled with a light and a dark grey to create contrast.

Chapter 4:
From this day natural philosophy, and particularly chemistry, in the most comprehensive sense of the term, became nearly my sole occupation. I read with ardour those works, so full of genius and discrimination, which modern inquirers have written on these subjects. (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. 1818)

At first, I thought about illustrating the story of the song literally : a house with someone building a strange machine with the neighbours watching him through their blinds.

But when I drew the neighbour through the blind, I transformed the blind into a ribcage. It lead me to reinterpret the story a different way.

Metaphorically, a house could represent yourself. The song’s theme is the way others look at you, and the way they judge you if you are not like them. I emphasized the eyes and the number of people looking at the subject.

I decided to work with different grey to give a monotonous aspect to the image. Only the TV blue mentioned in the song stands out and differentiate the main character from the others.

Chapter 2:
We were brought up together; there was not quite a year difference in our ages. I need not say that we were strangers to any species of disunion or dispute. Harmony was the soul of our companionship, and the diversity and contrast that subsisted in our characters drew us nearer together. (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. (1818))

As the name suggests, it was time to ad some music to the project. We were given a list of songs to choose from. The goal was to put our monster in a context and a story inspired by the chosen song.

I picked “What’s He Building?” by Tom Waits.

The songs resembles to a story told, with strange noises in the back, with old monotonous industrial sounds. It gives the song an eery and strange atmosphere.

The lyrics can be found here:  https://genius.com/Tom-waits-whats-he-building-lyrics

The song speaks from the point of view of nosy neighbours, spying on one “weird” man living alone. throughout the song, the rumours grow stronger and stronger, leading to the neighbours’ fear and nervousness. The end of the song suggest the neighbours will take action to uncover the true nature of the man’s actions.

I was also touched by the song “Samson” by Regina Spektor.

Letter 1 :

You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings. I arrived here yesterday, and my first task is to assure my dear sister of my welfare and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking. (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein. 1818 )

 

First of all, class. I attended lesson and was greeted by the teacher showing with diverse pictures of monsters, frankensteins and other horrors. (Though, when I saw that the most horrifying pictures was from the show “Walking Dead”, I realised I was truly desensitised and had spend too much time on the internet.) From Hannah Hocke to Kara Walker, the teacher encouraged us for the next exercise to explore our deepest fears.

Not a minute after, all the students are lying down, silhouetting their body on white paper.

The floor is covered by drawn life size human shapes, as if it was the theatre of morbid crime. The next step was to fill these empty body with what we feared the most. I forgot my drawing tools at home, but I manage to complete it within the time allowed with a graphite pen.

 

 

My monster is a composition of most of my fears or troubles at the time. From head to toe.

The hair for me is a symbol of strength and beauty, it ornate the face like a frame and it is the first things that interacts with the others. Here, it is made with fake crazy laughter (humour/armour) and reprimands.

There is only one eye, wide open in fear, the throat torn open exposing the vocals chords but no mouth. the tools for communication are presents on the inside, there is something to say, but it never reaches the outside. The sound is trapped inside the body. Without the possibility to express itself, the figure is powerless, seeing everything but unable to act.

Also, the throat has been sliced, as if the sound was redirected out in an unnatural way, a forced way out. Somehow, it’s about freedom of speech, you can say what you want as long as it fits everyone else opinions.

The fingers are cut, the hand is wounded and useless. I’m really afraid of hurting my hands and losing its capabilities.

There is a monster inside the ribcage: we’re ugly on the inside and we’re all monsters. There is something hidden away in us. The bones of the ribcage and else where refers to anorexia.

Old wound not healed and St-Michel are too personal to be able to talk about it

Veins are anxiety, they choke the body and the mind. It feels like they shrink from the inside and paralyse the muscle. As long as I remember, I’ve always been afraid of seeing my veins through my skin and everything related to blood transfusion.

The roots/tentacles on the legs are my fear of being trapped or motionless. When tangled in the ground, you are forced to become stagnant. I guess it could be also that I am afraid of my roots and where I come from.

 

In the end, was born our monster.
“IT’S ALIVE !”

Today we had to ‘’politicise’’ our work. Yay.

To politicise something means to give a political meaning or tone. In the context of university, ti would require us to add a political aspect to the work we do, and, obviously, to give opinion about issues or subjects.

For this session we had to experiment protest ourself. We wrote our inspiring words on a big paper, and we went outside to a place where our words could become a political statement.

I chose a sentence from Princess Mononoke, about finding balance in the world. I don’t see it in a political sense, it is more of a way of life or way to see the world to me, like a personal philosophy. I placed the text next to a tree with me in the background, as if I was hidden behind the idea. Though, it is impossible to read the text, due to a bad choice of colour. For me the idea was more important then the person who’s idea it is. This also why I decided to wear a mask. Not only because I’m extremely shy, but also because of the idea that doesn’t reflect who you are. Some might say that’s because you don’t assume your ideas. But hey ! Karl Marx wrote a whole book about ideas he didn’t act upon in his life.

Another of my classmate choose a quote about artist, and the UAL was the perfect place to show her protest. It’s about the new generation of artist, and a university of art are the perfect place for new generation to see her protest and reflect on it.

I don’t know how I feel about this. On one side there are tons of good things to fight for. But on the other hand, it feels useless. No protest are heard or talked about. It’s like barking at the clouds, it’s not going to affect them. Our teacher gave a few example of protest that were to reported in the newspaper, as if the event didn’t happened. When we look back in the past on what happened, there will be no trace. There are other ways to make a statement and to protest against injustice. Though trying to be constantly too political might steer you away from what you art is about, except if art is only political.

Though, I just want to write a few words about an event that happened in France last Saturday. The event was about protesting against the rising price of fuel: people blocked the roads and were asked not to spend money at all. I was very excited about the second part of this protest, but it is only scratching the surface of the real problem. Our society built on consummation is failing and it’s not by not consuming one day that it will change, but with reducing our consummation on the long term (buying more durable things, or product without packaging) that we can change things.

I have a strong feeling that if I want to change the world, I have to change myself first.