I feel like I haven't made any actual art in a while, let alone actually said anything about anything. It's been a long week, in both good and bad ways. First off, I was accepted into college, and then (for lack of better words) I accepted my acceptance to that school (I'm officially a Blue Demon!). Gymnastics is shut down, which I feared would happen, due to the rising cases in IL. It'll be closed at least until after the holidays, which scares me, but it is what it is (I wish people would just follow guidelines and wear masks)... I've been frustrated lately, mostly artistically. I go through times where I'm not satisfied with anything, nothing is good enough but all I want to do is create. There are a few larger projects I've been working on in the background, two for school and one personal. The personal one I haven't had much time to work on, but I'm hoping I will over the next few days (since I'm on break.) So yep. Lots of moving parts right now. Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe Thanksgiving!
(HB pencil on a 139mm x 87mm postcard) It's not surprising that the pandemic would inspire me to do a work such as this. How could it not? It shows both the growing need for social interaction people have in isolation, along with the need to protect themselves. These two things have come together in a piece depicting a strange group of gate-crashing party-goers.
"Mask Parade"
#doodle #masks #collaboration #unite #fun
My interpretation of fun and collaboration in doodling in a global scale, where different cultural masks of the world unite to work on a doodle.
Part of Paintable's intro to digital painting course; quick exercise on layering, masking, color choice, and texture. Was provided line art of a cactus and brushes. Source: https://paintable.cc/
This piece critiques the modern tendency to hide identity behind brands and consumerism.
* Visual Focus: The mask is partially obscured by a fitted baseball cap, with the bill pulled down to cover one eye. The cap itself is a symbol of brand identity and fast-fashion culture. The uncovered eye retains an unsettling, almost mechanical gaze.
* Symbolism:
* The Cap: Represents the societal practice of hiding behind brands and allowing consumerism to dictate self-worth and block out unwanted truths. The act of seeing is deliberately curtailed.
* The Mask: Emphasizes that the consumer identity is often a façade-a manufactured mask that prevents others from truly
"seeing" the individual, while simultaneously restricting the individual's full sight of the world.
This portrait is the darkest in the series, examining the internal malice that persists even when communication is restricted, illustrating that evil doesn't require a loud voice.
* Visual Focus: The mask's mouth is horrifyingly held closed across the center by surgical thread and a needle, which only covers half of the wide, unnerving smile. The stitching reveals a set of sharp, feral teeth underneath. Disturbingly, a pair of prominent horns protrude from the top of the mask's head.
* Symbolism:
* The Stitched Mouth: Represents the idea of selective silence or the censorship of truth. The fact that the stitching only covers half the mouth highlights the "half-done" nature of modern morality. The revealed sharp teeth suggest that even in silence, the capacity for vicious, cutting, or "devilish" speech remains barely contained. Showed directly on the piece by the date being misleading.
* The Horns: A classic, unambiguous symbol of the Devil or pure malice. This is the figure's core identity—it suggests that even while hiding behind a neutral mask and being partially silenced, the individual's "tongue like the devil" and evil intent are still very much present, emphasizing the inherent corruption and hypocrisy behind the facade.
This is my study of the destroyed Darth Vader mask.from the movie Star Wars, "The Force Awakens. This ink rendering was my design for the pumpkin carving contest held every year at The Chadds Ford Pa Historical Society headquarter.
I chose to do this mask because it illustrates what is the ultimate destination for all who chose to live in the darkness of sin,in stead of living in the the light of righteousness.
The mask belong to the villain Darth Vader , who die while trying to force his son to join the dark side of the force. So I thought the destroyed mask over the letters "The Dark Side Of The Force." reflect the Biblical principle " Sin gives birth to death."
Written by Stephen J.Vattimo
Oct 24,2016
