Silkscreen Project: "On Top"

The past few weeks we've been working on silkscreening, and voila! The product of all my work - "On Top." Here comes the beloved evaluation...

Matrix: Obviously, color and contrast were a big part of this composition. I think the repetition structure was made almost monotonous (intentionally) by the sheer number of images that were repeated, and the vertical arrangement created a sense of gravity which was strengthened by the gradation of value in the background. Texture and informal balance also played a role in guiding the viewer through the work, top to bottom.

Engaging Design: Warhol used excessive repetition to desensitize his viewers from shocking, ironic, or blunt reflections of the times in which he lived. Similarly, I aimed to desensitize the viewer from my image by making the design and plays on gravity more important. By flipping the image and repeating it many times in a structure which gradates downward, the viewer is distracted by the reversal of balance/gravity, just as Warhol's viewers were desensitized by his layering and repetition.

Effective Integration of Concept and Design: As stated above, my composition was all about gravity in order to desensitize the viewer from a reflection on consumerism. The model (from America's Next Top Model) is laying on the building in suggestive clothing and bangles as if she owns it. By making the viewer focus on the design aspect of the piece - that the sense of balance is flipped - an ironic view of what it means to be "on top" is communicated.

Informed Risk-Taking Beyond Technically Controlling the Medium: I think using the bright background colors developped the composition by creating a stronger sense of contrast. The colors and values are so bold and separated so definitely that the structure is kept from seeming as if it is moving from top to bottom; the gravitational balance is simply flipped.

Original Vision: I think the piece demonstrated my own sense of design pretty well. I don't know that this piece fits in with my others as far as a personal voice is concerned though. Warhol aimed to simply reflect his society without comment; I however have no intention of creating art with no message, no meaning.

Excellence in Quality: The structure and overall presentation were very strong for grabbing the viewer's attention, but a few areas became a little blurry when the ink stuck to the page because each page was colored using thicker (I think acrylic?) ink. The only improvement I could think to make would be to color the paper using something thinner so the screen and ink would produce sharper images.

This composition dealt with consumerism and media influence by taking an image reflecting a detatched society that's all about having it all and using it to create a detatched, gravity focused design. This allowed me to also shift the focus of the idea of portraiture to the character of a person - reflected through their expression, their environment, and how they interact with it - rather than just their face or appearance.