Masked Identity

For the masked identity project we were to make a mask out of wire and tracing paper in a gel medium mix. I made one big mask along with six smaller masquerade masks for the people in my pictures. The way I looked at the project is this mask is a way to hide yourself or protect yourself from the world around you. The society we live in today has strict standards and social norms that are deemed acceptable. Everyone wants to be themselves but the pressure from peers and society causes us to put on this initial mask, which is the big one. After a while you are able to take this mask off but it's never fully gone, you are still aware of everyone around you and you keep a bit of the mask as a security blanket, this is what the little masks represent. As you take off your big mask there will always be a little mask to protect yourself from how you feel.

Process pics.

Each of the little masks were designed to reflect the personality of the person wearing it.

As for the big mask, it is inspired by chameleons and octopus, they both adapt and change to fit into their surrounding. To make them less noticeable and hidden, just like people do. The tentacles were a common thing between the two animals, a chameleon has a thick curly tail and an octopus has thick curled tentacles.

It's about time!

Carve two forms from life (a small, plastic animal) using soap as your medium. Observe and depict proportions.  Apply concepts of time to one of your carvings so that the form no longer represents your chosen animal.  Use the same animal for both forms.

Now the original idea for my turtle was influenced by a Native American myth about how a woman fell from the sky on a turtles back which was the Earth.

After placing in boiling water for a few seconds.

Blades of grass stuck into the turtles shell.

Green and brown crayons were melted over the turtle.

After the crayons.

Holes were twisted through his shell and filled with red food coloring.

Bottom half is soaked in water, the red food coloring washed off into the water.

With a lighter i burned him, his head and two legs fell off.

The aftermath of the burning.

I then smooshed him into a ball.

Cut holes and placed dried rose petals around the turtle.

And from death and destruction springs new life

All three together

Back view

Side view

Front view

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