Emotions
Initial pieces of work demonstrating different emotions.
Chirpy Cheeks
Paper-mache figurine, expressing cheerfulness
Angry Pants
Paper-mache figurine, expressing anger
Annoyed
Linear embroidery, using a variety of stitches.
Annoyed with colour
Linear embroidery, using a variety of stitches, accentuating certain features using colour
Miserable
Low relief mixed-media portrait, exaggerating the expression.
Happy
Appliqued portrait, using contrasting fabrics to demonstrate happiness.
I took inspiration for the papermache figurines from visiting ‘The Creature Show’ exhibition at the Touchstones gallery in Rochdale, in March this year. I loved the quirkiness and humour that Julie Arkell incorporates within her little characters. In both of mine, I am expressing ‘happy’ and ‘angry’ emotions. I spent quite a bit of time creating these figurines, and still, I felt that there was something missing. On reflection, I feel they are missing the small but significant details we perceive when looking at someone’s facial expressions.
For my next portraits, I took photos of my boyfriend, who happily modelled a variety of different types of emotions for me. These are the black linear, stitched studies. I concentrated on exaggerating particular features and embroidered these portraits, as if the needle was a pencil.
I used applique when producing the most recent poses, incorporating pattern and colour.
