The Lost Marionette
Exhibition Text :
In my piece "The Lost Marionette," I combine the ideals within Katja Kemnitz's collage of children plush photos, and craft out an idea that merges within themes of abandonment, and betrayal. My piece depicts a relationship between controlling parents and their children and how it had affected the condition of the child.
: Artist Inspiration :
The inspiration for this piece derives from the photo sequence "too much love" by Katja Kemnitz. The piece takes a past versus present feel towards the use of children stuffed animals. Using models given by others to demonstrate how much the stuffed animals have changed compared to their past form. As shown form the photo towards the left, the stuffed animal has almost gotten shriveled and almost looks completely different, almost like a bootleg, but instead it's cause the stuffed animal was loved so much. The differing photos bring a gentle and careful view towards how children can connect towards gifts they enjoy, and I loved the idea of seeing how something had changed over the years, which is what I wanted to grasp. |
Another photo from the series is depicted towards the right, quick observations are the change between the feel of the plush and how the fur has shrunk. My piece wanted to take that idea and form it into a different affect. I will depict it more in my planning but I combined the idea of having a almost new and fresh looking product and comparing it to something that looks worn out, but for an entirely different reason that is more sad than what Katja is depicting with the series. Instead of using a plush however, I wanted to use something that is controlled, something that also has a more human figure, but keep the idea of a left and right depiction of change through the product. As the used monkey plush to the right looks the way it does because of love and care, what if it was because it had benne left behind (?) That was the idea I wanted to incorporate.
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This last photo connects with that idea a lot more, not only has the past product look refined and new, it has differing features than the used one on the right. The plush has a grand teal-ish color and has a nice white pattern along it’s neck. While the now has drained away that teal color and has even lost a prominent feature towards the plush. Of course this was probably because over time things change and kids lose things, but what if instead it was for the carelessness of the caretaker? The idea doesn’t connect towards what Katja is actually showing, but my idea stems from the feeling of an old versus new product. |
Planning :
My first page of planning consists of idea building and character building. Like said before, my idea from Katja’s photo series wanted to have something that was more controlled, and I remembered the fact that marionettes and puppets exist. So I thought, what if instead of creating a child, parents were given a marionette that they would have to grow into a person. The idea stems towards the abandonment of that same child and how they were affected by it, and how parents put pressure on children, and once the child makes one mistake, they stop being a respectable person towards them. Instead of what would happen in reality however, the parents throw behind the doll and she rots away (which is depicted towards the bottom right). Within taking the past versus present take, I wanted to show the malfunction and destruction of the doll because of the parents leaving and throwing her away to rot since they didn’t want to keep controlling her.
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For my second page of planning, I consisted on driving through the same themes I wanted to carry out, but more on how to do that. The figure towards the left captured the disassembled parts of the doll as her strings have left and are leaning towards the floor. People say that marionettes are controlled but their face tells a different story, taking that idea, I wanted the past doll to have a prime expression that shows the happiness of being granted a caring family, at least at first, while I wanted the doll of the future to have a broken expression, one that has been corrupted and shriveled with the pain of the dolls face. Except I wanted that doll to also have human traits as well, as her expression changes, and she bleeds out when losing limbs. To why the parents have left her like this? Parents have such big ideals towards their creations and when they disobey rules, it takes the drive of parents and how they decide to be a parent to affect the child’s condition and expression.
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My final page of planning actually has the sketch for the final idea that would be transferred to my tablet to line and color. This page shows the actual idea of the piece, as it shows the left to right change and little descriptions of the story behind both figures. The one to the left is depicted as hopeful and excited towards the future, as she is controlled, she keeps a smile expression with widened eyes towards the world she is viewing. As for the one in the shadows to her right, she gives a grim and betrayed expression laying on the floor as that’s all she can do, as she has lost some of her body parts and has no one available to fix the scars left towards her face form all the time of abandonment. Coming from Katja’s photo series, we go from a bright figure to a worn away one, which was what I wanted to carry out within the piece. |
Process :
Within my initial sketch from the planning phase above, I took a photo of it and had done the line art over the beginning sketch. While I was doing the line art over the sketch, I had trouble within getting the correct facial expression as it seemed too--unreal--compared to something that looked fake but actually real. One of the eyes was bugging in the wrong direction, but this was eventually fixed later. When I am doing line-art most of my lines stay a natural and strict length, which differentiates me from other digital artists that I usually look into. After such was finished I started coloring the piece based off of my line directions.
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Within my coloring I choose the color blue and it's various shades within the coloring of the outfit. Blue often represents youth, as babies can be usually categorized by one or two colors. Instead, I believe blue brought within a change between the impurities of the perfect daughter that her parents wanted. I decided on various other colors because they aligned well within the blue color, more specifically because a full blue outfit would've looked too blue in my opinion. With the doll to the right, I gave her the same colors of blue but a segment darker as she is left in the previous shadow of the youthful bright girl before her. I also decided on directing the strings and how it represents the standing between the parent and doll relationship.
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Within finalizing the coloring on the different outfits, I had to work within shading. I have changed between how I color skin as a transparent black sure adds difference, but it is highly un-accurate depending along the type of skin. I instead used a more orange look for overall shading of the skin, while also lining specific motions that kept the form of a regular puppet or marionette. Within the outfit itself, I overall would take the original color and lower it to a darker tone that would eventually be put into places where shadows would occur. This was to include Katja's reference to the decaying/decomposing of material items, as the outfit of the doll to the right would eventually be scraped and ripped apart. This shows the carelessness of the parental controllers of the puppet. Another thing was to add actual human features to the doll to give that real affect, as I drew along parts of the body a deadly red color that indicated the bleeding of the doll recognized by her lost limbs and bad condition. All that was left was to work on the surrounding ideas of the background. Which was a simpler experience that models after the photo series, but adds a part towards it.
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Now it was time for the background, following my sketch I wanted a separating barrier, or as if an empty wall behind the two puppets. My initial thing between making backgrounds is outlining specific portions, as this was more simple as the black color aligned with my inspiration, giving most of the focus onto the main object itself. Now that the background had looked pretty solid, it was time for the lighting and approach to adding mood. I created another layer with brighter colors aligning towards the top-left of the piece, this adds the hopeful feel towards the doll as she was in her prime ready to experience the view of the world. I put much darker colors around the doll to the right as it combines with the being left in the shadows mood towards the piece. After all that was finished I used the functions of ProCreate to add brightness and changed between coloring that would add towards the piece, even a specific feature to add almost a fabric to the puppets. When that was all done, I combines various lines of white to go along the barrier of the piece, which represented a tangled and boxed up feeling, which ended the piece.
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Experimentation :
Something that happened casually during the process of my work was color choice, as most of it was blind towards me. As I chose what color would be represented within the figure depending on what I thought was best. As I depicted the specifics of the color blue, there was also changes to the color of hair within the piece, and whether I wanted to keep the dress blue, or switch between inside and outside colors. Which would fit within the separating pieces of the work. Even the background was split between if I was using a correct blue to highlight a specific area of interest or if I am trying to hard to grasp that feeling and going overboard within the process. Eventually I figured something suitable, but it was still a decision to be tested within the works.
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As per usual, I experimented within character design within my sketch process. The figures along the certain pages do align within different ideals of how I wanted the dress to look, if it would go within any other culture, or etc. Would the positioning of the doll be different if I made her look towards a boxed condition like a newly made toy, or if I put her in a more dramatic position, literally, as in on a stage performing for others. The process between designing phase is an important piece of experimentation to be shown off between the works ideals and execution. In the end, I stuck within something closer to my inspiration which went much better.
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: Critique :
Similarities:
- My work and Katja's series both align with the past verses worn-out future affect within the figured we depict through our differing medias
- The worn out side of both of our pieces align with a more used out and torn up effect within change of a product
- We both use products typically predicted towards use for a child or for the entertainment of a child, and eventually something they will grow out of
- My piece offers a sad rendition of abandonment, while Katja's piece grows more towards the feeling of loving a cherished item that was given during someone's childhood that they found important.
- My piece is created and depicted digitally, while Katja uses photography to show her idea
- Katja's piece aligns towards different fluffy plushies while my piece goes with something less huggable, and more controlled like a doll/figure
Reflection :
In general, this piece was more of a filler piece to me, I had another idea that actually will be used towards my next project that I was going to casually carry out. Unfortunately, time runs fast and I created this entire piece often shortly than I usually could. Except, I really loved the idea and theme around this piece, originally I wanted to go for something scary, but my idea revolved around a really sad theme I wanted to carry out, because I have seen much more of disrespectful parents lately. I also was able to capture something I really liked looking into because stuffed animals have actually been an important piece into my own childhood and I saw they old versus new feel towards them in the past. Within that idea, I think I was able to fully demonstrate both emotions I was trying to play out with the lighting, expression, and position of both figures. I really enjoyed the finalization of the piece even if it was completed in a relatively shorted time than usual. Still the use of time-management would be a better skill if the opportunities in my life weren't so overwhelming.
Talking more towards my ideas and concepts, I really enjoyed looking towards marionettes and puppetry through the piece. My skills felt refined towards all I have done so far digitally and using features I hadn't normally used broadened my horizons within future pieces I create. I also love the darker themes within the piece, as it's something I hadn't really accomplished before through my other projects. Without the growth of all I had done so far, I wouldn't be where I am with my skills. Except there are still problems with my own ways, as many of my projects feel finished but still miss some sort of factor that I cannot figure out. I wish my timing was more refined and I wish to expand my style to enhance a creative and cute executed idea instead of something that looks almost bland like. I still think the project I have created has turned out pretty successful, but my journey to refine my skills still need some work with personal style and skills.
Talking more towards my ideas and concepts, I really enjoyed looking towards marionettes and puppetry through the piece. My skills felt refined towards all I have done so far digitally and using features I hadn't normally used broadened my horizons within future pieces I create. I also love the darker themes within the piece, as it's something I hadn't really accomplished before through my other projects. Without the growth of all I had done so far, I wouldn't be where I am with my skills. Except there are still problems with my own ways, as many of my projects feel finished but still miss some sort of factor that I cannot figure out. I wish my timing was more refined and I wish to expand my style to enhance a creative and cute executed idea instead of something that looks almost bland like. I still think the project I have created has turned out pretty successful, but my journey to refine my skills still need some work with personal style and skills.
: Connecting to the ACT :
- Clearly explain and describe how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork?
When first looking at Katja's work within the too much loved series, I really liked the idea of a material item basically decreasing in value towards others, but holding special value towards someone else, I thought the idea was really sweet, but also wanted to mad it much more sad.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My inspirations initial approach revolves around her series "Too much love," she takes intake onto how people's special objects identify themselves in the future.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
The idea of plush stuffed animals hold a special value to someone that cannot be rid of even if the animal looses the value towards the future, the bond between them can grow higher and higher.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My research was basically in-depth onto how marionette's work and act as well as looking for something loosing its initial value towards someone. Unfortunately I had no research into fictional parenting, but more towards things I have witnessed in life.
5. What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
I was able to inference that material desire can be important to some, but spiritual desire ca overpower that feeling into a special and sweet relationship.
: Citations in MLA Format :
“Marionettes.” Museums Victoria, https://museumsvictoria.com.au/learning/little-science/teacher-support-materials/marionettes/#:~:text=Marionettes%20are%20puppets%20that%20are,using%20a%20horizontal%20control%20bar.
Twyman, Harry. “Puppet Arts.” The Major Experience, 20 Dec. 2016, https://tme.uconn.edu/explore-majors/profiles/puppet/.
Twyman, Harry. “Puppet Arts.” The Major Experience, 20 Dec. 2016, https://tme.uconn.edu/explore-majors/profiles/puppet/.