M4 The Art of Competition
I chose the Nord Art Exhibition competition which is open to all artists in any media:
The deadline is November 30, 2017 and simply requires the artists apply with up to 10 images of artwork.
SHAWOMAN
[Please forgive my rough drawings which I know are not quite balanced but are my preliminary sketches for my design idea.]
Since this is my final semester I wanted to create a holistic piece that is a culmination of ideas from all of my classes and natural health work. Since I have not had the chance to use my digital design work in any of my artwork I thought this would be the perfect time to have graphic design be the core of the piece.
This will be a 3-dimensional wall hanging with the primary focal point a mixed media image in its center based on the Mayan goddesses Ah-Wink-Ir-Masa, the goddess of animals (hers is the deer totem animal hence the deer antlers on the mask) and Alaghom-Naom-Tzentel, the goddess of thought and intellect, Ixchel, a multi-faceted goddess of rain, healing, and battle.
I want to create a wall piece with a natural framework like my previous art (please see example here to see full concept) but have a large center print which is half the face of a Mayan goddess (a mix of the 3 in a photograph of my friend) and half a warrior mask rendered digitally to look like metal and wood.
I want to have the Mayan tree of life as the background on the left faded out but still visible (as my simple lines show below) and add color. This drawing is obviously in pencil but this would be a photograph and drawn digital elements over it so it will be colorful and more Mayan in its golden hues and texture (ideally!)
[Half photo on Left side/half mask digital design on right]
Then ideally, I’ll create a separate 3-d mask that hangs in front of the image made of natural materials. This piece is meant to be burned in a traditional native sage and healing ceremony as I have done for all my healing art pieces.
The eye of the goddess’ mask would be of onyx to make the 2-dimensional mask image come alive and add another healing element to the piece. I have stones and leaves to add texture to the 2 dimensions and connect the natural elements with the printed and I will add metal fixtures to the wood frame to bring some more modern texture so the two elements come together.
I will use Photoshop to create effects and several layers of images that make the photograph I will take of my Brazilian friend look more ancient and Mayan and the mask look metal and wood. I will use Illustrator and Indesign to create an overlay of text and symbols across the image with a Mayan prayer for healing in a way that suggests it is ancient text on a modern page. I can't draw this but I have an idea of what it will look like: I want a look and mix of metal and wood warrior armor, tribal mask, ancient symbols, and modern goddess. It’s a lot to ask but a friend needs a little warrior strength and healing so I thought I would make something that also has tons of symbolism and healing elements woven into its design and still stands alone as a powerful piece of art (hopefully).
My biggest challenges will be to take the photographs of mask elements and combine them into a mask that looks both real and ancient. Finding font and creating symbols that match the style I am looking for beyond Papyrus will be a challenge as well. But the main issue I foresee is in making all of the parts work together so the rough, real, natural elements blend with the digital composition and the image rests in the center organically.
