Wallpaper Panel Portrait

-Explain the content of your artwork. What mood were you trying to set, if any? What is your relationship with the person you chose to represent in your artwork? How did you use symbolism to represent your chosen person and/or convey a mood?

I did the singer Solange, and my relationship to her is that she is one of my favorite people ever. She's really the unofficial ambassador of the carefree black girl movement. She is a gorgeous, driven, powerful figure. Because of that, I decided to depict her through my artwork as a strong, lithe, queen. So that's why I dressed her like that.I did the water in the background and around the borders is signify her voice. If you ever here Solange sing, it's like waves, liquid and crashing with each swell of music. It's absolutely breathtaking. And the flowers with her lyrics stand for her career blossoming, which it really has been. 

-Describe your process. What materials did you use? If you were to do this project again what would you do the same and what would you do differently?

I used colored tissue paper and a glue/water mixture for the flowers and for some definition to the waves. It gave the flowers a nice three dimensional look and made it possible to make the colors blend and bleed the way I wanted them to. I used a black and white photo of Solange, and drew in more ringlets in her fro with pastels. I though it added something to cool to her otherwise two toned photo, and it also gave me the opportunity to use one of my favorite art materials. Most of the bacground is paint, with a variety of different strokes. For instance, most of the background is long brush strokes with full paint, but around the face and hair of my person, I used a dry brush method to give her the different colored halos, so she would look that much more regal. I used that same method to add more colors to the waves. I also to add texture at the shirt area that I had created along with the neck, so I found this soft fuzzy brown string. I glued it on to the body, and then painted over the fur with some very diluted ink. It just gave the piece because it looked very worn like an old sweater and made the piece more believable. I don't think I would really change much, because i am very happy with how it came out. Maybe I would do the tissue paper flowers last so that I wouldn't be so worried about possibly dropping other materials on it, but I really enjoyed what came out of it. 

-Overall, how successful is your final composition

I think it really works. With how neutral the background is, the face really stands out and remains the focal point even with all the other things going on in the piece. It really looks like something that would go on her website or even her next album cover. I am very proud of the piece I made, and I really think I captured her essence. Maybe one day she'll see it!