Final: Body Image

Artist Statement

My Big Idea is body image with a focus on anorexia. I chose to explore this big idea because my sister struggled with this eating disorder for four years and nearly died. Since my sister has been healthy for nine years, I had to use photographs taken of her during the battle. For the first image I combined photos and a watercolor that I painted of my sister when she was sick. I hope this image conveys how serious anorexia is and how it can take up residence and consume one’s mind, body and spirit. Ironically, the word “eat” is in the middle of the word “death” and I intentionally positioned the word over her mouth.

In the second image I used a photograph that I took of Ashley after she defeated anorexia. In this shot she is obviously healthy and well with the eating disorder behind her, literally and figuratively. I also used the last stanza of a poem she wrote to further explain her victory. The color used in this image is inspired from the artist in my blog number four. I tried to make everything black and white except for Ashley. I want her to look full of life while everything else looks dull.

In both images my goal in Photoshop was to better my skills in masking and also perfecting all the other skills we have learned through the quarter. I also researched artists that use body image as their big idea in their artwork and I tried using some of their design techniques. I found this very helpful in creating my final images.