For our final project in the art240 class, we were asked to study one subject through a series of 30 drawings. My original subject matter was bellies, and this evolved into a greater study of fat rolls and creases. I chose this subject because I wanted to challenge the unconscious way I chose to present my own body. Instead of minimizing stomach fat, I made it the focus of my piece.
The first two drawings were done with vine charcoal and pencil. I had less success with these materials, so I switched to india ink for the remaining pieces. Ink allowed me to capture the varied values in skin while keeping a uniform tone. Despite its permanence and lack of control, Ink has become my preferred material to work with.
This project was personally and technically challenging. This is the first time I’ve presented art that felt vulnerable. In my opinion this piece was successful, but incomplete. I believe that I am going to do more with this subject in the future. I would like to expand the belly wall to include reference material from more people.
