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Post by Clare on Jun 28, 2007 20:32:51 GMT
So, Wolfboarders, I need your mental capacities. I'm putting together a folio for my Advanced Art class, which will also be used to hopefully get me into art school. I have decided to centre my work around a concept I have been working on in my own time for a while: womanhood, or what it means to be a woman. I intend to include famous representations of women, art by women, so on, so forth. I'm going to have feminist art; as well as art representing both the "refined" and "disgusting" side of women. I intend to depict women in various stages of their lives - infancy, adolescence, maturity. I've also been considering using famous works of literature about women and drawing inspiration from that. I've got a bunch of ideas to explore. The only problem? I have no clue as to what makes a woman a woman. It's not genetics (as some women are born as men), nor sexuality, nor having children or not. So I would like some ideas: what makes a woman? I would be interested in hearing the perspective of the men too, as I think that would be fascinating. I don't expect to find any firm or concrete answers - it's art, for God's sake. I expect to piss about with paints and get a grade for it. But I would like to hear your opinions, so I can use them as avenues for exploration. Hell, I don't even know what sort of piece it'll be in the end - it could end up being sculpture or painting or photography or, well, there are tonnes of possibilities. But all ideas are welcome and appreciated.  |
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Post by blake on Jun 28, 2007 20:37:25 GMT
cooking, cleaning and putting out.
(sorry you all just KNEW I was going to write something like that I CAN'T HELP MYSELF)
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Post by hark on Jun 28, 2007 20:42:29 GMT
a tip for you: Get into the life drawing class at the art school. It apparently improves your chances in getting in by a lot, will improve your drawing and will probably come in handy for your project.
To me, to be a woman is to be a person with a vagina. I don't really like this question to be honest, considering every woman, man etc. is different.
I probably just haven't thought about enough though.
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Post by Clare on Jun 28, 2007 20:43:40 GMT
God, no, I fucking HATE life drawing. Landscapes and portraits are toooooo difficult. Give me a nice still life.
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Post by abolishconfusion on Jun 28, 2007 20:46:07 GMT
So, Wolfboarders, I need your mental capacities. I'm putting together a folio for my Advanced Art class, which will also be used to hopefully get me into art school. I have decided to centre my work around a concept I have been working on in my own time for a while: womanhood, or what it means to be a woman. I intend to include famous representations of women, art by women, so on, so forth. I'm going to have feminist art; as well as art representing both the "refined" and "disgusting" side of women. I intend to depict women in various stages of their lives - infancy, adolescence, maturity. I've also been considering using famous works of literature about women and drawing inspiration from that. I've got a bunch of ideas to explore. The only problem? I have no clue as to what makes a woman a woman. It's not genetics (as some women are born as men), nor sexuality, nor having children or not. So I would like some ideas: what makes a woman? I would be interested in hearing the perspective of the men too, as I think that would be fascinating. I don't expect to find any firm or concrete answers - it's art, for God's sake. I expect to piss about with paints and get a grade for it. But I would like to hear your opinions, so I can use them as avenues for exploration. Hell, I don't even know what sort of piece it'll be in the end - it could end up being sculpture or painting or photography or, well, there are tonnes of possibilities. But all ideas are welcome and appreciated. I like this, but I feel it requires more specific questioning. To be a woman is to be oppressed by the patriarchy. How about that? |
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Post by tombland on Jun 28, 2007 20:47:23 GMT
Don't even fucking get started on that bollocks again...
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Post by Taxidermy on Jun 28, 2007 20:47:26 GMT
To me, it seems women think a different way from men. Well, I'd say it's probably true. Women can be very manipulative but gentle at the same time, sometimes without even noticing it. Other times we know exactly what we're doing and it usually works, most of the time we always get what we want. It's about being able to be one thing, but so many other things at the same time. Think about it - and I don't mean to stereotype here - men that feed off of variety are usually feminine. It's not about the physical being, it's about the mental being.
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Post by Jam. on Jun 28, 2007 20:48:50 GMT
To quote our dearest Ani:
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Post by tesla on Jun 28, 2007 20:48:54 GMT
The opposite of me, apparently, since my friend told me I "think like a man". Whatever that means.
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Post by abolishconfusion on Jun 28, 2007 20:49:18 GMT
Don't even fucking get started on that bollocks again... And why not? she's doing a project on women, she's mentioned feminism. I don't see the problem. |
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Post by hark on Jun 28, 2007 20:50:15 GMT
God, no, I fucking HATE life drawing. Landscapes and portraits are toooooo difficult. Give me a nice still life. I've probably misunderstood you completely, but you do know I'm talking about naked people right? My sister did it, and told me it was pretty helpful. If slightly gross at first. |
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Post by tombland on Jun 28, 2007 20:50:23 GMT
Rants will ensue. It'll get messy. Won't help anyone...
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Post by Clare on Jun 28, 2007 20:53:02 GMT
God, no, I fucking HATE life drawing. Landscapes and portraits are toooooo difficult. Give me a nice still life. I've probably misunderstood you completely, but you do know I'm talking about naked people right? My sister did it, and told me it was pretty helpful. If slightly gross at first. Yeah, I can deal with naked people. Just not drawing them. Also, Luke: I LOVE YOU.  But let's definitely not get back into that again. Let's agree to disagree. |
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Post by tombland on Jun 28, 2007 20:54:13 GMT
Exactly! That was my point.
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Post by abolishconfusion on Jun 28, 2007 20:57:38 GMT
I'm not starting anything. I'm saying it is an opinion that exists regarding women.
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Post by tombland on Jun 28, 2007 20:59:55 GMT
You said "why not?" when i said not to start it again. I'm not gonna post in this thread again though unless I have a valid contribution to make...
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Post by abolishconfusion on Jun 28, 2007 21:02:55 GMT
If someone refers to something I believe in as "bullshit" I generally like to know why that is. I wasn't trying to be confrontational at all. Just asking.
Whatever.
Clare, are you going to be doing studies of female artists? because I can think of many excellent ones right now..
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Post by Clare on Jun 28, 2007 21:06:40 GMT
Yes, I'm really interested in the development of female artists. I've got 18 A1 sheets to fill as a minimum (I think the art school folio requirements are actually currently 25 A1 sheets plus sketchbooks), so whatever suggestions you have will definitely be looked into.
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Post by mimicry on Jun 28, 2007 21:16:18 GMT
I think it helps to know how to draw the human form, because pretty much everything humankind has made is scaled to the human body in some way, at least subconciously. As for the topic at hand? I kind of agree in that to be a woman is to be "oppressed by the patriarchy" but it is far more complicated than just a simple phrase. Women have been treated as second-class citizens for a good deal of recorded history, and it's hard to forget or gloss over that entirety. Even the feminist movent(s) are tied into this weight of history as a reaction to it. If the worldview is defined by men, they tend to classify woman as "Other". Make any sense? But I really have no clue, despite identifying as female myself. Also, the subject of women in art/women artists is a rather sticky one itself. There's a Guerrilla Girls poster called The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist and there's one line of it that always has stuck to me. "Being reassured that whatever kind of art you make it will be labeled feminine." I've noticed that whenever a woman makes some kind of art, people automatically start trying to relate to it in terms of her gender. Is it a comment on patriarchy? Is it a critique of feminism? One example would be Lisa Yuskavage, who beautifully paints these women in various states of undress. She's gotten praise for it, because wow she sure it showing those men what for! She's been lambasted because of it, because she's only giving those men what they want! My art history professor saw her talk, and she spent most of it talking about the various techniques of painting and lots of in-depth analysis of color theory. She said that she didn't really want to talk about "the woman thing" (her words). Is she a feminist? Is she not? Does it matter? Sorry for the tangent. Good luck, Clare, you've got your work cut out for you. Edit: And making sandwiches, fetching small objects, etc etc. |
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Post by Rebekah on Jun 28, 2007 21:17:12 GMT
Alright, well, I am not quite sure how to put down my thoughts. So, I think I'll list some adjectives to try to help you out at least a little:
Emotional, gentle, hard working, dedicated, strong, sacrificing, bitchy, temperamental, sweet
Not to say that men aren't any of those things. I think it's a really difficult thing to pin down what makes a woman a woman, as everyone is just so different.
Good luck, though! I wish I was artistic in any way. I hope you share what you come up with.
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