Title: EXPLORING ILLUSTRATION THROUGH FEMALE REPRESENTATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SUBSEQUENT APPEARANCE PERFORMANCE
Key words:
Appearance performance- the act of looking a certain way, in order to conform with beauty standards.
Authentic- Being original, true to the self
Questions:
-CAN FILTERS BE USED AS SELF EXPRESSION RATHER THAN CONFORMITY?
-WHY DO FEMALE USERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA OFTEN PERFORM ONLINE IDENTITIES THROUGH EMPHASISED IMPORTANCE ON THEIR APPEARANCE?
-HOW CAN THE 'PERFECT' ONLINE APPEARANCE BECOME SOMETHING LESS DEMANDED AND SOMETHING BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL?
-HOW DO WOMEN PRESENT THEMSELVES ONLINE?
-CAN WE UNLEARN THE NEED TO LOOK PERFECT AND FLAWLESS?
-IS OUR ONLINE PERSONA A PERFORMANCE OF PERFECT GENDER?
Aim:
My aim is to show that female users of social media can use makeup and filters to express themselves, rather than just conform to (often) unrealistic beauty standards.
-Methodology:
Practise based and practise led research
My methodology consisted of a combination of research and making illustrations. I used artist and practitioner research to inspire my ideas and develop my knowledge on AR and ways of using it. I also developed my skills on Illustrator and Indesign to create my first final outcome. So there was a lot of learning involved, as well as developing pre-established skills.
Introduction
I started this module by thinking about social media and ways in which people use it. What purpose does it serve.
Judith Butler: "Gender is preformed" (Butler.J, 2011). Therefore, gender is something that is learnt. We repeat these learnt behaviours to preform our genders. Gender is performed online. The online world is a big pool of performances of personas and genders.
As a female user of social media, I considered basing my research and practise around female social media practise. I began by researching into beauty standards throughout the years. Generally, women work the most on their physical appearance through cosmetics and makeup compared to men.
The "importance of physical appearance and the fulfilment of gender roles are inculcated into women from and early age" (Laham, 2020). Therefore, often on social media the aim for physical appearance is considered a main aim for female users, especially as it contains very visual platforms. Women who have flawless skin, such as the models and celebrities, who look perfect are arguably what female users strive to look like. And when this is not achieved, women are often negatively targeted by other users. An example of this, conducted by the YouTube channel 'MyPaleSkin', where the youTuber created a video titled, "You Look Disgusting". These were comments made by users and followers who commented on her Instagram photo, in which she wasn't wearing makeup. There is a pressure for women to conform to beauty ideals.
So I want to show a more positive side of using filters and makeup, through the means of self expression. The aim was to take a postfeminist approach towards makeup and filters and show that its up to the individual, how they wear it if they choose to.This way trying to reduce the emphasis on looking a certain way, or looking perfect all the time and showing that its purely up to the individual.
I also wanted to challenge the boundaries between the real life, everyday world vs the online, digital world. I wanted to test how they overlap and interact with each other, and shown this in my outcome, which contains traditional and digital graphic art elements.
I created a mini graphic novel through a series of posters to tell my story. The original idea was to create a mini book, but I am considering creating that in the next module.
My questions:
-How can beauty filters on social media become a form of aesthetic self expression, rather than a way of hiding ones insecurities.
-Is the online world purely that of performativity? Is it a made-up version of our own reality, where we can co-author our narratives?
-When does performativity online end/start? Does it continue and overlap in our real lives?
-Do we exist simultaneously in real life and in a digital form? Do these existences overlap?
Research
Origins of Makeup
In regards to the origins of makeup and cosmetics, some of the first makeup users date back to the ancient Egyptians, dating "as far back as 10,000 BCE." (Laham, 2020) It seems the Egyptians valued appearance highly, infact "so important was ones personal appearance, that some spells from 'The Egyptian Book of the Dead' stipulate that one cannot speak to them in the afterlife if one is not clean and presentable, in a physical sense". "In ancient Egypt, the focus was on the eyes, which were outlined in green or black to emphasise their shape and size". (Mark. Joshua J, 2017)
A remake of this Egyptian look, was famously recreated in 'Cleopatra', 1963, worn by actress Elizabeth Taylor. This recreates the Egyptian focus on the eyes, which emphasises and elongates the eyes.
'Cleopatra', 1963, Image Source: https://vocal.media/blush/elizabeth-taylor-s-egyptian-glamour
Furthermore, "In medieval Europe, church leaders deemed the practise of wearing to be sinful and immoral and imposed a ban on it, a prohibition that was ignored by brothels." (Laham, 2020) This is because, makeup was seen as "altering the face that god gave a woman"(Laham, 2020), which should be preserved and valued. However, by the "12th Century, cosmetics came into regular use throughout Europe" (Laham, 2020).
The question is: what is beauty? From the Egyptians through to today, makeup and cosmetics are used to enhance it. Arguably, the makeup style and application has not changed all the much. The focus on the eyes is still a big thing in the makeup world. Eyeliner and eyeshadow is incredibly popular in helping to outline the eye and make it 'pop'. Classically, beauty is "an arrangement of integral parts into a coherent whole, according to proportion, harmony, symmetry and similar notions" (Laham, 2020). However, can beauty just be anything? Does it have to be one standard generally accepted by society. Can it instead be a way of visually expressing oneself?
According to the 'Golden Ratio of Beauty Phi', there is a specific number of 1.62, which is the perfect ratio of beauty. The closest to this number, is supermodel Bella Hadid. Furthermore, it is claimed that Leonardo Da Vinci used this ratio for painting the 'Mona Lisa'. Therefore, there are many different ways to calculate, show and enhance beauty. The problem I have with this ratio is that what if your face does not apply to the ratio? Then are you not given access to beauty, because of a number? Surely beauty, or what we deem to be beautiful is something that can be accessible by everyone, through however they want to achieve it. For example, through visual self expression.
Character Design:
Barbie
It is often said that the Barbie doll tried to establish an unrealistic image. She represents the 'ideal' body shape and facial beauty standards, hinting at there being one type of beauty, the tall, slim, blonde, blue eyed type. This is the classic Barbie doll I remember having as a child, she was always blonde with blue eyes, that was the ideal perfect doll to own. I want to recreate this Barbie doll image in my story, where I shall design my character to have similar features. I shall also take aesthetic guidance from current popular female celebrities, such as singer Maddison Beer to create this 'perfect look'.
Barbie is however more inclusive now in regarding beauty and body types. She has more than "100 body types, skin tones, hair textures, facial shapes, eye colours, etc", which is aiming to reduce "negative self image" (Sherman.N, 2019). In the same way, the character in my story will loose her perfect, 'Barbie-like' looks and instead use her looks as a form of self expression rather than conformity.
The online world and beauty
Social Media Beauty Standards
Beauty on social media however is much more diverse, whilst focusing specifically on perfection of skin, makeup, face shape. There is no way I can think to define it, but scrolling on social media, you do find a correlation between the beauty influencers and the way they make themselves beautiful. Usually, you are bombarded with "near perfect and seemingly flawless women". This of course is achieved with the help of photoshop, AR filters and of course makeup. It is idealised beauty, but it is not often natural. This arguably creates a lot of issues online for female users and their mental health. Being exposed to this unattainable beauty would arguably make one feel insufficient in their own looks. "Corresponding research has demonstrated that Instagram use is related to a variety of body image concerns, including body dissatisfaction and self-objectification" (Tiggemann. M, Anderberg. I, 2019).
The problem with social media is that is it very interactive, which means that people can very easily say what they like, especially when they do not think someone is visually appealing enough, or not at all. It is also very easy to compare yourself to others, especially when social media users create their own content and compare it to influencers, models and celebrities. "Fardouly and Rapee (2019), compared the effect of makeup and no-makeup selfies posted on online. They found that exposure to a small number of no-makeup selfies interspersed with a large numer of makeup selfies alleviated the negative effect of facial dissatisfaction obtained" (Tiggemann.M, Anderberg.I, 2019). This shows that enhanced pictures increase feelings of insecurities around ones own looks and facial dissatisfaction.
How does social media affect us though? Why are we so reliant on it for setting out beauty standards, or how does it come to affect us in the way we think about beauty? Personally, I have found social media to have a big impact on what I view as beauty, and how I now apply my makeup, the colour of my hair, etc. Does social media create a space where we can feel comfortable to explore new standards of beauty? Social media has also often been linked with addiction, "spatial presence is the sense of being located in a mediated space, feeling surrounded by the media environment and loosing the sense of awareness towards the technological source of the experience." (Kircaburun.K, Griffiths.M, 2019). Therefore, on social media, we have a higher emotional evolvement due to the spatial presence, in which we interact with others, create our own content, compare ourselves and do things such as take part in livestreams, and live chats.
Escape Theory
"Escape theory asserts that individuals who have higher standards and ideals than they can ever actually obtain are more likely to experience a need to escape from themselves or their reality" (Kircaburun.K, Grifiths.M, 2019). "Young et al (2017), defined escapism as a behaviour employed to distract oneself from real life problems. These problems may be phycological ones, such as anxiety, depression and low self esteem" (Kircaburun.K, Grifiths.M, 2019). Due to COVID-19 and lockdown, this issue to do with escapism and social media addiction may have increased, as we had been restricted to our homes. With social media as an only way to contact others, or as a means to work.
Reality: Authenticity vs Anonymity
The online environment, creates a space for people to escape and create new versions of their reality, new narratives. Like a better version of the life they're living. "In online environments, people use lying as a way to present themselves. They usually lie to appeal to others regarding physical attraction, age, background and interests" (Gil-or et al , 2015)). Social media offers anonymity, a space to reinvent. On my own socials, I definitely post only the best version of myself , generally speaking. I want to show people that I am having a great time, all the time, which obviously isn't the fully authentic version of myself. But by doing this, I guess it i a way to escape parts of life. "One previous research study found that significant numbers of users believed that their facebook self was different from their real self, and they exaggerated their positive aspects while minimising their faults"(Gil-or et al, 2015). "Humans have a basic desire to be approved by others or groups" (Rudolph et al, 2005). The need for this approval means that people will fake whatever they can in order to appear to be living the perfect life. This may be where makeup and even filters come into play.
The use of filters can dramatically change how we look, give us the perfect bone structure, tiny nose, clear skin. Do things that makeup cannot do.
Online Identity and Performance
There is a potential for us to loose our identity online and struggle in real life that we look the way we do without filters. Do we loose our identity or our sense of self due to social media addiction, reliance and escapism? When does social media start and end, as it is so interwoven in our daily lives. We choose and pick what we post, what we say, creating a "growing archive of information"(Page.R, 2012). "Social interactions appear in an episodic form, as sequences of messages develop over time, and draw attention to the processes of storytelling." This has made me consider creating a narrative or story for this module, based around social media and self representation/beauty.
One thing to consider is identity. How is our identity formed, if we are anonymous. Is our identity false? Do we loose our sense of identity online, are we encouraged to adjust our identities? Can we choose? On social media, "identity is played through anonymity, pseudonyms or inauthentic personal" (Page.R, 2012). So is identity online a social construct? Is it something false, something that does not exist? "Early CMC theorists presented online identity as a "mask" that was entirely separate from "real life"(Turkle, 1995).
Maybe online identity is just a performance? It changes depending on our moods, our influences, the people we follow, the trends, etc. It may not be something that is authentic, but something that is adopted. Within my story/narrative I am creating, I want to challenge the idea of online identity and come up with some concept for what it is.
My character will struggle with her own identity and therefore take on the identity of her friend, someone she values and wants to be more like. She adopts the identity of her friend in order to feel better about herself, just like how we adopt identities of people online who we'd prefer to be like.
The Youtuber 'Zoella', shows a more authentic version of herself, arguably compared to other youtubers and online influencers. She records her everyday reality, very informally, often saying things like 'you guys', making the viewers feel like she is talking to them directly. There is something that is very real about it. However, as is expect online, her vlogs are edited and therefore arguably do not represent her most authentic self. She must plan what goes into her vlogs, has intros and outros, etc. She shows what she wants her viewers to see. However, for example she does have authentic moments, such as the video she uploaded in 2017, "Some days get a bit too much". This is a raw video about her expressing her feelings and emotions, showing that its okay not to be perfect all the time and that sometimes life isn't how we want it, etc. With the online world it is difficult to determine when the performance starts and ends.
Artist Molly Soda draws in on this idea of online performance. She created a webcam performance called "Who's Sorry Now", 2016, where she is crying in a hotel room. It is a very raw and unusual video, not often posted by content creators, who often prefer to show their 'better' side. "We all present a character online. We are turning ourselves into these avatars and creating these 2D personas for people to see"(Soda.M, 2019), "So when you're controlling your own image and its being put out into the world you can create a narrative about you"(Soda.M, 2019).
Soda's exhibition 'Me and My Gurls', 2018, represents her desktop in a gallery space, combining the real with the digital/online world. It allows people to connect with her online persona, whilst experiencing it in real life. This has made me consider creating a booklet or poster, which will encompass digital elements, such as QR codes, in order to challenge the extent to which the online world and the real world start and end, or do they overlap each other? The layout of this exhibition has also made me consider the layout of my final piece, and how I will tell the story of my character. In order to create at social media aesthetic, similar to this exhibition, I need to make sure it is an interactive piece. I also need to make sure it is busy, which a lot to look at. I want to almost replicate experience of going on social media, through a physical thing.
Image source: http://www.annkakultys.com/exhibitions/me-and-my-gurls/
Postfeminist Beliefs
According to Judith Butler, gender is a performance. Something we are taught how to perform, that we copy from other people, something that we are assigned to. Zoella performs her female gender through creating videos with typically feminine content, such as producing makeup tutorials. E.g. 'My everyday makeup tutorial'.
Postfeminism focuses an emphasis on "individualism, choice and agency as dominant modes of accounting" (McRobbie, 2007). It means for example, women can choose to wear as much or as little makeup as they want, it depends how they wish to use it and however they wish to express themselves. It means that people have choice and are allowed to be individual.
"The essence of postfeminist culture is that women must enhance their appearance through consumption, which is prevalent in the contemporary media culture"(Chae.J, 2019). "In short, postfeminism media culture asserts that women can choose to transform themselves" (Chae.J, 2019).
I have looked at postfeminist artists such as Molly Soda and Ines Alpha, who show that makeup can be whatever we want it to be. It can be creative and fun and does not have to simply make women more appealing to the male gaze. It can be something done for ones own pleasure.
I shall be taking a postfeminist approach towards makeup and filters, where my character will start using filters as a way to express herself rather than a way to conform to beauty standards.
"3 Models to theorise the relationship between Youtube and Postfeminism" (Chae.J, 2019)
Cultivation Theory- The lasting effects of media. Cultivation Theory suggests that "heavy users of mass media see unrealistic beauty images as being prevalent in the real world and tend to internalise the images as social norms" (Chae.J, 2019). So this would imply that people who use social media a lot internalise these unrealistic beauty norms more as "individuals can access a vast amount of information at a real time in a personalised way"(Chae.J, 2019).
2. Observational Theory
"Human beings learn by observing others"(Chae.J, 2019). In order for people to imitate other behaviours, they need to be "motivated. One factor that increases motivation is outcome expectations" (Chae.J, 2019), for example women buy makeup because it gives them the desirable beauty effect, it enhances their appearance. Another cause of motivation can be when "identification occurs. This is when people identify themselves as the target person" (Chae.J, 2019), such as beauty influencers who make themselves more available to their followers. So this would explain why people watch certain celebrities makeup tutorials, because they identify with that celebrity or they want the outcome of looking like that celebrity.
3. Social Comparison Theory
"Upward comparison leads an individual to find his/her weaknesses. Realising their deficiencies, the comparer may feel dissatisfied with the current situation, but also can be motivated to obtain information for improvement" (Chae.J, 2019). This relates to my character, who compares herself to her friend and she downloads the filter app in order to look like her and meet the beauty standards.
These are all reasons behind appearance alteration, often caused on social media.
Artist influences
1. Ines Alpha
”Makeup artist Ines Alpha creates digital AR-Filter makeup that rebels against the ‘make yourself perfect’ contours of selfie dysmorphia” (Behrmann.A, 2019)
Her designs are playful and bright. They do not pay attention to the idea of looking perfect, like many people do when taking and posting selfies. The ARFilters are fun and embrace the idea of expressing oneself and letting go of aesthetic social expectations.
Alpha inspired me to use AR Filters in my story, to represent a more modern or futuristic type of makeup. It made me consider using filters in my story as a way to create self expression and moving the character away from the ‘perfect selfie’ ideal, which is so prevalent on social media. Her work also inspired some of my own designs, made me think about creating abstract and colourful filters.
2. Rob Shields
Author and creator of ’Neon Wasteland’, a graphic novel which comes to life through AR.
Shields inspired me to use AR in my work, and when I was thinking about making a graphic novel, it made me consider somehow making some of the illustrations come to life through AR. The lack of text in these illustrations has made me consider reducing the text in my posters, enabling the viewer to have their own input on the story, in a way they can create their own version.
Furthermore, this novel also inspired the colour theme for my illustrations. The bright neon colours reminded me of a very digital, futuristic world. This was something I wanted to represent in my own illustrations, as it is about the makeup of the future.
Image Source: https://www.neonwastelandgame.com
3. Yunuene Esperza: Combining the digital with the fine arts.
This artists plays with "viewers perceptions of the traditional and mundane, using AR to complement her message" (https://www.yunuene.com/art/index.php?loc=en).
The use of AR "opens up the narrative to continue the story and offers viewers to connect to the work"(https://www.yunuene.com/art/index.php?loc=en). This new way of looking at traditional art in a traditional setting has inspired me to consider using some kind of app that enables the viewer to further develop the narrative on my story and to interact with the character that I create. As my work is based on the digital and AR Filters, the use of this technology in my work would complement it nicely as well as adding another layer to the story.
As the majority of the story I am designing is images, and little in words, the moving images might help the viewer to understand the story better. I am leaving few words in the story so that the viewer can develop their own narrative, which we do so commonly when we are on our social medias. It replicated the narrative making we do online. It is also the idea of adopting someone else's story and making it our own.
Image Source: https://www.yunuene.com/art/index.php?loc=en
Image source: https://www.yunuene.com/art/index.php?loc=en
4. Mimi Choi: Creating abstract makeup looks, changing how we use cosmetic makeup
I looked at this makeup artist for inspiration for creating some makeup looks and filters. This artist also made me think how makeup is not only for beauty, but again can be something tjhat is creative, fun, experimental and expressive. This artist proves my point in a way that makeup can be very much used for self expression. Choi's makeup pieces are very precise and creative, they are so unusual and different to the typical makeup use that is seen online.
5. Amalia Ulman: Online Identities and performativity
Ulamn created "an online persona and recorded it on instagram to ask questions about gender online" (Kinsey.C, 2016). It is titled "Excellences and Perfections", 2014. "She conducted a scripted online performance via Instagram and Facebook profiles" (NewMuseum, 2020).
"'Excellences and Perfections' evoked a consumerist fantasy lifestyle", where she created a highly aesthetic account to show off her fake, but amazing lifestyle. "Critic Brian has described the rise of social media as a re-balancing of image making power", that "social media has given far more people than ever before the means to self publish" (Newmuseum, 2020).
This questions the identities we create on our social medias. It shows that social media is often just a performative thing, in which we can narrate ourselves. We can create a whole new identity online, and due to online anonymity its easy to pull off. Therefore we perform a new reality. Ulman created a "three part performance work that explored how women present themselves online", where she "boycott her own online persona", and instead went along with the 'beauty ideals' presented by social media. "She earned criticism for seeming to promote retrograde physical ideals" (Newmuseum, 2020).
In my project, I am looking at how social media creates a space for identity creation. We do not have to be our authentic selves. Due to online expectations, people often stage performativity, to make us look ideal and perfect. In my story, my character will stage a new version of herself aesthetically, in order to fit in with and conform to the online beauty standards.
Below is an image of one of her posts as part of the project. She represents that more ideal consumerist lifestyle, that is so often encouraged by social media influencers.
Image Source: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20160307-the-instagram-artist-who-fooled-thousands
7. Andy Warhol
Warhol used pop art to reflect our consumerist culture. His works made me consider creating pop arty illustrations, as I am reflecting the consumerist aspect of online beauty, such as beauty influencers. In order to achieve the look we want, we must consume the products that are mentioned to us by our favourite influencers. Influencers do promotional things for brands and companies all the time.
Furthermore, by using a pop art style in my drawings, I am showing the consumerist side of social media, where we consume other peoples content and often co-author our own narratives or create new personas to replicate the online lives of people we admire.
Finally, I want my work to stand out, and appeal to the eye, similar to social media content and adverts, which are constant and produce a lot of visual stimulation.
Andy Warhol, 'Marilyn', 1967, screenprint on paper, 910 x 910mm, Tate, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/warhol-no-title-p07121
Vanity: Story Inspiration
The min inspiration for the narrative of my story is the novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', by Oscar Wilde. In this novel, the main character 'Dorian' manages to attain eternal youth, whilst his portrait grows old and ugly. It is a story about vanity. This gave me the idea of basing my story on a young female character, who becomes very vain once she attains her new looks through the filters. She trades in her face for a permanent filter face. However due to her vanity, the app breaks and the filters start going crazy. Both Dorian and my character are highly concerned with their looks and both trade in a part of themselves in order to attain or keep their good looks.
Narrative
The narrative of my story:
The story I created is about a girl who struggles with her physical appearance and self esteem. Her friend introduces her to this new technology, which enables people to live life with a constant filter on their face, without the use of a camera. The filter literally becomes the face. So she tries out the filters and gradually becomes more and more reliant on them. She has a dramatic makeover, which is influenced by her friends looks and the ‘ideal’ way to look on social media, and becomes the perfect version of this. Her life improves massively and she gains massive online popularity. However, one day the filter stops working, when she accidentally breaks her phone. She no longer can use her phone to switch the filter on and off, or even choose the filter she wants. She becomes angry, sad and depressed and meanwhile notices that the filters on her face change according to her mood. She realises that she can herself dictate the filters, and starts using them as a form of self expression, rather than a way to conform and fit in. Therefore, showing that makeup or beauty filters don't have to make us look perfect or make us conform to beauty standards, they can have a positive side, where we can be creative with our looks and express ourselves.
The character ends up with some really abstract and exciting filters, in which she feels very happy.
Mood boards:
I began this module by firstly creating a couple of mood boards. This helped me to develop a kind of aesthetic that I wanted to produce in my final work.
Vogue Youtube makeup tutorials:
On Youtube, makeup tutorials are very popular. Many Youtubers create these tutorials, such as Youtuber Zoella and even Vogue. I have previously followed many makeup tutorials to get a certain makeup look, or to make myself look more like the celebrity I am following the tutorial of.
According to the video, this is what I should look like on a daily basis, If I want to look like Madison Beer.
PRACTICAL WORK
Rough sketches:
I started drawing some basic sketches on procreate, trying to replicate a sort of Barbie aesthetic, with the long blond hair, blue eyes and big pink lips. I exaggerated these features, producing a kind of plastic surgery effect.
I was also thinking about the Tik Tok Videos, where people show their morning routine or everyday makeup routine, where they start off with a bare face and end up will full glam. I thought about myself, how I apply makeup every morning and how it transforms my face from looking tired and blotchy to looking a bit more made up.
This made me think about the process of applying makeup and all the makeup hacks and tips you watch on Tik Tok and Youtube to get an ideal makeup look. For example, contouring or overlining the lips to make them look bigger. Even things like drawing on eyeliner at both ends of the eyes to make them look longer, and create this cat effect.
Singer Maddison Beer is someone I personally look at for beauty tips and ideas. I often watch her vogue makeup tutorials, in order to achieve her makeup look, which is clean, minimal and always very effective. As a result, I decided to use her face as well as Barbie for inspiration for the design of my character. I want to give my character the desired 'face', when she starts using filters.
I edited this drawing on Procreate, adding different colours and backgrounds. I even started adding text, which I had designed on Illustrator. I created a pop arty effect, to kind of represent consumerist culture, how we consume ideas and makeup tips online, as well as our consumption of beauty cosmetics. On the other hand, the colours also represent self expression, so I am trying to show that makeup and filters can have very positive effects and uses.
Sketches
I conducted some sketches, I took inspiration from some of my own selfies and photographs, as well as inspiration from Barbie. From these images I started drawing my character doing different things, which are typically female, such as online clothes shopping, posing in the mirror, putting on makeup, trying on cute outfits, etc. These are also things that are commonly seen on social media.
I then developed these images by uploading them onto procreate and then I started adding colour. I decided to make my character blonde because it is the typical Barbie hair colour, it is also generally considered the more attractive hair colour on females. Many women go through a lot of effort getting their hair blonde. I myself am guilty of spending hours at a hair salon, trying to lighten my hair so that it comes out light blonde. It seems to be the ideal hair colour.
These are the outcomes of my drawings on procreate. In both of these images, the character is using a digital device, such as a phone or filming camera. This is to reflect her need to be connected to the online world, even when she is in the bath. This further reflects our reliance on social media and how it overlaps our 'real world living'.
In the image below, I added a vlogger twist, where the character is vlogging her morning coffee at a fancy cafe. She is perfectly made up and dressed, in a very aesthetic environment. This reflects the expectations of the online world, whee we have to constantly appear perfect.
Below the character is browsing on a popular online clothes shop, ASOS. This reflects the need to keep up with fashion trends that we are influenced into on social media. It also reflects our consumerist society, which is increased through the need to 'keep up' online.
Combining text with illustration: I designed some 'online lingo' text on an Illustrator document. I included words such as: 'Ick', 'Swipe', 'Tinder', etc. Just common phrases or things you hear on social media.
I then added this text to one of my illustrations, to create a collage of text and image. I was also experimenting to see how the combination felt, whether or not the illustrations worked well with text, etc. I really like the illustration on the right, I feel like it is the most effective out of the two. I shall continue to experiment with text and image. This is important as I am thinking about creating some kind of graphic novel, where text will have to interact with the images now and then.
I went onto merging and combining the illustrations together, including the text.
I feel like collage is effective for the theme of my story, as it replicates the aesthetic of being online. For example, it is busy, there are so many visuals to look at, it's almost difficult knowing where to look. I wanted my images to be slightly overwhelming, and visually intoxicating, just like when you're scrolling on social media.
Background designs:
I designed these colourful and fun backgrounds to add to my illustrations. I wanted the drawings to become busier and brighter, and have that pop art aesthetic. I used current popular patterns, such as the 90s holographic swirl pattern, which is a very popular dress and flare trouser design at the moment.
I created more illustrations for my character and started adding in these backgrounds. I was very happy with how they transformed the images.
Progressively adding up the layers:
Below are the illustrations that I created for the end of the story, when the girl looses control over the perfect filters and then starts using the filters as a form of self expression. I created some expressive drawings on procreate, which I belief represents my painting style, and used them as inspiration for the more expressive illustrations of my character. I wanted to display the anger and emotion she feels when she looses control over the filters as well as when she realises she lost herself by trying to look like the ideal 'social media girl' and then her transition in which she starts expressing herself, through abstract and creative filters.
GIFS:
As part of my outcome, I want it to have a digital element. So I have created a series of GIFs, which I will attached through QR codes onto my final outcome, which will add to the story. As the story has a online/digital theme, the use of digital software will complement it nicely. It will also enable the viewer to interact with the story and take more of a role in its narrative. This links into the idea of how people view other peoples online media accounts, how we can comment, like, share, view their content. In this way I am trying to create a similar experience.
Creating playful text
I made this letterpress print in a workshop. The aim was to create something based on consumerism, so I printed the words 'Dollar Grabbing'. This was a really useful exercise, as it made me explore playful ways of making and displaying text.
I then went onto explore Illustrator for the first time. I learnt some of the basics and below are the first two documents I created using this software.
After learning how to create text and shapes on Illustrator, I added in illustrations. I am currently not sure whether I will use Illustrator to create my final outcome, but I shall continue to practise and make more work on it in the meantime.
I might be making a series of posters for my outcome this module, so I am practising making posters on Illustrator. Again, I focused below on combining shapes with text and then added in my illustrations.
I feel like these posters are maybe a bit too busy, they are confusing to look at. I need to create something with a bit more structure, like in the style of a graphic novel in order to create a clearer narrative with images.
Below shows the progress I made on Illustrator. I created slightly simplified posters, where the text is a lot easier to read. I played with the word 'Filter' and thought about ways I could disguise it and turn itself into a filter. I think that whilst these simple designs are easier to comprehend, they do not create the busy message I want to convey in my story. Therefore I need to find the balance between busy and calm within my poster. The poster needs to visually replicate the business of the online world, whilst also being comprehendible.
Creating collages:
I used the book as shown below 'Collage' by Bev Speight to inspire my collage ideas. I started off by simply merging different images I had created on procreate. Playing with both text and image to create a collage.
I feel like collage allows space for some kind of freedom for play and narrative, which is why I am using it currently in my work.
Thinking about colour schemes for the illustrations
Currently, the colour scheme is mainly pink, blue and yellow. I googled all three colours, and below are the outcomes I got on google images. I want my outcome, whether it be a booklet, poster or small book, to be bright and colourful, which is why I am using such vivid colours. But also because they represent different emotions, and will represent the emotions of the character. Pink represents love, femininity, freedom. Blue represents emotion, calm, and a new start. Yellow represents happiness. I feel like these will be the three main moods within the narrative I am creating.
I also read the book below, 'Basics Design 05: Colour' by Gavin Ambrose. This gave me a better understanding of the colours and also made me consider including red as part of the colour scheme, to represent anger.
Illustration Development:
After looking at colour theory and considering which main colours I will be using throughout my illustrations, I started developing my illustrations.
I then went onto adding small bits of text onto the illustrations, using Illustrator.
Storyboards:
Below is the Initial storyboard, which shows roughly the order of the narrative.
Second storyboard:
I created another more up to date story board, with images. I have decided that I shall be adding GIFs and potentially some AR in my outcome. The only problem with AR is finding some kind of free AR software, which seems to be a bit of a challenge. That could just be something that I do in the next module.
Looking at creating filters for the face
I started thinking about creating my own filters, more specifically abstract filters for the end of the story, where the character starts embracing expressive filters. I did a couple of paintings, using watercolour paints and added random colours wherever on the face and hair, trying not to think too much about where it was going.
I also designed some filters which include images, such as flowers and lips. Below are designs for the filters that I think my character will transition through.
After creating these looks, I have decided not to create filters with images or items on them and make them purely expressive.
Therefore, I further developed ideas for expressive filters. I replicated drawings onto a picture of my face as shown below and then tried to make them as crazy and expressive as possible.
Creating abstract designs:
Instagram Filters:
I also ventured into using the most obvious type of face filter, the classic Instagram filters. Below are a series of pictures of me posing with a filter.
Edited Instagram photos on procreate:
I also edited two of these images on procreate to see how they turned out. I was wondering whether to use a more realistic face for my characters, such as m own face or continue with the more cartoony effect.
Images of me doing everyday mundane household activities with filters on:
I spent a morning doing normal household things, such as making breakfast, washing up dishes, making tea, etc, and took images whilst doing these activities using instagram filters. Here I am blurring the boundaries between the online world vs the real world. I am preforming both for the online world and the real world. The only thing that has changed when I combine both worlds together is the fact I feel much less need to preform as someone else and look perfect.
With the images I took, I created a collage and merged them together.
Below is a series of images which do not include any selfies. I took the selfies away as they are classically posey and wanted to focus on purely the contrast between the everyday and the digital.
Creating filters on procreate through the feature ’FacePaint’: Trying to create AR Filters
Next, I started to create my own filters on Procreate. This software was super easy and quick to use. I created some of the filters which my cartoon has within the story.
The only problem with this function is that I could not find a way of exporting the drawings are filters that I can use on a camera etc. So instead, I saved a video of me wearing the filters and then my next plan is to somehow connect these videos to my final outcome, potentially through AR software if I can find something suitable.
The final filters:
Below are the final filters. The original plan was to use AR software in my final poster, however I struggled with accessing software. Therefore, I shall attach the video of these images with a QR code.
Vimeo Links:
FINAL OUTCOMES DEVELOPMENT:
I began by starting to condense my work into one outcome. I tried to tie in the text with the images, but I felt like it was too messy, and the text was really squished in and therefore difficult to read.
I had the same problem with the image below, I just didn’t like the overall effect.
So I created a new version of my outcome, where I started to create a booklet. I used a lot less text and mainly focused on there images and how they were displayed.
I did not like the combination of both images as shown above, so I kept one and attached the other to a QR code. This is my first experience creating QR codes.
I then started creating the next two pages, which I was very happy with.
I continued making more of the booklet, however I decided that it was ashame to split up the images onto seperate pages and thought that overall the images would look good together as a poster and create this overall artwork. So I started combining the images on illustrate. I even added text again, and tried to see how it would work combined, but yet again I didn’t like the combination.
I felt like the text interrupted the quality of the illustration.
I even tried shaping the text into different shapes, to make it work better with the images, but yet again I felt it took up too much attention.
Poster: One side the poster, the text would surround the poster in some way. This way, it would enable the viewer to interact with it. I am also thinking about creating a digitally interactive poster, where the viewer can create the narrative, and rearrange the images. Similar to creating their own social media account. This would come along with captions for each image, as if it is a post.
I have decided to change my idea from creating a traditional narrative format of a book, instead I am thinking about creating something smaller, such as a booklet or even a poster to tell my story. I am currently experimenting with different formats.
I have struggled knowing how to present these images, in what kind of format, for example in a mini book, leaflet, booklet or a series of posters. I have tried so far the booklet and poster. However, I am not sure which version I prefer so I think I shall be presenting both.
Initial Poster
I created this poster below and did not add any text. I thought it was so much more powerful without the text. The only problem doing this is obviously, it is impossible to understand the narrative, or what’s even going on. Without the narrative it is impossible to recognise each girl as the same character.
So I started working on InDesign to create my final poster. I made sure to really limit the text and allow the images to speak for themselves. I ordered the images in boxes and added little numbers to show the order of the images in which to look. This gives the posters some kind of structure and makes the narrative a little easier to follow.
Developing the final poster
Poster 1
Poster 2
Editing/Making further changes
Poster 3
So poster 3 was supposed to represent when the character changes and start using filters for self expression, rather than conformity. My original plan was to make this poster fully AR, however the software I wanted to use, I could not get to work, so my alternative idea was attached the moving images to a QR code, still making the poster interactive.
I printed out each poster independent of each other and decided that I wanted to attch the three to make a large poster overall. This would also enable the story to flow better. It would also mean that the images would be combined completely, like I had originally wanted it to.
Also in order to combat the lack of text in my poster, I created an instagram account for my character, which explains in more detail the narrative behind the story. Making this account I felt brought my character to life a bit more.
First Link for initial Poster:
Initial Poster: I decided that I did not like the black background behind the illlustarations, I felt like it limited the imagery. I also felt that the right side was cut off completely from the left, there wasn’t a natural flow. So I decided to add a white background behind the images.
THE FINAL POSTER:
I am much happier with the white background, I feel like the images stand out better and the poster flows much more.
I decided to make the Poster a digital one, as it has a digital theme. This means that the viewer can interact with it more, e.g. zoom in and out. I did print off the poster, but I preferred the quality of the illustrations on the screen.
Link for Poster: Outcome 1
Instagram Link: Outcome 2
(In order to read the story correctly, start on the last post, scrolling upwards)
My Instagram page: ‘EllaOnline’
Context of my work explained:
I am primarily investigating the relationship between social media and the online beauty standards of female social media users. These often unrealistic beauty standards can be damaging, so I am promoting an alternative opinion that beauty standards can be more inclusive and can be about self expression. I am basing my idea on a narrative, where the character gets caught up in the online beauty expectations. She soon learns that beauty can be authentic and up to the individual, and starts using the filters to express herself.
-A big contributor to beauty in the online world is makeup and face filters. I want to show through my narrative that both makeup and filters can provide opportunity to express oneself, rather than conform and hide.
-I am trying to take away this idea that women have to constantly look perfect online.
- My aim is to take a postfeminist approach towards social media filters and makeup to show that they can become a form of self expression and creative outlet.
-My story combines the online/digital world with the real world. The girl is stuck with a digital filter on her face in the real world. Changes how we view the online world, shows us how easy it is to create our own narratives and new personas.
-To contextualise why women feel the need to look good online and in general, I used Judith Butlers notion that gender is performative. This means that we perform our genders. Therefore, in order for women to feel feminine online, they perform this beauty ritual in order to be accepted as a ‘visually normal’ woman.
-I am also looking at the relationship between the online world and the real world and how they interact with each other. To express this relationship, I metered both realities into one through my character, who lives in the real world with a filter on her face.
Content explained:
-Working with combining two different mediums, AR and more illustration. Seeing how these two mediums contrast and even compliment each other. Allowing people to experience AR on something that is tangible, that they can interact with.
-As I could not manage to create actual AR work, I made an alternative option and created these face filters on procreate, which I filmed and uploaded. I attached these videos to QR codes, which I positioned on my poster. Therefore, it has the same idea, and means that my poster/story is still interactive.
-I wanted to replicate on my digital poster the experience social media users get when they are scrolling on their socials. First of all, I made my poster busy and very eye catching, in order to replicate the idea of links, images, messages popping up when you are on social media. Furthermore, I did not want the poster to contain too much text, so that the viewer has the challenge of working out what the narrative is about. This replicates the action of following someone’s e.g. instagram page and having to work out their narrative from their images and the small bits of text.
-For my second outcome, I created a social media instagram account for my character. This includes images of her story as well as text. I created this so that the viewer can understand the story behind the illustrations/poster.
I currently consider my area of graphic arts to be mainly illustration. This area interests me the most, as it is relevant in my current field of research, the use of illustrations to display and create narratives, which reflect the self-made narratives in which we make online. I am also interested in the AR side of graphic arts and I want to test the moulding of these two mediums together.
Overall I believe that I have made good progress towards my proposal and feel prepared for the next module. This current module has enabled me to explore different ideas to do with women on social media, appearance, creating basic AR on procreate and illustration. I believe I have created a piece of work that affirms female users of social media, by showing that they don’t have to constantly look perfect, that it is okay to stand out and be more authentic. The online world offers a place to make new personas, so it could be a place where we explore our individuality instead of hiding it.
I like the different levels there are to my digital poster. How it includes moving images, aspects of AR and even a social media link. It has made the poster interactive and allows the viewer to get involved with figuring out the narrative. I am also happy with the overall display of the poster, it can be an artwork in itself, promoting authenticity online. But it also has a narrative. Either way, the viewer is given the option to interact or simply look at it, creating this freedom.
Next module I want to be ambitious and create my own Ti Tok makeup account to explore makeup and beauty trends through a video format. I also want to make a small graphic novel alongside thus, continuing the persona of my character ‘Ella’. I also want to add pproper ar effects to my graphic novel, to add that digital aspect And link back to the concept of filters.
Bibliography:
