Art Project Idea

[xdressed]

OK first a bit of background on me. I've recently finished my 2nd year of illustration at BA level and will be starting my 3rd year this September. The final project last year was a self initiated one which means we got to choose exactly what we wanted to do for the last 15 weeks of the year. I chose to do a sci-fi/horror comic based around the idea of cyborgs and genetic mutation and used mostly watercolour, coloured inks and mixed media rather than the more typical digital means. I got a quite good grade but my tutors said the two main things holding me back from getting a great grade were the layout of some pages and that some images were much stronger than others. My main tutor said he thinks my work would have much stronger using more single page images and double page spreads rather than typical comic book panels (although I had a lot of abstract layouts that did work well) and that it would be interesting to see me try something completely different to sci-fi using a lot of different references.

I knew for my next project (our 3rd and final year consists of two self initiated projects, one lasting from September till Christmas which is called the minor project and the major project which will last from just after Christmas till our final exhibition next May) that it had to be something that was very personal and that I really cared about. I thought about various science things and heavy metal music but I've already done various projects on them, and I didn't have original stories that were different enough to help push me into the top marks, nor could I think of any novel/story/song that I could adapt that would be different enough without just being fan art (which won't exactly help me out in the final year of a full time illustration degree). So I realized that the only thing I had yet to really cover that was very personal to me was my gender identity, specifically detailing what it means to be bi-gender.

I think this would work very well with my artistic style. For example I had this idea that my male self could be drawn as an empty line drawing and as I start putting on makeup etc splashes of colour start appearing where it's applied. There could also be a bit where I'm talking about the emotional pain of gender dysphoria which could be represented using various abstract and chaotic techniques. I imagine the project's final piece being a book that would sort be shown in a documentary style narrative, told from first person and using mostly large images and double page spreads rather than a typical comic book layout. I've even come up with a project title: 'Duality and Dysphoria'

There are a couple of set backs to doing this of course, which is why I am hoping to get some feedback on this idea. One obvious one is that I'd pretty much have to come out to everyone on my course whether I go there dressed up or not. This isn't actually as bad as it sounds, as nearly all the people I know well there I'm already out to anyway, and I thought long and hard about it but I can't think of anyone in our group that would have any problem with it, and the only people who could spread it to someone else I know that I'm not out to already know anyway and I trust them with it (not to mention rarely do we ever seem to see each others work so you only tend to know what your friends are doing). There is the small matter of my parents or people I know from home wanting to know how uni is going on, but they never ask about my actual work unless I bring it up as there are still two whole projects I haven't shown anyone outside uni yet. Plus I have been thinking about telling my parents recently, but that is another topic.

I've briefly discussed this with one my housemates a few weeks ago and she agreed no one on our course would have any problem and said it sounded like a great idea. I haven't spoken with my girlfriend about it yet but I don't think she'll have any massive problem as long as I'm not stupid with it. What do you guys think?

[2B Natasha]

It sounds like a fantastic project. But I think there is one other group you maybe forgetting.

Perspective employers. Are they or do they routinely come to the final showing to see what people are doing on there own and how they would fit into their workplace? What field are you going after. Fine art? Graphic art? Comic book?

When your done do you an on showing this to employers or not? If not then why? They are going to want to see your portfolio.

Aside from that. I think it sounds like a great idea. Really powerful.

Cheers

[Beverley Sims]

I think the boy/girl illustration would go well.
Not necessarily outing you but other students are not devoid of smartness either.

[xdressed]

It sounds like a fantastic project. But I think there is one other group you maybe forgetting.

Perspective employers. Are they or do they routinely come to the final showing to see what people are doing on there own and how they would fit into their workplace? What field are you going after. Fine art? Graphic art? Comic book?

When your done do you an on showing this to employers or not? If not then why? They are going to want to see your portfolio.

Aside from that. I think it sounds like a great idea. Really powerful.

Cheers


This will be for the first part of the year so it won't actually be put into our final year exhibition (not that you tend to get possible commissions from a student exhibition anyway). As personal and large as this project would be I don't think I could stretch it out for 4 months or so without adding lots more, but September to December seems reasonable enough especially as some of the planning would be done now.

Whether I show it to possible employers or not later on in my portfolio really depends on how good the work turns out to be and whether or not previous or later work is much better. In a more professional work portfolio I imagine I wouldn't have any work from uni anyway and would have better stuff that I had done since leaving as its near impossible to get a proper art job shortly after getting your degree. Not to mention I don't think I'd want to work with someone who loves my art but hates transgender topics so much that they choose not to commission me.

[Darla]

As an illustration major (a long time ago graduated) I think it's brilliant. There's the distinction between art for arts sake and what one would put into a portfolio. But I really think you've touched on a brilliant niche here. I think transgender issues are rising to the new level of gay rights have had recently (trust me - I work on drafting transgender policies) and visibility of this is truly time. A well done storyline could get you some work through independent publishers, and possibly get picked up in the graphic novel world (and possibly major retailers). Go for it! It could expand past your story to others - I can see a whole line extension that would be totally fantastic and do some amazing storytelling.

I'd work hard on the storyline and try to illuminate the "unknown" all of us crossdressers and TG and TS folks struggle with. A well done illumination of this issue hasn't been done before. Truly an oddity in the comix world. There's a lot of gay and lesbian comics, but one dealing with gender issues is awesome.

Good luck and don't worry about your illustration portfolio. Just learn design or video editing on the side to make some cash, and pursue the passion.

Good luck!
Darla

[xdressed]

Thanks Darla ^_^

Never know if it goes really well I might take it even further and develop something along the same line for my final major project

[27th Jennifer]

I love it! In my opinion, potential employers would probably be looking at the quality of the finished product and not worrying about the meaning behind it.

Ana

[xdressed]

I think in most art, particularly in narrative works such as the ones I tend to do, the meaning behind it can increase the quality of the image itself as well. Symbolism and the structure of the image are two things that can do wonders to the impact an image has regardless of the style or realism or whatever else someone might be looking for in a picture.

Part of the reason I want to do this so much is because for me the project would be steeped in meaning and there is so much space for symbolism and interesting layout designs

[Tracii G]

I think its a great idea and when you use your own experiences for the story line it will add a real world feel to the characters.
As we all know a character needs strong points and vulnerability as well.
Good luck with the project.

[Brooklyn]

Yes, you have great material and you'll work hard on something that's so personal. After talking with your critics / professors, it will probably change from what you currently envision. My CD'ing led me into spending a summer in San Francisco and doing my thesis project on the NAMES project (AIDS quilt).

[Aly Cat]

I think its a great idea and you should go for it. If you look at this from an artistic point of view, it can be taken much like poetry....by interpretation. That being said, people can look at it and just see the expression of a transgendered person, or they can look at it and see the duality we all have in one respect or another. People dont always say what they mean or mean what they say and there are inner personalities that everyone has, not just in crossdressers or the transgender community, but every single persons personality. Its the residual self image. The Matrix makes a great point about this. I say go for it and even if potential employers want to see it, i say show them. Picasso never apologized for making a hideous painting of prostitutes. He didnt like the end result and ended up hanging it on the wall, face into the wall so that he didnt have to look at it. Everyone else pays millions of dollars for that exact painting. Its self expression and people can interpret it how they want.

[ossian]

So here is the thing, the coming out part might be a distraction to you actually finishing the project. But, on the other hand it may give lots of material to feed the art. Ok. so here is my two pence, use the "J.J. Abrams" mystery box approach, (link below), and not reveal the coming out part until the very end of the project. Have the mystery be a part of the project, use it to draw people along onto the story you are creating!

http://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box.html

[xdressed]

Yes, you have great material and you'll work hard on something that's so personal. After talking with your critics / professors, it will probably change from what you currently envision. My CD'ing led me into spending a summer in San Francisco and doing my thesis project on the NAMES project (AIDS quilt).

No project ever ends up exactly as it was envisioned at the beginning, but that's because our tutors are very good at steering as in the right direction and suggesting new influences and ideas. There are so many possibilities with this it will be interesting to see where I end up going with it.


So here is the thing, the coming out part might be a distraction to you actually finishing the project. But, on the other hand it may give lots of material to feed the art. Ok. so here is my two pence, use the "J.J. Abrams" mystery box approach, (link below), and not reveal the coming out part until the very end of the project. Have the mystery be a part of the project, use it to draw people along onto the story you are creating!

http://www.ted.com/talks/j_j_abrams_mystery_box.html

It's an interesting idea, but I think it would work better the way I want to do it if it's clearly me from the beginning. For example I'll need some kind of visual references during the project rather than just inventing an entire piece of work solely from imagination every time, and also they are likely to ask why this is so important to me and why I chose it and it's easier just to tell the truth from the beginning and say 'this is who I am and the world needs to learn about it'

[xdressed]

Sorry for the double post, but here are all my notes for this so far

Duality and Dysphoria ideas, notes and narrative possibilities


Layouts based around whole page images and double page spreads rather than typical comic book panels

The book could be done in a first person biography/documentary style, detailing my experiences and feelings

Must clear up the exact meanings of the words Bi-Gender, Transgender, Cisgender, Transphobia, Singlet, Multiple, FAAB, MAAB, Genderqueer, LGBT and possibly others

Male mode could at one point be represented as an empty line art, as make up/clothes etc are applied colour starts to take place. Could be used as the start of the narrative and as it gets a bit further in the pages become full colour and then when it gets to the end of the book reverts back to an empty line art as the make up etc is removed. Only problem with this is that it means the first page which will be quite weak visually so I might work it in slightly later instead.

When describing the nature of feeling genderless when between states, there will be a featureless mannequin as the figure rather than me

Sequences in girl mode could have a generally reddish and pink colour scheme while boy mode could have a bluish colour scheme. Slightly cliché but could be used very symbolically, and could be a subtle way of suggesting that the character is in girl mode emotionally even though they are dressed in male clothes due to their situation. The figure and background could become more abstract and chaotic during a part explaining the emotional pain during a severe bout of Gender Dysphoria.

Issues to bring up:

Toilets

Pronouns

The issue of non-binary genders not being represented on most application forms and similar things

Transphobia

Lack of role models

Lack of research

‘Monstering’

Coming Out

[Darla]

You definitely have good subject matter and points of focus. Toilets. Fantastic. Could the door markers become animate objects that dialogue with the character? Could the toilet lid refuse to lift up? If you're going for some sort of magical realism here (a marketplace trend well before Sandman) that would allow a lot of devices to take on weight and gravity that you'd have to work hard at to signify if you're doing straight up realism.

I like the art style idea, but maybe think 2 color for male expression (do you know Bill Sienkewicz's work? I think I spelled it wrong but he did a lot of expressive heavy line work in BW). Rip off other comic layouts like a thief. I'd be interesting to see how you treat it all visually, and narratively, and whether there's any room for humor in here somewhere. As a straight up narrative of you, I think it's great. You'll have a model in hand. Or maybe there's a hyper feminine gender fairy you could create and tap your girlfriend to pose for. So many possibilities. Good luck!

[xdressed]

Hmm the door markser talking to you could be a pretty good idea actually, like a sort of visual metaphor for the paranoia and anxiety that comes with going into either toilet when dressed up.

If he's who I think he is then yeah I've heard of Bill, he was a big influence on Dave McKean's early work (McKean being one of my favourite artists). I went through all my comics and graphic novels yesterday and made rough sketches of all the different layout ideas I thought could work well and made notes on stylistic influences. As much as I'd like to have my girlfriends body, I know I don't so I think I'll probably use myself as the model, makes sense after all lol

[ossian]

I'd like to see this when it is done! I think it is a cool idea and very courageous!

[xdressed]

Thanks, I'll be sure to start uploading it onto here as it progresses

[xdressed]

http://xdressed.deviantart.com/art/Where-Do-I-Fit-In-381599485

Here's a quick snippit of things to come