Play-Play

So last term's theme was "Play", and it seems my mind is still stuck on the beauty and conformity idea. After doing a photo shoot with my younger sister again (who, mind you, was 12 years old at the time) I edited her photos and turned one into a magazine cover and the other into a magazine spread. My tonal drawing was also based on a photo of her. 

This piece was more focused on 'fake' girls, rather than mainstream girls. 

Her



Say hello to the joys of compulsory drawings!

This one, who I like to think of as 'her', was done with oil pastels and a little bit of turps.
My original intention was to draw a perfect Barbie stereotype, but unfortunately, between my younger sister and my mom, our total of 7 Barbies and 1 Ken lay in pieces on the workshop table.

So then I made up some symbolism.
Her lack of arms represents how models and those involved in the fashion industry are only valued for their bodies and are, effectively, "armless", and her lack of head represents... well... lack of thinking (I guess).

Ironically enough, while I was carting 'her' around school with me, I recieved a number of comments.
Not on my drawing skills, but rather on the attractiveness of her legs.
"That lady has nice legs. I wish I had legs like that."
"But... she's a Barbie."
"Well, she has really nice legs."
"But... she has no arms or head..."
"But she has nice legs."

It is because of people who think like you that I am doing this project this term.