Paul Insect; Insect Poison. (2008.)

Another one of Insect’s work that inspires me is his piece which is a part of his 2008 “Poison,” show, “Spider.”
The concept for this piece of art, I feel, is for comedy and shock values, which is rather different to his usual pieces of art. This piece of work was done in King Cross Station, which is guaranteed to attract a lot of attention. There could be some sort of hidden message behind this image, relating to evil and corrupt subjects that surround everyone in society without anyone realizing.

The techniques used in this piece appear to be spray paint and a stencil, and although the image is roughly 2D, the highlights and shadows on the image make it very 3Dimensional. This will make the image look very realistic, adding to the shock factor of the over-all piece. I think the technique would also include the position of the image, and being able to make it fit into its surroundings. For example if it is placed at an angle or on a curve, the image would look as though it’s alive and interacting with the surrounding area.

I think this piece would influence me in a number of ways; first of all it would inspire me to do artwork outside the range of human anatomy, where I could illustrate animals or insects instead. I would also think to work outside of the medium of paint and pens, as spray paint is something I’ve never thought to try out. Again it would also relate back to my obsession with drawings needing to be pretty, whereas I could create something that is still eye catching but not have to concentrate on it being aesthetically pleasing and perfect. 

Paul Insect; Who to Believe (2007.)

Another one of Insect’s pieces that stood out to me was his 2007 piece, entitled “Who to Believe,” which was a twist on the lovable Disney character, Pinocchio.

This piece, I feel, would be very successful because of it’s association with Disney. It would reach out to a wide variety of ages ranging from ages 5+, which makes it a social hive. That, combined with the state that the image is in will make it a very successful piece for both good and bad reasons.

The concept of the piece, I feel, is showing possible correspondences between children’s entertainment and secret government forces and facilities. There has been a tone of speculation about whether or not Disney was fueling fascist projects and societies, and this piece clearly indicates some form of injustice, with the character’s nose morphed into a missile, cigarettes and cards poking out from his hat (indication of gambling and drugs.) along with blood dripping from his hands which indicates the possible loss of lives that America is responsible for.

The style of this piece is very simple, it is in the style of the Disney Studios which consists of thick lines and simple, non-blended shading. However, Insect has made this his own with adding a number of pieces to the image to make it much less child friendly. The splatters of blood and dripping paint give the image a much darker and street art feel about it, making the image much more serious and diabolical.

The techniques used in this piece are very subtle until closer inspection. They revolve around drips of paint falling either by accident or on purpose, giving the image an eerie effect and the splashes of paint coming off his fingertips adds to that effect, which I think is a fantastic looking effect.

I think this image would inspire me to create pieces of work on a larger scale, and not just use paper and pens. It makes me want to use large backdrops and use a range of materials to create an image just as serious as this. I also feel that Disney is a great and patriotic style of art, particularly in America and the UK. And drawing something now that I used to draw as a four year old and looking at the difference is an experience I would like to happen.

Paul Insect: Butterfly Face Hoodie (2012.)

One of Paul Insect’s pieces that stood out to me straight away was the “Butterfly Face Hoodie.” This piece is extremely eye-catching in terms of colour, and I feel that is also something to do with the purpose of the piece.

The purpose of this piece, I think, is a spoof/mockup of contemporary fashion illustrations, mixed in with a street art style. I feel as though this is a rebellious piece, aimed to humiliate the rather eccentric styles usually found in the fashion (recently turned “Grunge,”) culture. I feel as though the purpose of this piece of art would influence my work highly, as far as ideas go, I’ve very much kept within the lines of controversy and have never even thought to make something in protest before. And I also feel that expressing anger visually is much better than what I usually see, where “Artists,” take stereotypically pretty pictures and write vulgar language over them.

The style of the piece is very peculiar, the medium seems to be spray paint/ acrylic paint on a piece of wooden grain. This gives a very independent vibe and a resourceful/thoughtful process when it comes to use of materials, which I think is a very inspiring aspect. The use of spray paint (reminding me of Banksy,) also implies an almost propaganda fueled piece.

The techniques used in this piece are rather simple, even upon first glance. This is because of the simple black and white, photograph type print that has taken the form of a hoodie, showing an immense amount of texture on the piece. Another technique used in this piece is detailed acrylic painting; this technique is very effective because it is such a contrast to the other technique. This way is colourful, bright and detailed, where the other is stark, bold and simple.

I think the style and technique of this piece could influence me a lot, as when I am doing art by hand I tend to be rather detailed, and this is not so apparent when I am doing digital work, and I feel I could combine this kind of technique to my style of both kinds of art to create a truly great effect.