TOLAROIDS: International Women’s Day

Today is about celebrating women around the world. You will see pretty pictures, stories about female leaders, statements from university and government officials about historical figures that “make women proud.” However, tomorrow all of this will magically disappear and we will go back to the reality of what it’s like to be a woman in the modern world*:

  • In North America, 32% of women suffered intimate partner physical and/or sexual violence in 2020
  • 43% of respondents experienced discrimination against women in the past year including hearing sexist comments, witnessing sexism in the workplace or sexual harassment
  • Only 32% of companies worldwide have women in senior roles
  • The gender pay gap is 76% closed in Europe and 75% in North America. According to Statista, it will take 95 years with the current trends to completely close it in North America.
  • The US ranked only 43rd out of 146 countries examined for gender equality by the World Economic Forum according to the 2023 Global Gender Gap report
  • Globally, 58% of men and 49% of women agree with the statement that giving women equal rights has gone far enough in 2023

Let’s share those pretty pictures, let’s say the kind words, and let’s focus on female leaders and heroes today. But let’s also remember that it shouldn’t stop there, and the fight for equality continues beyond days like today.

*figures taken from Statista

Wakesleeping

Awake with dread in a blue room wishing to 

Close my eyes knowing that with every passing 

Moment my mind, quenching tears creates time tombs.

Who knew that sorrow could cure happy living 

Water is healing when thinking how, or who

Gets to be, gets sleep, gets to keep succeeding. 

Loneliness feels best when striving for greatness

I wonder how I’ll sleep when there’s nothing less.

Make my bones like papier-mâché 

So that I may be whole while hollow

Create my mouth like calculator 

So that my speech may be accurate while calm

Humble my ears like honey 

So that I only see what is sweet

Observer: Calendar imitation storytelling

This piece is a poster design for my original story taken place in ancient Chinese society. I originally thought about doing character illustrations with color, but recently I have been doing a lot of poster design works and just naturally drafted my project in a composition including words and information, which comes more and more like a poster design, in the end I decided to let it flow. I choose to use black and white this time as comparison to the mainstream poster designs. I use the poster to express my characters and the storyline happened in the plot. Some of my ideas come from traditional calendar design and incorporated typography designs to make them more interesting. This poster is about my story that I imagined with swordsmen, representing my love for fantasy and my enthusiasm for storytelling. I included several different art styles in it, including doodles, realistic, and figure sketches to achieve the goal of combining my interest in different art styles. 

The Indian Artist, Final Year: Intaglio

Good Afternoon everyone! I hope that you are well. I know that I haven’t posted in some time, but I wanted to write a short post today showcasing some work that I did last semester using a brand new technique!

Intaglio is a means of printmaking in which which the image is carved into a surface and the incised line or sunken area holds the ink. This method is the direct opposite of a relief print where the parts of the matrix that make the image stand above the main surface. Linoleum carving is a type of relief printmaking whereas copper etching is an example of intaglio. I had the privilege of learning intaglio last semester and it was a pure joy! I wanted to share the steps that I learned and the pieces that I made. Enjoy!

  1. Create your sketch! Figure out the subject matter than you are interested in rendering and create an initial drawing.
  2. Prepare the plate! In order to transfer ink from the etched copper plate to paper, it is fed through a press. If the edges of a copper plate are left raw, they can cut through the paper.
    • The first step is the burnish and round off the edges of the plate
    • The second step is to degrease the surface of the plate so that the ground can stick to it. Degreasing the plate is done by mixing a solution of vinegar and whiting together and rubbing it all over the surface. Once this is done comprehensively the plate is rinsed and dried.
    • Lastly, something called a ground is rolled onto the surface of the plate and cured on a hot plate. This ground is what is carved into to expose copper. The exposed copper will be etched when put into acid!
  3. Transfer your image! This is simple, just use some transfer paper and get your image onto your plate.
  4. Now you are ready to etch! Using a thin needle, draw into the hard ground to expose the copper plate. This can be done in layers as the longer the copper is exposed to acid, the darker the lines will be and vice versa.
  5. Etch the plate! Put a piece of contact paper on the back on your copper plate to protect it from the acid. Then, just suspend the copper plate in a vat of ferric acid. Again, etching for longer will make the lines darker.
  6. Print the plate! Apply ink to the plate and wipe off the excess. The ink will sit inside of the etches lines and will transfer to the paper when put through a press set to the correct pressure!

And that is all it takes! I know this was a long overdue post and a bit of a different one, but I hope that it was interesting to read! I have always really admired printmaking and am so lucky that I have had the opportunity to dive into it this past year. I am currently working on a woodblock print and look forward to sharing it with you all.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me or comment if you have any questions, concerns, or thoughts! If you would like to see my work, please feel free to check out my website and follow me on Instagram.

Until next week,

Riya

Instagram: @riya_aggarwal.art

Website: https://theindianartist.weebly.com/

Capturing Campus: February

Narcissus circa 2024

I loved someone
so deceptively tangible
so close, almost touching
our breath intermingling
between pauses and thought
I try to survive
the pain in my chest
the aching empty cavity
I loved someone
so deeply
so closely
it killed me

Please reach out if you or someone you know is in immediate danger or experiencing suicidal thoughts. You are not alone.

911

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

CAPS After Hours Urgent Support: 734-764-8312

UM Psychiatric Emergency Services: 734.996.4747

UM Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness: 734.936.3333

Department of Public Safety and Security: 734.763.1131

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1.800.273.TALK (1.800.273.8255)

The Trevor Lifeline: 1.866.488.7386

Crisis Text Line:  741741

LOG_029_BURROWING_HUNTER

ARTICLE ARCHIVED FROM [ ??? ]

CATEGORY [ XENOBIOLOGY ]

ID [ K1B 12.03 ]

SHORT DESC [ SPECIES 0014 ]


NOTES

[ Though small, these creatures are vicious, opportunistic hunters in their own right. They rely on camouflage and concealment to ambush their prey, and are capable of digging rapidly or sprinting in short bursts. They have also been observed to construct burrows and underground traps. Their scaled hide provides some protection against the abrasive elements of their native environments, as well as attacks or predation by others. ]