MENTAL HEALTH PORTRAIT

Acrylic on Wood

This project was set to be based outdoors, therefore needed to be weather resistance. I decided to base the work on mental health, I completed research into the charity 'mind' to enable me to gain more knowledge on the theme. My research for this project was documented through a sketch book, I experimented with a range of materials before deciding how I wanted to portray my portrait. From all the mediums I experimented with, I believed that acrylic paint was the best medium to use. It allowed me to fully portray what I set out to achieve, from the brush strokes, to the paint drips. The aim of this painting was to show that people have struggled whether you can see them or not, their mind is constantly working overtime and constantly overthinking. I was struggling with my own demands during this time, and therefore could fully relate to the painting. It allowed me to be fully invested in what I was creating and to not only portray others; but to portray myself and my struggles throughout that period. To ensure the painting was weather resistance, I used outdoor vanish to protect the painting and the wood canvas.