Reflections on 'Becoming Fish'

Becoming Fish is a 23 × 30 inch mixed-media collage built from pencil on newsprint paper, acrylic paint on newsprint and cardboard, and tile stickers. From the start I wanted a strong contrast between vibrant color and the absence of color, so I left myself and some elements in plain pencil while painting the fish and surroundings in bright acrylic.

I illustrated the individual elements with pencil and acrylic paint, painted the background separately, and then collaged everything together. Because the piece came together in parts, I cut out each element and checked the composition and collage fit between every stage, repositioning things before committing. Along the way I ran texture and color experiments — including testing tile stickers — to find the right surfaces for the underwater setting.

Through revision, I pushed the message to read more clearly. I added colored pencil to build up the fish scales, and reworked my right foot so that it reads like a fish tail, reinforcing the idea of gradually transforming into a fish.