Artist Statement

This project is basically a series of sketches to help people understand what the teardrop tattoo really represents, and how people are miss interpriting it. What I did was made a sketch book. The first page is a series of teardrops explaining what the true meanings of the tattoos actually are. The second page shows two gang members with the tattoos. It then describes what the tattoo means to a gang, and how gangs can distinguish things about that person. The third page is the prison page. It explains the meaning of the tattoo in jail, and how jail birds get the tattoo to show other prisioners intimidation. The forth page shows a mallot and the American flag in the background. It then explains court cases that have gone wrong because the person being convicted had a teardrop tattoo. The court looked at the tattoo as evidence, in some cases, and judged that person because of it. Lastly, the fifth page has several drawings on it. on the top of the page shows a business man who got the tattoo because he thought it would look cool. A gang member came up to him and put a gun up to his face demanding what the man represented. The next picture shows a college mascot dressed up as a gangster with the tattoo. It then explains how the college had to publicly appologize for the mascot. The last picture is the album cover of Lil Wayne's cd. Its a picture of a baby tattooed with the teardrops. I explained how it is sending a negitive image to his fans and how they will see it as a cool thing instead of what it truely represents.

This was difficult for me at first, because my first idea was just to draw a person with a teardrop tattoo and explain it. I was told it wasn't enough. I had to think further. I was unsure of how to make it work until the teacher suggested writing along with the sketches. Thats when I decided that a series of drawings with writing next to them would be a better way to explain the negitivity of the tattoo, and how people are miss representing it. I decided to start the sketch book off with the meanings, starting off with the actual tattoo, then moving on to gangs, prisioners, and then wraping it up with how it has affected people in court, college, and how celeberties are representing it.

I chose teardrop tattoos because I myself was interested in it and wanted to learn a little more about it. I also knew that people were getting it for other reasons when it can hurt them in the long run. Gangs, prisoners, and the public all take offense to this tattoo. It can be very dangerous especially it someone is miss representing it.

I chose to draw sketches because I'm not that great of an artist and wanted some more practice. I guess I was in the mood to draw. I turned it into a sketch book because of the fact that I couldn't use just one picture to get my full message across. I think it worked out well for me in the end.

How do others see us? How do we see ourselves? How do we identify and think about ourselves? How do we compose our identity? How do others compose their identities?

These were the questions I decided to respond to. Others see us in many ways. Apperance is everything. People automatically make judgements about someone just by passing them in the street. What we wear and how our body language is makes a huge statement to the person that sees you. For this particular group, others see these people as dangerous and trouble. Because of the meanings of the tattoo, one will believe a series of things automatically such as they are members of a gang, they went to jail, and have murdered someone. That is not someone that one would just randomly approach.

We see ourselves as who we are. We know what we represent and what we believe in, but sometimes it's not clear to the population. We identify ourselves with tattoos, clothing, peircings, and the such. Individuals fit into subcultures and these subcultures have their own styles. For the teardrop tattoos these people know that they are representing something dangerous. They know what they have done and are purposly making it known. They want to come off as intimidating and dangerous. This is how people compose their identity. They wear things to represent or make a statement. The teardrop is a identity by itself becuase it is already assumed to be a gang member. But then there are also the people who have no clue as to what the tattoo stands for, and get it in spite of a loved one or a fashion statement.

The whole meaning of the piece is to just make others aware of the true meanings and to know how people miss represent it. It can be a very dangerous thing when approached by someone who actually represents it correctly. People have been murdered, court cases have lost due to the tattoo, and people have had the tattoos skinned from their bodies because they are claiming something their not.

This project doesnt relate to any of the ones that were shown in class by what the artist decided to do. Instead it relates to the topic of truely understanding a culture. Instead of fallowing someone, I sketched the culture.

I believe my strenghts are that I got the message out as good as I could with sketches. I believe people will understand what I am trying to explain. I also believe that people will be more aware of the decisions they decide to make, because this tattoo could be dangerous.

I believe my weaknesses are that explaining it verbally helps a little more, so when people don't hear my arguments they may not get the full picture. Also, some of my sketches are a little rough.