Touch Assignment

                                             

                                                                         Animals

       The sense of touch is a dominant form of bonding in the animal kingdom. Almost all species use touch to communicate, understand their surroundings, and form relationships. A seemingly simple act, just a quick nuzzle with the nose can convey a multitude of messages. "I trust you" "You are safe" "I am loyal to you" "We are family". Much like the animals, we use touch for almost the same purpose. A soft brush of the hand or pat on the shoulder can tell someone they are cared for, they are not alone. It is a form of bonding unparalleled by any other. 

For this drawing, I used layers of hatching to emphasize the illusion of texture, depicting two foxes nuzzling each other. The purpose was to show the bonding in the simple act of nuzzling. In a way, they closely resemble two human beings, sharing a warm embrace. We, like the animals, have been built to be touch-based creatures, and much of what we do is the same.

"Touch is a powerfully important sense among animals, for whom the slightest touch of an object or another animal triggers responses. One need only watch the body whims of a house cat rubbing and wrapping itself around its owner's leg, or the courting of two giraffes thwacking their long necks together."

                                                                               - Diane Akerman (A Natural History of the Senses)

The Point of Pain

      Pain can be described and defined in various ways. Emotional, physical, mental: these are all types of pain we feel on a regular basis. From an evolutional standpoint, pain is seen as a form of defense, a way to protect us from potential harm. If I am cooking, and the heat of the stove causes me pain, I will automatically remove my hand from the stove, without any thought. This natural response is what protects us. However, when it comes to the emotional, pain can be seen as a coping mechanism, a way to process and understand a daunting situation. These reactions are still not completely understood, and it can't be known for sure why we experience this.
Pain can also last for different periods of time. It can last less than a minute, over an hour, or perhaps years- depending on severity. Pain is felt differently by everyone, and causes different effects.
I chose to photograph a pin stuck in my hand, emphasizing the point of impact with photo editing in photoshop. The lines of action are meant to visually represent the "waves" of pain radiating
throughout the skin.

"When we're in pain the localized place hurts but the entire body responds. We grow sweaty, our pupils dilate, our blood pressure shoots up. Oddly enough, the same thing happens when we're angry or scared. There is a deep emotional component to pain. If we're badly hurt, we might also be afraid."

                                                                            - Diane Akerman (A Natural History of the Senses)