UNCOMFROTABLE? I chose to focus on strengthening my technique through masking in Photoshop, exaggerating my expressions in self-portraiture, creating an uncomfortable feeling in my audience, and the objectification of women. I have learned in this class how to mask properly and have made it a key factor in the style of my work. Masking has opened my eyes creatively and has allowed me to create more than I could before. I have also found that I have a hard time expressing emotions in self-portraiture, so I chose to use this project to practice, which has helped exponentially. I can now create the feelings I want the audience to see and feel because of this project. I was inspired by Hank Willis Thomas’s Branded Head, with its deep but uncomfortable feeling it evoked in me when I looked at it and the rest of his works. This project made me think about my capstone and how I could improve the way I express emotions through facial expressions so the audience can read the emotions I want them to feel. My capstone pieces are deep, and people do feel the way I want them to feel, but I could continually improve and feel I can. To improve, I choose to create forthright themes like a face on a balloon, terrified of the pin nearby, or a tooth pulled from someone's mouth, both straightforward and equally unsettling. This has allowed me to learn how to create dramatic expressions of fright, pain, pressure, and confusion.