tangent

In art school, you’re taught that a tangent is a mistake meant to be avoided. In the context of composition, a tangent refers to shapes or lines that are either too close or not close enough. They touch awkwardly, just brushing up but not fully overlapping, and it may draw the eye in a way you hadn’t intended. You’re encouraged to check your work for tangents, and move elements apart or closer to ease the flow of the composition. When I created this piece, it came from a misprint of a sticker sheet I was drawing. I sliced the sticker paper many times to mimic the printer lines it had, and layered them over each other, then drew on top. I wanted to capture the feeling of being too close or not close enough, feeling unwanted, unsure. Feeling silly for being somewhere you might not be welcome in the way you want, or not being able to tell exactly how you’re being construed by another person.