# My menstrual painting



## nathicana (Dec 20, 2011)

This was my first attempt painting with menstrual blood.
It is my rendition of the band Coil's album cover for their last studio release _The_ _Ape of Naples_.

Original Album Cover:










Menstrual Painting:


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## xTKsaucex (Jun 23, 2010)

surprisingly, not the first time I've come across this type of thing before......

Its ummm, lush. :b


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## MindOverMood (Dec 12, 2009)




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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

Um.................


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## Raulz0r (Jun 4, 2011)




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## ivankaramazov (Aug 22, 2009)

Are you taking requests for next month?


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## StayingMotivated (Sep 5, 2011)

I was thinking there would be more color variation.  interesting way to make use of uterus lining!!! 
NOMNOMNOM


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## Ambivert (Jan 16, 2010)




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## Johny (Dec 21, 2010)

watidon'teven


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

Does it smell?


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

let's not get any more graphic with details. Please.


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## Lisa (Jul 8, 2006)

Um..... doesn't appeal to me at all.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

oh, I don't know... there's a lot of womb for error here.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

by the way, this really irritates me:

why so much "men" in women's stuff? 

Men in "women". "Men"-struation. "Men"-opause. Men this, men that. why must you all meddle in *everything*?? can't you all just mind your own bidness?


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## NoIce (Sep 10, 2011)

leonardess said:


> by the way, this really irritates me:
> 
> why so much "men" in women's stuff?
> 
> Men in "women". "Men"-struation. "Men"-opause. Men this, men that. why must you all meddle in *everything*?? can't you all just mind your own bidness?


Man/men used to be a generic term for human as far as I understand it.


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## Lasair (Jan 25, 2010)

NoIce said:


> Man/men used to be a generic term for human as far as I understand it.


Even human has "man" in it


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## Marc1980 (Oct 24, 2011)

I think its quite cool!
Very interesting way of self expression.


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## NoIce (Sep 10, 2011)

Janniffy said:


> Even human has "man" in it


Human replaced "Man" as the generic term after "Man" became masculine.

(You're just messing with me now, arn't you :s)


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## nathicana (Dec 20, 2011)

ivankaramazov said:


> Are you taking requests for next month?


I was thinking of starting a painting a month in January of 2012. The idea of requests is intriguing. What would you have me paint?



Banzai said:


> Does it smell?


It doesn't smell at all. There is only a small layer of menstrual blood. Buckets of dried blood may smell but my painting has no odor at all. I have it hung up on my bedroom wall. It's turned brown over time as the blood has dried.



leonardess said:


> by the way, this really irritates me:
> 
> why so much "men" in women's stuff?
> 
> Men in "women". "Men"-struation. "Men"-opause. Men this, men that. why must you all meddle in *everything*?? can't you all just mind your own bidness?


I suspect this is because we live and have lived under a patriarchal system all of our lives. It doesn't surprise me that many people are freaked out by the idea of menstrual paintings. We've learned to develop this fear of the female body. Even some women fear or are disgusted by their own bodies when it menstruates. I find it rather sad, myself and suspect that it is a repercussion of centuries of Judeo-Christian shame and guilt.



Marc1980 said:


> I think its quite cool!
> Very interesting way of self expression.


Thanks! I thought so as well. I think we are far too separated from our bodies and thought this to be a great way to get to know my own body a bit better.


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## Ohhai (Oct 15, 2010)

Everytime I see this beautiful painting I can't help but have a smile grow across my face; knowing how terribly it will be dismissed, when it's no more and no less than a joke than half of the art posted here.


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## Rez (May 11, 2010)




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## nathicana (Dec 20, 2011)

Ohhai said:


> Everytime I see this beautiful painting I can't help but have a smile grow across my face; knowing how terribly it will be dismissed, when it's no more and no less than a joke than half of the art posted here.


Ohhai, your exquisite grammar makes _me_ smile! Thank you, my dear. I am flattered.


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## NoIce (Sep 10, 2011)

nathicana said:


> I suspect this is because we live and have lived under a patriarchal system all of our lives.


Or the reason I posted above.



> It doesn't surprise me that many people are freaked out by the idea of menstrual paintings. We've learned to develop this fear of the female body.


It could just be a reaction to airated bodily fluids, and the innate aversions which are built into us for self preservation reasons.


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## SaikoSakura382 (Nov 8, 2011)

^ Or maybe because coming in contact with other peoples blood isn't good... HIV/AIDS, other STDs, getting the wrong blood type in your system, etc. That has given me a fear of blood, especially other peoples.

I think your painting is nice.^^


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## Hello22 (Feb 10, 2010)

leonardess said:


> oh, I don't know... there's a lot of womb for error here.


:clap

This painting is not my kind of thing. _Period. _


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## ivankaramazov (Aug 22, 2009)

nathicana said:


> I was thinking of starting a painting a month in January of 2012. The idea of requests is intriguing. What would you have me paint?


Well, since it's already kind of an art/circle of life thing I'd suggest a fetus. You could also play the irony angle and paint a tampon. I like that one better, actually.


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## fingertips (Jan 11, 2009)

one thing i don't think is as successful in your painting as the original is the outlines. in the original they're only used to define the hands rather than the whole form.

oh, and in case anybody was INCREDIBLY CURIOUS, menstruation/menopause share a root with moon and month! that's why there's "men" in them. words are fun!


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## Marc1980 (Oct 24, 2011)

nathicana said:


> I was thinking of starting a painting a month in January of 2012. The idea of requests is intriguing. What would you have me paint?


Do you produce enough to make more than one request?
also, doesn't menstrual blood dry up and disappear after a while?


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

Marc1980 said:


> also, doesn't menstrual blood dry up and disappear after a while?


Disappear? :lol If only.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Marc1980 said:


> Do you produce enough to make more than one request?
> also, doesn't menstrual blood dry up and disappear after a while?


It turns brown.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

If you get some good clots (usually on the 2nd day), could add more texture to it.


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## lyric (Aug 21, 2011)

Just gross. No offense to the artist.


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## wrongnumber (May 24, 2009)

I think it looks like a red blob. If it was water colour I'd still be underwhelmed.


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## diamondheart89 (Mar 21, 2011)

Ohhai said:


> Everytime I see this beautiful painting I can't help but have a smile grow across my face; knowing how terribly it will be dismissed, when it's no more and no less than a joke than half of the art posted here.


I had a premonition that this would be relevant to your interests.


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## MindOverMood (Dec 12, 2009)

Here's my painting and you'll never guessed what I used.


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## Knowbody (Jul 5, 2011)

wow.....I like it though, if you were a well known artist this would probably sell for MILLIONS, is this the first time someone has tried to do something like this

btw, you'll probably end up getting a warning or banned or something over this. The mods here are very 1950-ish era/bradey Bunch/uptight. So don't be surprised if anything happens.


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## fingertips (Jan 11, 2009)

MindOverMood said:


> Here's my painting and you'll never guessed what I used.


sepia ink


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## Banzai (Jun 4, 2009)

MindOverMood said:


> Here's my painting and you'll never guessed what I used.


Excrement?


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## nathicana (Dec 20, 2011)

Blood does not disappear, it simply turns brown after some time.



MindOverMood said:


> Here's my painting and you'll never guessed what I used.


I really enjoy it. It looks like died blood. Regardless of what it is I really love it. Cats are wonderful.



Marc1980 said:


> Do you produce enough to make more than one request?
> also, doesn't menstrual blood dry up and disappear after a while?


I am really enjoying the idea of requests, so please make suggestions and if I like the idea enough I may peruse it.



fingertips said:


> one thing i don't think is as successful in your painting as the original is the outlines. in the original they're only used to define the hands rather than the whole form.


The reason why I sketched the who thing at first is because I am out of out of my comfort zone painting. I have never been much of a visual artist, but I was inspired enough to attempt a menses painting. Hopefully the technique will only get better in future attempts.



komorikun said:


> If you get some good clots (usually on the 2nd day), could add more texture to it.


I was kind of bummed I waited until the tail end of my third day to do this one. However, I would love to experiment with the texture of blood clots. Second day menses does seem like it would be the best for this kind of venture. =)


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## Neutrino (Apr 11, 2011)

I like it


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## Hello22 (Feb 10, 2010)

komorikun said:


> If you get some good clots (usually on the 2nd day), could add more texture to it.


Jesus christ that just turned me off my christmas dessert!! I really shouldnt log on here before i start eating!

Still think menstrual paintings are disturbing, no offence meant.


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## forex (Dec 29, 2010)

OMG :blank


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## rymo (Sep 6, 2009)

*vomits*


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Hello22 said:


> Jesus christ that just turned me off my christmas dessert!! I really shouldnt log on here before i start eating!


Well, my job is done here. :tiptoe

I rather like the clots, quite chewy....om nom nom nom nom.......


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## anti-socialsocialite (May 1, 2011)

Simply exquisite! I can't say that I ever imagined somebody would create a Painting of this album cover with menstrual blood. Well done OP, next time you should do a fetus as another user suggested, but don't stop there. Make it a symmetrically conjoined fetus at the stomach.


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## Dying note (Mar 17, 2009)

nathicana said:


> I think we are far too separated from our bodies and thought this to be a great way to get to know my own body a bit better.


I can appreciate the personal meaning this painting has for you and I think the painting itself is very interesting.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

nathicana said:


> The reason why I sketched the who thing at first is because I am out of out of my comfort zone painting. I have never been much of a visual artist, but I was inspired enough to attempt a menses painting. Hopefully the technique will only get better in future attempts.


May I ask what the purpose of using menstrual blood is? I realize this isn't a critique section, but I can appreciate the use of it, if it contributes to the message being conveyed by the cover itself, or the album. If however it was used only to be used, or for the sake of making it interesting, the whole thing becomes much more shallow and a great deal more pretentious. I'm not at all saying this is you, because I don't know what your piece is, but if there is little to no good reason as to why you used period blood as paint, it really, imo detracts a great deal from the painting and you as an artist rather than adds. I'm sure you realize well enough that it is a very powerful symbol of femininity and a great social taboo, and as such it should add on to an equally powerful message being conveyed through your art, and not be relegated towards being some kitsch accessory, whose purpose is making your piece interesting.

I'm not a huge art person, so my opinion might not be worth a huge amount in this field, but it does get to me, that the high brow "artists" seemingly resort to shock and manufactured symbolism to draw attention to their "art" and elevate themselves.


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

I guess this is what you'd call a period piece.


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## Rest or Real? (Apr 1, 2011)

She really puts her all into her works; blood, sweat and tears.


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## Resonance (Feb 11, 2010)

leonardess said:


> oh, I don't know... there's a lot of womb for error here.





Hello22 said:


> :clap
> 
> This painting is not my kind of thing. _Period. _





kiirby said:


> I guess this is what you'd call a period piece.


As self-appointed judge of thread-winning puns, this is a tough one, but I'm coming down on kiirby's side here.

*Pauses to think of off-the-cuff remark*

Opinions in this thread are so divided, with this painting uterus apart..._you tear us_...no?

Anyway I've never really been possesed of the automatic revulsion for menstural blood that most men have - not that I love the stuff or anything, t'is just blood to me though (though if I were forced into vampirism I _would_ prefer an arm-vein given the choice). As such, I'm not at all repulsed - I think it's quite good actually. I mean, it isn't a masterwork, but as you say it's your first try doing this so I think it turned out pretty well.

But er, the whole turning brown after a few days surely undermines the longevity of anything painted this way. As a one-off expression thing, sure - as a long-term artform I'm not convinced.


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## Freiheit (Dec 8, 2008)

Omg ew. Good job on painting, but the idea of using blood to make art really grosses me out.


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## nathicana (Dec 20, 2011)

lonelyjew said:


> May I ask what the purpose of using menstrual blood is? I realize this isn't a critique section, but I can appreciate the use of it, if it contributes to the message being conveyed by the cover itself, or the album. If however it was used only to be used, or for the sake of making it interesting, the whole thing becomes much more shallow and a great deal more pretentious. I'm not at all saying this is you, because I don't know what your piece is, but if there is little to no good reason as to why you used period blood as paint, it really, imo detracts a great deal from the painting and you as an artist rather than adds. I'm sure you realize well enough that it is a very powerful symbol of femininity and a great social taboo, and as such it should add on to an equally powerful message being conveyed through your art, and not be relegated towards being some kitsch accessory, whose purpose is making your piece interesting.
> 
> I'm not a huge art person, so my opinion might not be worth a huge amount in this field, but it does get to me, that the high brow "artists" seemingly resort to shock and manufactured symbolism to draw attention to their "art" and elevate themselves.


I am a physicalist. I want to explore my body and get to know it in as mnay ways as possible. I also think that there is an unnecessary fear of women when they are menstruating and menstrual blood in general. I had read about matriarchal groups that thought the blood from menstruation to be a mystical substance. The album Ape of Naples as well as the band that produced it, Coil are very much so into mysticism and esotericism. Throughout the course of their musical career they make references to "Moon's Milk", which seemed to me very implicitly menstrual.


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## Petrovsk Mizinski (Nov 29, 2011)




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## Nefury (May 9, 2011)

I plan on making a similar project too. It's called "Snow on a Mountain".

I'll post pics soon.


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## lad (Sep 26, 2011)

Hmm, pics to prove its menstrual blood?


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## nathicana (Dec 20, 2011)

lad said:


> Hmm, pics to prove its menstrual blood?


I don't have to prove anything to you nor do I care whether you believe me or not. Do you really want to see a bloody vagina that badly?


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## lazy calm (Aug 1, 2010)

you go girl :'D

more of these, please. 

yeah, definitely :boogie


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## ozkr (Dec 2, 2005)

You certainly are pushing the boundaries...

of attention-seeking. 


> it doesn't surprise me that many people are freaked out by the idea of menstrual paintings. We've learned to develop this fear of the female body. Even some women fear or are disgusted by their own bodies when it menstruates. I find it rather sad, myself and suspect that it is a repercussion of centuries of Judeo-Christian shame and guilt.


It's not any more sacred than any other secretion or byproduct of human physiological functions only because it only occurs in female bodies and is linked to the reproductive process. Any bodily function could be romanticized for its role in the life cycle or in social constructs, but it would still be ****ing disgusting to smear its related fluids on paper.

Plus, out of the secretions I can think of, one would smell really bad and the other wouldn't show well on paper. I would still find a way to link one to the sacred process of nourishment and the other one to the magic of the creation of life, but it would be difficult to convince others that my lack of artistic ability can be justified by the presence of a half assed attempt at giving a message through a unnecessary and disgusting medium. If that does turn out to be difficult, I can just amp up the condescension and look down on the people who "don't get it", who reserve the right to be repulsed, or are simply unimpressed, but at that point I would just be completely obnoxious.

What is this world coming to? Oh, the _humynity_!


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## jollybeans (Dec 8, 2008)

ummmmm


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## Tugwahquah (Apr 13, 2011)




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## centrino (Sep 27, 2010)

Bloody Amazing


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I don't see anything wrong with it. It's gothic and kind of cool. 

I still would not want to be anywhere in the room with it, however.


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## Dan iel (Feb 13, 2011)

Since you are taking requests.

River in the mountain would like a portrait!

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/members/river-in-the-mountain-54960/

I wonder if it can be done.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

edit*
Nevermind, I shouldn't have posted this. We weren't asked to give critiques here, and so it was rude of me to be, well, so critical.


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## Nathan Talli (Dec 13, 2010)

leonardess said:


> by the way, this really irritates me:
> 
> why so much "men" in women's stuff?
> 
> Men in "women". "Men"-struation. "Men"-opause. Men this, men that. why must you all meddle in *everything*?? can't you all just mind your own bidness?


"Meno" means moon and "menstrual" comes from the latin menstrualis meaning monthly, both having to do with the time of the month when - oh you were being sarcastic. It's because men are inherently evil.

Edit: and ewww


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

kiirby said:


> I guess this is what you'd call a period piece.


:spit


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

Nathan Talli said:


> "Meno" means moon and "menstrual" comes from the latin menstrualis meaning monthly, both having to do with the time of the month when - oh you were being sarcastic. It's because men are inherently evil.
> 
> Edit: and ewww


well, yeah, what else could i possibly mean-struate. perhaps you mis-menstrued my meaning....

I was only joking.


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## Nathan Talli (Dec 13, 2010)

ozkr said:


> You certainly are pushing the boundaries...
> 
> of attention-seeking.
> It's not any more sacred than any other secretion or byproduct of human physiological functions only because it only occurs in female bodies and is linked to the reproductive process. Any bodily function could be romanticized for its role in the life cycle or in social constructs, but it would still be ****ing disgusting to smear its related fluids on paper.
> ...


Lol **** just got real.

and


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

perhaps you meant "oh the hyMENity!".


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## Zappa (Apr 15, 2010)

Why? This just cries pretentious appeal to attention. Also illegal to sell or display you're not allowed to mail bodily fluids so requests are a bit pointless.

You didn't sketch that outline either, that's traced straight from your computer screen and no shes not the first person to do this many have before but gets no where due to disease control policies / it's pointless.

Real critique? If you're trying to express something in an art from 1) Use an original idea changing mediums doesn't count 2) Don't trace. It's a smudgy red mess use water colours or oils next time you'll get a better result.


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## KelsKels (Oct 4, 2011)

Well thats rather interesting. I dont get offended easily, so it doesnt bother me too much. Its a little weird though.. trying to imagine how youd go about getting the media. Did you sit on a cup for a half hour?

Hah.. and I have to say there are some golden puns on this thread.


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## avoidobot3000 (Aug 22, 2010)

In my opinion, good art should be able to speak for itself; without explanation, titles or labels. This piece doesn't.


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

Art is subjective. One person's bad art is another person's good art.

****This thread is no longer serving a constructive purpose and is therefore closed***

**nathicana *- If you would like your thread reopened, please contact me or another moderator.


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