To inform my next images, and to make sure they will be as successful and clear as possible I have decided to reflect on the main images I have created so far, and reflect on how they have developed from one another.

1. I played with cutting up parts of different bodies and arranging them to make a new abstract body; exploring the relationship between gender and the body; how thinking about your gender can sometimes give you and abstract and fragmented impression of your body; shadow which could suggest darkness and weight of the gender binary; layered abstract automatic drawing linking to complexity and looseness of gender; layers link to layers of identity and different parts of gender identity

2. Similar to the previous image I collaged parts of bodies to distort the figure; I drew over the collage but using tracing paper instead which allowed me to follow the shapes of the body which I think creates a nice image but isn't as successful as when the drawing is separate from the shapes of the body as less contrast is created between the drawing and body; upon reflection I want the drawn elements to contrast with the collage as I want the drawing to represent gender and the collaged elements to represent society's idea of gender and gender ideals

3. Exploring using shadow to illustrate 'true/ inner self'; using contrast between drawing and collage to contrast between physical appearance and inside feelings/ gender (gender and physical expression are separate things); extending drawing from box to show that it is free flowing (gender is fluid and doesn't 'fit in a box'); I think this image is one of the best at communicating my ideas about gender but when developing this I plan to use this idea combined with collage from the media to illustrate the stereotypes and restrictions of a fluid idea of gender

4. Cut up abstracted bodies layered with drawing; contrast between harsh black of body and hand with colourful drawing; hand gives a sense of control, control of the gender binary; combining hand with media would work well to show the control and influence the media has on our ideas

5. Layered 90s cosmo magazine with monoprint; magazine has a stereotypical image of the 'ideal woman' and text around with sexist undertones; monoprint of abstract figure which contradicts image on the magazine; I think the use of older media is successful as it shows that the media's enforcement of the gender binary has been going on for years; in future images I plan to incorporate media from different times to show the layers and layers of the media and how powerful it is

6. Collection of more images from older magazines and 'How it Works: The Wife' book; layers of media from different times to show depth and layers of the enforcement of the gender binary; contrasting portrayals of men and women in the image: women vacant, men full of feeling and emotion; cut up black and white face is eerie and like a shell; to improve this image I could add some drawing to add a contrasting element; I don't think this is my best piece at communicating my ideas, it is more a test of arrangement and collaging

Overall, I think the most successful elements from these images that I want to carry through into my next images are the use of the hand to show control; the use of automatic drawing to represent gender; the layered, cut up collage to show the intensity of the media's influence on our ideas about gender; the use of shadow and abstract drawing to illustrate authentic self/ gender rather than appearance; layering automatic drawing, representing authentic gender identity, over magazine collage to illustrate that truth is more powerful than stereotype and restriction.