Entry #1
This assignment worked with an array of still life, and the ways in which different parts of the work mingled into the whole. I decided to focus primarily on shapes and shadows, and how they bring life to a piece, opposed to heavier details. I discovered that the process of using charcoal was more fluid than expected, although it did take some getting used to when it came to blending; in some cases such stark contrast added to the piece, in others, it detracts.
If there was something which I learned from this assignment, it was how different forms of blending worked together. The charcoal and the graphite did not blend properly, and therefore pieces which used both of those could get a little tricky with defining the shadows and highlights. Subtraction only works in places, and it can be a challenge to remove pigment once it gets onto the page. I discovered that these allowed for unintended textures and similar values when it came to putting a piece together.
Texture is something which I can also improve on; I was primarily focused on shading, and little more than that when it came to such details. Anything which was not picked up by the shadows was often forgotten, and it is my goal to improve on this as I move forward in the class.
For my first time working with charcoal in ages, however, I can say that this was overall successful. I’ve learned some of the basics of using these materials, and I am sure I will only improve as I get further acquainted.
Entry #2
For the Art 21 assignment, I lookeded up Tala Madani. She is a satirical artist who depicts subject matter with a touch of humor, attempting to destroy stereotypes she sees in the world. Overall, she seems to be a pretty interesting person; her art in many contexts is focused on line and color. While some of the pieces present in her sketchbook are, well, more on the sketchy side, she defines her subjects with bold lighting and stylized flair. personally, I find her art to be fascinating; it leans somewhat more on the cartoony side of the spectrum, but still has personality and a deeper meaning outside of this (not that cartoons can’t have more serious meanings to them, of course). The charm of the pieces is not lost on me, and I do hope to see more of her work at some point.
Entry #3
Overall, what I learned from the critique on the midterm was that the piece could use some organization. While to some extent that is something which I enjoyed about the final product, the consistent clashing of certain techniques and marks may take away from any sense of unity. Blending is another concern where some line work may seem haphazard and unintentional. These are things to think about in later projects.
Entry #4
For our art midterm, we were encouraged to create some form of grid and incorporate real objects, be it from a still life or from different pieces of our own choosing. For my own piece, I decided to use the geometric structure of the ceiling as the grid, and worked my way from there. The result is a much more abstract piece than was initially intended, but it gets across what it needs to.
I think the greatest successes in this piece are the heavy elements of contrast and the way that the materials blend into one another. I had some difficulty getting this to work out in the first project of the semester, but with some work it came together. I believe that the texture stood out substantially, which was according to plan.
Places for improvement would definitely be the overall composition of the piece. While I enjoy the chaotic and abstract nature of it, I feel like some sort of unity (and more forward planning and drafting) would be beneficial. Shading, likewise, was a little haphazard in areas, and would’ve benefitted from a little more attention and reference. Line work could also use some variation in intensities and shades, as I relied almost entirely on Sharpie and India Ink to get across my darker values, and very little in terms of lighter shades. The ink wash in the center was an attempt which would’ve served the piece better had it been more evenly dispersed. The piece is also missing a focal point.
Despite the difficulties with the project, I do believe that it was overall a success. I look forward to applying what I learned to projects in the future.
Entry #5
This piece was a bit challenging: I had to use a variety of different materials on this one, and while taxing, I am quite proud of the end result. The carpet was particularly fun to work with, and I feel like the sponge was also equally fun to use on the pillow. Were I to do a similar project to this again, I would probably plan it out a little better so I knew which textures I was using from the getgo.
Entry #6
During my trip to Chile, we went to a number of museums to explore the art’s history. One of these was a museum detailing pre-colonial art. A piece which struck me particularly was the Quipu: an ancient recording device made from woven cords. While its intention was to be practical, it is, in many cases, a form of art. It is tangible and contains visible textures, from the fraying of the cords to the variation in the knots. The way it is organized on a darker background in the museum helps to highlight the details and showcase each strand individually. The way it loops over itself is also an additional element which allows the viewer to see its length, and it almost forms into an ovular shape.
I also visited the Museum of Memory, which is located in Santiago, Chile. This museum is free entry and dedicated as a memorial to the disappeared and reminder of the impact of the dictatorship. One piece I found particularly striking from this exhibit was a dove shaped like a fist, which was made in one of the prisons during this time period. In context, the fist was one of the resistance symbols, and the dove of course represents peace. I was intrigued by this because of the clashing symbols: resistance, but resisting peacefully. The colors are the flag of Chile, showing that despite everything that happened, resistance would continue.
Entry #7
For the final project, we had to work on any given subject matter of choice and produce six different drawings of the same proportion. I chose to do a favorite stuffed animal of mine. I believe this project was one of my more challenging ones because it pushed me to do backgrounds and shading, which is something which I very rarely work on overall, but I am quite happy with the result – particularly with the black and white ones. It was tricky, but I feel like my sense of depth with shading has improved significantly from the initial project.
Entry #8
I’ll be honest – this class was definitely a challenge, and truly pushed my limits when it came to assembling the materials and art pieces over the course of the semester. As someone who works primarily with a cartoon style and animal subject matter, drawing from still life and inanimate object observation was not the easiest task. On my own I do not tend to do shading, but this class pushed me to get accustomed to it and I’m quite happy with the end result. I certainly think I’ve improved substantially.
I feel like overcoming the challenges with charcoal and wet medium was my biggest success. Charcoal always felt gritty to me, but when used properly it can have an intriguing impact on the piece. Wet medium, while I loved using it and typically resorted to it at any chance I got, was much harder to work with, particularly when it came to manipulating the saturation and intensity of the line work. In the end, as is evident in the final, I managed to get a number of tonal values in to create a pretty smooth piece. The final project is present in the post above.
