lTo begin the semester we practiced using colored pencils. For me, colored pencil is hard because I prefer paint as a medium. These forms helped me practice blending and shading for our reflection project. Overall, although my value charts are not great, it did help me learn what not to do when blending from dark to light.
Colored Pencil Practice: Fruit Drawing
Reference
Drawing
This was a piece we did to help us with getting started using colored pencil. It was very helpful for me as it gave me more of a chance to master blending with colored pencil as well as helping learn how hard I need to press down when using colored pencil as a medium. It also provided me with an opportunity to use many colors to show lighting.
Reflection Project
Compositional Photos for Reflection Project Idea #1
My first idea was to have my dog sitting next to my painting supplies to show the thing I care most about and something I enjoy doing
Compositional Photos for Reflection Project Idea #2
My second idea was to have my dogs eye reflecting things I enjoy doing like paint supplies or makeup brushes.
Final Idea
In Progress Photos
Finished Artwork
“Girl’s Best Friend”
This project was very complex and required me to really think about what represent me as well as how to have reflection in the picture. However, from the start of this project, I knew I would want to have my dog incorporated somewhere in the piece. In the end, I decided to show paint supplies with a small photo of my dog because it’s my favorite thing to do and the thing I care most about. I have never been a huge fan of colored pencil, so it was quite a struggle to get back into shading and blending with them. Although there are many thing I would do differently when coloring a piece like this such as being lighter with the colors since they become waxy on the paper after too many layers, I can appreciate the detail I put into the wood background as well as the small photo of my dog. I feel like the picture of him stands out as everything else in the photo is more dull colors and the picture has more vibrant colors such as greens and yellows. Overall, although if I were to redo this piece I would approach it differently, I am proud of the outcome since it is fairly well blended as well as detailed.
Color wheels we made to practice blending both the cool and warm tone primary colors
Acrylic Painting Practice
We were required to paint based off a reference photo using acrylic paint as a way to warm up and prepare for painting our final artwork.
Acrylic Final Painting: Interior Spaces
Sketch Ideas
Colored Sketch Idea
In Progress Photos
Final Artwork
"Thalassophobia"
This was a very challenging yet thrilling piece to make. Water is an extremely obscure concept to paint, so it was a tedious process of trial and error. I attempted to blend colors into one another while not making it too neat, since water is an element. I also struggled with the crashing water onto the floor, but am overall happy with the finished product. The tentacle was another thing I conflicted with. I followed reference photos but was unable to produce something I was really happy with. I wish I could go back in to change the technique on the tentacle and try to create a neater product, however I also feel as though the messiness of the tentacle adds to the unsettling factor I was trying to create. The main thing I am proud of are the sharks. I love how they came out and the unnerving factor they add to the artwork. Overall, I feel there are certain techniques I could have done to better the artwork as well as certain elements I could have added like more fish. Despite this, I am proud of how I placed a fear of my own into my art and was able to emphasize the anxious and unsettling mood of the painting.
Colored Pencil Features Practice
Skin Tone and Eye Practice Acrylic
Self Portrait Final
Final Sketch
In Progress Photos
Final Artwork
This is by far my least favorite project I’ve done. I hate how the colors came out, how the face looks, and how it isn’t blended well. I have never been a fan of portraits, and this proves why. I also never draw or paint myself, I just don’t like doing it. I really tried to make it look better and to add color pop but it all just went wrong. I would love to just redo it entirely with a better plan of what I’m doing. I think the eye is the only good part, and I want to fix the way the neck looks as well as the hair and lips.
Oil Paint
100 Color Squares
Mini Practice Painting
Both of these provided practice for us to learn how to mix and blend oil paint. I also learned I need to learn how to add less turpentine to my paintings.
Palette Knife Painting
This was just for fun to see if we enjoyed painting with a palette knife. I’m not sure if I like it just because it’s hard to blend and not very practical but it was pretty fun.
Oil Paint: Landscape Final
Reference + Sketch
In Progress
Final Painting
This is probably my favorite piece I’ve made in this class. I really enjoyed using oil paint as the blending of colors was super easy. I love how much detail I put into the rocks and the blending of the water. I do feel as though the shrubbery could be more detailed and I may come back and add more foam in the water. Overall creating this landscape was super fun and using oil paint as a medium has really inspired me to continue practicing and making art with it.