Reflections:
Week One:
Beginning this project, I was slightly apprehensive. I had not undertaken any significant art project since art class in eighth grade and did not feel fully confident in my artistic abilities. Embarking on this experience with my friends at my side helped push me outside my comfort zone and overcome these apprehensions. Working on this first art piece together in the same room definitely helped me take the first few steps for this experience.
I chose to use graphite as a medium for this week. My previous experience with graphite had been simply the #2 pencils used for school, so the world of pencils with varying softness was completely new to me. I began by sketching miscellaneous shapes and objects on a blank sheet to get a feel for the pencils and practice my shading. Once I felt semi-comfortable, I began listening to the space-themed playlist and reflecting on how it made me feel.
As the songs played and the playlist progressed, I started to lose myself into the image of space. The songs made me imagine slowly zooming out from earth, traveling deeper into the universe as the planet grew more and more tiny. I felt small and almost insignificant in the cosmic scale of the universe. My art attempts to capture this feeling through the small earth centered between large planets and a nebula.
Overall, I am pleased with the way my piece turned out. The nebula was ambitious for my skill level and could have used some refinement/better shading, but in general the piece accurately portrays how I felt when listening to the music. Completing this week’s art as a group helped break the ice on the project, and I’m excited to tackle the next pieces in the upcoming weeks.
Week Two:
For this week, I chose to explore perspective using ink as a medium. I wasn’t too nervous heading into this week as, although it’s been a while, I have a fair amount of experience in perspective from grade-school art class.
As a subject for the piece, I selected the street behind my dorm. I took a picture of the three dorms on the street and the parking garage, and I based my perspective off that picture. I enjoyed the precision necessitated by the perspective. I would use my ruler to not only draw straight lines, but also measure proportions and line lengths. I found myself using math to ensure windows were evenly spaced, and lines were properly sloped. By the end of the piece, however, the precision became more of a labor. I think if I had more time to work on the drawing, I could enjoy the entire process, but as it was with the time spent on it, I felt as though by the end I was rushing to complete it.
Overall, I struggled with accurately displaying what the picture showed. There are several areas where the perspective is not quite right and the lines look off. If I were to use perspective in the future, I would need to learn some more technical skills and perspective techniques. While I appreciated the detail-oriented nature of perspective – especially initially – if I did this again, I would space out my work over a longer period of time to make it a little less laborious.
Week Three:
Heading into the final week of medium exploration, I was eager with anticipation. This week, I decided to use pyrography as a medium. While graphite as an artistic medium was new, pyrography was completely foreign to me. As such, I began by reading about techniques and watching videos to learn how to properly use it. I bought four pieces of wood from a local art store and began drawing three things which represent me.
For the first symbol, I drew a lightbulb. This represents my aptitude for thinking and insatiable quest for knowledge. I love learning and am always thinking about and absorbing info from the world around me. Next, I drew a cracked clock. I am a fairly consistent procrastinator when it comes to projects and assignments. As I completed this week’s art piece, admittedly at the last minute, my procrastination came to mind. Imminent deadlines loom over me and give me the push needed to help me complete a project; while this is something I am trying to work on, it is what occupied my thoughts as I worked. Finally, I depicted a scene from a campsite, representing my love of the outdoors and pursuit of adventure. I have always sought adventure in my daily life; not only does it often provide an exciting activity, but also sows discomfort which fosters personal growth.
Overall, I like the way this piece turned out. There is a noticeable increase in my skill level and comfortability with the medium as I progressed through the symbols. I slowly became more comfortable with curves and shading. I enjoyed working with this medium and think it would be a good addition to the final piece.
