I see the light

This project was one of my favorites. My favorite media is just pencil and paper! so when we were assigned this project I wanted to challenge my self but not so much that I would be frustrated with the outcome. When we had to think of how light could be symbolic I kept thinking of age. I went through many ideas. The subject of my drawing is pretty vague, but I intended for the doll head to look as if it has been left behind by a now grown child.

Clay Alter Ego

Portraying your self in another form is always difficult. Its hard enough knowing who you are as a person, trying to translate that into an animal is that much harder. It was really hard to develop an idea, thinking of the situation and the animal separately to represent myself was simpler, merging the two together posed a problem. When I listed my traits I tried to be as honest as possible. The development stage was the most fun. Helping friends create an alternative self as an animal was really fun and allowed us to learn a lot about eachother. But I struggled when it came to developing my own idea. As soon as a friend suggested the peacock to represent my more relaxed side I knew I needed something like the roller skates to show a more energetic side as well. The conceptual side of this project was challenging and fun, and the technical side provided more of the same. It started out well with the body of the peacock, the real challenge was making the fan. I went through three different ideas before one worked. This project more than any made me exert the most physical effort, but I was pleased with the outcome, although I am yet to see it fully glazed.

Me-scape: reductive block print

This project was a really good experience although I did not feel as passionate about this project as the others. It the process was fun and the carving was strangely satisfying but overall it was a little frustrating. Every step of the way I was sooo worried that I would make a fatal mistake causing something to not show up. Each time I printed it became aggravating that they did not line up each time. This project demanded more brain power than all the others causing it to be tiring and I was dissapointed when all the work I put out added up to something I was not so proud of.

Light?

Light-Dark

this comparison, like most opposites, is often compared to good and evil, happy and sad, or hot and cold, they all almost interchangeable. In all disney movies the mean witch is often dressed in black, living in a cold scary place. They are always dark. While our protagonist is surrounded by light and color, their happiness literally shines through their glow. This shows the connotations we associate with light. Light can also serve as a warning. Red light, green light, yellow light. Light has significance and meaning. Lights on=awake, Lights off=asleep. You could argue our lives are conducted by the light around us. Before clocks people measured their time with the sun dials. They guided themselves through unchartered waters with the light of the stars. Little kids are often afraid of the dark. As we get older they become less afraid, but why is dark so scary? is it that you cant see, you dont know what to expect. We are told that bad things happen in the dark. Do not stay out late, it is dark. People try to avoid the dark. So if dark is bad then is light good? Light is thought to be warm. Light is what make micro waves heat, x rays see. It brings tans to the surface of your skin, and dries your nail polish. Lights allow us to see more. It illuminates our minds. but light can be bad too, x rays cause tumors and microwaves burn and things explode. Where do our connotations and associations about light and dark go too far become more than what light actually is, a physical manifestation.

I am a daughter. a friend. a student.

I think the main strength of my project was the drawing of my face behind the clutter. Although it does not look exactly like me, it is what makes my project my own. It was the part I worked the hardest on. The pictures, which were meant to represent what, and who is important in my life add a unique twist. Each photo highlights friends, or family, or activities that are meaningful and play a significant role. Without the pictures this would be an ordinary self portrait. It is the bits of color that add more life to the piece, which although is not what I intended turned out to be a metaphor for what adds color to your life.

Visiting artist

This piece is by far my favorite. I love how the artist has the ability to take many different images and subjects and combine them perfectly to make something new. They way the birds head become almost a billowing chimney to the house is very interesting, it takes a really interesting metaphor and expands it into an intriguing image. I marvel at the ornate detail and how each line is seems to be so deliberate. While looking at each piece I definitely wanted to ask the artist how long he takes on each picture?

Reflecting on Self Portrait Project

In our group we each went around sharing our ideas then saying what we were planning to do next. When it was my turn to share, I told my group members about my plans to add more pictures of things that make me who I am and fill it out more by adding color and life. They mentioned that it is looking little bit too square right now. All the pieces are square and the piece as a whole is square. This gave me the idea to cute out most of the white edges around that drag that, I think, drag down the piece and only make it boring. My next step is to get my act together at home and print more pictures in color, and cut out the white, then finally glue it down to a back piece of paper to finish.