1. Summer
2. Watercolor and Sharp                

3. This piece acts as my personal personification of summer. The                                                         fullness of her skirt and smile displays the carefree attitudes that are                                                             generally felt during this warmer season. Its bright colors, and the subtle                                                       rays behind the subject of the piece reflex sunny days.

4. This piece took about an hour. It took the most amount of time to                                                             correctly execute the proportions of the arms and legs. A lot of time                                                             was also spent on creating a simple yet expressive face.
5. I think I was fairly successful with this piece, I was proud of the                                                               vibrant tones of her skirt and the motion I was able to capture. I think I                                                         could have taken more time with the background, perhaps adding more                                                       detail. It fit my theme of anthropomorphism fairly well.
6. I am most pleased with the shape and color of the skirt and the                                                                 proportions of her arms and legs, I would have liked to challenge myself                                                       more by perhaps creating a larger more detail version.
7. I believe that I grew as an artist, this was the first piece in which I felt                                                    
I successfully executed using watercolor in a new and interesting way.
8. A, I believe I deserve this grade because of the three seasons I                                                                 completed, this one best fit my vision, the brightness of the colors and                                                           the simplistic silhouette were both goals I think I achieved.

1. Winter
2. Watercolor and Sharpie
3. This piece acts as my personal personification of winter. The                                                                     reserved, yet joyful expression of the women reflects the calm coolness                                                         that I see within the season. It's light, simplistic colors hint to the light                                                             rain and snow we experience within winter.
4. This piece took about an hour. I spent a lot of my time trying to                                                                 create a distinctly different pose and overall feeling to the piece, I                                                                   wanted it to reflect winter in a way that was different from spring and                                                             summer.
5. I think on its own this piece was fairly successful, however out of the                                                       three seasons I completed I am probably the least confident in the                                                             colors and silhouette within this piece.
6. I am most pleased with my ability to create a different tone for this                                                           winter piece, I liked how I was able to make the colors of the skirt                                                               slowly fade. I would have liked to spend more time on it in general, I                                                           believe I could have created a better quality piece of work.
7. I grew as an artist because I had to create a miniseries within my                                                               series, these sisters had to appear similar enough to look related but                                                             unique enough to reflect the different seasons. I was challenged to                                                                 create a cohesive trio.
8. B, I believe I deserve this grade because I am pleased with the                                                                 outcome but I could have taken more time to create a more detailed,                                                           unique art piece.


1. Spring
2. Watercolor and Sharpie
3. This piece acts as my personal personification of spring. The piece                                                            was meant to reflect the simplistic bliss that comes with spring, the joyful                                                       smile on the women's face symbolizes the new life that comes with                                                               spring. The pale pink hues within the painting display a distinct                                                                     innocence.
4. This piece took about an hour. I spent most of that time blending the                                                          colors of the skirt, and perfecting the proportions specifically of the                                                               hands and feet.
5. I believe this piece was fairly success, the expression on her face and
her body position were subtly different from the other two, enough so                                                          that it is unique and interesting.
6. I am most pleased about her legs, they are proportioned and delicate,                                                        I was excited to be able to create a natural looking foot and knee. I                                                              would have liked to spend more time on the background, perhaps                                                                 blending more or creating more dimensions.
7. I grew as an artist because again I had to create a piece that could                                                             stand on its own but was also complimented and cohesive by the two                                                           other pieces.
8. B, I was more confident in this piece than the winter painting, but I                                                             think I could have taken more time to match the quality of the summer                                                           painting, I felt like I was rushing the process slightly.



1. Father Time
2. Pencil
3. This piece acts a my personal personification of father time. The wrinkles                                                   and stoic expression show the very real effect that time can have. His long,                                                   grown out beard and the cracks in the background symbolism further age                                                     and decay.
4. This piece surprisingly only took me about an hour and a half, I had a                                                      reference picture, most of my time was spent changing specific details,                                                         such as the hair, wrinkles and background to make it my own.
5. This was one of my most successful pieces, I was able to create realistic                                                   depth and expression which in the past has been a struggle for me.
6. I was most pleased by the details found within the eyes, hair and beard, I                                                   believe I created a fairly realistic old man, who reflected the process of                                                         time. I would have liked to work harder and longer of perfecting                                                                 proportions.
7. This piece probably stretched me the most as an artist, I was surprised                                                      by my ability to shade and recreate vital details. Drawing has always                                                             been my favorite form of art, and it has always come the easiest to me.
8. A, I think I deserve this grade because of personally how confident I feel                                                   in it, I am proud of this piece and I think I did a decent job.

1. Rain
2. Watercolor and Sharpie
3. This piece acts as my personal personification of rain. The mysterious,                                                     almost unsettling scene painted creates a very interesting feeling, similar to the                                               eeriness that I associate with the presence of rain.
4. This piece took me about an hour. The simplicity of the piece made it easy                                               to complete, it is very 2-dimensional and that allowed for a fast construction of                                             the piece.
5. I don't think I was terribly successful with this piece, I would have liked to                                               spend more time increasing the overall quality, I think I choose a lot of simple                                                techniques, I missed an opportunity to challenge myself.
6. I am the most pleased with the texture I was able to create for the ground, it                                             reminds my of water-colored environments I used to see in children's books as                                              a kid. I think I could have created a more detailed piece overall.
7. I grew as an artist with this piece because I realized the importance of                                                      quality work and trying my hardest, though I liked this piece I knew I could                                                 have taken more time to create my vision of rain.
8. C, I deserve this grade because I believe my work was average, I didn't                                                    challenge myself when I had the opportunity too.

1. Mother Nature
2. Acrylic Paint
3. This piece acts as my personal personification of mother nature. The green tones used reflect the earthy tones so often found within nature. Her long flowing hair represents the raw naturalness that is found within the natural world.
4. This piece took me about 2 hours to complete. Creating a detailed background with texture was probably the most challenging part of the entire painting process, it took the most time.
5. I think I was fairly successful with the construction of her face, I had no reference picture so it was interesting to see how I would create her features.
6. I am most pleased with the overall background, I would have liked to create more detail and dimension in her face, and blend her cheekbones more.
7. I grew as an artist due to the fact that this was one of my first painted portraits, I believe I challenged myself in that respect.
8. B, although I am proud of this piece, I could have taken more time to blend her face and create more realistic dimensions and textures.

1. Stars
2. Acrylic Paint
3. This piece acts as my personal personification of stars. It shows two lovers reaching for one another, their illuminating silhouettes resembling that of stars. They are suspended within the heavens.
4. This piece took me about an hour and half to complete, it was one of my earlier pieces and I wanted to make sure that the blending of their silhouettes was as well done as possible, that is what I focused most of my time on.
5. I believe I was successful with the construction of this piece, I am satisfied with the outcome, but I would have liked to take more time with the blending and stars in the background.
6. I am most pleased with the male silhouette, I believe the blending turned out fairly good. I would have liked to have the female silhouette to have the same quality.
7. This piece stretched me as an artist because I was able to practice and better improve my blending skills with acrylic paints. I tried something new with something I have practiced a lot and that challenged me.
8. A, I am proud of this painting and I believe it is a quality piece artwork that is unique and interesting but is also planted in simplicity.

1. Sun
2. Acrylic Pain
3. This piece acts as my personal personification of the sun. The bright oranges and yellows used to construct his face reflect the tones of a setting sun. The stoic expression on his face and naturalness of his hair and other features resemble the consistent presence of the sun.
4. This piece took me about 2 hours to complete. The construction of the man's face was actually easier than the rest of piece, despite the background's simplicity. The background took up the most of my time in completing this piece.
5. I believe I was successful in the personification of the sun, although it was not completely how I envisioned his face and demeanor, I was pleasantly surprised by how it ended turning out.
6. I am the most satisfied with the blending of the sunset, it the past I have struggled with blending colors, but I believe I was to successfully create a realistic and pleasant sky.
7. I grew as an artist by creating a realistic, proportioned profile, I had a reference picture for the basic shape of the nose. mouth and chin and I believe I was able to execute a face that was interesting and unique.
8. B, although the mountain range and the sunset were good, the profile of the personification of the sun is incomplete, I believe more blending was required to create a cohesive face.
       

 

1. Moon

2. Acrylic Paint

3. This piece acts as my personal personification of the moon. The fragmented face, shadows, and the use of greys, blacks and whites helps to create a moon-like man. The somber expression of the face reflects the seriousness and simplicity that I see when I think and look at the moon.

4. This piece took me 2 hours to complete, I spent most of my time creating distinct lines between the dark background and the grey features of the face. I also had to make sure the proportions were right and that parts like his eyes and mouth looked natural, that also took up a lot of my time.

5. I believe I was able to successfully capture the personification of the moon, by creating subtle craters on his face, the symbolizes could be more clearly seen.

6. I am the most satisfied with the overall painting, this is one of my favorites that I did over the course of the semester. I would however had like to go over certain areas of the face and fill in gaps and add more detail.
7. I grew as an artist because this is something that I had never done before, I had never drew anything, let along a person half way in the shadows. I believe this challenged me to try something new, and I think I benefited from doing so.
8. A, I believe this is a quality piece of work, and that I tried hard and succeeded in creating the moon as a man.

 

1. Wind

2. Watercolor and Sharpie

3. This piece acts as my personal personification of wind. A wild and free spirit sits surrounded by the pale colors of the winds. The mystery within the piece reflects the allusive nature of wind and the wildness that it contains.

4. This piece took me about an hour to complete, it was fairly straight forward and didn't take me too much time to work on. It probably took the most time to create the texture of the hair, I wanted it to be natural and flowing.

5. I believe I was successful in the execution of this piece, although it wasn't what I was expecting my painting of wind to turn out as, I was still pleasantly surprised by the unconventionality of it.

6. I am most pleased by the stance I decided to go with for the girl, I think that it displays a sort of adventurous, wanting demeanor which I like. I would have liked to create a landscape background but I was intimidated by the sheer scale of detail I would have to use.

7. I grew as an artist because I challenged myself by using watercolor as the primary medium within the painting. I had to create depth with something I hadn't before, and I think through that process I was able to stretch my artistic scale.

8. B, I worked hard to create a distinct feeling for my piece and I believe I was able to establish and accomplish that. It isn't perfect, but it is definitely something I was pleasantly surprised with.

1. Boundaries
2. Colored Pencil and Sharpie
3. Use color to create informal balance. I was able to fulfill this theme by contrasting the natural differences between warm and cool colors. Through dividing the colors by a distinct line I was able to display the theme more apparently.
4. This is a piece that displays the many boundaries and obstacles that can appear between love and those seeking it. It shows the tension that can be built up when one looks at love.
5. This piece took about 2 hours. Creating fluidity within the cool colors was fairly tedious and ate up the most time. Also successfully creating the male's portions was difficult.
6. I think I was fairly successful in completing the piece, I think I was able to contrast two different colors well enough to provide interesting an unique aspects to the piece as a whole.
7. I am pleased with the silhouettes and would have liked if the backgrounds were slightly more fluid.
8. B. I think I did a good job, but I should have take more time to perfect the background, allowing for more detailed and quality work.

1. Anne Frank
2. Pencil
3. Emphasize negative space in still life. Although this is not necessarily a still-life I did use a reference photo. I focused on primarily drawing the negative space and shading when necessary.
4. This is a portrait of the iconic symbol of the Holocaust, Anne Frank. This is a portrait focusing on negative space, defining her dark and intense features.
5. This piece took close to 2 and a half hours. The hardest part of the portrait was successfully portraying the emotion of her face, and specifically her eyes. I wanted to honor the picture and also keep it original.
6. This is probably my most successful piece, I think I really challenged myself with the intensified shading and the overall complexity of the eyes and hair.
7. I am pleased with the overall outcome, I just wished it would've turned out a little bit more like the original.
8. A. I spent quite a while making sure that everything was consistently shaded and proportioned, and challenged myself with trying to recreate a somber portrait.

1. Marilyn Pop Art
2. Colored Pencil and Sharpie
3. Study an artist and mimic his or her style- allow for some personal interpretation. This piece is an attempt to mimic the work of a pop artist by the name of Roy Lichtenstein. By using simple bright colors, and a minimum amount of lines, I created a pop art piece with my own personal flare.
4. This drawing is a portrait of  the iconic model and actress Marilyn Monroe.
5. This piece took about half an hour. There were no real difficulties with this piece in general however choosing which colors to use and what colors to avoid had to rely on other pop art pieces that I observed.
6. Overall I think that this piece was successful, I would have liked to have drawn it in a larger scale to be able to create more detail and to be able to take more liberties. I would like to try painting it.
7. I am pleased with the overall proportions and the color choices, however I would have liked to create a more graceful hand and perhaps a more interesting expression.
8. B. I really enjoyed making this piece, I think I should take more time next time, especially when mimicking the work of a professional artist.

 


















1.Monotone Mandala
2. Sharpie
3.Mandala. Although this technically a partial mandala, I was able to fulfill this theme by my previous studies of this art form. They are perhaps one of my favorite things to draw and act as my primary source of artist practice.
4. This is a mandala using one media to create a mono-toned design, that focuses on pattern and symmetry rather than color or texture.
5. This piece took about 2 hours to complete. What this piece required the most was patience and attention to detail, I had to work at making it as symmetrical and consistent as possible to achieve exactly what I wanted.
6. I believe this is probably one of my more successful pieces, it took time to keep it consistent and detailed enough, and that is why I think it is a quality piece.
7. I like the overall complexity of the piece, however I wish I would have taken more risks in the overall design, try more diverse
8. A. I think the amount of time I put into it and the details that it displays are proficient.

1.Multicolored Zentangle
2. Acrylic and Pencil
3. Create a Zentangle. Through repeating the pattern throughout each different color I was able to create a multicolored zentangle, in which the lines and other contours could be interlocking.
4. This piece is a rainbow colored circular zentangle showing the subtle and extreme differences between colors, such as warm and cool and different tones and hues.
5. This piece took 6 hours to complete. The most challenging part of this piece was keeping the work consistent and portioned, I had to make sure the sections of the painting where symmetrical and coherent.
6. I believe that this piece was a successful work, overall though it was tedious work, I was satisfied with the outcome and final product.
7. I think that the overall the zentangle was strong and that the colors complimented its design, however I would have liked to transition the colors a little bit more
8. A. Because of the details and intricacies of the painting, I used acrylic which I do not often use while creating art pieces.

1. Synchronized Sprials
2. Sharpie
3. Use a simple shape repeated in different sizes to create a unified pattern. The abstractness of the piece is due to the simple shapes that I used, providing a project that have a lot of room for interpretation. Using the general shape of a spiral creates a distinct and intricate design and pattern.
4. This is a simplistic 2nd design piece consisting of repeating spirals.
5. This piece took half an hour. It wasn't terribly difficult to execute, however it was a project in which I had to be very patient, drawing with a fine tip sharpie was slightly tedious.
6. I think I was successfully able to complete this project and maintain my vision throughout the process. I would have liked to done it on a larger scale or perhaps with more diversity with the spiral's shapes and sizes.
7. I am pleased with the overall outcome, however I would have liked to execute it on a larger scale with perhaps other colors or medias
8. A. I believe that the simplistic design is fairly unique and detailed enough to draw interest.

1. Sea Ridden Eyes
2. Watercolor and Sharpie
3. Emphasize the eyes. I was able to achieve this theme by extenuating the eyes with watercolor paint. The eyes act as the major subject within the painting and are fairly centered and even.
4.This piece is a fairly abstract painting, and its meaning is up for interpretation. Its use of cool colors and wave like techniques are reminiscent of an ocean or sea.
5. This piece took an hour. By far the most tedious part of the entire project was blowing the watercolor paint to get the dripped/wave effect, I had to be patient and take extra time to be able to maintain the uniqueness and diversity of the painting.
6. I think this was a successful piece, however I would have likes the eyes and the paint surrounding them to be slightly more symmetrical, and I would have liked to have added more detail to the pupils.
7. I am proud of how the blow effect turned out, and the wave like feature that it added, however I would have liked to perfect the eyes a little bit more, perhaps by adding more detail.
8. B. It is completely an original piece in which I did no draw from other pieces or ideas. I am proud of it in that respect, although I think in regard for the detail of the eyes, that may have effected its quality.

1. Audrey Hepburn
2. Pencil
3. A famous celebrity. I was able to execute this project because of having a reference photo to defer to. I was able to reflect the general ideals of Audrey Hepburn while at the same time keeping it in my own drawing and shading style.
4. This piece is a full body portrait of the iconic actress and model Audrey Hepburn. The simple media used is reminiscent of  the traditional black and white contrasted photos so often used to capture her beauty.
5. This piece took 2 hours. I think the most difficult part of the entire piece and what took the longest was trying to perfect the shading and making sure that the portrait reflected Hepburn's features.
6. This is perhaps one of the most successful of my pieces. I think I was fairly consistent with shading and values. It was one of my first pieces and I hope to base the rest of my shading-based pieces on it.
7. I am pleased with the proportions of the legs and face, however I would have liked to worked harder at the flannel shirt that she is wearing.
8. A. I think the shading was the redeeming factor of the piece and that the proportions were fairly equal and consistent.

1. First Kiss
2. Sharpie and Marker
3. Emphasize the mouth. By not drawing lines over her mouth and keeping the rest of the portrait mono-toned I was able to successfully make her lips the main focus of the piece.
4. This piece acts as an interpretation of the idea of a first kiss. It displays the emotions like excitement and love that generally go along with it.
5. This piece took an hour and a half. The most tedious part of this project was making sure the lines were mostly even and consistent, that probably took the most time to complete.
6. I believe I was mostly successful with this piece, however I would have liked to challenge myself a little more, perhaps adding more detail to the hair and eyes.
7. I am pleased with the lines within this piece, and I wish that I would have defined her nose more.
8. B. Although I enjoyed constructing this piece, I could have spent more time creating more detail and getting more out of my comfort zone.

1. In a hole in the ground...
2. Acrylic on canvas
3. A landscape that you observe. Although I did not technically observe this landscape in person, I had a reference photo that I used a guideline and also as my inspiration. I observed and painted many natural components of the landscape including grasses textures and the sky while combining it with man-made, rather hobbit-made, aspects.
4. This painting acts a tribute to JRR Tolkien's book the hobbit as it shows the cozy home where the protagonist Bilbo Baggins lives, in Bag End.
5. This piece took 6 hours. It was the probably the most difficult and time consuming to make sure that it looked similar to the picture I was using as a reference, while at the same time making it my own. Providing sufficient detail was also significantly challenging.
6. I think I was honestly mediocre, I am proud of this piece, but I wish I would have taken better steps to create a quality painting in the end.
7. I am pleased for the most part with how the door turned out, but I would have liked to have spent more time on other aspects like the fence and bench, as now they are lacking significant detail.
8. B. I worked hard on it, but I could have managed my time better and worked on providing the piece with more textures.

1. Summer Reflections
2. Watercolor, Sharpie, and Pencil
3. Draw a face wearing sunglasses with a reflection of what they are seeing in the glasses. I believe I fulfilled this theme by creating identical images within both reflections of the glasses. By limiting the color around the glasses themselves, the theme was more apparently displayed.
4. This piece shows a woman gazing into the sunset. The piece's title Summer Reflections could be taken quite literally but can also act as a metaphor for looking back with nostalgia on previous seasons of life.  
5. This piece took close to an hour and a half. The most challenging part of the piece, or what took up the most time was attempting to perfect the shading, I wanted it to be subtle but also intentional.
6. I believe I did a fairly good job, and was able to achieve primarily what I wanted. I think I could have spent more time detailing the hair and its textures.
7. I am pleased with the reflection in the sunglasses, i would have liked however if I had been more intentional about the shading, providing more contrast and diversity within the skins hues.
8. A. I really enjoyed making this piece and I believe I took enough time working on it to have it be considered quality work.

1. Pastel Pansies
2. Watercolor and Sharpie
3. A study of a plant or flower. I was able to accomplish this theme by studying the simplistic nature of pansies. By observing and drawing the different angles of the flower itself I was able to challenge myself with new concepts and perspectives.
4. This piece displays a simplistic interpretation of springtime as it combines pastel colors and thin and minimalistic lines.
5. This piece took 45 minutes. It was probably the most difficult to maintain the soft hues and tones that made up the background of the piece, often times I would have to water down my brush to significantly dull the colors.
6. I believe I was successful overall, I would have liked to be able to balance the overall piece more efficiently, concerning both the size of the flowers and the background's color consistency.
7. I really enjoyed constructing the simplistic design of he flowers, however I would have liked to be able to create a more cohesive background with a greater sense of fluidity.
8. A. Although it is fairly basic in design, I believe its simplicity makes it unique and almost abstract.

Final: Multiple Shots :)

Seagulls

While working on my black and white project, we saw some seagulls!

Black and White

Portrait

                                               
                                                                      Texture

                                                                            Abstract

                                                                         Landscape

Ansel Adams: Canyon de Chelly: Black and White

           Ansel Adams is perhaps one of the most famous and notorious photographers of America. He was born   on Feb. 20 1902  in San Francisco, California  to his parents Charles Hitchcock Adams and Olive Bray. Throughout his childhood Adams struggled with his shyness, hyperactivity, and his dyslexia so his education at a public school   was a struggle for him and his family, so he enrolled in private school were he earned a legitimizing diploma. Though with Adam's uniqueness and problems he found comfort in nature and later taught himself how to play the piano and read the music to do so. His primary occupation before photography was playing the piano for a living. He felt passionate about his piano and music career and by beginning to take pictures with his Kodak No. 1 Box Brownie that his parents gave him he felt that same amount of passion for photography. One of his most popular photos Monolith, The Face of Half Dome taken in 1927 shows a icy peak covered in snow. Another one of his photos Cayon de Chelly intrigued me, it shows almost the reverse of the famous 1927 picture, showing a beautiful dry desert canon. The reason I chose to post this picture is it's overall beauty. The image is very clear and was captured very well. The different shadows and shading of the photo gives a wonderful depth to the picture. The flowing river is very good and the difference in texture compared to the rigid cliffs is spectacular. Ansel Adams was clearly a brilliant photographer.