Hello Everyone! I obviously have not updated my blog in quite a while as much of my free time has been consumed with college applications and art supplements. But as I have now applied to all my colleges, I figured I should share some of my works that I included in all the portfolios I sent off. All of the pieces are ones that I completed within the past two years in either my Sophomore Drawing Class or my Junior Painting and Printmaking class.
This pastel portrait is of my cousin Campbell who was about six years old when I drew him Sophomore Year. This was one of my first pastel drawings.
Above is a charcoal still life of Pointe Shoes, Bobby Pins, a Tutu, and a ticket to Cinderella. I completed this still life in my Sophomore drawing class as well.
I also completed this charcoal still life in my Sophomore Drawing class. The still life consists of a tea pot, a clear jug, and an intricate vase. This was my first still life and I can still remember how challenging it was to capture all the details: the reflections, shadows, and the distortions produced by the glass.
This pen and ink portrait, which implements the stippling technique, was completed in my Drawing class Sophomore year. As you can imagine, this piece took a painfully long time to finish as I had to make the image look realistic with shadows and contrast only using tiny dots. I think I ended up using two or three ink pens for this one!
I completed this still life last year in my Painting and Printmaking class using both oil pastels and acrylic paint on roofing paper. The composition includes an old Ansco camera and a tweed jacket placed on a couple of different fabrics. This is definitely one of my largest works, but it took me a very short time to finish. I did this painting/drawing with the colors that I wanted the objects to have rather than their realistic color, making it easier and more fun to complete.
The image above is a Drypoint print that I completed last year in my Painting and Printmaking class. The landscape is based off a picture I took when I was in Tuscany for a school trip over Spring Break in 2010.
This acrylic painting is a self portrait that I started at the end of my Junior year and did not finish until just recently. This painting is based off a picture of me in a box when I was about four years old. This painting certainly challenged me as I never felt like I truly captured the shading of the face correctly. I credit this painting as the first work where I began to loosen my style by using larger brushstrokes and brighter colors.
This watercolor landscape was one of the very few watercolors that I have done. After completing a couple of watercolors, I realized that I didn't like the inability to control the colors by simply changing them in one step, unlike oil and acrylic paints. While completing this piece was not the most enjoyable experience, it definitely helped me to figure out what mediums I like best.
I included all of the above pieces in my portfolio for college art supplements, and I will use a couple of these works in my Senior Portfolio that I am submitting to the the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. I will definitely be sure to post some more of my current work soon! :)
