Concentration #11

I had a lot of fun creating his piece :). This week I was actually inspired by my own doodles which I create in the margins of my math homework instead of working on the problems. The swirling pattern which creates the cloud effect in this piece was one that I experimented with in a number of doodles. My recent trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway also had a major part in the development of my artwork. So with the combination inspiration of my own doodles, the mountains, and Van Gogh's "Starry Night", this piece was created with acrylic paint, newspaper, colored markers, and metallic paint pens. At this point of view, the viewer stands upon a rock cliff and looks off at the starry sky and the distant mountains. The mixture of reality and fantasy gives this image a surreal, dream-like feel.

I feel as if my concentration has evolved even further and is becoming much more personal. My current work depicts my surroundings, my thinking, my feelings. By abstracting the natural world with any medium I desire, I am able to create pieces which truly reflect my personality.

Concentration #10

My concentration continues to change along with my sources of inspiration. This week, I felt inspired to create a piece in the nature of Stormi Gignac's work. Like Stormi, I focused on minute detail and intricate design patterns to abstract a form. By breaking down this tree into many different parts and creating a design pattern within each part, I have created a piece that successfully shows abstraction.
To create this piece, I used only colored markers. I first drew the outlines of my objects, broke them down and simplified them, and then used my markers so create interesting internal designs. This attention to detail emphasizes the complexity found in nature.
This piece clearly shows the transition my concentration has gone through to become more focused on abstraction. Because I was able to have fun with this piece, I wanted to spend more time than usual working on it and it resulted in a highly developed piece. The busy lines, dots, swirls, and squiggles create an almost dizzying effect, but at the same time make it that more intriguing. I'm happy with this final product and plan to complete my remaining concentration pieces in a similar manner of abstraction.

Concentration #9

This piece doubles as part of my concentration as well as part of my application to RISD :). This piece shows a definite shift in my concentration. To create this close up image of a splashing water drop, I moved beyond the two dimensional piece of paper and created a three dimentional paper sculpture by cutting out the shaded "splashing water" and making them stick out of the page. The only medium I used to create this piece was graphite pencil to give the droplets value. The final product shows a radiation structure through the ripples and the droplets that emerge from the page. I took a risk by making this piece, but I feel as if my risk resulted in an interesting and engaging piece.

Concentration #8

For this concentration piece, I felt inspired to create an image full of movement and intricate detail. I chose to create a contrast structure using maple seeds (aka helicopter seed pods). The contrast of gravity gives the image a really interesting realistic/abstract feel. To create this piece, I layered acrylic paints, metalic paints, and markers. The dripping lines of paint create engaging leading lines to draw the viewers eye down to the bottom left corner toward the concentration of helicopter seeds. The lines in combination with the falling seed pods give the illusion that the helicopters are spinning through the air as they drop to the ground. The detailed dots tracing the paint drip lines also emphasize this falling motion. I am pleased with my color choice the variety of values in the artwork and feel that overall, it is an interesting and engaging piece. I really had fun making this :)

Concentration #7

With this piece, I feel like it is clear that my concentration has evolved. I have moved away from the human element that I previously incorporated in my art and am now focusing on the elements of design. For this piece, I used a combination of acrylic paint and markers to create a radiation design structure. The trunks of the trees create the centrifugal radiation as well as giving the piece a sense of space and depth. I like the hectic and detailed marks in the bark and in the canopy of leaves- the brushtrokes and lines give the piece an energetic feel.

Concentration #6

Clearly this is one of my weaker pieces at the moment. I plan on continuing the pattern at the top throughout the piece to make it a little less distracting. I then plan to bring the black up more so that the patterning in the background fades into black so that the fern fronds in front stand out more. I realize this piece needs some work. I feel that is I take the time to sit down, play around, and experiment with this, I would finish with a really interesting work.

My plan was to design a realistic fern in the foreground of the piece and then have an abstract fern design that I repeated throughout the background. I used a combination of watercolors, water soluble crayons, and markers to create this piece.

Since I plan on continuing this piece, any advice would be helpful :)

Concentration #5

This piece is quite different than my other concentration pieces while still having a visual connection to the whole concentration. I wanted to create a piece with a stronger exaggeration on abstraction this time and chose to make the subjects pine cones. While studying a branch of real pine cones, I noticed the repetition of the shapes that make up the cone. I planned to focus on these shapes and try to break them apart while still hinting at the real object. With black acrylic paint I created the negative space around and woven inbetween the "petals" of the cones. From there, I used a combination of watercolor and Sharpie markers to fill in the white spaces with interesting designs and patterns. Continuing with the human element, I included images of the human body with my designs. The piece turned out very bold and almost hectic, but it gives the feel that nature is alive and pulsating. I'm unsure if I like the silver marks I created around the objects, so let me know what you think. :)

Concentration #4

Here is my fourth concentration piece. Continuing my theme of abstracting nature, I created this on water color paper with similar mixed media I have used for my past works. I started off with a watercolor base by using water soluble crayons, layered acrylic paint and went back in to redefine my shapes with colored Sharpies. There is a fairly large amount of contrast and a wide value range throughout. The mood gives an almost busy, fast paced feel, as if the water in the stream is rushing to get somewhere. The choppy surface of the water and the swaying water plants give it a sense of rhythm and movement while the similar shapes throughout the piece add a sense of repetition. The human figure that can be seen in the plants helps to abstract the work. The idea of reality is conveyed above the water, but below it seems a bit more dreamy and unreal. To further the differences between the air and water, I used warm, light coloring above the surface while beneath the surface I chose to use cool, deep colors. I would love to hear any comments or advice because I know this piece could be improved! In this upcoming week, I am going to try to redefine my concentration statement to make it more specific and clear to the viewer. Thanks :)

Concentration #3

First off, I want to say that this concentration piece will be changed a lot as soon as I'm able to work on it more. Overall, I like the feel of the piece with the radial structure of the web and the somewhat concentration structure of the water droplets, but I will make this clearer as I continue to work on it. To create this piece, I first painted with watercolor over the entire piece of bristol board. It is difficult to see, but when the bristol board was still wet, I went back in and scraped off parts of the paper surface to create the lines of the web that originate at the center and give them a jagged feel. I used acrylic paint on top of this and then went in with Sharpies and water colored pencils. My message is a little bit obscure at the moment, but if you look closely in the reflection of the water droplets you can see the shape of a hand. As I work on this piece, I plan to make the mesage much clearer to the viewer. I'll post another image of the final product once I'm happy with it, but for now I would love to hear any suggestions that anyone may have!

Concentration #2

Here is my concentration piece #2. I started off with a watercolor base and then layered acrylic paint on top to create the roots. I went back in with colored Sharpies to add more color and contast. The use of mixed media resulted in an interesting composition. The piece has a strong value range and is somewhat of a radial\concentration design structure. After hearing one suggestion, I think I will go back and continue to work on the piece to further highlight my theme of "man's connection to nature." My plan is for my pieces to evolve to show the different roles humans have concerning nature (ie destruction of the natural world and/or the natural world's healing affects on man). In this piece, I was trying to show that mother nature is a force much more powerful than what many superficial humans see; the flower itself is only the tip of the iceberg.

Concentration #1

This is my concentration piece #1. My investigation of humans' connection with nature led me to create a somewhat abstract image of a dandelion puff made up of human figures. The piece has a strong radial design structure and a focus on line, value, and texture. I first started off with acrylic paints on canvas and then decided to sharpen the edges and add more detail with the use of colored markers. This strengthened the texture of the piece and made it overall more interesting. The mood is peaceful/ dreamlike which I think is the result of my color choice and abstract composition. I belive the unusual perspective and the use of mixed media was taking a risk, but consequently it resulted in an engaging piece.

Concentration Statement

For my concentration, I am abstracting different forms found in nature. Although I previously planned to include human characteristics into my artwork (obvious in my earlier pieces), I have shifted my focus and am presently using design structures to further abstract my art. By exploring the intricacy of the natural world and developping my personal style, I have created a concentration of artwork which serves as my own interpretation of the world in which I live.

Junior Year Work

ALBUM COVER
Yea, so I realize that this image isupside down, but I doubt anyone will look at it and if they do, I really doubt they would care. It looks fine upside down. And plus, I'm sleepy. So here you go. Voila. Art.


CUBIST STYLED

A sideways image of a piece that I did last year in pre-AP art class as a sophomore. I really like it, so why not put it in here with the new ones?

REPETITION

This piece is one showing repetition with broken circles while reversing my colors every other row. Being that yellow and purple are on the opposite sides of the color wheel, the combination of the two creates and interesting feel. I like the simplicity :).

RANDOM

This piece I did for fun one weekend. I had no idea where I was going with the artwork, but I kept adding details and just had fun with it. I like the complexity :).

SPACE

I love looking at this project, because with minimal markings, I was able to create a three dimentional design on a two dimentional piece of paper.

Good night aight

Radial Design Structure

This piece seemed like a simple idea to me at first, using only circles to create a pattern. But as I went, the overlapping became more and more complex. The circles not overlapped are black. When two cirlces overlap, that area is white. When three circles overlap, it goes back to black.

Consumerism

Well.. There you go

Silkscreen -Warhol Style

Matrix: I am repeating my printed images in a repetition structure using varied colors of ink and paper. Consequently, there is a strong focus on rhythm, balance, and variety. Shape, form, and color all are very strong in the piece.

Engaging Design: Like many of Warhol's works, I used a simple repetition structure. However, I flipped a number of my images so that they are not all facing in the same direction. His style of overlapping images ontop of one another inspired me to use multiple prints to create a shadowing effect.

Effective Integration of Concepts and Design: As I have already said twice, I am using a repetition structure. I am trying to communicate the idea that mass media has a grabbing effect on society and all that comes in contact with it. It urges others to conform and the image of the hand coming out of the television strengthens the idea. I am reflecting mass media upon itself.

Informed Risk-Taking Beyond Technically Controlling the Medium: Again, my repetition structure has overlapping prints. The arrangement of my images (some flipped) shows a risk. I experimented with a number of different color combinations and layering until I found the way that best portrays my message about the media.

Original Vision: This piece is alot darker than any other piece I have done in a while. But it is definitly an original image of mine because not only did I alter the colors of the television photograph I found, I also used photoshop to create a completely different image (the hand). I really hope this piece doesn't reflect my personality or humour.. Haha, I think I'm a fairly light and positive person.

Excellence in Quality: I was able to create very neat and clean prints by using a minimal amount of ink and a unique ink spreading technique..

My piece effectively deals with the concept of consumerism and the influence of the media. At the same time, it pushes the boundaries of portraiture by focussing on something other than a face.