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In the final art piece for the first layer, I using with the light tool with the small V tool shape. This is because I want to add some of the contract outside around the body, and in the middle of the boat. After I use the U shape tool to get the big access with the focal point. When people look at my art piece their focal point eye view is going between the neck and shoulder. To support this I use the U shape tool to cut out some big line for the front view. For the second layer, I use the normal U shape to cut out something that should be yellow such as muscle and the face. Move on to the third layer, I use V, U, and the normal U shape to cut out the importan thing that it will be shining with the contrast of the white color.

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1. normal pices, high light

2. negative, angry, move forward

3. normal face

4. mamorie

5. seeing myself in different ages

6. natural

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I have more art skill now than I were before start of the unit is when I start to understand the concept of the unit from one unit to another unit. The way what I did it by is the when I use to ask teacher for help to get more starter ideas and what have I been done well, and what something that I should be improve on during the time. This way is helping me more on the artwork that we are working on, work well with different strategies, to achieve the best design that help me growth to another level of my art skill. For this unit I have been achieve another goal for the lineno cuting. By using different tool of shape it help me to create a perfect artwork by using my technical skill I have been learning from my last two experiment.

My ability to communicate on a deeper, more conceptual level developed throughout this unit is base on my creative thinking. I can use back my experience that I had been challenging myself through out different difficulty in my life before. To use this ability to communicate even more deeper by using example to give back the evidence to show the understanding. Th way that I use this type of explanation it help my brainstorm get even better and better by the time.

I think it is important for us to create art as a form of self-expression, this is because it really important to express some kind of feeling to let other people know and understand about your life better. This will be help them to understand by just looking at the artwork that we have create and followup with some of the explanation to support the artwork even deeper feeling. This can be seem by my own life since I open mind of my self_expression, other people like to stay close to me and play with me. Meanwhile, their action never go bad after they known. Sometime they can also help us out in different kind of situation of life even at school or outside school. Those people will alway support us since they understand the pain.

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Has no mind map, has 1 sketch only 27th May

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Has no mind map, has 1 sketch only 27th May

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1. The first meaning comes from the overall piece that can have 2 different meanings depending on how you look at it. Both characters (the one at the bottom and on the cross) can be seen as an older version of me with a younger version of me and vice versa.

2. This is to show how despite looking older, I'm still younger at heart and whereas the other view, despite looking young, I'm more than mature enough.

3. From the first view, being young, the eyes symbolize the amount of eyes on me eager to see how I grow up and the expectations of everyone on me.

4. As from the second view, being older, the eyes represent the disappointed looks that people would give me at seeing how I grew up and the let down of expectations.

5. Being young, I was held up high, representing the cross and I practically gave myself up to the expectations of the people around.

6. While older, I am now seen as just a sacrifice to school and what my parents expect of me, the ending in me being staked.

7. When I was young, I mainly looked forward to see who I was in the future and I feel like my younger self would have been disappointed in who I am and how I grew up.

8. Whereas now, In the present, I blend in the crowd, looking up at what I once used to be, a child who was held up high with lots of expectations.

9. The heart represents how everything feels hollow through out my life but I still value love as something that I want.

10. In contrast, the person being held up is empty, showing how empty i really feel just being around the eyes of people.

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1. i made the person small to show that he is a little kid but i made him wear a suit to show that on the outside he is an adult

2. i made the clouds big and added some blue on them to catch the audiences eye, i want them to look from the top to bottom

3. i used two light colors and two dark colors because i want the two light colors to show my kid side and the two dark side to show my adult side

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1. The butterfly, the butterfly is a very loved specie, it is used in a lot of happy at work, such as shalls, it's wings are very common in cultures that include flowers. The butterfly represents peace and happiness.

2. Flower, the flower is also very common in different cultures, it is put into clothing, flowers are very colorful and bright, they are also very loved. It represents happiness.

3. Peace sign, There are a lot of peace signs in random places to represent peace, such as in the wings of the butterflies, this can make the message more clear of happiness and peace.

4. Khmer flower designs, this is very common everywhere not only in khmer, it is very common in a lot of cultures and this is also used to represent peace.

5. Yin Yang, it represents peace, I can use the black part of the yin yang for the part which includes more darker colors and symbols that represent uncertainty, the white part of the Yin Yang is the bright and colorful part of the art piece.

6. Dove, it is a very beautiful bird which represent peace and happiness, it added to the bright side of the Yin Yang.

7. Tornado, it is a storm that can represent the dark side of the art piece and is placed in the other side of the Yin Yang.

8. Swirl, this is in the dark side of the art piece and represents uncertainty and confusion.

9. Brain, the brain that has random lines inside represent me being lost and confused with lies, with dark colors inside of the brain with random lines.

10. Question marks, there are random question marks, I took inspiration from BATMAN, it represents me living in lies and confused on what to believe on. It represent confusion and stress.

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10 meanings that come through the Final Plan design

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10 meanings that come through the Final Plan design

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1. The mask is to represent the literal mask we've had to wear during the pandemic and have started wearing them less often recently making me relearn how to actually do facial expressions again and to also represent the figurative mask that i've felt the need to wear around certain types of people, until recently where i've felt the mask breaking off hence the broken strap at the back of the head.

2. The hole at the right side of the shoulder (which was supposed to be on the left) is to show all the sorrow and heartbreak, and the multiple colors in the hole is to show that there are multiple different scars all layered on top of each other to show that they all happened at different times but all the effects of those events are felt at the same spot.

3. The very distorted face is to show the feeling of burnout from just showing emotions sometime, its to show how years of hyperactivity and yelling had lead to feel that i've become more of a calm person sometimes even though my face has already been frozen like that, stopping me from making any other emotion with my face.

4. The bandages are supposed to show how i've felt the hide my scars from others and to not share how i've felt and what i've been through my entire life. some of the bandages near my shoulders are flowing in the wind meaning they are starting loosen up because i have started being more communicative about certain with very specific people

5. the figure in the picture doesn't have hair because throughout my life i have had many hairstyles and have never stuck to any of them because i'm not sure how they fit with me, the change is now i don't really care about my hair and usually keep it long until my parents tell me to cut my hair and they decide what haircut this time.

6. the ear is bleeding in the print to show how i've felt that recently i have been listening loud rock music more hence the bleeding ear, but its also to show how through my life i've always been listener for people that need to vent or any other consolation and i don't really speak myself as i'm not used to speaking seriously. the ear bleeds because i've been listening too much, either to loud music or to people.

7. The background with all the varying effects shows my range of emotions. these emotions range from intense hyperactivity or a more mellow and inactive state. the left side being the intense emotions whereas the mellow emotions are on the right. there are more effects for the mellow emotions compared to the intense emotions to show that i've felt more of those as of recently.

8. The towers are to show the pathway i took just to become the person i am now. the towers are made to be tall to the point they still have a bit off page and to show that they are rooted in deep and that they cant be moved or changed now. the path in front of me doesn't have these towers to show that these towers/ my path hasn't been made yet as i am still walking it.

9. The figure's back is slouched to show my progression into being more relaxed and not really caring about my outward appearance and just being as calm and relaxed as possible.

10. the claw marks on the right side of my back are to show how i've always felt this figure behind beckoning me to not do certain things like doing performances and to not say how i feel or what i am like to everyone else. every time i want to try a new experience the "Figure" claws at my back telling me every negative thing or how wrong everything i do is.

i mainly put everything that was important centered in the middle as well as making them contrasting colors so that they can be easily seen i.e the tower and the figure. in one of my prints i made the figure a dark gray-ish color with the contrasting black color & purple highlights that i put on the towers which show up on top of the figure. the closer i started to carve the smaller parts of the i started to prioritize the smaller v shaped tools to make it seem its actually getting farther the POV of the audience.

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I have developed a skill to easily cut my lino and also use the tools to create the type of lines and patterns I want. I have developed my ability to adapt in unfamiliar situations by spending time doing trial and error while also trying my best to adapt to the situation by exploring different cuts with different tools. I was particularly struggling with the usage of tools as I wasn’t here for the first lesson on tool usage which led to me ending up behind and unsure on how to use tools so I had to explore them on my own.

My skills as an artist have changed a lot for the better, not just for printmaking but as an artist overall as this unit helped me plan my every step and stop to make sure I was doing the right thing and to make sure my final product looked as intended. This unit also encouraged me to find unique colour combinations that worked well together while invoking the feeling intended for my art piece.

It’s very important to use art as a form of self expression as it may provide some comfort to finally express their own feelings without actually saying it to someone else or having it to write down. It may be a form of expression for those that don’t feel comfortable sharing it to others but they want others to see how they feel and what they want to express without directly saying it. This is because personal change and growth can be a good source of self expression for people to express themselves in art form. Otherwise without art, it would be boring for some to constantly listen to, whereas art is something made for the eyes and should be made for someone to analyse.

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tool types used in each layer and how you created balance 

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tool types used in each layer and how you created balance 

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first layer the tools i used is the medium size one, i used this in all the layers but mostly the first and second layer.. the third layer i used the small carving tool to carve out the details on the human in my piece and the small toys around the human. for the fourth layer, i used the big carving tool to carve out the clouds and waves

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Face: It describes my curiosity about US.

Confusing boy: This boy is confusing with English. I had a same experience with him before.

A boy with English book:This boy is studying English to communicate with westerners such as American, British, Canadian and Australians.

Statue of Liberty: Symbol of US.

Apollo rocket:Advanced technologies of America.

Manhattan: Economic power of America.

Cowboy:Understanding and researching American culture.

Hamburgers and Coca Cola: Understand Americans by eating their food.

Communicating: Became friends with westerners.

Laughing:Enjoying with westerners.

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This unit I have grown as a artist because I have developed many skills in Lino carving, such as taking use of a bunch of different tools and having more artistic choices such as chose of colors and symbols. I did a lot of research to put more detail into my art work, such as researching about symbols that can describe peace and happiness as well as confusion and stress. My thinking skills were improved rapidly due to me making a lot of decisions that would be a really important part for my art piece. I took use of symbols that describe me which makes the audience think more about my perspective, the last experiment helped me to understand the choice of different tools and the choice of colors. It helped me chose good colors that contrasts and are the most compatible with each other. I got to understand U and V shape tools which helped me a lot with my final art piece by helping me carving out smoothly. I was able to put a lot of details using colors that helped make the audience stare deeper between the lines to understand and think about the message sent in the art piece. The choice of symbols and colors helped make it more detail which made the right mood of happiness and peace with colorful colors such as yellow, green and red with flowers and butterflies.

The choice of tools helped me communicate in my art piece, being more detailed in the left part of the Lino to make it as look very beautiful with symbols that describe happiness and peace. This helped make the right mood with the help of bright colors like yellow, green and red that blend into together really well with the flowers and butterflies which made the right mood of happiness. The choice of tools helped me communicate deeper by using thiner lines into the left part to make it as detailed as it could be and making random and thicker lines into the right part which can make the art piece more thought provoking. With the choice of dark colors like red and black, and symbols that describe confusion and stress, create the mood of uncertainty and sadness for the audience. The symbols such as the swirl and random question marks helped fit the description of theme, these symbols represent confusion and with the dark red and black colors which blends really good together, it helps create the right mood of sadness and uncertainty.

This unit helped me a lot to express my thoughts and feelings, at first I did not care much about my mental health and what i though would be like in the future which includes my mental thoughts and physical conditions, but this unit helped me realize how important it would be to change right now if I am being a person that i am not happy about because it can lead to me being more different from how i want to be, this could help me a lot for my future and make sure i have a good mental health. The colors and choice of symbols really helped me express my thoughts and feelings by using dark colors that blend in together. I also had a lot of fun carving and printing in the same time. I think it is really important to express your thoughts and feelings for you to have more awareness about your mental health like me, i did not seem to care about how I am like a person and how i would be in the future until this unit, this unit helped me change and also be a better person in general, that includes being more respectful to teacher by paying more attention to what they say and also realizing the importance of my grades and academic progress. It is really important express it so you can communicate with other people if you have trouble talking to them straight. And I think this unit is a really good way for people to communicate their thoughts and feelings, this unit is a good way for people to create a art as a form of self-expression.

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How I created balance in composition, and tools I used in layers 

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How I created balance in composition, and tools I used in layers 

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I arranged the composition so that there was a balance which created a clear focial point and a progression of the viewers eye that would make them explore the artwork in the way I wanted them to, through use of the leading lines. There is balance as if there was only the eye and the drips at the bottom, the peice would be too top heavy, and not balanced. Adding the thin lines at the top, takes up some of the space to provide balance, but as it has much less visual weight than the eye and the drips it does not take away the viewers attention from the focal point. As the eye is in the center of the peice, and the leading lines of the black cracks lead to the eye, the focal point is created in the composition. The universe is in the form of drips, so that after the viewers eye is first drawn to the eye, due to the most use of white it has contrast, and the composition, their eye is then guided down to the universe.

I used a selection of tools depending on the type of line or form I wanted to create. In layer 1, I used a U-shaped tool for the large form of the white of the eye. For the white glow of the stars, I used the smallest V-shape tool to make small lines.

For the yellow layer, I contrasted the large white forms with thin yellow lines, created using the second to smallest V-shaped tool. For the light blue layer of the universe, I carved out a large section around the bottom half with the largest U-shaped tool. The same large U-shaped tool was used for the dark blue area.For the black layer, I used a medium V-shaped tool for the outlines and a medium U-shaped tool to carve them out. The eyelashes were carved with the smallest and second to smallest V-shaped tools. This variety of tools allowed me to create contrasting lines and patterns, which made the piece more visually interesting.

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For this art piece, I plan to show the changes I have been through and how they have a physical and mental change in me. This piece connects to the statement of inquiry because growth can be a good source of self-expression, especially at this age and era where growth happens the most and to be able to express that allows for a good influence towards self and hopefully others.

The purpose of this art piece is to express growth, change, and tranquility through reduction cut, I want my audience to look at my artwork and be able to put themselves in my shoes and hopefully, it makes them think about the times they can relate to this artwork and to appreciate the growth of themselves and how the tiniest things could have the biggest impacts on the course of everyone's growth.

The mood of my piece is a calm, natural and peaceful scene in a lake with exotic florals and the movement of the water around the person is supposed to draw attention to the person and give a peaceful motion of the water gently tapping the flowers. I also plan to use a lot of repetition in my artwork to show movement in my artpiece and how the flowers and human grows.

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Final plan: composition and visual qualities

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Final plan: composition and visual qualities

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With my final plan, I will use composition and visual qualities to direct the audience to specific parts of my artwork. This begins with the focal point of my artwork, which is the vase. By making this aspect the biggest part of my artwork, I can immediately direct the audience to this feature, therefore successfully conveying my message. Referring to my final plan in color, it can be noticed that I have used brighter colors in the interior and around the vase, therefore enhancing my message. Additionally, other aspects of my final piece can also contrast and enhance the main focal point, including the background, as well as the setting. Due to the background being formed of geometric shapes, a huge contrast can be seen compared to the vase itself, which is very organic. The setting can also play into this, as the use of plain colors can contrast with the variety of colors seen in the vase.

Aside from the visual aspects used in my artwork, I have planned out the tools I will be using and what these tools will convey in terms of the message of my final product. Referring to the plan in color, it can be seen that some parts of the artwork will require tools that will cover a larger mass, while other parts will require smaller and more refined tools. This is because the bigger shapes of my design will draw the attention of the audience, while the smaller details will keep the audience interested in my artwork. An example of this would be the flowers of my artwork. The large proportions of the flowers can draw the attention of the audience, but the smaller, refined highlights and shadows will keep the audience interested in my artwork. Another example of this would be the background of my artwork, which can be seen carved in thinner, more refined lines. By carving the patterns with smaller tools, the lines can be visible and detailed without being too apparent.  I find that the use of tools makes a huge difference in my artwork, and throughout my creation, I will aim to use a variety to communicate the messages intended.

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During the creation of my final art piece i feel that i overall became a better artist. In this unit i had the chance to conduct multiple experiments and learn many new things. For example my first lino was not very great as the design was minimal and all the cuts were the same shape and size. For the first lino i just used a U shaped tool and just cut out the drawing in straight lines.However for my second experiment i was able to use diffrent tools and diffrent lines for the second expericment. I learned how to shade and use darkness to bring things out in my work.

I feel that throughout this unit i was able to put a better and deeper understanding of feelings into my work and just overall be able to show my feelings in my artwork. I feel that i was able to do that by showing this in a undercover way and not making it so that the audiance would not be able to identify what i was trying to portrait without explaining or without looking very deeply.

I feel that it is important to create a form of self expression as it makes the work much more meaningful and makes the work yours. It creates a feeling of creativity that only the artist can understand and pick up on.

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How have I developed as an artist? How has my thinking got deeper and my technical art skills have developed and grown over the past 8 weeks?

I have developed as an artist by focusing more on doing the printing, and I have learned how to print my Lino properly, and have experimented with a lot of units. For example, I have been learning how to use the different tools and cut off the Lino correctly, using the color to print, cutting different tools, print my final printing on the lay on the same side, by doing all of these I need to asks Ms.Blair to make sure that I did it correct. After the past 8 weeks of working on the Lino printing I have learned a lot experimenting with this, and it makes me feel more deeply understanding more of how to do Lino printing. Because before I knew nothing about doing the lino, but right now I have learned a lot more and understand how to do this. While my first time doing this it was kinda difficult because before we cut off the Lino we had at least 10 meanings about my drawing and I had to plan what color I had to use in the first layer and what color I needed to put next. of planing the color why I choose those color and does it fit with the next layer. What did not go well on my printing is the thing that I cut off on the lino for the first cutting part. I have been cutting the best part that I need to print on. This did not go well because before I cut off the lino in the first layer I cut it a lot and did not ask a lot of questions to make sure I cut it on the right thing. The tough thing I have to learn from doing this experiment and my final printing is about rolling the color on the board. The other thing, like printing the Lino onto the paper, is tough for me because if I put the print not in the same part of my first layer the second layer will look bad. After all, the color won’t be able to lay on properly. Doing this printing made me more creative and thought of doing something like this. what I want to do better next time is I want to be able to cut my lino more precisely and make the lines more straight because I found that I was rushing to do my last layer since it was almost time and so I had to quickly cut out the last layer which wasn't as neat as I hoped it would be. I can fix this by managing my time better because for a few classes, I was procrastinating since I ran out of ideas on what to do and so I wasted a lot of time doing nothing when I could have been using this time to gain ideas and start carving out my layers. When looking at my final print you can see that I struggled to align all the lino layers properly so it didn’t look that neat and you can see that the border isn’t straight and many colors are showing.

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At the start of this unit I didn't know how to make an art piece out of lino or what that is but now I learned a few skills and I think the art piece I made looks good. One skill I learnt during this unit is to not go too deep when carving because it will get stuck and can ruin the piece. This happened to me when I practised using the carving tools on the lino. The tool got stuck in the lino and it ruined my art piece. Another skill I learned was to put enough paint not too much or too little because if there was too little the paint won't go on the print and if there is too much paint, the paint will go everywhere on the paper when I press the paper down on the lino. i think my art piece communicated a deep meaning because i made it to show that as we grow up, life starts to become more serious and as it gets more and more serious, we have to act more mature and we have responsibilities and can't act as little kids anymore. I think it is important for us to create art as a form of self expression because this can relieve some stress and we can feel better about ourselves. I really enjoyed making this art piece because it also brought back memories and this made me miss being little even more. I made the person small so that it looks like it's a kid in a suit and I put a rainbow, a duck, blocks and a lollipop to show that this piece is about a person who grew up and misses being a kid. In my artwork, I made the clouds really big to show how small a person can feel compared to nature. The waves I painted using all four colours to make them look wavy, just like how my memories from when I was a kid feel. They come back to me whenever I see things moving, like the waves that never stay still. It's like my memories are always moving and changing, just like the waves in my painting.

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I had lost this experimental piece before I was able to take a picture of it; therefore, it has been edited digitally from the last image I had of it.

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4) In this sketch, I used: repetition, addition, as well as emphasising.

5) In this sketch, I had used: contrast, repetition, as well as mutation.

6) In this sketch, I was able to use: mutation, white space/blank space, as well as isolation.

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1) In this sketch, I used techniques such as: white space, blank space, contrast and scale in order to convey my message

2) In this sketch, I used: contrast, repetitionand emphasis (on the main focal point) in order to convey my message

3) the third section of these drawings is incomplete, therefore making my total of drawings 5/6

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Here is my mindmap on the ideas I have had for this unit, and different topics I would like to cover in my final piece.

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I planed to put a person in the middle, so they can look at the person and make more balance. I put tree in the right and school in the left. It also makes the drawing looks balance. The person is in in the middle, so people can focus to the person more easier.

I will use v shape for the first layer because for the first layer, I need to crave the white part and the white part makes to focus the white. I will carve as thin. For second layer, I will use bigger v-shape because in the second layer, they need some details but they also need some part to carve more than layer one. I will crave as thick. For third layer, I will use u shape because most of the lino should craved out. Therefore, u- shape is the most easiest tool that helps to crave the large part easily. I will crave as thick and thin.

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https://www.canva.com/design/DAGAqbeXlRc/yhCuGbtMcttIIIG9dFX2ZA/edit

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From starting this unit, I have gained an entire new understanding of an artform that was previously unknown to me. Before this unit, I had no knowledge of reduction cut lino, or how it worked. From this unit I have gained a great number of technical skills within this media, and skills outside of it. For instance, I have learned how to use different shaped tools to create different effects, to create lines and forms ranging from thin and intricate, to thick forms, by varying the tool size from V to U. I have learned how using these different tools in different ways, can be utilised to create negative space, to create leading lines, and contrast of colours, to draw the viewer's eye to the focal point. I have learned the different percentages of the lino you should cut when in the different layers, and how varying the amount of lino cut in each layer creates different effects. I have learned how to use these different layers, to create form, through combining the light, medium, and dark tones.

While learning a new medium in art will undoubtedly teach you many new technical skills, I have also gained skills outside of this artform. Through experimenting in how to create meaning in this new artform, my creative thinking skills have also increased dramatically. This is because, for instance, in the sculpture unit we were given a broad range of freedom of different mediums we could use, the amount of elements we could make and how large it could be. However, in this unit, as we experimented with the new medium of reduction cut lino, we were given a much smaller workspace. This meant that we had to find a way to incorporate a large amount of meaning, in a small space. This forces us and allows us to learn how to create a message through use of symbols, and the way we make those symbols interact with each other,  that can fit into a small space, yet still be subtle but communicative of a message. When we have such a large space it is easy to create symbolism through large, bold, more literal symbols. However, in this lino printing unit, I have made an effort to focus on more discreet and conceptual symbols, as I realise how I could create the same amount of meaning, through something simple like a pattern, or a constellation, which has a conceptual meaning attached to it. To conclude, this unit has given me an opportunity to create a meaning through more subtle and more conceptual symbols through the form of media we used, as I had to utilise my creative thinking skills  and apply them to different contexts, as we were given an unfamiliar medium.

It is extremely important that we create art as a form of self expression. This is because art provides humanity with a new form of representing their emotions, feelings, opinions, and the impact they want to make in the world. Only so much can be shown through words, and art provides a new lens to view a concept within, and an easily digestible and appealing way for communities all over the world to understand an issue, a meaning, or a message that an artist can convey. Not only is art important because of its impact on the outside world, but also because of its impact on the artist themselves. Art, when used as a form of self expression, is a manner of letting out all your pent up emotions, in a way that is beautiful and meaningful, instead of any other negative way the emotions could manifest themselves. Additionally, it allows people to develop new technical, and creative thinking skills, as they explore new ways they can express themselves through visuals instead of words. It is not only the visual arts that can be used as self expression, but music, and dance, all provide an outlet for articulating your emotions and communicating a message out to the world, in an unconventional way. In a way that turns thoughts in your head, to something real and enjoyable for communities all over the world, to interpret in their own way and inspire them, perhaps giving them a new perspective or outlook on an issue, or their own emotions.

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Final piece artistic intention document 

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Final piece artistic intention document 

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Tree: The tree next to the person symbolises the environment and nature. When I think about trees, it reminds me of the environment and maturity. I changed after I came into contact with nature and when my environment changed.

School: When you see the school, it’s also in the back and is smaller than a tree. It impacted my life but it wasn’t a big impact. I changed a lot in school. When I was in Korea, I didn't really talk with my friends and didn’t really get close with anyone. However, when I came to this school, at first I didn’t talk in here also, but now I try to communicate with everyone.

Pose: When you see the person's pose, hands are in the belly because the person who is standing in the middle of the art piece, the person is smiling. I was thinking about laughing and I came up with holding the belly because the person laughed too much.

Thick wavy line passing through the school: The tick wavy line passing through the school symbolises open- mind. When I was in Korea, I wasn’t really open-minded and I always thought negatively. Because most Korean people like to criticise and evaluate. I was scared of critiquing and evaluating each other. After I came to ISPP, my friends helped me to be more positive and open-minded. The environment changed me a lot.

Hand: Before when I was young, someone did the things that I should do. However, when I get older and grow, I should have to do it by myself. I’m still not really useful with this and I am trying to adapt to being alone and doing things by myself. I’m still in step with being adapted, so my hands are busy and I wanted to symbolise that I didn’t do it myself but now, I can.

Emotion: When you see the person, you can see the person is smiling. I wanted to show a happy face to show that I became happier and more positive. Before I wasn’t happy and positive, but when my environment changed, it helped me to change myself.

Scale: When you see the person who’s standing in the middle, you can see the person is the main character of the art piece. Furthermore, the tree is as big as the person, and the school is not that big. This tried to use the scale to show the impact of my life. When the size is big, that means it impacts my life a lot.

Colour: When you see the colour of the person, you can clearly see the dark part and light part. The light part is the part that you should focus on. When you see the person’s face you can see the light cheek and light hair. I wanted to show I become more healthy and I care for myself.

Inside the hole: The person who’s in the middle has a big hole on the belly. Something is trying to cover the person inside there. I wanted to show that inside the hole if before me and it already passes and before me doesn’t exist anymore, so I tried to show that by covering the person.

Line around human: If you look at the person in the middle you can find slightly rounded lines above his head. This expressed how I, who used to be sharp, became softer and more positive.

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Your technical skills. How do you have more art skills now than you were before starting this unit? In what way(s)?

I think I improved my art skills than before starting this unit. My improved skills are carving and choosing the colours. When I was carving, I carved the small drawings around my face by small V shaped tool. I carved my T-Shits by U shaped tool. When I was printing, I decided to print out as 4 layers. First I chose light colour and at last, I chose dark colour. I chose yellow, green, dark blue and black. My plan was that first layers should be start with light colours and from the 3rd layer, the dark colour print to be started. During the course of printing, I had some problems with ink. Because the inks were get dried and was lack.

Your creative thinking skills. Has your ability to communicate on a deeper, more conceptual level developed throughout this unit? How?

My ability and skills taught me to how to communicate with myself and describe myself by drawings. The small drawings around me describe my recognition and imagination about USA. These small drawings describes my idea to understand American culture. My face describes curiosity. As you see, the print was made up by 4 colours such as yellow, green, dark blue and black. Yellow describes the economic power, Green describes climate, dark blues describes freedom, Black describes secrets and lies. The land of freedom I see on the news is full of lies and conspiracies such as racism and gun incidents. If one is good, the other is bad, so I chose black in the end.

The statement of inquiry. Do you think it is important for us to create art as a form of self-expression? Why?

However, I think that it is important because when I investigated the other painters by wikipedia, their paintings describes their thinkings. Creating art allows individuals to explore, express, and communicate aspects of their inner selves, emotions, experiences, and perspectives. The creative process can be a powerful means of self-discovery, personal growth, and the development of one's unique identity. Art can be a powerful medium for communicating ideas, stories, and messages to others. By sharing their artistic creations, individuals can connect with others, foster empathy, and contribute to a broader cultural dialogue.

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This unit I have grown as an artist because I have gathered skills that I was unfamiliar with to create something meaningful and personal to myself. This is because I now know how to create a shape that looks more 3D with shadows of the darkest and last layer and how I can use that to my advantage. Through this, I am able to create a lino reduction print with colors that creates emphasis and contrast and which colors are most compatible with each other. My two experiments allowed me to understand how each of the U and V shape tools work and the cuts they make because I was able to create the right mood with the variety of the thick and thin lines. I was able to make biomorphic shapes to balance out the curved, diagonal and straight lines because I used the medium U shaped tool when carving the shapes which fixates the audience and draws them in.

Throughout this unit I am able to create meaning through different symbols, liner, organic lines and shapes. When choosing what to create I pondered on different animals and how they resonate with myself. I choose the shrimp and the butterfly because the shrimp shows resilience and how I bounced back from challenges throughout my life. The butterfly shows change and how I have grown as a person with different interests. I used the boat to show the passing of time. I was able to connect with myself by showing deeper meaning in my print piece. The mindmap at the start of the unit helped me understand the things that happened in my life as well as my beliefs and views on the world. That activity helped in unlocking ideas and symbolism which portrays different emotions and events. At first, I thought the idea of understanding the pain I have felt was scary and intimidating but knowing more about the turmoil I flet allowed me to translate that through my print pieces in a thoughtful way.

Art is a great way to express one’s self because it is a way to showcase what someone is going through without in person confrontation. Art also allows people more creativity and freedom when showcasing their struggles or fears as well as their hopes and dreams. Self expression is important because it allows the artist to connect more with their art piece which gives the piece more meaning and thought behind it. Art allows people to be in touch with their emotions and feelings which can relieve stress and build up pressure in a healthy way. Art can allow someone to showcase something that can be too hurtful or painful to talk about but can use symbolism to impact the audience on a deeper level. Art can be interpreted differently by each individual person which can spark something unique and creative.

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#4 (Human eye) - Change in scale & Emphasis ||| #5 (Girl & door) - Empathize & Symbolize 

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#1 (girl with vines face) - Subtract & Substitute

#2 (Eyes) - Transfer & Isolate

#3 (Human body) - Metamorphosis & Combine

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Final-Development of an artist Reflection

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Final-Development of an artist Reflection

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Your technical skills. Do you have more art skills now than you were before starting this unit? In what way(s)?

Compared to the start of the unit, I can deduct that my artistic skills have significantly improved. This especially applies to my improved consciousness to design choices including details I haven't considered before such as the influence tools have on the message of an art piece. Through this unit, I found that U and V tools in the Lino cutting art form has a large contributing factor to the weight of the art. U-shaped tools are better to use for smooth, free-flowing lines, while V-shaped tools are better for more harsh and directional lines. I was able to use this knowledge in my final art piece, where I had alternated from V-shaped tools in the girl's shadow to U-shaped tools in the background. This helps add dimension as well as dynamic to the piece as it creates a variety of lines assisting in creating a focal point or portraying a message. As a result of gaining this information, I was able to realize that the importance of lines in a piece no matter the art form has a large influence on the atmosphere achieved as well as the creation of the focal point. I had also learnt how utilizing two contrasting color palettes into one piece helps act as an effective way to create contrast as well as a point of interest that can lead the viewer through the work. For example, if the entire background and mid ground of the work is in a warm color scheme, then making the foreground of the work a cool color scheme will bring the viewers eyes to that element.

Furthermore, I had improved my artistic literacy skills more specifically on the steps and process of Lino cutting. I found even after the experimental formative print, I still made many mistakes that I ended up learning from. One problem I learnt along the creation process of the final piece was that the prints I put down didn't have enough ink. This had taught me to make sure to roll the paint until it has a orange-peel texture. I had also learnt from observing my peers how to properly align my prints, as I found that even in my experimental piece and the beginning of my final piece I had unaligned layers and didn't know how to make the piece look clean. This caused to make my final artwork appear slightly messy and smudged. However, I was able to take both experiences as a learning process, and am happy with the result as I was able to watch the painting visibly come to life after each layer.

Your creative thinking skills. Has your ability to communicate on a deeper, more conceptual level developed throughout this unit? How?

The unit also taught me how to communicate personal and complex concepts through an unmoving image by utilizing clever symbolism as well as texture, line, and size. A point of emphasis in this unit is the significance put onto line as a form of expression. I was aware of this and decided that I would make the emphasis in my painting more centralized around lines and leading lines to properly use the Lino cutting art form and it's unique ability to create abstract lines in comparison to other art forms. This also allowed me to express multiple meanings through one element, which I had explained in my 10-meanings explanation. I had also found that communicating mentalities through art was something I found difficult, especially for the topic of being a push over as it wasn't something I was necessarily exposed to. However, this unit pushed me to think in a more symbolic manner, which is what brought me to think of a welcome mat to show being a pushover because it is known for being stepped on, having an indirect correlation to the pushover mentality.

The statement of inquiry. Do you think it is important for us to create art as a form of self-expression? Why?

I believe that self expression through art is significant not only to the artist themselves but to society as a whole. Artistic expression encourages creativity and critical thinking in people that allows them to convey personal themes in a manner that cannot be expressed through words. This, as a result, fosters crucial elements in our society such as cultural identity, community, communication, critical thinking, and self expression. This not only applies to visual art, but to other art forms including music and theatre as well. Art is an umbrella term and is highly interpretable, and can be considered another language for it's ability to allow self-expression and communication. The beauty of art and artistic expression is that it transcends language barriers, so when a concept is expressed through words, it speaks to a few million. If it is expressed through art, it speaks to the whole world. This is why art is extremely important for fostering identity, building communities, and encouraging creativity in an ever-evolving world and garden of growing ideas everyday.

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Reflection as an artist, final reflection

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Reflection as an artist, final reflection

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I believe now after this unit i have a better understanding of how composition should be used and how to actually have good composition, for my first final piece sketch(Which i lost) i had terrible composition as no one knew where to look and what part of the piece was important, which i then started on a completely new sketch with the help of comments from Ms Blair to create a less chaotic and focused art piece. i also have a better understanding of how color plays a big part in any piece and have started experiencing with more colors instead of my favorite colors in my art pieces. Another skill that i have learned this unit is the use of lino carving as this is my first time carving into lino i found it hard to really to understand the layering system because my mind just couldn't get the fact that i had to cut out pieces to show a different color from the current color i was printing at first, but i eventually figured it out with the help of my peers. this unit also helped me develop my thinking of how certain mediums (especially this one) has limitations in what i could do and what i shouldn't do.

i feel like i have only made very slight improvements with my communication skills, i feel that now i was just able to to really work at an acceptable pace to the point where i wasn't completely behind in my sketch making. I also feel that in this unit i especially put myself in the work and really illustrate how i feel and felt at certain times in my in my life, doing this also made me really reflect and think about the type of person i've become and the type of person i was.

i feel that it is extremely important for us to be able to express ourselves through art because of people like myself who don't necessarily like showing ourselves sometimes and could even have the most trouble sharing one small detail about how we feel, art being a way we could all easily express ourselves without really telling someone directly even if they don't understand. Making art doesn't just extend to painting/printing as music and drama is also a way of self expression, i feel that without the ability of self expression, we wouldn't have good music or films.

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1). Man

This unit is all bout something that have bee changing my life by which way. The man on the boat represent to me at time of present, how I have been changing myself from a young child turn to the man with fully increasing. Since I was a young child, I hav a bad relationship between me and my friends. this is because i was too weak to talk, and stand back up to go against those people.

2). Boat

The boat represent my own life. this is because when we have the boat and put on the water, it will never be staying at the same place all the time. This is the same thing to my life from one day to another day it will have something that is so different, even in the second we alway do thing are different than the past 10 second. We can't not control our life to stay the same thing every time in life. To move the boat by it own is only when the wave are pushing and moving to different direction of the life, this is represent to my parent.

Door (Left and Right)

3). Man come out of Brain: I chose the creature to represent to my change because in every human everyone have a different perspective thinking. The most significant part of the body is the brain. The man came out is simbolice the mind of creativity of the man beauty. The man which is the brain telling me to set my own mind set throw out different challenging.

4). Man come out of Heart: I been thinking of the heart because i want to add the love enjoy with myself, my family, and with everyone around me. Furthermore, I also include the flower at the back of the man back to show the growth between me and my heart. I have been experience different emotional of closet people who have been pass away, this is communicate my impression between the past to present continue with the future.

5). Muscle: I use the muscle to change my life because this is represent my skill, power, energy, and how I have change and switch to another generation of life. This show how I usually be skinny, after a pew month of working out with friend. those friend helping me to growth up from a young age child to a man who understand the real world.

Color: I chose this four color because it perfect for me to represent my life to other people. By showing different pain, and lower inside my body.

Blue: The blue represent of life, chose blue for the background because it show how my understating of life been moving on step by step. Since everybody life never stay the same, the movement will be continued on and on. Sometime in life we also float and moving by the sky.

Red: Red represent of power and energy, this means the same way as the life and brain growth. The color red that on the man on the left represent of brain of generation more ideas to brain, flow connected everything together. The color red on the left hand which means that it have more power than the right hand Although I use to play sport with my right hand. Since my right hand have an experience of broken bone, this will be impact to my whole life. It will be difficult for me to lifting more weight. However, in term of sport it ok to use right hand.

White: White is represent of peaceful life. The white shadow on the boat represent to my fun fact of life which is camping. Moreover, I use to ride on the boat, the river near by. This memory never ever going to leave out from my brain. Likewise, the life with me and my family is very wonderful, that why I add some of the white on to below the chest.

Black: Black is represent for the shadow, and with some of the pain around my body. If we looking to the cloud black beside the shadow and below the boat is that, it represent to the pain that I got from my friend at home. The life that I got at school and inside my family is more better than I walk outside. The growth that I have is alway at home and at school.

Blue Lotus Flower: If you look focus on the top left corner the flower symbolism strength, resilience, and rebirth. The rebirth that connect with my life when I did something is wrong then I want to rebirth the news ideas.

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During the duration of this unit, I was able to improve on a lot of the skills I was taught at the beginning of the unit. Compared to before the unit, I am now able to perform the said skills a lot more proficiently and precisely. An example of this would be the skill of reduction cutting. This is because, compared to the beginning of the unit, I am now able to use a selection of tools to create emotion and feelings in my piece. Another example is my final drawing and lino print, as during the experimental practices, my drawing did not convey as much emotion as it does now. Overall, I felt that my skills in conveying emotion had improved a lot, both in the way I use symbolism and in how I use my tools. Another example would be my understanding of color, which had shifted throughout the unit. This is because, with the rapid change in my understanding of art, I was able to incorporate color into my artwork to better convey my messages and manipulate those colors to create contrast and a focal point.

In this unit, I felt that I was able to grow a lot as an artist, which meant that I had refined skills such as contrast, composition, and scale. This is because, due to my rapid change in understanding of these terms, I felt that in my final piece, I was able to correctly use these aspects to enhance the message of my artwork. An example of this would be the main focal point of my final piece, which would be the flower pot. By scaling this aspect of the artwork to be bigger, it can be noticed by the audience almost immediately, therefore portraying my message. Another example of my understanding of creative strategies would be my background, which contrasts with the main focal point. By having this pattern be geometrical, I am able to contrast it with the rest of the artwork, which is more organic. These aspects of my final product show my understanding of creative strategies and therefore convey the message I would like to convey.

Referring back to the statement of inquiry, I do feel that it is important for us to create art as a form of self-expression. This is because I feel that art can be a great way of expressing our emotions without being too personal, as well as allowing for different symbols in the art to represent the emotions and messages intended. By understanding how to express ourselves through media, I feel that many can use this as a therapeutic tool to relieve themselves of pressure or the sense of bottling up their emotions. I feel that with this unit, I was definitely able to enhance this skill, therefore opening up more opportunities for me to communicate different messages using art.

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I have more art skills now than I had before because now I know what happens if I don't put enough ink, the print won't turn out great, and I learned how to better align my lino to my paper. Before starting this unit, I was confused as to how reduction cut works because there are layers and orders and specific things to do to have a good print. Deciding what parts to cut out and what color to use was a struggle but everything became clear during the experiments and the making of the final print. I also learned how to maximize my artwork by using different tools. I also learned how to make my piece balanced and how to make symbols pop out so that it can draw the viewer's eyes to the subject which is the girl. I think the medium I used, was too dark which set me back but I thought it matched the theme well which is supposed to be mystical, calm, and tranquil.

My ability to communicate on a deeper more conceptual level has developed because this unit made me think about not just the symbolism in the actual artwork, but the tools used because the tools are the main thing to making a reduction cut artwork and using different tools allow to create different emotions on one piece, V cuts are for more aggressive symbols and U cuts for smoother cuts. I was trying to be creative by using U cuts to show the calm and tranquil scene, and the V cut for aggressive scenes like some of the spirals. I was using a lot of organic shapes in this artwork and almost all of the symbols are round, so for the background, I made it split in half with the bottom rectangle being black, and the top rectangle of the background is blue. So the color is separated geometrically (into rectangles) contrasting with the organic shapes.

I think it is important for us to create art as a form of self-expression because it allows us to communicate what we couldn't with words, if maybe it's too heavy to talk about with words, expressing it with an art form is a beautiful and meaningful way to visually communicate especially if it is about a strong topic there are many things to symbolize emotions and experiences. I think doing art to express emotions is the best way to communicate heavy feelings of just being happy because sometimes you would want other people to understand you in ways that words couldn't.

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Your technical skills. Do you have more art skills now than you were before starting this unit? In what way(s)?

I think that I have improved a lot during this unit. because in the beginning I didn't even know what lino was and how to use it. Now I feel like I am able to make a high quality lino print. I also feel like I am able to add many different lines and shapes to my lino as well. I also feel like i am able to create more complex and make it detailed. i am also able to chose different colour to create contrast and using that contrast to make thing stand out. i have also been able to change how i use negative space and how much i want of each layer since in my experiments i had to much negative space and too much of some layers.

Your creative thinking skills. Has your ability to communicate on a deeper, more conceptual level developed throughout this unit? How?

I feel like I have been able to get better at hiding meaning in my art work. One example is the comets in the prints to most people but if you know the meaning of them you look at the art work differently. I also feel like the the meaning is not too obvious in my lino. because if you just look at it you wont get the meaning but once you analyze the lino a bit you will understand way more and the meaning of the lino. I feel like i was able to use the setting in the print to my advantage, because i choose space as my setting i was able to reenforce the sense of being lost.

The statement of inquiry. Do you think it is important for us to create art as a form of self-expression? Why?

I think that it is important because it lets people express themself and show their personality through the colour choice and style. I also think that self expression art could be used to cope with stress or trauma by visualising it and being able to show others.

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Constellations: As we are supposed to represent change through this artwork, I have chosen to represent my change in my outlook on the world, through my change in spirituality. I used to be very closed minded towards anything supernatural, thinking it was complelty untrue and unwilling to change my mind. However, my sister opened my mind to a whole new realm of possibilities. I tried manifestation, and was skeptical, untill I realized how real it actually was. Even if manifestation is not true, I truly beleive that If you think something will happen, it will happen. This was a very large change for me, as I never used to beleive in energy or anything of the sort, and I wanted to illustrate this by showing constellations and the moon, to represent my new connection to the universe.

Eye: As I previously mentioned, I was very closed off to any different views besides the view that nothing supernatural existed, and there was no such thing as magic. I used the eye to represent how I have opened my eyes to new possibilities. Eyes are also a symbol for perception, as they are the way you view and process the world around you. This is why I used an eye to symbolize my change in perspective, and the way I perceive the world around me.

The entire composition has leading lines downwards, from the dark evil cracks at the top, to the drip at the bottom. I did this on purpose, so that the composition would guide the viewers eye all the way from the top, down to the bottom of the peice as they take in the artwork. I also wanted to use the top leading down to the bottom as the evolution in time, with the top of the artowork representing my past, which leads the viewers eye down to the eye, which represents when I became more open minded, which then leads down to the drip with the universe in it, which shows my newfound connection to spirituality. The symbols leading from the top to the bottom represent the passage in time and along with it my change in perspective.

Drip: Instead of just having the universe on the bottom, to represent my change in opinion as time went by, I made the universe sort of dripping out of the eye. I did this because I wanted to combine the symbols of the eye and the universe, to show my message of how having an open mind can introduce you to new perceptions and experiences. This is how the universe dripping out of the eye, shows that the change was caused from me trying to have a different outlook.

Blck Cracks I designed the black cracks at the top to look eery and unsettling. They are meant to look scary to represent my close-mindedness in the past. How I did not believe in anything, and honestly I used to have quite a negative outlook on things. I am not proud of the way I used to think, and I wanted to represent how sometimes it is not the external events, but the way that you perceive life inside of your head, which makes the most difference. The black lines symbolize this, by showing negativity through the cracking in the page, almost as if it is breaking or torn.

Moon: The moon, in India, is called the "Chandra". My family's surname is "Chund", which means moon. I wanted to add something in my artwork, which represented my family, to make it more personal to me. Also, in Indian mythology, the moon is considered one of the 9 celestial bodies and is worshipped as a deity. The crescent moon, known as the "Purnima" is considered auspicious in the Hindu calendar. Meaning it is promising success. It was the perfect symbol to represent how my change in mindset was prosperous, and a way to add a reference to my culture.

I used the colour palette of white, light blue, dark blue, yellow, and black because I wanted the artwork to have a magical and deep vibe to it. However, having too many dark colours can instead create more of a moody tone, so adding yellow added a hint of joy and happiness to the colour scheme. Also, blue orange and yellow contrast very well as they are complimentary colours.

Once again I wanted to use darker colours on the top, and then lighter colours on the bottom, to represent the change from bad to good. This is why I used a darker blue for the top, and the lighter blue on the bottom. I believe the dark and the light blue contrast really well.

Capriconus: In the space, I have drawn the constellation of Capricorn. I did this to add an element of myself, as I am a Capricorn. I also wanted to include this, because along with my new interest in manifestation, I have also become interested in zodiac signs. I used to disregard them, thinking they were foolish, but after exploring my chart and similar things with my sisters and friends, I found that it is actually quite interesting. And although I believe they are most likely not real, I think I shouldn't be so quick to disregard things that other people believe in, and I wanted to represent this change in my mind through adding that zodiac sign.

Ophiuchus: When selecting which constellations to add into the space, I selected Ophiuchus for what it represents. The constellation Ophiuchus is the Greek God Asclepius holding a snake, the snake is often associated with healing. Another connotation of the Opichuis constellation is the personality of an Ophiuchus is described as insightful and curious, and a "seeker of wisdom and knowledge". I thought this would be a good constellation to include, as the story being told in this is of me opening my mind to new knowledge, and the curiosity and wisdom seeking associated with this constellation can symbolize that.

Eyelashes: I thought it would be important to include eyelashes as another way to reinforce my message. In some cultures, such as ancient Egyptian and Chinese, eyelashes are associated with intuition and inner sight. This could symbolize my growing connection to the spiritual and my ability to intuit deeper truths about the universe and my place in it. Additionally, eyelashes are very delicate. They can be seen as a symbol of vulnerability. This represents my newfound willingness to be more open and sensitive to the beliefs of others as I became more accepting.

I used some creative thinking strategies when creating the drawing for this piece. One creative thinking strategy I used was "COMBINE". This is what gave me the idea to combine the eye and the universe, by making it drip from the eye like tears. Another strategy I used was "REPEAT", as I used repetition when repeating the stars.

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At the beginning of this unit, I was unfamiliar with lots of difficult and more complex techniques on how to create a more three-dimensional object through different layers of a lino print. This can be done by cutting out the highlights in lighter layers then after printing darker colours cutting out more of the object gradually making a full piece which includes highlights, lowlights, and dimensions. I used this technique for both my final piece and my first experiment both with the hand. This created realism in the hand creating different curves, colours, and cuts. Another technique is how you carve and cut the lino print which I found created an immense change in the outcome of the artwork, for example, when I have a variety of cuts thick, and thin, with a V-shaped tool or a U-shaped tool, long, and short cuts the artwork has more appeal to the audience and is more captivating because of the contrast. I know this from my own experience and experiments which showed the importance of both a variety of cuts and colours which can create a great combination of emotions. From the multiple times when we had to be thoughtful while making the drawings to create at least 10 thought-out meanings which over time became easier and easier for me as we learned different ways we could do this. During this unit, we took time to notice the meaning of the colours in artwork and what kind of emotions they are trying to convey while also thinking about how the colours interact with each other to create an overall mood in the artwork. An object, thing, or person in an artwork can be portrayed in various ways to make it look either scary, kind, sad, lonely, and so much more all by the angle and perception in which the object, thing, or person is drawn. Another aspect which affects how the audience might view something in the artwork is the scale which can affect the subject how the audience views the artwork and how they respond to it in either a positive or negative way. An advantage of creating artwork as a form of self-expression is that it provides a healthy outlet for releasing and managing emotions that helps lots of people including myself to process complex feelings and reduce stress which is very important in the environment which an IB school provides that contains lots of stress. In this unit, we used lots of personal aspects to create meaningful artwork that explores our own identity, thoughts, and beliefs, facilitating a greater understanding of myself and the people close to me during this unit. Since we are thinking about deeper meaning in our own lives to create artwork this has touched on lots of parts in our own lives which we do not normally address and might find difficult to express verbally, but art can serve as a powerful tool and form of communication instead of verbally. Another pro of self-expression through a creative art form is that art can foster empathy by allowing artists and viewers to experience and understand diverse perspectives and emotions.

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1. Welcome mat: Welcome mats are commonly known for being stepped on as they welcome people into a home or establishment. I chose to incorporate this element as a main focal point of the piece in order to portray the theme and mentality of a push over, in the same manner as how welcome mats allow people to step all over them with an overly inviting and welcoming atmosphere. The size of the mat directly correlates to the influence the pushover mentality had on my childhood and adolescent brain as I was developing social skills, pushing the belief that being extremely nice to everybody would get me more friends.

2. Doorbell: I made the giant doorbell another element of significance in my piece to symbolize the need to belong and to be heard. The doorbell portrays how people will ring a doorbell to signify to the house that they are outside. In the same manner, I chose to implement the doorbell to show the desperation of being heard by others. I also wanted to depict how no matter how loud I was, I was always the quietest voice. Doorbells, which are typically loud, are sometimes ignored or unheard, further playing into this message.

3. Redlines Definition 1: I chose these harsh, red lines not only to create a point of emphasis on the girl and create leading lines to her, but to also create the sense of a harsh and rigid environment. This was chosen to reflect the themes of identity dysmorphia, and how I didn't feel myself in pursuit of people's approval. I wanted it to look suffocating, as though the lines are about to pierce the girl.

4. Redlines Definition 2: The use of these red lines is intended to have multiple definitions. The second definition is meant to be a stark contrast from the first one, as it also means to perpetuate the feeling of change. The redlines simultaneously depict empowerment through it's bold and confident strokes, painting the girl as a powerful figure. Although it may seem contrasting from the first definition, this intentional decision allows it to be left for interpretation while also discussing change through an unmoving image.

5. Giant finger pointing Definition 1: The use of the giant finger especially emphasized by the large size is meant to portray the action of 'ringing the doorbell' as a big step for me. 'Ringing the doorbell' is more of a metaphorical play in my painting to show how I was continuously talking but never being listened to, like a person continuously ringing a doorbell of an empty house. Therefore, every time I 'ring the doorbell' I am putting enormous effort to be heard as seen by the large hand, to no avail. The size of it puts more power into the action.

6. Giant finger pointing Definition 2: The giant finger and it's perspective in the painting simultaneously makes it appear as though the girl is punching the doorbell, creating a double meaning that yet again contrasts from the previous one. This insinuates that she is 'breaking through' the doorbell, acting as a symbol of empowerment and freedom from the burden of being ignored.

7. Girl from top view perspective: The perspective achieved by making her head larger than her feet was intentional in order to create a birds eye view that makes the girl look weaker and minuscule, referencing popular comic techniques using this perspective in order to further push the unconfident image.

8. Color choice on girl: I chose to make the color scheme of the girl a contrasting cool blue palette that contradicts the warm red, yellow, and orange colors surrounding it. This was intentionally done in order to not only make her a focal point of the piece, but also because it gives her a more solemn and melancholy atmosphere.

9. Faceless: I chose to make the girl faceless, and instead have spirals that lead into her head. I did this to execute her lack of identity, which as mentioned above, stems from my history as a push over and my ability to put on a new face for others. The spirals was another design in texture used to connect to the common phrase 'Spiraling out of control'. I wanted this element to reference this phrase as it can also depict how I had lost control of who I was and was blindly following what was believed to be popular.

10. Girl stepping on welcome mat: I decided I would place the girl on top of the welcome mat rather than under, which was an idea I had in a previous brainstorm, because doing so would help suggest the change I have gone through in being able to overcome being a pushover. In this case, I am literally standing over the welcome mat, the symbol of my pushover mentality. This further drives the message of change by using one element to simultaneously push two meanings.

State how you have arranged the composition to create balance and draw attention to the focal points.
Plan out how you will create your desired visual qualities with specific tools in layer 1, 2 and 3+

In my art piece, I used red lines in order to act as leading lines that will bring the viewer’s eyes to my intended focal point, which is the girl. Another way in which I made the girl a focal point was to make her a cool color that contrasts from the rest of the warm colors in the background.

I will execute my desired visual qualities by using V-shaped tools in layer one to make the effect of harsh, strong lines that convey the themes of a strict environment. In my second layer where I am carving out the welcome mat I will use V-shaped lines to be able to replicate the geometric nature of the mat and doorbell. On the third layer, I will contrast it with the two other layers by using a U-shaped tool that will make the girl appear softer.

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1. A girl holding a phone

The human form positioned in the center symbolizes me by sharing experiences from my life. I decided to draw using a phone because, as you can see on the left, it has a bubble with four symbols inside that represent things I've recently gone through. For instance, the phone illustrates how I used social media and technology excessively, which led to overthinking and obsession, or how receiving a poor grade stressed me out and resulted in many disappointing things happening. I want to make a solid shape, thus I'm going to use a U-shaped tool carve for this area. In order to create contrast with the liner lines, it also includes the mast.

2. The snakes

The large snakes that around the girl's body symbolize the toxic environment she lives in and the betrayal she experiences from her close friends and reliable people. Ever since my old friends betrayed me, I have come to distrust people and will never put my trust in them again. This demonstrates the hurt and betrayal feelings. I choose to utilize the V-shape tool for this section.

3. Scarf folded and the tape on the mouth

The scarf that covered the girl's eyes symbolizes my blindness and lowest point. Because I used to trust people easily, but it turns out that this teenage period taught me a lot of lessons. It also demonstrates how, in an attempt to avoid toxic situations and further hurt my feelings, I pretend not to observe everything that happens to me and hurts me. Now, the cross tape around the girl's mouth indicates that, despite the fact that problems have often happened for me, I am refusing to open up to people or discuss them because I lost their trust and I am frightened they will judge me. As a result, I need to keep it to myself and overthink by myself.

4. At the right bottom - a person falling into a big hole with darkness

It means that life can fall on us and pull us down to the depths of despair where we wouldn't dare to open out. I decided to carve the person to white at this particular section because I wanted to draw the audience's attention there and help them understand the idea better.

5. A person sitting at the left bottom

This also describes me every time I return home. In my room, I begin to overthink life and the things that have happened to me throughout the day, and I make the decision to figure out the problem on my own. This demonstrates my loneliness because I am alone and don't require assistance from others because I am afraid to express my feelings to anybody, including my parents.

6. Symbols in the thinking bubble connecting to the phone and a person thought

This demonstrates my thoughts for the entire day and night. There is a phone emoji, which indicates that I am addicted to social media and spend most of my time on technology. I use social media to decompress and escape reality by doing things like watching comedies. In addition, the heartbroken sign depicts my school friendships, which were primarily strained and betrayed, forcing me to join a new group of friends without ever having a true friend.The letter "F" stands for my academic performance, which indicates that I felt pressured by my grade and was constantly worried that I wouldn't do well. In addition, I worry about how this will effect my job, if I will be able to use all of this knowledge in the future, and whether I will succeed or fail. I basically have a constant curiosity for and contemplation of my future. Last but not least, the sad emoji accurately conveys my feelings of sadness and unhappiness. As a sensitive person, I often feel emotional but I never express it. I often feel disappointed over small things, but I'm working to manage my negative thoughts more effectively so that I can go on with my day.

7. A moon

The time of this painting is displayed by this moon. This means it is nighttime, and since I am alone and nobody is concerned, this is when everything happens. This is partly because I prefer the nighttime and I don't want anyone to know about my weakness.

8. Colour - Orange

Since this is the main focus and I want to draw the audience's attention to it, I decided to color the individual in orange. In addition, the initial layer is somewhat dark, so I added orange to brighten the color.

9. Color - Black

A girl sitting at the left side, I decided to color it with the last layer which is black showing the darkness and gloomy creating a sense of sadness.

10. Color - white

The bubble I chose to left it as a white color because I want the audience eyes to see this part first and understand the meaning of my artwork.

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for the outline of of the people i will use v-shaped tool and for the starts and other round things i will use a u-shaped tool.

1. The big person in the middle is suposed to represent me right now being kind of lost and not sure what is going to happen in my future.

2. The circle of people around the big person is 8 because they represent the 7 countries i have lived in and the next one i am moving to later

3. in the beginning of the circle the people are smaller and they slowly become bigger showing how i have grown and how i am still growing

4. I made the people look diffrent to to show that thats when i have moved to different places have changed as a person and things like that

5. i decided to add all the planets and stars to give that sense of just floating around space and not being sure what will happen

6. i decided to make the lines between the planets is to show that i still have a sense of what is happening

7. the buildings on the planet is to show that i see people who know what they are doing and that they are not lost

8. i decided to make the comet at the bottom show how fast things happend in myannmar and that there are still things happening i also made this comet bigger to show how it is a sgnificant event for me

9. the smaller comet of to the side is to show how things went in Thailand because only like 5 months after we got settled down we had to move again. but i feel like this holds less significance for me thats why i made it smaller.

10. except for the black as the background i choose yellow, blue and green as more fun colour to show how even though i have been quite confused and usure of what has been going it has still been fun in many different ways.

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U & V cut tools : I am using more different shapes tools to create more depth, contrast and dynamic. Using different tools allow me to represent different emotions. The V cut tool allows me to display a more vigorous and agressive emotion, while the U shape tool allows for a smooth and clean cut. I am using the U cut tools for things that show positive growth since it gives a cleaner finish. I am using the V cut tool to show the stress and emotion that is bottled up inside the person.

Background (bottom half of artwork) : I chose to make patterns on the background to bring the piece together and to show more contrast, the lines that trace around the body and the petals on the bottom half acts as an aura of growth

Spirals (top half of artwork) : the spirals at the top half are as guiding lines for the viewer so they eyes get drawn everywhere on the piece since the spirals spring out in all directions

Flower petals : I chose to have my human come out of a flower because I found that it is the best way to represent growth in a person because just like flowers, humans grow too

Dotted circle inside the human : the dotted circle inside the human shows the piece of hope which allowed her to flourish as a person and keep her going in life. It is like a glowing aura coming from the heart to represent hope and growth.

Colors : for my colors, I am choosing to do the contrasting colors on the color wheel which is a purple-blue to contrast with yellow, orange and pink. And of course I will have some white for highlights. These colors are harmonizing colors on the color wheel which is a new theme that I am trying. To show growth I am using the brighter colors (yellow white orange) and before all the growth, I will use purple & blue. My medium for this piece will be orange.

Spiral : I am choosing to have the background of the spirals to be cut out so the spirals can have color, this will allow me to add more layers on my artwork and I will paint some of them purple and blue to show that growth comes from experiencing highs and lows and pink and orange to show growth. These combinations of colors will be more interesting to look at.

Face : the girl has a relaxed face that tilts upwards with her eyes close to show that she is grown, relaxed and has full control and a sense of direction in her path

Halo : the halo around the girl shows the real shine and will draw the viewer’s eyes to her because it is shining around her in the middle of the page and it will be white shimmers

White patches : the white patches seen in the background acts as guiding “lines” so that the viewer views this art piece where their eyes get drawn to the bottom left and right, then to the top (like a triangle). This is so they can understand what is going on in this artwork and look at every detail.

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1. Vase: In my final design, the vase can be noticed almost immediately. This is because it acts as my main focal point and will be the aspect I want the audience to focus on the most. The vase is a representation of who I am as a person, as well as how I would like others to perceive me. Although the vases can be beautiful to look at, they are also very fragile, which correlates to who I am as a person.

2. Vase design: Due to the vase being the main focal point, the patterns and design can also be important in order to grasp the audience’s attention. For the vase, I have chosen a very old-fashioned print design but added my own elements. The old-fashioned print represents my culture, as the print is often seen in antique Chinese culture. This symbolizes my connection with my culture, as well as the pressure it can bring.

3. Eyes: The eyes on the print of the vase are a symbol of judgment, which is the issue I have chosen to focus on in this unit. By adding eyes to an otherwise traditional print, I am able to convey the feeling of uneasiness, as this aspect of my design is unusual. This symbolizes the judgment I face as well as the pressure forced on me both by my parents and society. This is because popular beliefs present Chinese women as petite and traditional, which contrasts with who I believe I am as a person. Due to the difference in the environment I was raised in, I feel that I have vastly different beliefs from what is considered normal for my parents, therefore creating contrast in our points of view.

4. Fish: The two fish surrounding my design represent my parents and can be shown surrounding the vase (me). This further enhances the judgment I face, as they seem to be constantly monitoring my actions. I plan to color these two fish in a brighter color, therefore contrasting them with the rest of the artwork. This enhances the importance of my parents and the influence they have had on me.

5. Patterns on the wall: The pattern I have chosen to print on the wall further symbolizes my culture, as patterns such as these can be commonly seen in Chinese homes. The repetition of the pattern symbolizes perfection, which is a toxic part of Chinese culture and an expectation commonly associated with Chinese families. Additionally, the geometric patterns contrast with the rest of my artwork, therefore making it fit in without seeming too messy.

6. Flowers blooming from the vase: Blooming from the vase is a selection of flowers, all with different meanings. Each one of the flowers represents a different trait my parents aimed for me to have and, therefore, has influenced me. These flowers are fresh and pretty, which symbolizes how both my parents and I would like the public to perceive. On the other hand, what most people do not see is the water inside the vase, which represents the journey (blood, sweat, and tears) I have faced in order to get to this stage of confidence.

7. Tulips: The tulips can be noticed first amongst the other flowers, as they are the most important of them all. In flower language, tulips can represent love, whether that is love towards my peers or towards my family. I believe that throughout my life and with the environment I was raised in, love has always been a big topic that has been able to influence me in a lot of ways, therefore making it the most prominent flower in the batch.

8. Lavender: Lavenders often represent purity and devotion, which, when compared to the other flowers, do not seem as important but are still key aspects of who I am. This is because, in my academic years, I have found that these two elements are extremely important to having a successful academic career. By setting goals for myself, I was able to accomplish tasks that I would have never thought possible and also improve the quality of my work as well as my habits.

9. Lily of the Valley: Lily of the Valleys hold a special place in my heart, as they are my birth-month-flower. Aside from being pretty, Lily of the Valleys represents happiness and luck, which I resonate with to a heavy extent, and although my parents do not express their emotions as well as other parents might, I believe deep down in my heart that they would want this for me just as much as I would want this for myself. Additionally, Lily of the Valleys consists of multiple flower buds attached to one stem. Each one of the flower buds symbolizes an aspect of me, which then all connects to one root, which makes up who I am.

10. Daisy: Last but not least, daisies, similar to Lily of the Valleys, represent purity, new beginnings, and joy. Although similar to Lily of the Valleys, they are often seen as “plain” or “boring,” which symbolizes how I think of myself. Due to the pressures put on me, I often find myself contemplating whether or not I will just be like the others. But I believe that as long as I present myself as who I am, nothing else matters.

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10 meaningful things:

1. The boat

The boat represents life and time, how it is always going and never stopping. Ships are also associated with transportation and Journey. I choose to use this because I grew up overseas and am constantly moving from country to country. The boat is going in a forward direction towards the future to signify new beginnings and experiences. I am going to use a U shape tool to carve out the midsection of the boat because I want to create a solid shape. As well as the mast so that it creates contrast with the liner lines.

2. The flames

The flames show the hardships and struggles that I have gone through. They represent chaos and destruction which is trying to sink the boat, but still the boat still sails on. The flames show that I have gone through devastating times. I am going to use the medium and small V shaped tool to carve out the flames so that it looks chaotic and has repetition throughout all of the flames.

3. The antique clock

This also shows the passing of time and how old antique clocks tick every second. This shows my internal pressure on myself and the anxiety that I have and it's below the waves because not many people see that about myself. I am going to use a U shaped tool for the outline of the clock and the small V shape tool to carve out the roman numerals so that it is precise and controlled. I am going to also use the U shaped tool to carve out the flowers growing on the clock,

4. Colors - Yellow and red

I choose to use yellow, red. The reason I did this is because together it looks chaotic but the yellow symbolizes hope and new beginnings because it's the lightest color. The red symbolizes danger and anger which showcases the challenges I face and the manipulation I have endured. I am going to use a mix of both U and V shape tools as well as the different sizes to create emphasis and contrast to the different elements.

5.)  Blue and black

The blue represents the isolation and sadness I have felt over the last couple of years. While the black showcases my fear and grief. I am going to use mostly U shaped tools for the blue because I am carving out solid shapes.

6.) Butterfly

This shows how my interest, beliefs, and ideals have changed since I was younger and the experiences that I have had which shapes who I am as a person in this moment in time.  I am going to use the medium U shape tool so that I can easily carve out the solid shapes of the butterfly wing and the V shape tool to carve out the specific pattern in the wing.

7.) Shrimp

This shows my reliance to tough situations and my ability to adapt in order to stay afloat. I am going to use the U shaped tool for the body of the shrimp and the smaller V shape tool for the legs and antennas

8.) Waves

The waves show that I don’t have much control in life and how I have to try and stay balanced in order to weather the storm. The waves are pushing the boat but also rocking the boat to show that life moves forward but that there is always going to be a problem to face. I am going to use both a mixture of U and v shape tools for this because in each layer I am going to be carving out a little bit of the waves and I want a variety of cuts in my waves to show more of a natural look.

9.) Bubbles

This shows the youth and innocence of childhood because of its round shape and bubbles are associated with games and fun but since I am going to have the bubbles red to show that my childhood was polluted. Also the meaning, trapped in a bubble to show I was naive which led to pain and suffering. I am going to use a U shape tool to carve out the circle as a whole.

10.) Spiral pattern

This shows that life is like a labyrinth with many dead ends but eventually reaches the center and how even though it may take a long time to reach the center there will still be good times to cancel out the hardships. I am going to use the medium sized U shape tool to emphasize the spiral pattern and so that it sticks out and is noticeable.

Balance and Focal point:

I have arranged the boat to be in the center of the print with highlights of yellow to draw the audience's attention. I then have something in almost every corner to create leading lines from going to the boat to the shrimp which is on the bottom right then going to the clock on the bottom left, going up to the sun on the top left. I have yellow and orange in all of the objects that I listed to help illustrate them so that they stand out. I also used repetition and rhythm with the bubbles to create movement and flow throughout my print piece.

Tools:

The tools that I will use will vary depending on the shape and the pattern I want to create. I will use the medium shaped U tool to carve out solid shapes like the ship and the boat. I will use the small V shape tool to carve out percice liner and straight lines like the roman numerals. While the medium V shape tools to carve out bigger lines like the shrimp's anttena. Using different tools will help me create different contrast to the different shapes which will help draw in the audience.