By focusing on the line and shape, I was able to depict the nearly accurate proportions of the sculpture I was trying to draw. I first drew the line of movement and added shapes (rectangles, ovals..) This changed how my drawing developed because instead of getting caught up in the small details too early, I could focus on the overall structure and balance. It also made my figure feel more dynamic.

2. What was hardest about simplifying forms into basic lines and shapes?

To me, the hardest thing about simplifying forms into basic lines and shapes is to recognize the lines and shapes that exist in the image/sculpture. This is because when you realize the lines and shapes, you will also need to determine their size and proportion to the entire body. Additionally, translating this onto my own art piece is also difficult as my paper space isn't similar to the image provided.

3. How could this practice help your future drawings?

This practice could help my future drawings in a variety of ways. For instance, by using lines and shapes, I'll be able to ensure that my drawing is dynamic and proportionate. This would also help the overall structure of my drawing to be much more balanced.

4. Which sketch shows your best use of lines and shape, and why?

I think the sketch that shows my best use of lines and shapes is my 3rd fat, muscular guy sketch. The use of lines and shape is somewhat proportionate, and it's the best out of all of my drawings. Therefore, I think that my lines and shapes are the best in this drawing because it's proportionate and very similar with the photo.

Experimenting with different tools and materials changes the variety and expressiveness of my marks in many ways. Firstly by using a variety or tools and materials, I can put emphasis on specific parts of my artwork. For instance, by using different sizes of brushes and markers, I had put contrast on my very thick middle line in the middle.

2. In what ways does the choice of media influence the mood, texture, and meaning of your artwork? How do certain tools help you communicate specific ideas or feelings?

My choice of media, oil pastels, ink and thick black markers added different colors (with differing thickness and values) helped me express the emotions I want the audience to feel more directly. An example of this is when I used only reds, browns, and blacks on one side, and pinks, yellows, blues, purples, oranges, and whites on the other side. This expresses the stark contrast between the 2 sides, indicating heaven and hell.

3. As you layer, repeat, or vary your marks, what decisions do you make about control versus spontaneity, and how does the media you select either limit or expand these choices?

As I layer, repeat or vary my marks, I limit these choices by controlling specific colors I can use on each side (with the black line in the middle). Although I did use some reds in the heaven side, I only did that so I can layer pinks on top so it contrasts more. Whenever I layer my marks, it would mainly be because I want to add values to the shapes or marks.

The "imperfections" in blind contour drawing can help me discover new expressive possibilities in line as they help me let go of control and perfection. Instead of worrying about accurcy, I start to notice more unique and unexpected qualities in my marks like rough edges, overlapping lines or weird shapes. These mistakes can reveal new ways of shoqwing rythm and movement that I wouldn't have plnned. Therefore, by embacing the unexpected, I learn how to experiiment more freely and see how expressive and personal my lines can be.

The practice of contour drawing is more about understanding structure and relationships in a subject because it makes you observe the edges, shapes and proportions instead of focusing on drawing a perfect picture. By carefully following the outlines with your eyes and hand (without looking at the paper), your observation skills will be enhanced which is more important a growing artist than just producing a polished final image.

2. When adding details from the reference photo, I balanced accuracy with my own creative choices in media and mark-making by incorporating unique color combos instead of just black and white or the colors of a human. I believe that this did strengthen the final outcome because it made my blue background stand out and also it made my artwork more unqiue compared to other artworks.

2. In my sketches, I explored the theme of movement, identity, and transformation through different drawing styles. Each koi fish represents a unique stage of perception (from structure to detail to motion), showing how understanding evolves over time. Stylistically, I'm inspired by Alberto Giacometti's expressive lines and focus on form and motion, which I use to show how life and identity are constantly shifting yet connected by a central force, represented by the sun.

3. Here are my questions:

a) How can I show movement like Giacometti but still keep the koi colorful and clear

b) What’s the best way to make the circular motion around the sun feel natural?

c) How can I make the three drawing styles look connected while still standing out?

Exploring different materials helped me figure out how each one could express a different part of my idea. Using pencil and oil pastel allowed me to create sketchy, layered lines inspired by Giacometti, while soft pastel gave me a bold gradient center for the sun. Trying out different media made me realize how texture and opacity can affect the meaning: the softer the materials show movement and change. For instance, for my next draft, the acrylic for the sun represents stability and energy. It also helped me build a stronger contrast between motion and stillness in my final artwork.

I chose grid drawing, detailed contour, and gesture drawing because each one shows a different stage of observation and expression. The grid drawing represents structure and control, the detailed contour focuses on precision and identity, and the gesture drawing captures energy and movement. I combined them to show how perception can shift from accuracy to emotion, similar to Giacometti's evolving lines. I also chose the order of the koi fish to depict the cycle around the sun, showing how perception developes from structure to freedom as each fish moves through a different stage of expression. It symbolizes the continuous journey of growth and change.

For my project, I’m using colored pencil for the grid koi, oil pastel for the detailed contour koi, watercolor for the gesture koi, and acrylic paint for the sun. I chose these materials because each one matches the meaning of that drawing style. The colored pencil shows structure and control, the oil pastel gives depth and emotion, and the watercolor shows movement and change. The acrylic sun stands out as the bright, stable center that the koi circle around. These choices represent growth, balance, and how identity changes but still stays connected to one core.

2. Where did you revise, adjust or problem-solve during the process, and how did these changes affect your decisions for your final project?

I made a few changes while planning my project to make the meaning clearer. At first, I only wanted to color the tails, but I decided to color the whole koi to show complete transformation. I also switched to watercolor for the gesture koi instead of soft pastel because it felt more natural and flowing (and it also looked really good when I tested it out), and used oil pastel for the detailed contour koi to make it stand out with richer texture. I also chose acrylic paint for the sun to make it look bold and powerful. These changes helped my artwork feel more connected and express my idea of movement and change surrounding the sun, something constant.

Firstly, I drew out my 3 fish and added the necessary indications for each of the skills they represent. For instance, for gesture, I added the line of action and also used sketchy shapes to show the fluidity of gesture drawing. Moreover, I also added alot of details like the scales to my detailed contour fish. A change I made was to use the positive shape contour skill instead of the grid skill. This change was specifically sudden because I hadn't tried doing positive shape contour in my drafts. I implemented this change because I truly believed that it would embody the meaning of my art better. This is because the positive contour fish represents existence or foundation. The fish begins as a complete, tangible being. It is like something defined and whole. I am going to finish the project by starting off with watercoloring my gesture fish, coloring my positive-shape-contour fish, and going in with oil pastels for my detailed contour fish. I know that when I use oil pastel, alot of the scales I drew in pencil won't be very visible. Therefore, the only reason why I took time to draw the scales in the first place was to ensure that I could trace the scales underneath the oil pastel with an acrylic marker.

Meaning:

My artwork shows 3 koi fish circling a glowing, faded sun to represent the cycle of life and existence. Each fish reflects a different stage of being: the positive shape fish, colored in red and white, represents purity, new beginnings, and positivity, inspired by the Kohaku koi, a symbol of sucess in life; the detailed contour fish, shaded in orange, red and black, is baked on the Showa koi, which stands for strength through struggle and transformation; and the gesture fish, painted in gold, represents the Yamabuki koi, a symbol of wealth, energy, and enlightenment. Moreover, the sun, blended softly instead of being solid, represents how light and life fade and renew over time. I also chose Alberto Giacometti as my inspiration. Therefore, inspired by his focus on capturing the essence of existence rather than perfection, I used these colors and forms to express how life constantly flows through different stages: from structure and identity to freedom and spirit. I also used loose, overlapping lines to capture movement and presence rather than perfection, like Giacometti's expressive lines.

Process:

First, I start off with drawing a light circle to use for my glowing, faded sun. Then, I sketch my 3 koi fish. I sketched the gesture first by drawing the line of action, shapes that create the body, and free-flowing lines for its tail and fines. Then, I draw the positve shape contour fish by outlining its shape (I then took a photo of the outline). I did the outline by putting the paper on top of my laptop and reducing the light so I can see through the paper a bit. After outlining it, I added some details inside the fish. I drew the detailed contour fish last. For this fish, I added scales and also very detailed lines for the tail and fins. After finishing all of the drawing, I added my final touch which was thick, thin and overlapping lines for the fins and tails. As I finished all of my sketching, I started adding color with soft pastel into the light trace of a circle I drew before. I started off with yellow in the middle and blended it out. Then, I would add orange in the middle and blend it out. After that I would start watercoloring my gesture fish with a dark golden yellow and for the spots I would use a lighter yellow. After watercoloring, my pencil lines would fade a way a little, so I traced it again. Secondly, I would use color pencil to color my positive shape contour fish with red, leaving the spots white. I used an orange red and a darker red to create an ombre effect on the fins and tails of positive contour fish. Lastly, I would go in with oil pastel for my detailed contour fish. For this fish specifically, I would blend orange and red together (red would be on the tips of the fins and tails and orange would be in the inside). I would blend the colors so that they look rough and not perfectly smooth or super blended. After finishing the orange and red, I drew on the scales with an acrylic marker (my own from home), tracing over the scales I drew with pencil before. Finally, I added black oil pastel lines for the fins and tails to add detail to those parts.

This artwork presents a window-like view of a suburban town with cars traveling up and down a wide central road. Houses in various colors line both sides of the street, and a large grassy area stretches across the background. The buildings and road follow a consistent color palette that includes shades of blue, brown, gray, black, and touches of yellow. One of the most noticeable elements is the bright blue line running down the center of the road. Its vivid color and the contrast with the dark gray pavement make it stand out clearly. It is also much thicker than the other fine lines used throughout the piece, which emphasizes it even more. The artwork uses repetition, pattern, and proportion to create a realistic sense of a town. The houses appear in similar shapes and sizes even though their colors vary, which forms a repeating pattern along the street. Parking lots and trees also repeat down the side of the road, creating a steady visual rhythm. The arrangement of cars, which are aligned and spaced in similar ways, adds another layer of pattern.

Repetition is also seen in the street elements such as arrows and markings. These help show the movement of cars traveling in different directions. The way the road lines connect and separate as they move into the distance reinforces the sense of motion and rhythm along the roadway. In summary, the artwork relies on repeated shapes, consistent proportions, and clear patterns to depict a realistic and lively suburban scene.

As I worked, I noticed other principles beginning to show up as well. Pattern appeared through the repeated backgrounds, balance came from arranging each section so the letters stayed readable, and unity showed through the consistent black ink tying everything together. Working through emphasis helped me see how these principles connect and support one another, and it made me more aware of how intentional planning can strengthen the focal point of a piece.

2. What drawing techniques from Unit 1 did you find useful?
I found contour drawing especially useful. Contour drawing helped me focus on clean, continuous outlines. I also used positive shape contour to look for basic shapes, which made complex forms easier to break down.

3. How will simplifying into black and white help you with composition and the principles of design?
Simplifying the drawing into black and white helps highlight contrast, balance, and focal points without the distraction of color. It makes patterns, shapes, and spacing more visible, which strengthens the overall composition. Working in black and white also makes it easier to focus on principles of design such as emphasis, rhythm, and unity.

This collage activity helped me better understand space as an element because I had to physically arrange cut-out pieces to create depth, rather than just draw it. By layering images, changing sizes, overlapping objects, and placing elements higher or lower on the page, I could literally see how each technique affected the illusion of distance.

This exercise also makes me think differently about future projects, because now I’m more aware of how intentional placement can completely change the viewer’s perception. I’ll pay closer attention to how I organize objects, how much space I leave between elements, and how I can use layering or scale to guide the viewer’s eye. In conclusion, this activity showed me that space isn’t just empty area because it can be used as a tool that I can manipulate to make my work more realistic.

4. Which design are you planning to present to your other group members and why?

   I am planning to present my long view design to my group members because it has more details and a clearer structure of what the city of Esmeralda is going to look like. This sketch also has both the city and the mix of both kinds of roads (river and concrete), which shows the versatility of Esmeralda. Therefore, this sketch would help my group members best envision my ideas for the city.

1. How your idea developed since day 1? Has there been more clarity in vision through practicing the iteration process? Explain

   Since Day 1, the sketches show my idea becoming a lot clearer and more detailed. The first drawings were really loose and messy, mostly just figuring out the layout and basic shapes. But as I kept iterating, the city started to make more sense, houses became more defined, the perspective got stronger, and the watercolor helped show depth and atmosphere. By the last draft, the environment looked much more intentional, and I had a much clearer vision of the space from different angles.

   
   

2. Has there been any unexpected outcomes through this process? What pleasant surprises or drawbacks have arrived and how do you plan to elaborate or solve them?

   I had a few unexpected outcomes: the watercolor added more depth than I thought, which was a nice surprise, and seeing the city from different angles made the layout clearer. A drawback was that some lines got too messy and confusing. I plan to fix that by simplifying the perspective lines and sharpening key details in the next iteration.

   
   

3. List the extra material you may need and provide the rationale behind this need.

   • Cardboard: We need cardboard to sculpt the houses and the roofs. Inside the cardboard have these bumpy lines, which would make a great replication of tin roofs.

   • Modeling clay or plaster: To recreate the textured stone walls and organic shapes shown in the front-view sketch.

   • Glue gun: For attaching heavier pieces and keeping the structure stable

When building my practice model, I used techniques such as cutting and scoring cardboard, removing two layers of cardboard, and folding the remaining layer to connect walls seamlessly. By cutting away part of the cardboard and peeling off two layers, I was able to fold the wall into the next piece, which helped the walls stick together cleanly without visible seams. I mainly used double-sided tape to secure the walls together, as it was quick, clean, and helped keep the structure neat. I also used an X-Acto knife to peel layers, add scratches, and create holes to make the buildings look damaged and abandoned. To make the roofs look like those roof tin covers, we decided to peel the first layer of the cardboard up to get the bumpy line texture. These techniques were mainly chosen based on aesthetic, as I wanted the city to look old, worn, and deserted, but function was also considered to make sure the structures could stand properly.

Since our group is small, JiHy and I make sure we both have equal input in the design process. We openly share ideas, give feedback to each other, and discuss different options before making decisions. This allows both of our perspectives to be reflected in the final design and ensures that neither person’s ideas are overlooked.

2. How are you planning to applying textures, details and other finishes to your design? At what stage of construction are you planning on adding them?

First, I cut out the wall pieces. After the walls are constructed, I use an X-Acto knife to peel off layers of cardboard, create scratches, and cut small holes. This adds texture and makes the walls look dirty, damaged, and abandoned. These details are added after the walls are cut out, but before or during final assembly, so the texture looks natural and realistic. Lastly, I assembled the walls. To make the roofs look like those roof tin covers, we decided to peel the first layer of the cardboard up to get the bumpy line texture. This helps make the roofings look more in style and realistic. After the houses are assembled, I plan to paint them, as it is easier to paint after construction rather than before. This allows the paint to look less neat and more natural, helping create a worn and matching the overall abandoned style.

Today, I focused on building the third house in my invisible city. Most of my time was spent constructing the walls and experimenting with a new technique called a gusset brace to make the structure stronger and more stable. Because this was a new method for me, it took longer than expected, but it helped me understand how to better support the walls and improve the overall quality of the building. Even though progress was slower, I was able to problem-solve and figure out how to make the structure more secure. I ended up only finishing the walls and gluing three of them together before I could assemble the entire structure.

How did completing the texture challenge impact your material use during today’s studio time?

Completing the texture challenge influenced how I used my materials today because it encouraged me to think beyond just flat, clean surfaces. Instead of only focusing on building, I was also considering how the cardboard could be manipulated later through peeling, scratching, and layering to create a worn and abandoned look. This helped me plan ahead for adding more texture and detail to the house once the basic structure is complete.

What elements do you still have left to finish building?

First, regarding the houses, the roofs also need to be painted, and I need to change one of the roof types to shingles. They also need to be glued down. I have to finish building the trees (around 3 more), including branches. Then, all trees need to be painted and glued down. After that, I need to add some small details like bushes and trashbags. Lastly, I need to add different-colored strings hanging around the houses and trees.

2. What felt familiar was using pencil pressure and layering to create darker and lighter areas. What felt new and challenging was focusing only on shadow shapes without drawing details or contours. Squinting to simplify the image and treating shadows as one unified shape was difficult at first, but it helped me understand how value creates form more than outlines do.

2. One challenge I experienced using hard edges for shading was controlling the transitions so they didn’t look messy or over-blended. It was difficult to keep the shadow clean while still making it dark enough for contrast. However, a success was that the cast shadow behind the door looks strong and clear, which helps ground the object and makes it feel more realistic and stable in space.

Based on my experiments, I plan to use brown paper for my drawing. I also plan to use 4 drawing techniques: cross-hatching, hatching, blending, and stippling. This is because after seeing AI use these techniques (although not used perfectly), I've realized that the usage of those techniques in those specific areas are nice. However, when I used ChatGPT, it did use circling, so I might integrate that into my drawing if I feel like the hatching is unnecessary. Moreover, I plan to combine the drawing of the houses (the 1 in the bottom left) and the top left AI image because I like how AI generated the structure in the bottom left one but I didn't like the background: therefore, I want to use the background of the top right one. I plan on trying carbon paper to help me sketch.

The main focal point is Lionel Messi, who is placed large in the center to guide the viewer’s eye. Additionally, one letter the (“R”) is intentionally not emphasized, representing the absence of Ronaldo. This clearly demonstrates my understanding of emphasis by using contrast, size, and selective detail to control what the viewer notices first and how they interpret the message.

What was something that surprised you while experimenting?
I was surprised by how effective the sponge was for creating texture, especially for stippling and clouds. It created a more natural and uneven look compared to using just a pen. I also didn’t expect the powdered graphite to blend so smoothly and create such a dark, eerie effect for the sky.

How do you expect this inquiry to impact your final drawing?
This experimentation will help me create more depth and mood in my final drawing. I plan to use the sponge and graphite techniques for the sky and background, and use ink with pen detailing for more controlled areas like the trees and house. It will make the overall piece more textured and visually interesting. This experiment also gave me experience using a variety of different materials and testing which ones look the most effective, so I can make better choices when creating my final piece.

If you had trouble taking risks today, what might help you next time?
If I struggled with taking risks, it would help to experiment more freely without worrying about making mistakes. Moreover, I would use different materials for separate sections and not one overall piece because it got a bit messy. By doing this, I would be able to take risks even more!

For example, I used short, soft, and slightly curved lines close together to show fur, which makes it look soft. For leaves, I added vein-like lines and irregular edges to give a natural, slightly rough texture. The tree trunk was shown using long, uneven vertical lines and rough shading to suggest bark. For harder surfaces, I used sharper and more structured marks. The marble/stone texture has smoother shading with some subtle variations to make it look polished, while scratches are shown with thin, sharp, random lines to create a rough, damaged feel. The plank texture uses straight, parallel lines to show wood grain, and cobblestone is made with repeated rounded shapes and darker outlines to show uneven, bumpy surfaces.

Overall, the combination of line quality, shading, and repetition of patterns helps communicate whether a surface looks rough, smooth, soft, or hard.

For the second experiment, I worked with Ms. Aura to find the most suitable colors for both the background and the pond water. This was especially challenging because the blue tones we aimed for repeatedly turned green or turquoise. After experimenting with different mixtures, we were able to achieve a result that appeared more blue. However, I plan to continue exploring color combinations to further refine the tones.

For the third experiment, I explored how I wanted watercolor to be applied within the artwork. I experimented with incorporating more brown tones and painted a water lily on top of the watercolor layer to observe how the materials interacted. Through this process, I realized that I liked the combination of using watercolor for the background and colored pencil for details and foreground objects. I also plan to use watercolor for the boat while adding detailed work on top to create stronger definition. Overall, this experiment encouraged me to continue learning watercolor techniques through YouTube, guidance from Ms. Aura, and further experimentation with a wider range of blues and greens to match the colors of the water lily pond as accurately as possible.

The second photo shows the progress of my final artwork, which I worked on during study hall, lunch, and after-school studio sessions. I chose to sketch and paint the water lilies first because they are the focal point of the composition. By completing them before the background, I could ensure that they remained vibrant and distinct without being smudged or blending into the surrounding areas. This approach also helped me establish the main visual focus before developing the rest of the painting.

After consulting with Ms. Aura, I decided to make the water lilies in the background lighter and less saturated to create a stronger sense of depth. By reducing the brightness and value contrast of the flowers farther away, I was able to apply atmospheric perspective and make the foreground water lilies appear closer to the viewer. I have not yet finished the watercolor painting, as I still need to add more shadows, paint the reflections of the water lilies on the water, and refine some of the lily pads in the background. These will be my main focus during the next studio session.