For this collage, I added legs to my Kermit the Frog, added an airplane and tracks to the globe, and changed the balloon to resemble a destination point. The final thing I did was take a photo of my artwork on a black piece of paper to give a better contrast.

To improve the artwork, I made several changes. First, I darkened the sky and added clouds. Next, I used a darker shade of brown on the tree to enhance its details. Finally, I recolored the ladder, which had blended into the sky during the recoloring, and darkened the peach buckets to give them more contrast.

For the wet media artwork, I added darker colors to the hills and mountains on the ski slope. I also adjusted the color of the sky, though it may not be very noticeable due to the lighting.

Focusing on line and shape made my drawings feel more accurate and organized. Instead of jumping straight into details, I could first build the overall structure with simple shapes, making me realize that the overall figure is just as important as all the details. This helped me capture the figure’s form and movement more clearly, and I noticed that my drawings looked more balanced because of it.

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

The hardest part was identifying the lines of motion, since they’re usually hidden within the figure. It was also tricky to keep proportions right when I could only use simple shapes, because one small mistake could throw the whole drawing off. Learning to see past the details and break the figure down took some practice.

Which sketch shows your best use of line and shape, and why?

I think my first ballerina drawing shows my best use of line and shape. Even though the lines of motion don’t stand out, I used them as the outline of the figure, which helped me capture the pose more accurately compared to the picture. If I could improve it, I’d add more visible motion lines around the shape to show the energy of the dancer, make it look less stiff, and give it more character.

How could this practice help your future drawings?

This practice can really help me improve the structure of my drawings before I focus on details. Starting with lines and shapes gives me a stronger foundation to build on, which makes the final piece look more realistic. It could also make me work faster in a better way, since I’d be able to block in the figure quickly before refining it with shading and details.

Does the creation of your sculpture give you a better understanding of Antony Gormley's concepts of a figure in space?

Yes, it gave me a better understanding. While working on the sculpture with my group, I noticed how the tape lines connecting the figure to the poles created a sense of motion, almost as if the body was stretching into the surrounding space. At first, we struggled with getting the proportions of the figure right and making the tape hold its 3D shape without collapsing. But once we saw how the lines of tape could show movement and energy, it really clicked that Gormley’s art is about more than just the figure itself; it’s about how the figure activates and interacts with the space.

What was your big light bulb moment from this experience?

My big light bulb moment was realizing that even the mistakes, like gaps or extra tape hanging off, weren’t really mistakes at all. In the beginning, I kept worrying about the loose pieces, but later I noticed that those extra lines actually looked like lines of action, almost like they were showing how the body was moving. It also made it more alive and expressive-looking. That changed the way I thought about the whole project, because I saw that imperfection could actually make the art stronger.

In my comfort zone, I placed value, line, shape, and space. I chose these elements because I use them frequently in my daily sketching and warm-up exercises, so I feel confident and familiar with them.

In the risk zone, I included texture and color theory. Texture is something I don’t often incorporate into my pieces, but I would like to explore how it can add depth and emotion to my work. Similarly, my understanding of color theory is not very strong, and I know it is an area I need to practice more. Learning how to combine colors and use undertones more effectively could make my artwork a whole lot better.

For form, I placed it between the danger and risk zone. I’m not fully confident in my understanding of it, and even though it may seem simple, I feel there is a lot more to learn about how form creates the illusion of three-dimensionality in a drawing. Developing a stronger grasp of form would help me push my artwork beyond flat sketches and give it more realism.

How can experimenting with different tools and materials (e.g., pencils, ink, charcoal, brushes, found objects) change the variety and expressiveness of your marks?

Experimenting with different tools and materials can completely change the variety and expressiveness of my marks. Each medium emphasizes different aspects of the artwork; for example, charcoal can create bold, dramatic lines, while ink allows for precision and contrast. Using different materials also lets me respond to my surroundings and highlight certain parts of the piece, making the artwork more dynamic and engaging.

Intentional Choice

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?

The choice of media has a huge impact on the mood, texture, and meaning of a piece. For this artwork, my partner and I mainly used bright colors to create a cheerful and exciting atmosphere. The textures of the pastel lines made the drawing look more three-dimensional and added visual interest. The softness of the pastels also connected to our theme of happiness, giving the artwork a playful, uplifting feeling that reminds viewers of joy and childhood.

Process and Reflection

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 layered and repeated my marks, I thought carefully about balance and control. I wanted to spread the colors evenly across the whole artwork so that the sense of happiness was shared in every part of the piece. At the same time, I left room for spontaneity in how the pastels blended, since their chalky texture naturally created playful, unpredictable effects. The pastels also gave the piece a nostalgic feeling, almost like drawing with chalk on a sidewalk during childhood, which added another layer of meaning to the artwork. We also added our first initials into the piece to represent ourselves and make the artwork more personal.

Blind contour:

How can the “imperfections” in blind contour drawing help you embrace experimentation and discover new expressive possibilities in line?

The “imperfections” in blind contour drawing can actually open up new ways of experimenting with line. By letting go of the pressure to be perfect, I’m able to try new approaches and turn mistakes into something expressive. The looseness of the lines gives the drawing more energy and emotion, and since I usually like things to look precise, this practice pushes me outside of my comfort zone. It helps me access new ideas and possibilities that I wouldn’t have thought of if I were only focused on accuracy.

Contour:

Why might the practice of contour drawing be more about understanding structure and relationships in a subject than creating a polished final image?

The practice of contour drawing is less about producing a polished final image and more about understanding the subject’s structure and relationships. By focusing closely on the edges and outlines, I learn how different parts of the subject connect and interact. This process trains my eye to observe carefully and improves my ability to capture proportion and form. Even if the drawing doesn’t look “finished,” the exercise builds a stronger foundation for creating accurate and meaningful artwork.

Next time, I could slow down my eye movements so my hand has more time to follow along. I could also try to match the speed of my hand to the speed of my eyes, making the connection smoother. Another strategy would be to focus on smaller sections of the object at a time, instead of rushing through the whole outline.

During the blind contour exercise, my hand moved in response to where my eyes were looking, almost as if it were tracing the path of my gaze. Since I couldn’t look at the paper, most shapes turned out distorted, and facial features were all over the place, but they reflected the details I was truly focusing on. It felt like my hand was directly translating my observations into marks on the page.

The contour with details drawing felt the most successful because I was able to look at what I was doing, which made the lines cleaner and more precise. The proportions also turned out better, and it actually looks closer to the reference. This drawing is stronger because the features are more accurate and show a clearer relationship to what I was observing.

When I added details, I focused on ensuring that the facial features and main parts of the figure were placed accurately so that it still resembled my classmate. At the same time, I didn’t just copy the photo; I used more colors and experimented with different marks and textures to make the portrait stand out. These creative choices helped show more of my classmates’ personality and made the outcome feel unique and expressive instead of just a direct copy of the photo.

Using the grid made it easier to see exactly where each object or feature belonged in the drawing. It helped me break the image into smaller, more manageable sections so I could focus on one area at a time. It also made it easier to tell the size of each strawberry so they looked even and correctly spaced. However, it was still challenging when I accidentally mixed up certain boxes or drew something slightly too big or too small, which I later had to adjust.

In future drawings, I plan to use the grid method whenever I want to make something look realistic and well-proportioned, especially for faces and body figures where proportions matter the most.

My plan moving forward is to complete the forehead first, then work on the eyes and mouth to achieve the full expression and adjust any areas of the skin as needed. After that, I’ll move on to the hair. I’ll follow the same process for my mom’s face, starting with the cheek, then the chin, forehead, and under-eye area, followed by the eyes, mouth, and nose. Once both faces are complete, I’ll touch up the skin tones, blend their features for a smooth transition, and finally finish the hair, clothes, and neck.

My inspiration came from Chuck Close, who is known for using blocks and blobs of color to create realistic portraits. I was inspired by how he made something detailed and lifelike using abstract techniques. I applied this idea by layering and blending colors to make my parents’ faces look realistic while still showing their differences.

My process started with a grid drawing to make sure the proportions of both faces were accurate. Then I used gesture drawing to block out the main shapes, followed by detailed contour lines to define the features. For coloring, I used oil pastels on both faces, leaving the middle blank at first. After completing both sides, I blended the colors to connect them smoothly. I also went in with tinted charcoal to bring out certain features and add definition. Furthermore, instead of using black, I built up depth with layers of blue, purple, and brown to create shadows and contrast while keeping the piece vibrant. I used the same approach for the hair and clothing to keep the artwork consistent.

The final piece represents unity and individuality, showing how differences can come together to form something whole.

My inspiration came from Chuck Close, who is known for using blocks and blobs of color to create realistic portraits. I was inspired by how he made something detailed and lifelike using abstract techniques. I applied this idea by layering and blending colors to make my parents’ faces look realistic while still showing their differences.

My process started with a grid drawing to make sure the proportions of both faces were accurate. Then I used gesture drawing to block out the main shapes, followed by detailed contour lines to define the features. For coloring, I used oil pastels on both faces, leaving the middle blank at first. After completing both sides, I blended the colors to connect them smoothly. I also went in with tinted charcoal to bring out certain features and add definition. Furthermore, instead of using black, I built up depth with layers of blue, purple, and brown to create shadows and contrast while keeping the piece vibrant. I used the same approach for the hair and clothing to keep the artwork consistent.

The final piece represents unity and individuality, showing how differences can come together to form something whole.

Emphasis, pattern, and contrast are more comfortable for me because I use them all the time, so they come naturally. They are the base of most artworks because emphasis makes something stand out, patterns can appear in the background or clothes, and contrast shows the difference between colors or between the figure and background.

What principles are risky and Why?

Movement, proportion, and alignment are risky principles for me. Firstly, movement has to match everything else in the artwork and be carefully planned to make sense. Secondly, proportion can be tricky because if it’s off, the whole piece can look weird. Lastly, alignment needs precision since it involves straight lines, though it’s not as hard as the others. I can make these principles more comfortable by using them more often in my artworks, so I get used to applying them and improve over time.

What principles are danger and why?

Unity and balance are the most challenging principles for me. Unity is hard because all the elements have to work together to make the piece look complete, which takes a lot of effort and planning. Balance is also tricky since you need to make sure nothing feels too heavy on one side, and different mediums or designs still have to fit together evenly. One way to overcome these challenging principles is to practice them more and observe how other artists use unity and balance together in their work. This helps me understand how to make different elements work together and create a more even, complete artwork.

(+) Using contrast, variety, and emphasis, the houses and the road is divided up into three proportions. Additionally, with the houses there is a variety of colors, insuring that similar shades are not next to each other. The light blue line in the middle of the road emphasizes the division of the buildings and the middle road with color and difference in texture.

Even just through planning, a few unexpected questions came up. The biggest one was realizing that if we want the sculpture to float, we need to figure out how to support it without making the strings or structure too obvious. This wasn’t something we originally thought about until we wanted the full build to be 3D. Since we haven’t started building yet, we only have one idea, which is using clear or white strings attached to poles or some kind of frame to give it that floating effect.

Although we haven’t finalized the full materials list, we have a rough idea of what we will need: a lot of cardboard, clear or white string, newspaper, glue mixed with water for paper mache, sticks for interior support, and paint. I think the rest of the supplies can likely be found easily in the art room.

I am planning to present this floating building and city design because it clearly shows my idea of a place that has two sides that are connected but unique. The top half represents the visible and familiar part of the city, while the underside shows the hidden world beneath it with its own details and special features. Even though both sides look different, they share similar architectural elements that show they belong together. This concept makes the design interesting and visually strong, so I think it will be the best one to share with my group.

We still have a long way to go with the artwork, as we need to complete the city side, begin and finish the amusement park side, and add color to the entire piece.

First, I finished the building that will be placed along the edge of the circular base. For this sculpture, I cut large windows into the front and added a thin sheet of plastic to create a more dimensional effect. Because the building will sit on the curved edge of the base, the walls needed to be slightly curved as well. This was a challenge, since I initially planned for both sides of the building to be the same length, but the rounded shape meant the sides had to be slightly different. For the inside of the walls, I peeled away the top layer of cardboard to expose the rough texture underneath. I think this added a strong sense of detail and texture, making the building more visually interesting while also fitting the theme of a modern city. I ultimately decided to leave the roof open so the space would feel more open and less confined. I also began working on the styrofoam balls, which were originally intended to become seats for the Ferris wheel, until we realized they were too large.

Overall, we are close to completing the artwork. We just need to add a few final details and paint the carnival side of the piece.

Because the roller coaster travels through both the city and carnival sides, I decided to paint the tracks half dull and half with paint splatters to show how color develops once it passes the halfway point. I used the same approach when painting the egg carton seats. I chose paint splatters instead of fully painting the surfaces for three reasons. First, since I wanted to show a gradual transformation from the city side to the carnival side, going straight into full color would have looked uncohesive. Second, this approach helps connect the city and carnival themes: while roller coasters are typically associated with carnivals, their construction and structure feel more urban and industrial. Third, the paint splatters add more energy and life to the piece, making it feel both intentional and spontaneous.

I also painted half of the cardboard base to resemble grass using a sponge and different shades of green. Finally, I painted the table using the same color palette as the ferris wheel and roller coaster so that all elements of the artwork feel visually connected.

One part that felt familiar was blending, especially blending darker areas into lighter ones and integrating lighter tones from the dark shadows. What felt new and challenging was focusing only on shadow shapes without relying on outlines. I had to really concentrate on the subject because it was sometimes hard to tell the differences between the darkest shadows, midtones, and highlights.

One challenge was making sure the hard edges didn’t look too harsh or unnatural. It was sometimes difficult to decide exactly where the value should change, especially between midtones and darker shadows. Also, making sure that parts of the lego weren't just one color, even when it may look like that in the picture.

As a team, we wanted to highlight this contrast by making the amusement park colorful and lively, while making the city side plain and dull. At the same time, we kept the model connected by letting color gradually flow into the dull side. For example, the ground transitions from bright green to neutral brown, and paint splatters from the roller coaster spread slightly into the city.

To construct our city, we used materials like cardboard, foam balls, plastic cups, sticks, clay, paint, and wire. The plastic cups became roller coaster seats, the foam balls formed a gondola above the city, and the paint helped show the shift between excitement and dullness.

Our team divided the work by each building different structures and working together to paint. It was important as a team to keep the buildings properly scaled and proportioned to ensure the overall model looked unified. 

In the drawing, cast shadows, form shadows, and core shadows help create depth and connect to my value scale. Darker values appear under the tubes and around the ear box, while lighter values appear on surfaces facing the light source, like parts of the ears and lips. I used cross-hatching and hatching on the tubes, allowing me to build darker values through layered lines. For the ears and lips, I used stippling to create lighter areas while still being able to build shadows with layered dots. Additionally, I used scribble shading in larger shadow areas like behind the ear box, because it allowed me to quickly create darker values. Lastly, I used stippling on the ground shadows to show a gradual value transition as the shadows fade farther from the objects.

While experimenting, I was surprised by how well different materials could work together even though they are very different. Layering actually made the drawing stronger and more interesting. For example, using watercolor ink as a base and then adding charcoal on top helped build depth, and I could then go back in with more color and detail.

This inquiry will impact my final drawing by encouraging me to use a mix of materials instead of sticking to just one. I plan to layer ink, charcoal, and white colored pencil to create more contrast, highlights, and depth. Because of this experimentation, I feel more confident making my artwork more detailed and visually interesting.

I did have trouble taking risks because I was afraid that going outside my comfort zone would make my art look bad, even though I was just testing materials. Next time, I can try to ignore that fear and remind myself that experimentation is just for learning. It doesn’t mean I have to use everything in my final piece, but it will help me better understand the materials and techniques I have available.

An area of growth for me is making smoother shading transitions between light and dark areas. For example, in the sculpture in the back, the coloring is uneven and looks less refined, with the contrast between dark and light being very harsh. To improve this, I plan to slow down my shading, blend more carefully, and observe my reference more closely for better accuracy.

For principles, contrast helps me make the darker areas stand out against lighter sections, which improves the realism. In addition, emphasis helps guide the viewer’s eye toward the main structures, and balance helps keep the composition stable so one side does not feel too heavy. These elements and principles are directly connected to areas I want to improve, especially smoother value transitions and more consistent shading. At the same time, they are helping the success of my piece by making the forms clearer, more detailed, and more three-dimensional.

One challenging part of this experience was teaching others the skills needed to build stable and creative structures. Even though we showed a video demonstration, students still had to think independently about what they wanted to create and how they would use those techniques.

This activity strongly connected to our cardboard unit because we used many of the same techniques we learned, such as scoring, folding, layering, and attaching pieces securely. We also had to think carefully about space and how each structure would fit into the overall cardboard city. Overall, this experience helped me apply the skills from the unit in a creative and collaborative way.

(Also, since I'm not sure if I would be able to finish this with the amount of classes left, since I have oil pastels at home, I can do it even after I run out of class days.)