Thinking Skill: Analyzing Perspectives (Final Project)

I sat here looking through other artist's work, and I couldn't come up with anything for a while now. The project that I'm doing now is Analyzing Perspectives, where you break down a particular point-of-view or opinion to examine the reasons or rationale for that view. After thinking, sketching, and looking for a few days... an art piece I discovered spoke to me.

When I saw this, it got me thinking even harder. And at last, an idea came to my mind. I plan on doing a somewhat abstract painting that's main focal point is a blue butterfly that's lit a flame.

A blue butterfly has a lot of symbolism in many cultures. The color blue in a butterfly is often thought to symbolize joy, color or a change in luck. After finding that out, I discovered that I could relate it to my life (not in a bad way). You see, luck in my life is a constant. Though something may not be viewed as good luck at first, it often leads to benefit me in the long future. An example of getting type one diabetes when I was 5 years old, and then discovered that I was suffering from a brain tumor at age 11 because of my blood sugar suddenly dropping and refusing to go up. In short terms, by diabetes saved me and the tumor was removed a week after they found it. That tumor would have killed me in 10 years if it wasn't detected then.

By representing that luck in a butterfly lit aflame, it is meant to symbolize that luck is fragile and that it shouldn't be taken for granted, and that often times comes in unsuspecting ways.

I plan on using these pictures to assist me:

Sketch:

Entire Background:

Adding In Actual Flowers:

First Few Mouths:

Details:

While painting all of this, I actually zoned out for quite some time. And before I could realize it, I've already done 90% of the background. I kept in mind that I had to take more pictures as I went, and from there I proceeded to do so.

Since I did this, I have grown to accept the luck that's come in my life. Every challenge that I face I always make it out okay in the end. I used no single artist as a reference or guide through all the paintings I had done in this class, and they've all turned out quite well. It's like drawing a perfect circle for the first time. That is luck.


I had a lot of fun in this class and I look forward to increasing my artistic ability later in the future through practice and using the luck that I've gained.

Thinking Skill: Compare and Contrast (Project 5)

For my 5th project, I decided to try and take a different turn. I was greatly inspired by an artist known as Melissa McCracken. She is an artist who takes what she envisions when hearing a song and paints it down on a canvas. She listens to the song a few times, to decide on what colors she wants to do first, and then she goes on from there. Painting while continually playing the song.

Videos about her:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbh7tAnwLCY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDzvPmAap8M 

Here is a few of her work:

I plan on trying to attempt this because it caught my eye, and I'm overall interested as to what I can come up with.

I'm thinking of using this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCD2tB1qILc

Process:

I listened to the song and thought it was best to have this as my background:

The part of the song that really caught my attention was that first few sentences in the beginning. It just came in smoothly while coming in with a backup piano solo. From that in mind, I added these:

The second part that caught my attention was the first chorus, where everything suddenly gets loud. In my mind, I thought of an explosion. From that, I added the white:

Afterward, when the song was over, I looked it over and thought a few things looked off. I went back in with my brush and fixed it up a little:

Artist Statement:

By doing this project, it has brought my attention to the fact that no two people are alike. We view things differently. We process scenarios separately. It could be as simple as our handwriting or how we see colors that make all the difference. I actually really enjoyed doing this art piece and I thought of it as a really great learning experience. For the last project, I am now determined to give it my all to bring out some great artwork.

Thinking Skill: Synthesizing (Project 4)

For my 4th project, I chose to work on synthesizing; pulling together smaller pieces to understand the greater whole. I had thought about this for quite some time and eventually, I choose to carve something using a story that I've been writing as inspiration. In that story, it involves a necromancer/tamer meeting a fox demon. Things are a bit tight at first, but soon enough, the tamer actual befriends the demon. From then on is still a work in progress...

Now foxes, in general, can live in practically any environment and have a legendary reputation for intelligence and its cunning nature. They are creatures in which can hunt birds, mice, and rabbits; but are also known to eat berries and fruits.

And so, I choose to have that demon as one of the main focus of my piece with a mountain-like range in the background.

I started off with a sketch:


Transferred that over to the product in which I was gonna carve:


From there, I started to carve away:





Now, I applied paint overtop of what I carved into and placed a paper on top. From there I applied pressure and carefully peel the paper away when finished.


This was the first one. I found out I didn't use enough paint and I had to print it again:


I used enough paint this time, but I accidently blended the colors. Needed to do it again:



Used too much paint and it's still blended:


Finally got what I wanted:

Artistic Proposal 4

For this project, I got inspiration from a story that I've been writing with my friend. In that story, it involves a necromancer/tamer meeting a fox demon. Things are a bit tight at first, but soon enough, the tamer actual befriends the demon. From then on is still a work in progress...

I decided to draw a fox in front of a mountain range to symbolize how far they've gotten together.

Foxes can live in practically any environment and have a legendary reputation for intelligence and its cunning nature. They are creatures in which can hunt birds, mice, and rabbits; but are also known to eat berries and fruits. Meaning that they are omnivores (can diet on both veggies and meat). Foxes are also known to be the only other creature, aside from cats, to have retractable claws.

(Photo Shot by: Tony Alonso)

During breeding season, todds (the males) go out and find vixens (the females) using a range of calls and scents. Foxes start of brown or a deep red at birth and have been known to develop a golden, reddish-brown, silver, or even black pelt when they reach their adult stages.

Foxes are often hunted for sport, killed for being a pest, or for having rabies.

The topic I wanted to focus on this time is possibly Analyzing Perspectives using Intaglio Print.

These are the pictures that I plan on using to help guide me:

Card Game

About two days ago my art class decided to play a card game the entire time. From the game, we came up with questions in a group based environment. Those questions were idea building topics. Here are a few of the questions:

1. How can I design a board game that connects photosynthesis and time under the concept of history?

2. How can I overlap smoke using colored pencils and air dry clay?

3. How can I combine metallic objects and volcanos to look loud and elegant?

Thinking Skill: Evaluating (Final Project)

My thinking skill, evaluating, involves making sound judgment about a situation based on a thorough understanding of concepts involved. I honestly had no clue as to what I should do at first, and then it hit me. I wanted to do a bird this time around. Some mor ethinking went by and I narrowed my perspective on the male peafowl (more commonly known as a peacock).

The peafowl is a bird known for their piercing call and their plumage. The latter is dominate in the Asiatic species, who have an eye-spotted "tail" or "train" of covert feathers which they display as part of a courtship ritual.

While focusing on this bird, I have also come across as something known as 'Shadow Art'. It's where you basically have whats up front darker, if not black, compared to a bright colorful background. And so, I attempted just that.

The main purpose of this peice was to allow me to gain knowledge of the atomony of birds. I don't really know how to draw this type of creature, so this was all me trying to broaded my selections in which I want to draw. It turned out pretty good, and so I believe I now feel comfortable enough to go past my boundries from here on out. To explore new ways to view the world through art.

Sketch:

Redrawn onto Cardboard and Colored A Little:

Adding a Bit of Black:

Starting of Background:

Almost There:

Final:

(Forgot to take a picture of the final, and I plan on taking one when I come back into the art room and uploading it. Guess you can call this a mini cliff-hanger till then...)

Progress for Project 3...

Sketch:

Adding Some Color:

Adding Black:

Starting Background:

Almost Done...:

I intend to finish tomorrow.