For my self-portrait I chose to draw an old childhood picture of my younger self. I loved this photo, because of the color and fabric. I did not trace, and challenged my drawing skills by making the drawing bigger than the photo. I first, gridded the photo and sketched out on cream colored paper the outline.
The fabric was easier than I thought and I enjoyed drawing the color and shades of the fabric folds. The most difficult part of this project was creating a unfocused/faded background. I wanted to make the main subject clear and detailed while the background was unfocused. I want to improve and experiment more with colorpencil on this style. |
At the beginning of my project I could imagine how it was going to all come together. As I started to finish the background I grew unmotivated, because it was not how I planned it to look. I do think the coloring of the face is close to the photo. The highlights in the hair fell flat and I did not use the right technique. This was my first time coloring hair and creating a hair texture.
This has a similar idea or message to my landscape piece. In both those drawings the settings were in Panama (my landscape was a tropical rainforest representing the country). This is where I was born, and like the deer that did not belong there anymore, the younger version of myself is exactly what it is - a different me. This summer or in class next year I want to draw my present self, and my future self that I imagine. This way I can express how time has changed me and how I hope to improve myself.
This also explains the movement of cultures where I am celebrating Halloween, an American tradition, in Panama, and wearing a traditional Korean dress, but it also shows how people move away and try to escape issues but end up returning to where they began. This issue is that when people try to go back, it is hard to assimilate back to the life they used to have, because they have changed individually and grown apart. At this time, my dad was in Korea for a business trip, while my mom and I were in Panama. We left and came to NC, around this time, while my dad was in Panama. We have not seen my dad ever since then, but next month my brother and I will go back to visit family in Panama for the first time since we left. This piece is a reflection of everything I will be remembering when I go. I accept the reality that you can not relive the past, or undo positive changes in yourself or others.
Things to improve on are face proportions, faded/unfocused background effects with colorpencil, and drawing hair and highlights. I should have used a different base color, such as a light seafoam blue/green to complement the pink fabric. I used a different technique for the face where I contoured, then added a blush tone and then placed the highlights.
I do see improvement in using colorpencil, but there is so much more that I aspire to do with composition and subjects next year and this summer. My biggest concern is that I will hit a creative plateau. Lately, it has been difficult to come up with creative and unique ideas and stretch my use of all the elements and principles.
This has a similar idea or message to my landscape piece. In both those drawings the settings were in Panama (my landscape was a tropical rainforest representing the country). This is where I was born, and like the deer that did not belong there anymore, the younger version of myself is exactly what it is - a different me. This summer or in class next year I want to draw my present self, and my future self that I imagine. This way I can express how time has changed me and how I hope to improve myself.
This also explains the movement of cultures where I am celebrating Halloween, an American tradition, in Panama, and wearing a traditional Korean dress, but it also shows how people move away and try to escape issues but end up returning to where they began. This issue is that when people try to go back, it is hard to assimilate back to the life they used to have, because they have changed individually and grown apart. At this time, my dad was in Korea for a business trip, while my mom and I were in Panama. We left and came to NC, around this time, while my dad was in Panama. We have not seen my dad ever since then, but next month my brother and I will go back to visit family in Panama for the first time since we left. This piece is a reflection of everything I will be remembering when I go. I accept the reality that you can not relive the past, or undo positive changes in yourself or others.
Things to improve on are face proportions, faded/unfocused background effects with colorpencil, and drawing hair and highlights. I should have used a different base color, such as a light seafoam blue/green to complement the pink fabric. I used a different technique for the face where I contoured, then added a blush tone and then placed the highlights.
I do see improvement in using colorpencil, but there is so much more that I aspire to do with composition and subjects next year and this summer. My biggest concern is that I will hit a creative plateau. Lately, it has been difficult to come up with creative and unique ideas and stretch my use of all the elements and principles.