Sketchbook Archeology

Looking back at the spreads in my sketchbook, I realized what I like to make and what didn't work out for me. I used a few of the ideas from my sketchbook for my projects in the beginning of the year. I made a flower with pastels and then for one of my projects, I made a bigger version of that. I did a lot of my practice in my sketchbook before projects.
Things that reoccurred in my sketchbook:

• Pastels
• Flowers
• Quotes
• Paint pens
• Combining paint pens with duck tape
• Crowns
• Camp

Initial Reflection

               Looking back at the work I did a long time ago, I can see how I have grown as an artist. Before, I didn't really think that I could do art or even enjoy it. Now, I figured out what I am good at and like to do. For example, I learned that I love using pastels and using them to do what I want them to do. I am now able to smudge them together to blend them. Recently, I was playing in my sketchbook and realized that I like printing a picture out and then working with it and drawing on top of it or adding detail to it. In addition, I figured out that I do not like working with clay. It always seems to break or not look right to me. Looking back at my previous finished drawings, I like and don't like some of them. I enjoyed making the collage of the scenery with the mountains and the sky, but I did not like making the basketball court collage. The first time I discovered that I enjoyed using pastels was when I made two big flowers and used pastels to add color to the drawing. I am going to miss art next term. It was nice coming to art and being able to relax and not have any stress like my other classes gave me. From being in art and learning that I enjoy it, I am going to stop telling myself that I can't draw and actually try to. I am going to put more effort into my drawings and see what happens!

Art21

Raymond Pettibon
         Raymond combined writing and drawing when he does his artwork. He believes that writing is a huge benefit when making a piece of art. Raymond begins all his artworks with writing, which is his form of getting his ideas out. He also believes that writing is a form of art. Raymond Pettibon's work is very interesting. I never thought of combining writing and drawing in artwork. What he does looks very cool together. He reads books and takes quotes and things that interest him and then transfers that into artwork/drawings.

I can relate to it because whenever I read something like a book or article, I always image an image in my mind. That is sort of how Raymond thinks because he has writing and then imagines a picture to go with it

Elizabeth Murray
         The way Elizabeth Murray starts her pieces of art is by cutting out different 3-D shapes and putting them together. She also adds intense colors to the shapes and paintings. When watching the video, I realized she using a tool that looked light a knife to paint the colors on. But before she begins the actual artwork, she makes a sketch in her sketch book to help her get ideas out on paper. To make her artwork even better, Elizabeth goes back to add more and more detail to it. She believes that her pieces are never done and there could always be improvement and changes to make.

I can relate to it because I like having a lot of bright colors and things going on. It is also hard for me to relate because I always like things to be perfect and with this type of artwork you have to be willing to let mistakes happen.

Symbolic Clay Sculpture Portrait

I chose to make my sculpture resembling my best friend Mel. She is extremely funny and very loud. She has a great sense of humor but is serious and helpful at the same time.
Based off of Mel, I am making a sculpture of a monkey. Monkeys are funny and entertaining, just like Mel.
I would put the monkey in a yoga studio. You would never expect to see a monkey or Mel in a quiet and calm place.

Symbolic Portrait

I plan to make a portrait of my great aunt. She is my role model and an amazing person. She lives in New York City at the age of 97. She has a great humor always has a positive attitude. I am going to put New York City in the background and add bright colors as a symbol to a bright/positive attitude. My great great aunt always wears bright pink lipstick with blue eye liner so I am going to incorporate those colors into the painting. I may make a sunset in the background with blue, yellow, and pink. Also, she used to be a dancer and still goes to Alvin Ailey to watch the dancers so I may put Alvin Ailey some where in the painting or add dance shoes to it.

Visiting artist: Hamlett Dobbins

I really like this piece of Hamlett Dobbins work. I like how it has many shapes and has a modern feel to it. Also, looks 3D in a way because the zig zag likes are getting smaller as they move backwards. Another thing that caught my attention was the yellow rhombus. The detail within it is very interesting and unique. The color choice in the painting is very good too. It is good that the zig zag lines are pink and red because the colors go together. Also, having the rhombus yellow makes it stand out more. This painting fits into his others because all his pieces of artwork have something to do with shapes and colors.

A question for Hamlett Dobbins: What inspires you to do the type of artwork you do? Why chose this over realistic drawing?

Reflecting on Group Work

Working in a group on one artwork has been more difficult than I expected. I thought because everyone in my group is friends and we all have our own strengths it would be easier. We all have our own ideas and what we think would look good which makes it hard. When you make art on your own, you can do whatever you want to it and use all the ideas you have in your head. With a group, you have to be able to compromise and admit that some of other peoples ideas are good and better than your own. Even though it has been hard, there are many great things that have come up while working. Once my group stuck to a plan and idea of what to do, we knew we wanted to make it happen. We all agreed on a specific plan and had an idea of how to work with everyone's strengths and weaknesses. We were able to mix colors correctly to a shade everyone agreed on and work on one paper all at the same time without getting too frustrated. I feel like I have helped the group out with ideas. I am a very organized person, so when I knew something would not look right or would not look good I was able to say it. Once we started the mural everything came together and as of right now, I really like how the mural looks!