Project 1:Scientific

1.       What where some of your design solutions to the theme Scientific?

Some of my designs were butterflies, and an eye. I chose these because when I think of scientific, I think of body parts and different types of animals. I really liked the butterfly idea because I drew them flying off into the distance. 

2.      How beneficial were the mini lessons in the success of your project. If they were not beneficial please explain as well.

The mini lessons were very helpful especially since It was the first project of the semester, and I hadn't drawn anything major before then. I would have liked more time to practice because when I started the project I didnt feel ready. However, once I started drawing I got the hang of it. 

3.      How did you show contrast in your work?

I showed contrast in my work by showing the black and white values of the butterflies wings. The outer parts were darker than the inside. Throughout the center, I showed the different values as well. The part that contrasted the most was the butterflies against the light sky. I made sure to keep all parts of the sky lighter than the darkest parts of the butterflies to make the butterflies stand out. 

4.      What medium did you decide to use? Why did you choose this medium over the others?

I chose the pencil, because throughout all the mini lessons I felt most confident in the medium. I think that when it comes to shading and showing values of things, the pencil is best for me to use. The charcoal and pen were hard for me to control, and it was hard to show technique with them. 

5.      What techniques did you use to create this work?

I used the technique of shading throughout this project. By shading, I showed the different values of the butterflies as the sun hits them. I also used shading to showcase how the sky gets darker as it gets farther from the sky. 

6.      We encourage risk taking in art. Risk taking can be as simple as trying a new technique or learning about a new medium to as complex as trying something totally new.  Did you take any risks with this project?

I think I took a risk when I decided to make the butterflies fly into the sun, because I had to make the sizes of the butterflies get smaller as they get farther away from eyesight. I also had to draw them from different angles, which was challenging at times. 

7.      Discuss your overall experience with this project.

I really enjoyed this project, I think it was a perfect start to the semester. I am glad I chose pencil, it was the best medium to showcase the values of the butterflies, but still keep everything neat and orderly. My biggest challenge was drawing the wings of the butterflies symmetrical, but I think in the end I did well. Another challenge was surprisingly the small butterflies, because at first I could not get the shape right. In the end, I am proud of this project and I think I showed good value and contrast with the butterflies against the sky. It was a good first project in Art 2.