Art 2 Final Portfolio

1) My most successful project was 'What's the Point'.  For this project I chose to use pen and ink to draw pencils. With pencils as my theme I added a row of non-sharpened pencils, a pencil sharpener, pencil shavings, erasers, and a piece of paper.  To complete the project I started by drawing everything in pencil and then going over it in pen. I added each element separately and used different shading techniques to create value.  The size of the pen tip depended on how detailed I wanted the value or how thin I wanted the line.  By using the material of pen and ink it made it easier to stipple and cross-hatch.  The different techniques I used for the value added variation and improved each different object in the project. For example I chose cross-hatching for the pencil sharpener and not the pencils because the sharpener was pointier and had harsher lines.  The benefits of using different pen tip sizes, shading techniques, and values added to the success of this project.
2)  The project where I overcame the most obstacles was the amusement project. One of the obstacles was thinking of ideas that were creative and weren't typical to amusement such as amusement parks.  After finally deciding  to use balloons as my theme I ended up having to think of what kind of mixed media to use.  I came up with the idea to use balloons, tissue paper, and magazines as my materials and the baloons ended up being another obstacle. It was hard to cut the balloons put of the balloon and have it lay flat on the paper.  I had to cut out of the balloon at a certain angle and do it slowly so I didn't rip the balloon.  Finding trees in magazines was also an obstacle because not many had trees that were big enough.  By taking the risk of using balloons I became a better artist because I found out that you can expand the materials you use and not only stick to the usual medians.  I also learned to take risks because it makes the piece more unique and interesting.
3)   Two pieces that show my growth as an artist include the book carving and non-traditional self portrait.  For the book carving I chose the theme of fears and phobias. I used the fear of forests (hylophobia) to carve out a book and make it look like a forest with trees, leaves, a path, and a cabin.  I used colored pencils to add color.  For the non-traditional self portrait I chose to make a puppy out of buttons.  I used different shapes, sizes, and colors of buttons for value in the piece.  I grew in the application of materials because for both pieces I had never used the buttons or book in an art project before. I gained the technique of book carving with the exacto knife and the skill of using an unusual object to add value.  I became more creative and open to using found materials and taking risks.  I trust my intuition about how I want to create a piece, but I am also open to pushing myself and challenging myself.
4)  I think it was effective in my learning experience to choose my own materials and subject matter.  It allowed me more freedom in my artwork.  It gave me more options and pushed me to think outside of what I typically do.  I had to be creative and depend on my own personal ideas.  An example where it was effective to choose my own subject was with the book carving.  By getting to pick the theme of hylophobia (fear of forests) I ended up with a piece I really like and think of as successful.   With the amusement project I took risks with having to pick materials and it helped me grow as an artist.