Value Project: Final Review

My engagement in this project with these new materials such as chalk and photo developing, helped me push myself further to resolve these tools and methods.  In the beginning of this project, I was kind of wary about erasing or darkening the chalk.  By the end, after weeks of this project, I was able to feel comfortable using these objects and ended up making myself a better artist, because I realized that the more I used these tools, the better I could contribute to my work.  By feeling more comfortable with the eraser, I could really show the different contrasts with the shadows and the light to represent the 3-D form.  

Although I had a great time with the eraser and the chalk, I did find the dark room more fun and mysterious as an environment to work in.  While on the charcoal drawings, you could make a mistake and mess up your entire project, but in the darkroom one had time to explore their photographs by making un-final prints, and as many as you liked.  You could make multiple different practice shots, and then do one final one.  The product of all the photos made me feel proud when I walked out of the dark room, seeing the black and white photo go from the tiny film strips to a shiny black and white print.  I think the charcoal drawing was more open to ones expression though, because in the film room, you couldnt really change what you had done.  It wasnt as flexible for the freedom of ones expression.  While doing charcoal drawings, one could erase and one could add onto what they had to make it more of 'their own work.'
I could definitly improve myself in both mediums if I had a chance to redo the project over.  I could take more time in the beginning with the photographs, and make different compositions of my own that were more interesting to look at.  I could spend more time looking for good light and dark sources to make my photograph more vibrant.  Also, for the charcoal drawing, I could focus more on the texture than anything.  

Interim Blog Post?

• What specific techniques and habits do you need to focus on after break to fully merge your intentions with your final works?

I am trying to evoke the light sources so thta different parts of the objects receive different amounts of the value scale.  For example, on my metal ring, it is shiny, so it reflects light easier than a matt object.  I am currently using value to influence my viewwer's experience of the drawing and photographs by taking different aperatures and light sources on my different objects.  

Abstract Relief Sculpture

           My collection of textures is quite varied.  I used some geometric wire, with some crumpled paper, a little bit of burlap and a metal plate, accompanied by a variety of nails.  The juxtaposition of my materials worked quite well, some stood out more than others, but it was the purpose.  It didn't end up too differently than the 2D image I had created before.    I had many different ideas in the beginning, but I ended up choosing the more geometric and mirrored image that I created.

            The degree that I pushed myself to rework and refine my work was average.  I took a few classes in the beginning to figure out just the materials I would be using.  In the end I had made more of it 3D than I had intended in the beginning, but it really added to the final product.  The compositions of my final prints and relief sculpture are pretty well unified, as they are similar yet different.  They are completely different materials that I used, but together they looked like one, pretty similar textures/ materials.  

                 During reflective or evaluative discussions and writings I was pretty thoroughly involved.  I used the time to gather information and reflections from my other peers and classmates, but I also contributed to it plenty myself.  I was able to communicate my aesthetic insights and concepts pretty intellectually.