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.