Self Portrait

Acrylic on Canvas

11 X 14

My class and I did self portraits for an art show and this is mine.

Colby

Charcoal on Brown Paper

9 X 10

I decided to go outside of my comfort zone of acrylic paint and try charcoal. Before this, I had only done a portrait of myself in acrylic but I really enjoyed using charcoal. Colby does not have strong facial features besides his chin, so I had difficulty getting the shape of his face right. The picture I took of Colby was dark and the light was mainly on his face. He had some facial hair that I tried to achieve by smearing a light layer of vine charcoal. I prefer using the vine charcoal over the regular charcoal because it has a delicate touch to it.

Laying Brick

8 X 10

Acrylic on Panel

A friend of mine took this photograph and when she showed me I thought it would be perfect for my concentration. It shows working and building something that is in everyday use. The colors are all in a neutral range, with some warm colors. There is not a large range of foreground and background, but I like that about the composition because it gives the feeling of hard work. The worker is the focal point, which I made by the contrast of orange on the neutral background. I also emphasized the focal point by the proportion and location of the worker, making him the most important object in the painting.

Summer Time Fun

 9 X 10 

Acrylic on Panel

This was a photograph taken at my nephew's birthday party in the summer of 2011; He is the boy on the right. Their backs were faced toward the sun so there is a contrast in values making their skin have a gray tone. I had some difficulties getting the skin color to not look too gray and still look like skin. So instead of starting from scratch and only using red, yellow, blue and white to mix the skin tones I started with a pre-made skin tone and went from there. The background colors help the children look like they are facing away from the sun. Also the white "halo" around their heads and in their hair give it an outside look.

The Death of the Pepsi

Acrylic on Panel

8 X 10

Originally this painting was just the Coke cans but I was told it was boring. I had to come up with something to add that would create conflict or a thought process. By adding the Pepsi can, the painting now show conflict between the two brands giving it more excitement. I painted this in a realistic way but I simplified it; I gave it my personal touch. This picture of the Coke cans were taken on a store shelf and I added the Pepsi can from looking at a picture of another crushed can. I had difficulty painting the Pepsi label because I did not have a source to see how the label folded but I know that there are highlights and dark spots that give something form. The isolation of the Pepsi can makes it the focal point and it is also the only blue object in the painting. The vast amount of red is balanced with the blue of the Pepsi can.

Trolley Stop

Color Pencil on Water Color Paper

9 X 11

Color pencil is very different from acrylic paint, which is what I am used to. Colors are layered on top of each other rather than mixed to completely change the pigment of the color. I had difficulty with words on signs because they were so small so I used an exacto knife to carve letters after I had layered the color pencil. This is a very structural, straight lined picture but I think it is balanced out by the organic shape of the tree. The focal point is the trolley stop, which is emphasized by its detail, color, location, and the converging lines. This is the Butler Station in Downtown Memphis.

Airport Wait

Acrylic on Panel

8 X 10

This photo was taken in an airport on the way to France. The picture portrays an element of waiting and boredom because the girls are not engaged with each other. The girl in the middle is the focal point because the girls on both sides of her are facing her. Also there is a line implied by the girl on left line of sight that goes directly to the book in the middle girls hands. I simplified the background a great deal by taking out a counter and a window to make the background less important. The features of the girl on the right are not as detailed as the girl in the middle to make the right girl less important. I struggled with the left girl’s leg because it is crossed and without the foot showing, the perspective looks strange. Overall, I like how the painting turned out and the feeling it expresses.