Impulse, colored pencil on paper
In this piece, I hoped to non-verbally demonstrate how it feels to have an OCD trigger. As a person with OCD, I connected this piece to my compulsions, which I feel almost physically in my heart. I decided to use hands to represent how it feels like every part of my skin is crawling and reaching to fit anything that bothers me. I used Prismacolor coloured pencils because I’m most comfortable with this medium and my goal was to explore colour and shading. I felt that, with a medium I have strong control over, I’d be able to focus more on my goal. I feel that my piece correctly uses colour and hue to create depth and add a realistic look. However, I believe I could have focused a bit more on my proportions the symmetry of the face since there are a few points where areas of the face are off-center or differing in size. This creates an almost “wonky” feeling to the face that I wouldn’t want in my next piece. |
Serotonin, colored pencil on paper
In my second project, I decided to use prismacolor color pencils (my most familiar medium) to create an image of a person emerging from the shadows attempting to reach towards the light, only to be restrained from something beneath her. This piece aimed to convey the feeling of depression. I wanted to show how depression feels as if you’re in a black and white world reaching for some sense of hope, only to find yourself tied away from that sliver of light that pierces the blackness. I researched how to use the light side and shadow side of an object to create realism while still maintaining a sharp, eye catching shadow that I wanted my piece to have. I applied my new learning by exaggerating the shadow on the face of my subject and on the area behind them. This helped suggest that the person is stuck in a dark place and is attempting to escape towards the light. |
Mirror Image, oil pastel on paper
For this project, I wanted to represent what it feels like to have body dysmorphia. Oftentimes, when people-- especially teenagers-- look in the mirror, their minds trick them into seeing something that isn’t really there. Because this issue is something that I think a lot of people-- including myself-- deal with, I wanted to represent body dysmorphia to showcase its validity. I used oil pastels to create an image of a skeleton looking in a mirror with it’s reflection being someone with a body type that’s drastically different from that of the subject. I learned a lot about how to tell stories through art and how to use colour, shadows, and details to give a deeper message to my work. I researched how artists tell stories. I think this advanced my sustained investigation because the main focus of my sustained investigation is figuring out how to convey a nonverbal message in my pieces. |
Voices, oil pastel on paper
The goal of my project was to illustrate the struggles of schizophrenia. I wanted to draw someone hunched in the corner to show how debilitating schizophrenia is, and mouths on the walls of the corner to illustrate how a side effect of schizophrenia is hearing voices. I listened to schizophrenia simulators that play surround sound voices so that I could immerse myself into the life of a schizophrenic. It advanced my sustained investigation because it helped me understand how to use symbolism such as the mouths all around to tell a story. I see growth in my creativity because I think my piece told the story well and accurately illustrated how I felt when simulating schizophrenia. Looking ahead, I hope to improve upon my ability to show depth through shadows, since I felt that my piece didn’t show the true depth of the corner and I didn’t utilize shadows as well as I could have. I will gain new knowledge through research and studying personal experiences. |
Is That Me?, digital
In this piece, I wanted to represent depersonalization disorder. As a person who has experienced depersonalization, I felt it was important to include this disorder in my portfolio. My drawing is of a subject depersonalizing with their consciousness removed and looking over their body. I wanted to make the subjects seem inhuman because depersonalization removes one from their recognition of their body and of their humanity. I developed new learning in areas specific to shading and digital art by watching online videos and doing some practice drafts before starting on my final piece. I researched how to tell a story using colour because the main part of depersonalization is the feeling associated with it, and I felt that I could best convey that feeling through colour. This advances the key question of my sustained investigation which is “how do artists tell stories” and adds to my question about how to use colour in my art to create a mood/tell a story. |
A Lonely New World, digital
For this project, I wanted to convey what it feels like as a high school student to exist during a global pandemic. Though many schools are in-person, many things that we used to be able to do are now either not allowed or virtual. Our entire world has become virtual. I wanted to show how the illness and threat of COVID affect teen mental health. I learned more about shadows and studies how to use digital art to my advantage when shading. I learned about “multiply” layers on the app I was using to draw and how to set a base layer so all the colours you add on top compliment each other. I researched how you can convey an idea through visual representation. This advances my sustained investigation because my sustained investigation asks the question of how to tell a story so by using visual representations like details, lighting, posture, etc, I’m telling the story I want to convey to my audience. |
They're Going to Leave Me, Aren't They?, digital
In this piece, I aimed to illustrate borderline personality disorder. To prepare for this project, I learned about the way BPD influences your perception of yourself and others. I used my research about body language and colour to develop skills to better improve the strength of my piece . I see growth in the creativity behind my piece and my use of colour. I applied my new learning by using colour to portray the intense emotions those diagnosed with BPD suffer from. I also wrote common thoughts of those with BPD that range from “they’re going to abandon me” to “I’m crazy.” I hope to continue improving upon my realism and use of colour to bring depth to my art. I’ll gain new knowledge through research and experience. |
Who Are You?. digital
I wanted to convey how it feels to have someone close to you suffer from Alzheimer’s/Dementia. I learned more about Alzheimer’s and used my own life experiences to draw emotions from the disease. Studying body language to better illustrate the feeling of Alzheimer’s from the perspective of the sufferer and their family, I hoped to not only create depth but also bring the eye on a journey when viewing this piece. Looking ahead, I aim to continue to improve my realism and add life to my piece. I’d like to make the artwork feel as if one is transported into a different world. |