My final concentration for the semester was by far the most abstract piece I’ve ever done. It spanned across a variety of media and went through several stages before its completion. Beginning with old fashion magazines, I went through and tore out images that spoke to me or held some sort of significance. I then pieced them together into a collage, (admittedly not my favorite art form.) I tried to include a variety of textures and patterns, while still conveying an initial idea. The collage was then photocopied into black and white, where the real work began.
For my college class, I had to complete the project using a technique known as “gridding.” Where a grid with certain size squares is placed over the image, and then a grid with larger squares is drawn lightly on a larger piece of paper. The process allows for an image to be enlarged or reduced while still maintaining the original scale. I worked primarily with pencil, although I chose to incorporate charcoal for some of the darker sections.
The process was very time consuming, but I learned an important technique for copying images accurately. Also, learning from the mistake of my last piece, I used a different paper that allowed for a much smoother blending process.
The piece spoke a lot to me on a personal level. The image of the ballerina with no face reveals a very true stereotype that ballerina’s are nothing more than stick-thin performers, who’s only beauty is the ability to hold a pose on an empty stomach. Having known many dancers and being one myself, it is a powerful image that shows beauty is everywhere, in the eyes and facial features, the curve of one’s arm, the simplicity of a brand. I broke up the components of her body so that one would be drawn to all, not just a single aspect.
I am really proud of my growth as an artist over this semester. I learned so much and expirimented with so many techniques and media, and definitely have a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t, what I’m passionate about, and my abilities as an art student.
Another Student's Art Blog 