My final class, which I am so happy about (I get to go home a few days earlier because of it!). This was amazing, especially because I was about to line up all my fables in one area. Being able to see them all at once, gave me the vision I needed to make sure they all relate to each other. There were some things I need to adjust on each piece but these are very small adjustments. I am so happy that I was able to produce such professional pieces of work. Even my teacher said the same. Even during the critique process she noted that all these statements are more nit-picky and personally based rather than actual needed adjustments. All in all they are solid professional works. I unfortunately didn't take a picture of them all lined up. I should've though.
Module 13:
Still working on thesis and it is great! So nice to think I am able to work on my thesis for this class. I am almost done with the fables, and for next week, I want to post all of them up all together to make sure there are no more changes, adjustments. I will for sure take a picture of that one since I feel that is super important. I will basically be done with 1/3 of my thesis. I will say I wish I was about half way done, but I feel that during break I will be able to push out Black Beauty. Just have to keep myself working while I am home, so no sleeping in all the time (plus have to make time for the man!).
Super excited to be done with these paintings! Can't wait to see them all lined up.
Module 12:
Working on thesis. But sick as a dog. I haven't been able to dedicate time into my work, as much as I wanted to. I can't stand it. Hate being so sick.
Module 11:
Still on the same path. Working on random assignments, but mainly my thesis work. I was able to 'finish' some practice head paintings I did, but my professor wanted them to scan. They are not the best, still. A really loose approach not using references of light, shadow, value, and shapes of different faces. Either way, good practice. I am slowly working on my little Master copy I am doing of John Howe's work. I am finding that I am learning a lot in how he uses techniques and colors in terms of transparency to get his colors to shine. I may take my time on this small thing, but it is something I want to bring to a good finished point for my own collection of discoveries.
Module 10:
More practice means more messy work! But I was able to work on my in progress thesis piece and finished it up! This class is really helping me understand watercolor. I am able to work through things WAY faster than I use to. Like previous, I don't have much to post here, but I will be concentrating a bit for this weeks assignment as I am doing another Master copy of John Howe's work. It is still related to figures, but it is one of his mermaid pieces that I have always found attractive but had trouble understanding how he did a few things (texture, layering etc).
Module 9:
Another practice run. We have been playing around with faces and skin tones again, but I am finding that I go about these exercises so loosely that I rather not document them. They are loose, messy, playful, and not the best things. But I am finding that this practice is really helping me get to 'know' watercolor better. I mean, I have been working on my next Aesop fable and painted the foreground and background to 05% in less than 5 hours, and it involves submerged rocks in a merky river!!!! I know, I was surprised myself. It even came out perfect! I enjoy the feedback from my professor on these though. She is super helpful and really open to how I use class time and homework assignments.
I do plan though that, seeing how we are doing portraits, I may want to do a self portrait for the class. I feel tat I have played enough with the medium and I need to do something serious for an in class assignment. Hopefully, all goes well and I have the time!
Module 8:
Being able to work on my thesis for homework has been so helpful! I finished number 3, and I am on to the forth. She will be expecting some playing around with human faces and bodies for next week, but only looser approaches. Which will be fine. I am finding my human drawing has been put aside this semester, since the majority of everything I am doing is all animals! So not much to post here, but look to my thesis portion of the blog to see the new "Lion and the Mouse" Aesop's Fable!
Module 7:
Thank GOD for my professor! I don't have anything to place here for this week because my professor let me work on my thesis for homework. Like previously stated in the last module, my new job has taken much of my time, and now much of my energy. I am just now getting over some pretty bad back pain caused by being overworked, on my feet, and walking everywhere. And, I am sure, that being stressed because I am somewhat behind from where I would like to be was part of that too.
As I said, I will not post my current thesis piece yet. I worked on it during class, so it is now more developed and almost to where I want it to be. Still feel behind though. I wanted to get done with this current piece of "The Lion and the Mouse" last weekend. Well now this week's weekend is a day away and I feel it may take me until Sunday to finish it, or at least bring it to a 99% mark. For my next class, she didn't give us a particular assignment to work on other than working on portfolio pieces. My thesis work are considered in this category! This helps so much and I am so grateful for my teacher. Giving me this time to work on thesis work and not so much other assignments, puts me ahead of things (as well as get great feedback as I am painting these!). Excited to get the next one started.
Module 6:
Another extra practice, but my teacher wanted us to do something that would be related to what we want to do for work. So for me, she wanted me to do a small painting that relates to one of my thesis sections. I chose to do a small illustration of Meelo since I haven't worked on him or anything about his story in about 5 months now. I feel that it is a really good idea to loosely re-introduce Meelo into my everyday drawing and exploration. Especially since I will be starting him up in my character design class soon for my maquette. Therefore, to express Meelo for who he is (lazy, expressive, and relaxed), I thought it would be cute to show him laying on the ground admiring the sky once again. I wanted to explore how fat his belly would be if he were flat o his back. This one mad me laugh, which I needed. With the new job in my life now, time is tight and the work increases.
Yes, I know, it is quite bright for colors, but, like I said, this was practice, a fun exploration, and a play with watercolor. More based on feeling and simplicity rather than tight and very planned out.
Module 5:
Another assignment dedicated to exploring. I will be truthful, I didn't get much out of the sparing out examples I did, since, as always, I have no patience for still lives. Yet, the greens I did get much out of. Aside for the the fact that my friend out here, Melissa, convinced me to look into taking a color theory class, this even more so helped me make a definite decision on the idea. Yes, one may be able to teach themselves Color Theory, but does one REALLY dedicate that time? I know for a fact I won't, unless I had a drive and structure to do so. I d]id have the option to take this class my first semester, but, to my surprise, I took Still Life instead ( I know, surprises me too). I am sure, once I take that class with the teacher I have now for this one, I will gain more understanding of what I am really going to and what I want to put down on my surfaces.
Module 4:
Another homework in the practice realm. I have been finding that I am becoming much more understanding of the watercolor just because I am so incredibly loose with these homeworks. Thank goodness my teacher understands that I am using these homeworks to be loose and messy. Means a lot when you can just take a brush and slap it down on a paper, and not be worried if it is ok or not just because you want to get an ok grade on it (and an 'ok from your teacher). This semester has such a different vibe because of these classes. They are more loose, and it is great to feel that way.
So we had to do a simple illustration that demonstrates 4 underpainting methods:
1. Underpainting- just what it is
2. Grisalle- using one color first to create your values
3. Keying in Light- putting a lighter color for your lights and then a darker color for your darks (loosely)
4. Color Coding- plopping colors all around to create a bleed
Personally, I like my underpainting method. I use it all the time. But I will have to try out the grisalle sometime since I am a laying artist, and I like to know where to put what in terms of light and shadow.
Module 3:
I am not sure what was wrong with me when this class rolled around but I couldn't find myself to wake up mentally and physically. I was very much in a daze, and I feel it may be because of I have begun my thesis work. So whatever time I had that was deemed spare time has lessened, and I am certain it will be even more so when I start working at my new job at the De Young Museum. I feel that that idea has clouded me and my focus, making me a bit nervous about time and how precious it will become. I hope I don't burn myself out.
But, on a good note, along with my homework, which I will not post here since it was a messy depiction of a still life yet again, I will post a little master copy I did. I was looking at the many John Howe's books that I brought with me and I got inspiration to try and paint his "Lancelot" piece on the front cover of his "Fantasy Workshop" book. Although he did his with an airbrush on top of his various and amazing watercolor techniques, I have to say that I liked how I painted my version. It really did help me learn a lot of techniques, where to apply them, how to apply them, how much pigment to put down, how damp the paper has to be etc etc. I know it will be hard for me to do one a week, I will try and take a moment away from hw and thesis work to do a small master copy of his work.Module 2:
Still getting use to the class and I am still finding myself loosening up with the watercolor. Thing is though, these assignments have been messy. Which I am not use to in a classroom setting, but my professor doesn't mind in the least and she welcomes it. I am sure soon we will be working in a set direction soon, but until then, here is homework for the week. Just a a few experiments.
Module 1:
My first impression of the class:
I AM IN MY ZONE!!!!!!
I am very excited about this class, not just because the Professor I have, Melinda May, who seems very excited about the class and the medium, I am excited for her way of teaching. Because she went ahead and tried to look at everyone's work posted through their profile, she knew exactly what to say and do with us. With me in particular, she has said that this class will help me loosen up with the medium, or, "charging in" with the medium.
One of my biggest problems with watercolor is that
1. I am mainly self taught, with the help of a few books (mainly those by John Howe)
2. I am not too keen on the terminology behind the medium
3. I 'know' techniques' but I don't necessarily KNOW them, and
4. I work layer upon layer upon layer upon layer.
Our first assignment in class was to learn about the basics in terms of brushes, water flow, how to work with the medium and not so much control it etc. Therefore, we had to just jump into a simple still life and focus on letting edges come together and sparing out areas we want to leave white (highlights and the like). NOT something I do. Since I work with line, I was no use to this. You can tell from my first attempt on some paper I brought that wasn't good at all. Then, my professor kindly gave me some of her hot press arches from her block and I was back in business (image top, left portion of the image).
The homework was the same idea. Simple, free, let things just happen if they happen. Not that I'm not uncomfortable with this, but I am not use to letting my strokes be loose and messy. But I NEED that. There is so much that watercolor can produce in looser aspects that I simply can't find myself to do right now. I am hoping to continue this mindset to free my skills up a bit.
No comments:
Post a Comment