ARCH 29B Final Portfolio
Basia Carroll Fall 2017
Narrative: Which drawing is it Strengths: What was good from the exercise
KEY
Weaknesses: What did not go as planned Opportunities: If you were to do this in the future, what would you have done differently Risks: What problem(s) do you foresee if you are to do it differently
What is drawing to you? When asked what drawing is to me, I was a bit speechless. I have never really thought about what drawing is to me, it mostly has been something I did because I was told to do. I was never someone who doodled in class, not because I did not want to, more so because I could never just draw to draw. At 25, I still find myself with the same thought. When I put pencil to paper, with no set thing to draw, I’m hesitant, my mind races with known objects of life, I completely lack any bit of creative fluidity. My mother was always an amazing drawer and painter. She was especially great at portraits. I grew up watching her create these amazing sketches and compositions with envious eyes. She could sit and sketch not only what she saw, but what she felt. That is my downfall, I can sit and sketch for hours if I have an object in front of me, but when it comes to expressing myself emotionally through my pencil, paintbrush or whatever other device I am using, I am dumbfounded. I strive for the day I can draw or paint or sculpt as a cathartic release, or just to do it freely with no creative limitations. Currently, my level of creative fluidity is drawing a cow and consciously drawing the spots. While it is no where near what I want to be able to do, it is a start. All I can do is practice and hope one day to be able to draw just to draw. Thankfully though, this lack of ability does not transfer into other creative outlets.
WEEK ONE
N: One Point Perspective S: I have done one point perspective drawings in other classes and was able to apply my previous experience and knowledge to this assignment W: There were no weaknesses O: If I were to do this drawing again, I would change the placement of the one point perspective to somewhere other than the center, as well as draw something more challenging than a room’s interior. R: If I were to do a more challenging idea, I could see myself focusing on tiny details as opposed to the drawing as a whole
N: Two Point Perspective S: I have done two point perspective drawings before an was able to apply my previous knowledge to this assignment W: I had no weaknesses O: I would draw something a bit more complex than just boxes at different levels R: I foresee myself focusing on the minor details instead of concentrating on the drawing as a whole.
WEEK TWO
N: Objects In Shade S: Doing this exercise gave me more practice with shading to create shape rather than using outlines to create shape. W: My shadows could use some work, the direction in which the shadows fall do not all line up. Spheres have always been difficult for me, I could definitely use more practice with shade gradation as well as how to create an appropriate shadow for the sphere. O: For the future, I would go out and actually buy the shapes, create the direction of the “sun” with a lamp, and draw from what I see rather than what I’m imagining. R: I do not feel there would be a risk or issue if done the new way. I feel it would only increase my ability to draw shade and shadow appropriately.
WEEK THREE
N: Greek Column – Corinthian S: Using graph paper definitely helped in keeping everything straight and proportionate. I feel certain shaded parts of the capital are done well and I believe I did a decent job making it appear a bit more 3D instead of flat 2D. W: My leaves, I feel, came out poorly, some of the shading feels flat, and overall I am not very pleased with the final product. O: I would probably choose a capital with different detail, preferably something with different leaves, maybe a capital where the leaves are accents and have a different main focus R: I foresee me having the same issues; trouble with shading and spending too much time focusing on minor details as opposed to the drawing as a whole.
WEEK FOUR
N: Notre Dame Composite S: My only strength I feel was making it the correct size in order to line up my portion of the church with my classmates’. W: I had a very difficult time with this drawing, I feel like I was not able to recreate the image on to paper. I was constantly erasing and retrying the same parts of the drawing; it was getting to be obnoxious. O: In the future I would spend less time focusing on the minor details and try to focus on the drawing as a whole. R: I foresee myself focusing on the minor details and becoming frustrated.
WEEK SIX
N: Piranesi Expansion S: My strengths were expressed via the main bridge. The majority of my time was spent on the bridge in which you look down on. W: I feel this drawing shows more of my weaknesses than strengths. From my inability to express a cracked and withered ground, to my apparent misunderstanding of how a bridge works. But mostly my lack of imagination and understanding of the late Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s works. O: If I were to do this assignment again I would hope to spend more time researching his works to better perceive and project his ideas and styles in to my own work R: I foresee myself focusing too much on trying to express his artistic style and in the process hindering my own ability to produce anything that I would find sufficient.
WEEK ELEVEN
N: Dancing Degas Color & In Class Marker Excerise S: I feel my strengths are strong in the recreation of Degas’ ballerina. I feel I captured both the simplicity in his few definitive lines as well W: My weakness shows more in the fisherman with a pipe; the in class assignment. I feel I did a poor job blending the different shapes through the various shades and tones exhibited. O: If I were to do this assignment again I would focus myself on creating a fluidity amongst the shapes and try to create a harmony through the shades used. R: If I were to do the in class assignment again I feel I would be able to accomplish the few flaws I set out to fix.
WEEK TWELVE
N: Self Portrait in Color S: I believe I did a great job on this self portrait. Typically I find myself to be terrible at the human face, but I feel not only did I draw something that actually resembles a face, I actually drew what looks like me. W: My biggest weakness with this assignment was that I was drawing myself. In a vain sort of way, I just did not want to draw myself ugly. I was afraid my proportions would be monstrously off, and I would look more like a fictitious character than myself. More so I did not want to hand in a poorly drawn portrait and have to say ‘this is me.’ O: If I were to do this again, I would chose a photo or position in which I am not in the standard selfie pose. Preferably some sort of action shot with more natural emotion in my movements and of my face. R: Risks I fear I may face if I were to redo this assignment would be my standard focusing on details for too long, putting my efforts in to minor details as opposed to the drawing as a whole.
START of SEMESTER
END of SEMESTER
Employ procedures in sketching correct proportions
2
3
Express form, value, and textures w/ shade & shadow
2
4
Demonstrate the use of freehand linear perspective drawing
1
3
Contour (pure line) drawing
2
3
Tonal rendering
2
3
Ability to represent and render visual information
2
3
Create a compelling visual composition
1
2
Ability to rapidly sketch ideas
3
4
Evoke emotive quality in drawing
1
2
Render ideas and concepts in visual form
2
3
During the semester the technique I found to be the most difficult was shading, but only regarding some of the assignments. For instance, week three, we had to draw a Corinthian Greek Column, and while some of the more intricate details were difficult for me to transfer to paper, I mostly had issues with using shading to create depth within the column. Another example would be the self-portrait. Once I got my general features on the paper, I was having problems expressing the curves, the textures, the realities of ones’ face; of my face. While this was the technique I had the most difficulties with, it was also the technique I enjoyed applying the most. I feel that shading is so diverse and so broad and so playful, it is a fun technique to explore, not only in itself, but with.  During the semester, we students had varying subject matters to recreate. One that I enjoyed more, was a class assignment. We sat outside and chose trees to sketch. I drew the basic skeleton of the chosen tree, as well as a small branch with leaves. It felt intimate in a way, even though we were outside as a class, it was quiet and all you could hear was the rustling of the wind and the faint noises of the campus. My favorite assignment however was the Notre Dame composite. I enjoyed this assignment the most because it was interesting and a bit fun to piece our individual sections together to create the entirety of the Cathedral. During the semester we also used various instruments to create our works. Colored pencils were my favorite. Using different colors to express depth added its own challenges. Needing to find a good color combination with both warm and cool colors, all while harmoniously using them to contrast each other. Over the course of the semester, I was able to build my skills, the one I feel I improved on the most would be my ability to represent and render visual information. I feel I have improved in this skill the most because I am less hesitant with my initial approach. And while I feel there is always room for improvement, the one skill I would want to especially focus on would be expressing form, value, and texture through shading and shadowing. Improving on this skill is important to me because shading and shadowing bring life to a drawing or painting or whatever medium is being used. I thoroughly appreciated ARCH 29B as a class, I felt challenged, and I learned and improved on skills that I know I will need in years to come.