Arch 29B - Midterm Portfolio Craig Dias
Week 1 - Self Portrait People drawing and self portraits are probably my least favorite things to do. However, aiming to get the proportions and values just right are a good challenge to undertake every now and again to improve the eye. Learning how to be loose while drawing, especially in the early stages is something I’m working on.
Week 1 - Shapes & Values This went relatively well and quickly. Wasn’t sure how it would turn out so I didn’t really pay much attention to getting material properties of the shapes; that’s something I’d be focusing on next time. Doing general value practice like this is always fun. The sphere is messed up.
Week 1 - Basic Perspective More of a time balancing, or personal focus, but kept this really basic and simple. Tried using markers for this as I had never used t hem before. Simple view from my hallway to my door. Done again, I would make more studies of the same view under different lighting conditions. Put more time into the self-portrait this week.
Week 2 - The Big Game The Rachel Maddow show and current events inspired this drawing. I liked that we were tasked with drawing a still life but with some level of symbolism. I would definitely rework the perspective on the chess pieces, make them feel more rested on the ground. Getting the chess board pattern on the ground as well would have been a nice touch. Originally I wanted a knife stabbing into the ground which would have been presented as the chest of the Statue of Libery, heart bleeding, perhaps even with small figures and scaffolding trying desperately to make repairs. The scene feels a bit too static, would have been nice to make it more dynamic. Biggest problem with this of course is my own drawing skills. Lol.
Week 3 - Greek Columns I’ve never done a study like this before actually so this was actually quite fun. I swear I might kill myself if I have to go over Greek column orders again but I know it’s inevitable so I went with it. I’ve always loved the look of grid paper with drawings on it, the ends of construction lines sticking out of rendered drawings so tried to replicate that aesthetic. Plus, with the exactness of the columns, gridded paper seeemed the best option. I really dig light studies as light is so wildy crazy....as Bender said, “Sweet photons; I don’t know if you’re waves or particles, but you go down smooth”
Week 4 - Notre Dame Composite drawing done with my two classmates. This was tough not only because of the details but also because of the long, straight lines at slightly different angles. I was able to make decent impressions of the figures mounted above the door but I would have liked to have made more of the details around the door in its frame. The top arches came out a bit funny as well, would like to work on it’s proportions a bit more. Otherwise though, overall happy with it, not perfect but it turned out alright.
Week 5 - Lebbeus Woods Another composite study, this time of Lebbeus Woods. I generally seem to have a hard time thinking in curves, if that makes sense, so his style does have an appeal to me; hard edged geometry moving and forming together to create continuous organic forms. Figuring out the concept however took a long time; the shapes are relatively simple but drawing them out,as though they were overlapping was a real challenge. Having the starting picture as a base definitely helps out though as I probably would have gotten nowhere without it.
Week ? - Self Portrait And so the finale. Which I know was supposed to be in color but I fucked up. However, it DID come about way way faster than the first one! Gestural drawings weren’t something new to be introduced to but it seemed to finally click this semester, especially when doing gestures of buildings, places. I think these help more for people who don’t do human figures because the proportions are more forgiving, allowing you to focus on depth, composition, etc. SO, while it’s not in color, it definitely came out “better” than the first. Tried to make an scrunchy face for some challenge, with a bemused/confused/odd look on my face to capture. Which is also surprising actually, that I’m at a point where I’m just trying to get the emotion of the face. Hurray progress!