Transformation & Metamorphosis: Individuality & Conformity

To begin, I brainstormed to generate two contrasting antonyms and visually creating an image that uses the elements and principles of design and mixed media to both communicate and create the transition between the two antonyms.

I created a panoramic design that incorporated mixed media (ink, acrylic paint).

Mark Making, Surface, and Visual Representation Studies

In this assignment, we began by gathering four visual textures to create four 6"x6" studies that utilize multiple mediums and techniques to explore different modes of representations, mark, and surface.

Realism: Rendered to mimic visual texture

For this study, I used mark making to create a realistic visual texture. I painted the surface of the Bristol paper to create the illusion of visual texture, including a 7-8 step value range.

Non-Objective: to establish a graphic pattern

For the second study, I transformed the visual texture into a shape based, non-objective graphic pattern, using a 4-5 step value range.

Abstraction: Using materials to create textured surface

The third study applied found materials to the surface to establish an abstract texture with a 4-5 step value range. I used a mix of acrylic paint and matte medium, wax from a scented candle, and table salt to maintain a relationship with the original source image while moving toward an abstract state.

Abstraction to Non-Objection, using mixed media to create a layered surface

In the fourth study, using tea-stained pages of a book, india ink, and Sobo glue, I created a complex, abstract surface via layering, pushing to a non-objective state. 

Value Self Portrait

To begin the assignment, we each took a photo portrait of ourselves modeling after an emotion. I chose melancholy for my pose. We then cropped and gray-scaled the images on Photoshop and placed a grid over our photo, to aid in the application of paint later in the project.

We created an 11 step value scale on a sheet of Bristol paper with acrylic paint (ivory black, titanium white). Middle gray is the unit in the center of the value scale, which acted as a border around the value scale. Our low and high key values were established via the digital image of our portrait, by finding the lightest and darkest values. The middle gray tone is a 50/50 mix of the tint and shade, and by creating a gradation between them, we form a specific value atmosphere.

On the final ground, a 12"x14" sheet of illustration board, we rendered a quarter inch grid to match that of the printed portrait image. We then used our 11 step value scale to identify and label the values in the grid of the portrait, with 1 being the lightest tint, and 11 being the darkest shade in the image. We applied the paint values according to the number on the scale, almost like a paint-by-number system.

By following  - and trusting - the values of our source image, each individual unit of the grid worked together to build the form and atmosphere present in the original digital portrait.

Project 3 Final Pattern