Project 4/The Bends, Folds, and Spirals of Life

Charcoal drawings of abstract paper art

Spring semester 2024

Completed April 2024 – Charcoal drawing

Learning how to incorporate light/shadows in my drawings of airplanes and abstract figures using charcoal pencils and vine charcoal.

Materials used were a viewfinder, 18×24 drawing paper, vine charcoal, and HB, 2B, 4B, and 6B charcoal pencils.

Project 4 Reflection/Analysis

1. What title would you give your drawing?

The Bends, Folds, and Spirals of Life

• What does your monster represent (be as specific as you are comfortable with)

My monster represents me. My life has been filled with trauma as well as fulfillment. The steps represent the many stages of life I experienced up to my years in college. The spiral represents how I bounced back from traumatic episodes.

• Does your project have a full range of values (lightest light (paper) to darkest dark (black)?

My project may not have the full range of value required for this project. I’ve had to erase and correct/adjust various parts of my drawing to get specific items placed as accurately as possible. The lightest value may start at 1.

• How did you treat the values in the negative spaces?

I used a variety of techniques to address the negative space. I started by paying attention to the shapes formed by the negative space and ensuring they were just as important as the positive space. I created and defined the depth of the negative space using the value scale within the composition. I wanted to create visual balance and composition throughout my drawing.

• What is the overall mood/ feeling of your drawing? Why?

My drawing’s overall feeling displays how life can be complex in many ways. Each day is a mystery, which is displayed in the background. As we navigate through our day, we experience challenges illustrated by the bends and turns of the paper model which is shaded in various tones. The added shapes can represent the struggles or the advancements we experience on a daily basis, which depends on the viewer’s viewpoint.

• What else could you do to improve your drawing?

To improve my drawing, I need to practice the placement of my objects and discover another way to treat the value throughout my drawing more dynamically, specifically, adding value to difficult shapes.

• What is the strongest aspect of your drawing?

I feel that I now understand the concept of creating value in my drawings and continue to improve that skill.