Drawing 2 Art Portfolio

Miles Manatt "Cracks in Society"

9x12, Magazine Pieces, Glue, 2024

My idea for this project was to create an abstract piece that was thought provoking. I hope that each person who looks at it has a different perspective on what it means to them. I first got the idea after I was looking at inspiration on the internet for a collage piece and I saw an earth made with paper pasted onto a white background. This gave me the idea to make a collage piece made with pasted pieces of magazine. I wanted it to look abstract by ripping the pieces of the magazine instead of cutting them out.

My first step to creating this piece was selecting a paper that was thick enough to not bend when I put the glue on it. Next, I found a picture on the internet of a 2D earth that I used as an inspiration for the outline of my earth. After I created the outline I started gathering my materials. I first found a magazine which I took pages out of that had the colors I needed. Then I got an exacto knife to cut the edges of the magazine pieces so they fit on the paper. Finally, I got Elmers stick glue to paste the magazine pieces onto the paper. After I had all of my materials I began ripping pieces out of the magazine to paste onto the paper. First I focused on the ocean part of the earth. Then I found the green pieces I needed for the land of the earth. Finally I found the black pieces for the background of the earth. After everything was pasted on I used the knife to cut the edges to make the edges clean.

To me this artwork is based on perspective. There are many different things that could come to mind when looking at this piece. The first thing that comes to mind when I look at it are the white edges of the magazine pieces. To me these edges look like cracks, the cracks of the world. Although you may be told that the world is great, at times it is not and to me these cracks are representing the flaws of the world in which we live in. However I want the audience to think about what this piece means to them because it may mean something completely different to them than it does to me. The symbolic imagery of this piece is the cracks of the world and the flaws that are evident in our society today. These cracks are represented by the white edges of the magazine pieces.

The part that was most difficult was filling in my outline of the earth. It was hard to cut and rip out the small magazine pieces to fit into the outline because there were some small details. These small details were hard to fill in because you had to cut the exact shape of the details without mistake otherwise it would not look good enough for my liking. I overcame the struggles by trying over multiple times to get it just exactly how I wanted. If I had to start over I would change which part of the piece I started with. I would have started with the land instead of the water because the land was harder to fit the magazine pieces into the outline.

This piece was abstract and what makes it unique to my style was the meaning I put behind it. The meaning I chose was that the white edges of the magazine pieces symbolizes the cracks and flaws with our society. What I love about this piece was the meaning behind it and that it was one of my first abstract art pieces. Normally I draw cartoons or realism and this was my first real abstract piece. Overall, I am very proud of myself and ready for my next project.

Miles Manatt "Drawing in Four Different Styles"

9x12, Marker and Colored Pencil on Paper, 2024

My idea for this piece was to draw squidward but in four different styles. I first got the idea for this when I was scrolling on youtube and I saw a video of someone drawing the cartoon character mario in four different styles. This really caught my attention and from that day on I had always wanted to draw something just like it. However I did not want to draw mario because I wanted to be different so I explored other cartoon characters which I could draw. I found a picture of Squidward from the television show, Spongebob. I thought he would be a great character for this project.

There were many steps in the process of making this project. The first step was to sketch out the picture of squidward. The first time I drew squidward too high on the paper so I had to erase it and re-draw it. The next step was to figure out which four styles I was going to draw squidward in. I chose to draw him in the x-ray, glitch, drip, and neon styles. My third step was beginning on the x-ray section of the drawing. To do this I colored in squidward with his normal colors. Then to add the x-ray effect I made a thick black z shape going through the face of squidward and then I used a white paint pen to draw squidward's facial features over the black. Next I worked on the glitch section. To give it the glitch effect I used red and blue paint pens on the outline of the squidward face and then made horizontal strokes of red and blue alternating between the two and it made it look like the squidward was glitching like a computer would. After I was done with the glitch section I did the neon section. To make it look like it was glowing I had to fully cover the section in black then use a white paint pen to outline the squidward sketch. After I did this I got a bright shade of pink and outlined the white in pink. This gave it a glow effect but then I wanted it to glow more so I added accents with a pink colored pencil which really made it glow. The last section was drip. To do the drip I first outlined the squidward and then made drips on different parts of the face and made them spaced out so it was more even. Then I colored it all in and added highlights and shading on the drips to make it more realistic. It was a long process but it was worth it.

To me this artwork meant that I was trying to put different filters on my drawing with art materials. When people look at my drawing I want them to think about how they can be creative and add their own spin on things to make it personalized to them. The symbolic imagery in this artwork was that I was experimenting in different art styles and putting them on the face of squidward.

The part that was most difficult for me was the neon section of this art piece. I had to experiment with multiple techniques on separate pieces of paper. I also had to find very bright colors that would give a glow effect to the face. I eventually ended up choosing to use a bright pink and add accents of pink colored pencil to really make it look like a glowing neon sign. If I started over I would make the glitch section less perfect looking so it really looks like it is glitching because glitches are not perfect.

This project was a pop-art piece and what makes it unique to me was the colors and character I chose to use for this project. Even though I am not the first person to do this type of art I am the first to use squidward as the character to be drawn in different styles. What I love about this drawing is that it was a goal of mine to do something like this and I did it. I also love the cartoon style of drawing because you can make it look however you want because nothing is perfect in the cartoon world. I am just proud of myself for completing this project.

My Sketches

Miles Manatt "Stippling"

9x12, Paper and Sharpie, 2024

My idea for this project was to experiment with an art technique which I had never used before. I first got the idea when I took a visit to Iowa State University. I am interested in Architecture so I went on a tour of the Design building at Iowa State. When I first walked in there were a lot of drawings on the wall, and the most prominent technique which I saw being used was stippling. This really inspired me to try and use this new technique which I had never tried before.

I first started by drawing two squiggly lines and thickened them up with a sharpie. After that I started on one side of the paper and began stippling. I started dark then worked towards the middle of the paper getting lighter and lighter. Then I repeated the same process on the other side. After that I still had a lot of white space. I then got an idea for what to fill the white space with. I added more squiggly lines and every other line was thick.

This artwork really just is about trying new things. I want the audience to look at my drawing and think to themselves, “I can do that”. Artwork is all about trying new things and finding your own style. The symbolic imagery in this art piece is practicing and trying new things.

The most difficult part for me was figuring out what to put in the white space I had left after the main stippling part. I overcame this by trial and error. I continued to try and find ideas until I settled on one. If I started over I would add some more stippling pieces to make it more full.

This project was a non-objective piece. What makes it unique to me is what I put around the stippling. I used a wavy line pattern with the stippling which I thought of myself. The thing that I love about it is that I was able to try something new and do it pretty well my first try.

Miles Manatt "Sun Prints"

7.5x7, Ink and Paper, 2024

My idea for this project was to make a unique printmaking project. I also wanted to improve from my past prints in Drawing I. I first got the idea to make a sun print when I was looking for ideas scrolling on Google. I saw a cool tattoo idea of a sun with wavy rays. I knew immediately when I saw it that I wanted to use this as my print.

The first step in the process of making my print was finding the idea. Once I had my idea I printed it out. Next, I got a printer paper-sized piece of foam and put it under the printed image of my idea. I used a pen to push the image of the sun into the foam. After that, I took the paper off and then pushed the pen down directly on the foam to make the print deeper. The next step was to make the print. I rolled the ink onto the foam and then pressed a colored piece of paper onto the ink-covered foam. I then repeated this process three more times. After it had dried I made some touch-ups with a white charcoal pencil and it was finished.

To me this artwork means perseverance. My main goal was to make these prints better than the prints I made in the first semester. When people look at my prints I want them to think, “I could do that”. The symbolic imagery of this artwork is that the sun is a life-giving symbol and a symbol of light.

The part that was most difficult for me was the printing process. I was trying to find the right amount of ink to roll onto the foam to make the print come out perfectly. I made four prints and kept the three best ones and I am happy with how they turned out. If I were to start over I would have taken the printing process slower so the prints looked better.

This style of artwork is abstracted. The part of this piece that makes it unique to me is my idea. The sun image which I chose to print is unique to me because I thought of it. The part that I love about it is that I achieved my goal of making these prints better than my first semester prints.

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