Art 7

Nathaniel Griffin

“Amur Leopard Batik”

(8” x 12”) 

Materials: Used Paper, pencils, glue, watercolor

Endangered species awareness: The endangered leopard species called the Amur leopard. This is currently the most endangered cat in the world and is critically endangered. They are hunted by villages that pay for their hides in Aisa and trading illegal fur for food.  They currently are guarded in specific places where hunting is illegal and have guards protect the area at all times. I also like to make them more aware of my artwork. My process of my work started with me drawing out the shape of the Amur leopard and added detail such as spots and colors. I also made its environment and what it would look like in the wild. I was very careful with making lines showing fur and tracing it with hot glue. The hot glue acted as a barrier. Another thing was I added was oil pastel acted as a resistant for the watercolor paint later in the project. I used different shades of yellow and green. The hardest part was to crinkle the paper witch seemed that I was destroying it, but it made a really cool effect afterward. The best part was coloring over it with black watercolor paint after getting it wet and seeing it change right away. The crack I made absorb the watercolor making the batik effect and texture. I persevered by just going with the mistakes I made by covering the eyes, but I realized that made my artwork more unique and how it was different from the other’s artwork and ask classmates how they were doing and how we gained each other knowledge. I tried a new approach with the space between the spots and fur and I learned leaving white between them made it more realistic. What I liked the best was seeing how I could change or influence people about endangered species in the artwork. 

Nathaniel Griffin

Clay Face

Dimensions (7in x 3in)

Clay, and Glaze

  Abstract faces were the main inspiration after looking at an artist that uses abstract art because it was a diffrent art style for most people even me. My process was creating a base for the face in a somewhat human way. This involved shaping pre-wedged clay into multiple pieces and using extras pieces like eyes and a mouth. The nose had to be different on both sides so that was hard while shaping because you want it at least look like a nose. The mouth also was made out of thin clay and need to use a mixture of clay and water to glue scratch pieces to stick together. Plus we had to have multiple textures like zig-zags and wave looking patterns. I took a risk when making the right eye by making it really big. One problem I solved was color mixing by waiting for each glaze to dry, but I solved the time problem by doing all the colors that were the same at one time. I like the shine that happened after it was fired because it used to look dry, but now it looks like a glass surface. If I could change anything I would make the purple a different color. 

Nathaniel Griffin

“Perspective room”

Dimensions (12x18)

(Graphite and paper)

2d perspective artwork and artists that use that style had inspired me to make a room that I and my friends would hang out in. First I made the outline by making lines going to each corner. The second process was making furniture and windows, vents, light, TVs, etc, such as the sofa that I made and the clock in the wall but, all the lines on the furniture must go to the vanishing point or the center of the paper. The third process of this artwork is going back and shading the room with shadows and reflections to give the impression of texture. One complication I had was making the couch not float, Aka it was basically on the wall, so I added correct lines and fixed the arms of the sofa. A creative risk I took was making my own type of light by making it a rectangle with dark edges for corners. I like the clock the most because it reminds me of the old clock in my house. If I could start over I would change the slight difference in the corners of the walls.