Afterimage

Afterimage builds directly on the compositional thinking introduced in the Geometric Abstraction assignment, asking students to begin not with a subject, but with paint. In this Drawing & Painting II project, students first create a watercolor wash designed to be visually engaging on its own—focusing on balance, movement, contrast, and negative space.

Only after the wash is complete do students respond to it with ink. Rather than forcing an image into the composition, students look closely at the shapes, rhythms, and directional cues already present and allow the imagery to emerge organically. Ink drawings often interact with the wash in unexpected ways—figures, animals, symbols, and surreal fragments appear to inhabit, interrupt, or activate the painted space.

This process encourages flexibility and visual problem-solving. Students must adapt their drawing to an existing composition, reinforcing the idea that strong artwork grows from responsive decision-making rather than rigid planning. The resulting works feel spontaneous yet cohesive, balancing control with chance and abstraction with narrative.

Together, these pieces highlight how composition can lead content—and how watercolor and ink can work in dialogue to create images that feel intuitive, playful, and visually alive.