Derek Boyd

Animal Mug: What I did to create my artwork was I first collected the information and tools I missed and needed, as I was absent due to illness in the previous class. Next, I planned out what kind of animal I was to construct, which was a dog named “Walter.” Then I made the big nose of the animal using spare leather hard clay. I then used slip and score to apply the nose and smoothed and blended it into the clay cup. I then made eyes and applied them in a manner similar to how the actual dog looks. I then smoothed the whole animal cup and was finished. I was inspired by the animal named Walter, who I think is a good-looking dog, and wanted to replicate his good looks on my cup. My work expresses no personal issue, but it tries to bring a bit of creativity and joy into a boring day. I tried to convey happiness and help people be happier after looking at this dog cup. It conveys that I like dogs, and this one is special. This dog is special because it was a viral image a while ago because people liked him. My goal was to create a good animal cup. I tried to make Walter, a viral internet image among the masses. I feel like I was slightly successful in creating this, however in my opinion it is not unique enough and could just be a standard dog, not specifically “Walter.” I learned that I was able to create something with little instruction, basically doing this off of previous knowledge. I also learned that animal cups are difficult to construct and are hard to balance with certain noses.

Face Mug: To create my totem mug I did many things to the best of my ability. First, we took clay and pushed down with our thumb and pinched it around it, making a pinch pot. The next thing we did was create the nose and mouth on the pot, by pinching the pot, to create a nose shape. We next pressed in to make eye sockets, and also pushed out to make a mouth area. Once we had done all of this with the clay, we made a handle, which was difficult to make without it breaking or look horrible. The person who inspired my artwork was Ms. Whiting. She helped by giving demos, and this inspired me to create something cool for myself. My work expresses no distinct personal or social issue, but it can be interpreted differently by people. My totem mug conveys the life of many, which can be bleak and grey, which my mug has. It was not intended to be like this however, this is how I interpret my artwork. My totem mug was also inspired by the historic peoples who made pots themselves, which is very cool. In this project, my goals were to make a working mug look as good as possible. I feel like I was semi-successful in this project, as I tried my best, however, it does not look good. I feel like if I were given more time I could have perfected the handle, which I feel was the worst part. In my project, this artwork helped me learn more about pottery, and clay, etc. I learned that anyone can accomplish something they didn’t think would be possible, like making a decent pot, if they put their mind to it.

Line Sculpture: In my artwork, I see the use of positive and negative space throughout. For example, it is 50/50 with wavy striped lines and hexagons right next to each other on one side. On the other side, it is mostly composed of straight lines, whether it forms randomized crisscrosses or a black and white pattern. The colors I used were black and white. The lines are black and white with varying thickness, or boldness of the lines. These bold lines are seen on both sides of the art piece. There are many shapes that are visible throughout this artwork. For example, I included a hexagonal pattern with black and white colors alternating. Another shape is squares/rectangles, which are seen on both sides mostly as a chequered design. This scene is an obscure shape, which I designed on white paper. This shape contains six sides and was originally on a white background. The lines are used to create emotions and feelings about my artwork. For example, the wavy/curved lines are to create a feeling that you are active and engaged, while the boxes on the other side, with diagonal, horizontal, and vertical lines are to create confusion between the stability and activity of the lines. The shapes work to create patterns within. For example, the hexagonal shapes are used to create lines inside them. In this artwork, it shows confusion and instability. This makes you feel more confused and energized in a way. The most important part of my artwork is the use of thick vs thin lines creating feeling. I created this piece as a school project because I liked the idea of an obscure shape containing cool shapes and patterns. This art says to me that it is confusing and active, while also containing stability. The thing I like most about this artwork is the more simplistic designs on there, as they seem smooth and nice, giving a feeling of relaxation and control. I feel like the thing I did best was to have perseverance even if I made a mistake. The thing that I dislike most about this piece is that it has smudges and the hexagonal shape pattern was messed up a bit. If I were to change this or do this differently, I would make sure not to smudge it with my hands.