Independent Project #3

For my third independent project I did a continuation of the second and drew a skull with a marigold using pen and similar techniques.

To create this piece I used the same technique of sketching from observation and then using stippling to shade. However, I think my stippling is much improved in this piece and I think I used it much more effectively to show contours without drawing them using lines. I also decided to add an element of color to this piece. The marigold was difficult to create because the techniques for stippling in black and white versus color are very different. Instead of using empty space to provide lighter shades, I stippled and filled space with lighter colors before adding darker colors on top. My final step was adding the background, which proved more difficult than anticipated. At first I just added the contour lines but later stippled the background to add depth. I think that the isolation of the bright colors brings them out and the using of stippling for the skull, marigold, and background works to unify the entirety of the piece. I also linked the foreground and background by using the contours of the flower to outline the solid white areas around the skull.

I drew the skull because I wanted to continue drawing anatomy from observation and it seemed like a logical step after doing the skeletal torso. I added the marigold because marigolds are typical flowers for the day of the dead celebration in Mexico and because it adds isolated, bright colors. I think this piece could be stronger if I had had more foresight in my composition and had placed the flower in front of the skull so that it would overlap rather than just to the side of it. The most challenging part of creating this piece was designing a background that would make the piece feel full but without taking away from the skull and flower; I think I was successful with this. I am most proud of the contours of the skull and the coloration of the marigold. This piece demonstrates my strength as an artist in pointillism and color, with some weakness in composition.