Scholastic #2

This is a piece that I created from observation of a bust. I used a wood burner and a slate of wood as my medium. My process began with lightly burning the outlines of the major facial features and wrinkles. I then went over everything using slower stokes to attain darker values. I used a smaller head for the burner to burn the eyes and a larger one the add the background at the end. I chose to depict a bust because earlier this year I experimented with the process in 3D by carving a pumpkin with linoleum carving tools and depicted another bust from observation. I enjoyed the process and wanted to try it again and experiment with a new medium. I think the strongest elements of the piece are line and texture. The lines of the wrinkles and mouth define the face and give it a realistic form. I also like the rough texture that the wood burner created. This is probably due to my lack of experience with the technique, but I like the way it looks.

For the composition I used basic formal balance by centering the face in the middle of the wood slate. I also created the illusion of selective focus to some degree by using larger strokes in the background, with smaller, more precise ones in the foreground. This project evolved in that I was going to leave the piece after completing the face, but went back to add shadows in the background. I think this gives a better sense of space and the darkest shadows bring out the darker contours of the face to enhance the range of value.

I chose this bust because I found the wrinkles very expressive and thought the face showed a lot of emotion. This made the process more interesting, as I was able to play with the feeling of the piece as I burned each feature into the slate. This project relates to my life in that I found myself relating to the troubled emotions of the face as I created them, and I altered the expression to express a sadness that I relate to. I think this piece could be stronger if the shadows in the background were more accurate and activated. They are not very well defined and I don't think that they add to the sense of space as much as they could if they were more accurate.