Scholastic #4

This is a pure contour drawing of a welder making a bike frame in a junkyard. To create this piece I first sketched the outline of the welding helmet, then the bike frame, then the welder. I added the vice, and background elements thereafter. I used reference images from the internet for the various different components of the piece. I chose this composition because I wanted to fully display both the welder and the bike frame while also making room for the junkyard in the background. The most important element in the piece is line because it is a pure contour piece. However, I think that I also created good texture in the welder's jacket, and a realistic sense of space from the foreground to the background.

The welder is almost centered on the paper, which normally lends itself to a formal balance. However, the bike frame is also an essential part of the foreground and so I would characterize this as the rule of thirds, since the frame and welder take up the left two thirds of the composition. This piece evolved in that I was originally trying to make a piece that would provide a commentary on climate change. However, the vehicle for my message became too involved and complicated and so the piece now stands on its own, without a clear commentary. I am still satisfied with the quality of the pure contour and may modify the piece later.

The welder in this piece has an interesting story. He was originally supposed to represent combating climate change through recycling. He lives in a polluted city (in the background) and works in a junkyard where he welds bikes (an eco-friendly alternative to driving) out of old car parts. Unfortunately, the complexity of this story is not justified by the image. I think the piece would be much stronger if the message was clearer and if it had a range of value. I may add color or shading to it and add elements to make the message and story more apparent. This piece relates to my life in that I am concerned with the declining state of the natural environment and support movements such as recycling and repurposing old materials.