Sustained Investigation #11

Sustained Investigation #12: “We Make America"

Coloured Pencil and Graphite on Paper (+Sharpie)

15” x 10”

My drawing shows an African American woman in front of a Harlem Renaissance art inspired background with the signature fist. Rising from the horrible history of this country, African-Americans have built up what we know America to be today and contributed so much in regards to art. The Harlem Renaissance was such and early and powerful movement, giving birth to such a beautiful onslaught of creativity. In this piece I used graphite and coloured pencils (+Sharpie) on paper. I used bold lines for emphasis and distinctiveness and stylisation for background. The greyscale portrait stands out well against the coloured background, giving both parts of the piece clear distinction. I'd like to have been able to work with the coloured pencil and graphite more to make it smoother and more even, however I was quite limited with my choice in paper. For future pieces I'd like to focus on working with materials to make them represent their best potential.