Sustained Investigation #2

Artist Statement 

     For my second sustained investigation, I focused on the human impact on wildlife through plastic pollution in the oceans. The theme I followed for this project was “what we can’t see won’t hurt you.” This phrase suggests that if you are unaware of a problem, it doesn't exist or won't have an impact on you. However, this phrase is not applicable to the issue of plastic pollution in the ocean. Even if we cannot see the plastic pollution that is present in the ocean, it is still having a harmful impact on marine life and the overall health of the ocean ecosystem and human beings. I wanted to raise awareness of the extent of plastic pollution in the oceans, and the negative impacts it can have on marine life and the environment. By bringing attention to this issue through art, I have always been passionate about continuing to encourage more people can become aware of the problem and take action to reduce their own plastic use, and protect wildlife. To shed light on this issue, I decided to begin by splitting the page down with a strip of curving lines down the middle of the page. On either side of the strip, I created a healthy, thriving coral reef that was full of marine life and vibrant in color, representing the way coral reefs used to look before being negatively impacted by climate change and human waste. To contrast this, inside the strip I added some of the most common and dangerous plastic waste products found in the ocean, like water bottles, straws, and plastic bags that can be ingested by marine life or can entangle and kill animals. I also added skeletons of fish, and bleached coral affected by temperature changes in the water.

 For this project, we were given our own choice of materials. I decided to begin this piece by sketching out a detailed outline in 2B pencil. I then went in with gouache because it allowed me to add both opaque and saturated details. To add emphasis to the coral reefs, I added shades of purple, pink, yellow, green, red, and brown. I then outlined the shapes using the same colors in colored pencil. For the middle strip, I used one shade of gray, and layered it to make it look more saturated in certain areas and add depth. I outlined this section with black pencil. I also used white gel pen to add lines, highlights, and contrast. 

Throughout this project, I went through a few processes while creating my final piece. I had to begin my project by researching plastic pollution on marine life in order to accurately represent the negative effects it has on marine life, and get across just how big of an issue this is becoming. As a result of both trash in the oceans and the rising temperatures of water due to climate change, I decided it would be a small but impactful touch to add the effects on their ecosystem as well, hence, the dead bleached coral. Finally, I also had to take time to research some of the species of tropical fish and other animals that are most commonly affected, such as turtles and whales that I was not familiar with. I used images found online, and my own images and information I had of my snorkeling trips with my family, and our large reef coral reef fish tank that we used to have in our house. Another thing I experimented with was using mixed media. I used white gel pen which helped to add highlights around the coral, air bubbles and other small details throughout the piece to make it look more realistic and detailed. I went in with colored pencil to outline everything and shade to make the plants and fish pop. Finally, I also used table salt in the water to add more texture and make it look more realistic.