Artist's Statement:

Jillian Wight

Medsker

2D Design

16 September 2020

In this piece, the hippy, psychedelic theme that I was going for is very evident. I used the silly subject matter (chickens), as well as wild colors and lines to convey this. I think that the asymmetrical outline of the piece also added to this effect. However, I wanted the piece to be just as tasteful as it was wild. I made sure that the colors in one area didn't clash, or at least did so minorly to add intrigue. I also balanced the spacing between chickens, and made sure that the lines and colors I added centered around them. I also made sure that the chickens looked candid, and were evenly spaced and looking in different directions. I wanted them to look unintentional and yet organic. After all, although the style of the piece didn’t really lend itself to a “subject,” the chickens were as close as I got to a focal point. I am really happy with how this worked out, and I think I conveyed the vibe I was going for very successfully! The chickens were also important because they related strongly to my life. Although there were many different ways I could have interpreted the original blob of ink on my paper, I chose chickens. This is because, since I was very young, we have raised hens from chicks. I love seeing them wandering about the neighborhood, I love playing with them and feeding them, and most of all I love having pets even if I can’t have a cat or dog. A few years ago when we had just gotten chicks, my friends and I would often make the poor babies tinfoil hats and outfits and then carry them with us in baskets as we ran around. I have so many fond memories regarding chickens, even dating all the way back to my parents' honeymoon in Thailand— nearly all of the pictures they took featured chickens. Although the connection between the piece and myself may not seem deep and personal to the outside world, it brings back many sweet memories for me. This is it’s value. Another, less significant way that this piece relates to me is its overall very hippie, crazy composition. This reminds me strongly of my middle school self, who shopped exclusively at Mexicali Blues, and made possibly too much of an effort to give off “boho girl” energy from my shoes to my hair to my iPhone case to my artwork.

This piece started as a blank piece of paper with a single blotch of black ink on it. I rotated the paper in various directions, and finally settled on an idea. To create my chickens, I first sketched in pencil the general size that my composition would be and where I wanted the chickens to fall on the page. I then went in with a felt tip pen and extended the blobs to look how I wanted. Once I had successfully illustrated two chickens with the felt tip pen, I went in with colored pencils to give the chickens a mystical element. I used unconventional colors such as blue, yellow, and pink, and tried to create the coloring of the oily sheen on a rooster's tail feathers. I then used white colored pencils to highlight the blotches so that they looked more realistic and appeared to be part of the chickens. Once I had successfully converted my blotch, I drew in the rest of the poultry using the same techniques. After this step was completed, I used a black felt tip pen to draw organic lines surrounding each bird and extending into the drawing. I filled these lines in with dual brush markers, and then covered the space in between with more lines in felt-tip pen, making sure to create a wavy effect. To accent the chickens, I left the thin space around them blank.

To create my artwork, I used a few different processes. First, I learned how to evenly add color using materials such as colored pencils and markers. This was a valuable skill, and I think that the tasteful color I added made the piece look sophisticated, balanced, and created movement throughout the page. Line was also another important part of my work. The lines I drew allowed the viewer's eye to explore the space, and also filled negative areas which would have been wasted. I experimented a lot with the processes I used, struggling to ensure that the chickens would find a place among the brightly colored lines. I think that I was successful. They stand out, but not so much that the background is ignored. I think from a distance, the chickens blend in, but as the viewer draws nearer they notice that there is more to the piece. This is a valuable element. Overall, my choices when incorporating emphasis and contrast into the piece ensured that it would flow together as a cohesive pattern. I am really happy with the results. I think that my project evolved from a very simple idea— chickens in a field— to a very unique and intriguing composition. I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone to create this. I think my next steps should be to learn how to better convey illusion through lines, and possibly how to manipulate the whole page a bit more effectively. I like the funky edges of my piece, but I think I could have done a bit better so that they looked more intentional.

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