Artist's Statement:

Jillian Wight

Medsker

2D Design

29 January 2021

In my work, I was forced to conform to the specific structure of a 4 by 5 grid of circles. However, I wanted to make sure that my personal style was still very visually evident. In order to do so, I decided to incorporate the circles into the design, but not emphasize them as the subjects. I also wanted to stay true to my tendencies towards bright, trippy color schemes and very overwhelming works. In order to do so, I created a portrait using cold colors outside the aforementioned circles, and warmer color schemes inside the circles. I thought that this not only highlighted the circles while incorporating them cohesively into a design, but also drew upon my personal style and passion for a human element to my work. I also thought that my choice of materials would make the project a realistic goal for the 3 day time span I had. Specifically, I think that one of the visual concepts conveyed in my work is that of a dream-like imperfection. The woman I created looks very otherworldly and her expression appears almost nebulous. In this way, I am able to portray a specific vibe to the viewer that engages their eyes and minds. Overall, I’m happy with the outcome of my work.

Usually, I struggle to complete the art that I start in the time-frame provided. However, as we neared the end of the semester, I knew that I had to accomplish whatever I decided in only approximately 3 class periods. In order to do so, I chose to work with Dual-Brush Markers, a material I am comfortable and familiar with. For this reason, I thought it would be more likely that I completed the piece I committed to originally. However, I was a little hasty in ways I wish I had considered a bit more. For example, I chose to create this project on standard printing paper rather than drawing paper, meaning the pens bleed through and it was difficult to create colors that faded into one another. In order to create a smoother ombre and avoid as much tearing of the paper as possible, I layered Sharpie Markers and Blick Dual Brush Markers over my original medium. While the piece ended up fairly successfully, I would certainly use a tougher paper in the future, and would also be interested in experimenting with oil pastels or a type of paint.

A number of processes went into the creation of this work. Since color was a predominant element, I had to focus a lot on creating clean ombres that did not make the piece appear messy. I also had to think about the structure of my subject's face, because I wanted to emphasize the facial features. In order to do so, I placed them inside the circles for the most part, so that contrast in color would draw the viewer's eye towards these sections of the page. I had to experiment a lot with the background because I wanted it to be engaging and add to the piece, not just be a space filler. I chose a repetitive pattern that contributed to the overall vibe but was not overly busy. This created balance in my work. I would say this project evolved from an unclear idea that could have been very generic and uncreative to a cohesive piece that really used the shapes provided in an intriguing manner. I think my next steps could be to spend a little more time with the piece and make a few adjustments/additions. I would love to add some linework using a white gel pen, as well as details around the eyes, lips, and hair. However, I am happy with the piece overall and proud of my approach to the prompt.

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