AP 2D Design
Podiatarp
Funky Town
Astro Gal
Yin and Yang
Divin'
Dawson and O'Keefe
Paradise
Bug Parade
Inscensical
Picture Book!
Holy Water
Skin and Bones
Old Age Strikes!
Obsession
Content
Windows Through Window
Plus Les Gens
Lettuce Rejoice
Be a Hero
Eye of the Beholder
Sunny Day
Mermaid
Final Reflection:
Jillian Wight
Medsker
AP Art and Design
9 June 2022
At the beginning of this year, my work was very experimental. I had the opportunity to begin to develop a strong personal style during my art classes Sophomore year, and AP Art and Design gave me the chance to develop that style and push myself. I worked with photoshop, paint, pencil, encaustic wax and numerous other materials to create bright, wild, funky designs. This work is really fun to look back at and reflect on, however, I consistently received the same feedback: the loudness of my pieces scared the eye away. Viewers didn’t know where to look and felt overwhelmed by my intense detail and lack of a color scheme. During semester 2 of AP Art and Design, I sought to refine my pieces. I focused on a clear theme with each illustration, developed a color scheme, a subject, and a narrative. These elements that were lacking in some of my earlier work are really present in the work I created towards the end of this class. In images like Obsession and Content, my improvement is extremely clear. These works are cohesive and evocative, rather than disorganized and overwhelming. I am so proud of how this class has helped me develop as an artist!
Reflecting on my work and my progress this year tells me that I have good skills when it comes to accepting constructive criticism. Critiques were always a part of AP Art and Design that I looked forward to, and I think it’s clear that I noted my peers' feedback and acted on their suggestions. In certain projects, such as Dawson and O’Keefe, some of my weaknesses undeniably showed through. I am a procrastinator, and my work takes a lot of time. Though that particular work was rushed, I was able to pull it together in the end. Still, from that experience, I learned that it takes time to produce work I’m proud of. I was much better about time management going forward. I also was able to maintain a strong sense of self throughout the year and made sure not to tone down my personal style based on the critiques I received. Instead, I listened to my peers, I pushed myself personally to experiment and expand my horizons, I consulted my teacher, and I drew upon other classes such as AP Art History to create works of art that demonstrate my resilience, persistence, and dedication both as an artist and as a learner.
The most challenging aspect of AP Art and Design, for me, was deciphering the ins and outs of the portfolio criteria. I had a hard time understanding the phrase “synthesis of materials,” and so I ended up trying to incorporate yarn, wax, even organic media into my projects when really this term could have referred simply to my use of colors. However, I’m so glad I pushed myself to experiment in the manner I did, because I ended up learning so much about myself as an artist. I am really happy with the projects I’ve produced, even if I’d never attempt some of the processes I used again! I also struggled a bit when it came to finalizing my portfolio: matting, hanging, writing descriptions, etc. However, the experience was very beneficial because it served as an introduction into the world of many artists. It was great practice for skills that I will certainly need to use in the future, and in the end, I was successful!
I am extremely proud of the development of my work this year. Comparing my first few sustained investigation works to my last few is so satisfying to me, because the progress is really visible! I think my last few pieces were so much stronger than anything I’ve created before, and I’m so excited to take AP Art and Design again next year and push myself to new limits. I have no idea what new paths I will explore with my artwork, but I cannot wait to see how I continue to grow and learn. I think the key ingredient to my success this year was the extent to which I experimented. At each portfolio review I’ve attended I’ve heard that my body of work is both large and shows a lot of exploration of materials and techniques, which is so great to hear. This class prepared me so well for the future, and helped me develop in a way that I am so grateful for!
Over the summer, I want to be sure to keep a sketchbook. It can be easy to stop drawing when there are no approaching deadlines, but at one college I visited this year a professor told me that every day I do not draw is a day I wasted the opportunity to discover something new about myself as an artist. I think this is such a valuable lesson. I want to start by exploring needlepoint a little more, and maybe creating a fully needlepoint version of the work I created for my final independently designed project this year. Beyond that, my goal going forward is to continue to push myself to experiment. I am looking forward to next year and the years beyond. I can’t wait to develop myself more as an artist!
. . .
Semester 1 Reflection:
Jillian Wight
Medsker
AP Art and Design
20 January 2022
This semester, I’ve learned more about myself as an artist than I have in any other class thus far. I’ve had the opportunity to grow and adapt as I am challenged to produce works at higher speeds, evaluate and track my process with greater depth, and explore my own personal style. I think I have been most successful with just that: the development of my style as an artist. A few months ago, we began our Sustained Investigations. We were encouraged to come up with an inquiry question that inspired us. I chose to explore how perception influences beauty. Since then, I have created numerous works that show a lot of exploration and growth. My first few investigations are very true to what I would have called my style last year. However, it is clear that I began to focus more on a specific subject rather than intense detail everywhere based on my peers’ feedback. I also have started to gain a better understanding of color, and how a bright color palette can still be focused and intentional. There are also a few pieces for which I stepped out of my comfort zone to learn more about my limitations as an artist. Although I don't consider these works to be my style (Desire, for example), I was able to explore my inquiry question from different angles and I know that it benefited me greatly. I think that both adapting to deadlines and learning from peer critiques have been driving factors in my stylistic development.
One of my biggest challenges this semester has been keeping up with the faster pace of this course. I often ask for extensions on projects, and find myself working on two at a time. I think that I’ve struggled with this partly because I am often pressed for time due to athletics and academics, however, I also tend to embark on projects that include intense detail and elaborate layers without taking the time constraint into account. I also struggle a little when it comes to knowing when to put my pen down. I think that going forward, I need to utilize my class time better and produce sketches that plan out my work before I have to rush. In this way, I can avoid stressful situations related to deadlines, and can ensure that my idea is realistic and achievable. This will definitely be a skill that serves me well in the future.
Going into the second semester, I really want to challenge myself to produce works with more cohesive color schemes. I think this will really help me take my portfolio to the next level. Additionally, I want to put deeper thought into the connection between my projects and my inquiry question. I want my art to really push the boundaries of thought, and provoke a reaction in viewers. I also want to challenge myself to continue experimenting with the borders of my pieces, as this year I have played around with breaking borders as well as using circular paper. I think this can add a really cool aspect to my work if I continue to experiment. Finally, I think my biggest, overarching goal for the second semester is to pay attention to the processes I go through to create my work, and work on revising and reevaluating projects before I submit them. This will challenge me to take the time to reflect and observe my work, which I think will benefit me very much as I grow as an artist.