Sustained Investigation Semester 1 Reflection

Post Critique Reflection:

Jillian Wight

Medsker

AP Art and Design 

26 January 2023

Going into my sustained investigation earlier this semester, I didn’t know what to expect.  I knew I wanted to push and challenge myself in new ways, but wasn’t sure how.  I’m proud of where I am now, and I’m looking forward to experimenting even more going forward.  

I’ve developed my work this year by working to clarify my subject.  This was based on feedback I received a lot last year, and in my first piece this year, I thought the composition was too scattered and the eye didn’t know where to rest.  In response, I worked on the composition of future pieces, and began experimenting with techniques such as selective color, highlights, perspective, etc.  Though I pushed the boundaries with some works (for example I think the people don’t stand out in The Ol’ Ball and Chain), I learned from each and tried to make my next piece more successful.  I’m also proud because I think my inquiry question is much better this year. It allows me to play with a wide range of theme depths, have a lot of fun, and make strong personal connections.  This is something I want to continue to improve in going forward by thinking through each visual decision, adding more emotion to my pieces, and adding details that relate to my life.  In general, my work has developed in that I’m more passionate about my subject matter, I use color, negative spaces, and perspective more effectively, and I try my best to make the theme of the piece correlate clearly to the visual image.

One area I know I need to improve in is my use of materials.  During the critiques we’ve done this year, I’ve heard a lot that I should work on material synthesis, but I haven't been sure how.  I tried to accomplish this in Stranger Danger! by putting star stickers (which have a nostalgic feel and were often used in school, connecting back to the theme of curiosity) on the cowboy’s boots.  However, I also recently heard that my pieces are very flat, and many people recommended I play more with texture like I did in Down to Earth.  This is a cool and inspiring idea that I’m excited to research further, and I think I will add texture and material synthesis to my pieces going forward by adding things from the outdoors.  Being outside was a huge part of my childhood experience, and I think nature in general can be connected to humans in many unique ways, especially related to growing and changing.

In order to make my work more exciting, I know I need to experiment a lot more.  Last year I think part of what made my portfolio strong was the wacky experimentation I did, especially toward the beginning.  The progress I made as I pushed myself and learned from it was really visible, and my strengths and weaknesses emerged as I played with digital art, pen and ink, paint, fabric, encaustic, etc.  This year, I started experimenting in my first piece by working only in black and white.  This was out of my comfort zone, and I wasn’t overly pleased with the result.  I experimented with this further in Stranger Danger, and I’m getting to a place where I am happier with my ability.  I’ve also played with materials where I have less control compared to my usual pen and ink, like oil pastel, paint, linoleum block printing, and Conté crayon.  Next semester, I want to play with surface design (something I would definitely need to research quite a bit) and bring in elements of drawing such as line, light and shade, composition, etc.  I also want to experiment with needlepoint because I think it’s a material reminiscent of motherhood, it creates cool texture, and is very much new to me.  As well as experimenting with new materials and mediums, I want to push myself to try even funkier, wackier compositions that emphasize facial expression as well as narrative, and, based on feedback I’ve received during critiques, I want to work on adding more subjects (in odd numbers of course) to my works.  I think this will also push the narrative aspect of my pieces.  I really want each of my works going forward to be something new and out of my comfort zone so I can learn as much as possible during these last 7 pieces.

As I enter into the second half of my sustained investigation, I have a few goals in mind.  I want to experiment with perspective and composition more, I want to challenge myself to include more material synthesis and more texture, and I want to step out of my comfort zone in new ways with each work I create.  I’m so excited to see how my work develops!

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Selected Works: