Home #12

When creating this piece I was guided by ideas of home and childhood and I thought this scene would convey those themes. This image displays Clio and I looking at our birthday cake when we were younger, about to blow out the candles. I liked the contrast between the dark background and bright candles and clothes and wanted to recreate that in this piece. I also aimed for a more realistic yet saturated look. I was inspired and guided by artistic qualities like contrast, color, and shading during the process of making this. I strived to strengthen the contrast by pushing the darks and bringing out the lights. 

I used Prisma colored pencils for most of this piece, shading and burnishing the pencils for a smoother and more realistic appearance. I also included material synthesis when incorporating beeswax. I stuck the beeswax onto the paper and it was used for the candles on the cake. Beeswax and cake candles connect as they are both made out of wax. 

For this work, I wanted to deepen the contrast and depth of my art so I began looking for photos that captured those characteristics of strong contrast and a unique perspective. I found a reference image one of my parents had taken many years ago. I sketched out a general outline of the piece and went from there. I went in with colored pencils, trying to blend and manipulate the paper for deeper contrast. I wanted to capture the light from the candles and their glow. Then I began sticking the beeswax onto the paper. I have not fully completed the project as I have to stick the beeswax onto the rest of the candles.