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Finished Artwork and Writing

Title:  Reflections of Nurture 

Size:  7.1 in. x 9.4 in. 

Date completed: November 2, 2024

Inquiry question: How does the relationship between my mother and I nurture a distinctive bond that has shaped both our lives?

Ideas:  CherishedMemory, me braid my doll'sHair as my mom braidsMine, imitates her care&admires her guidance (100)

Materials:  B, 2B, 4B, H graphite pencils (29)

Process: A nostalgicMemory, utilized graphite 2 explore tonalValues&SmoothGradients,enhance warmth&connection (100)

Citations: Down-up perspective of me and doll using a phone camera (55)

ALL MLA CITATIONS  ON THE LAST SECTION

Planning and Practice 

Created a mind map 2 explore ideas 4 my artwork, followed by reference photos 4 inspiration. I sketched various angles using graphite on paper & iPad, focusing on values, highlights, & depth.  Removed colors 4 reference image before starting the final piece, ensuring a solid foundation 4 my drawing. (300)

Experimentation

I took photos of myself & the doll from various angles & lighting 2 find an interesting perspective 4 my final. All imgs have down-up perspective, but I took several 2 find the most visually interesting one (img1). The last img looks interesting too, but I wanted the focus 2 be on me & the doll. (296)

Process

Sketched the down-to-up reference image, starting w/ my face, hands, & doll as the main subjects. + worked on hair braidings, clothing details, & shadows for realism, focusing on values & wrinkles + I refined the background & enhanced depth by erasing dark areas 4 highlights → realistic composition. (300)

Reflection and Revision 

In this project, I am pretty satisfied with my final work as I refined my graphite pencil skills, achieving smooth and controlled shading. By focusing on small details like wrinkles and varying shades, I developed my artistic abilities and gained a deeper appreciation for the difficulties of my subjects. My inspiration came from Paul Cadden, an artist who hyper-realistic style emphasizes light, shadow, and detail. This project allowed me to explore similar techniques and connect my work to his in terms of depth. The biggest challange I faced was determining an interesting angle for my composition. I wanted to convey a sense of intimacy and connection, but finding a perspective that captured the idea was difficult. While this work may not directly relate to my previous project's artistic styles and concepts, it shows themes of nurturing and sharing love (like the last project). My favorite part of this project was drawing the face and the doll, and adding shades. It felt like it made the piece come to life. My least favorite part was drawing and shading the braids and hair due to their complexity, which made me realize that I could improve my focus and techniques in this area (and revise). In conclusion, I hope the viewers perceive my work as a representation of connection and affection. Which invites them to reflect on their own relationships and experiences/memories with their mothers. I really hope to evoke feelings of warmth and nostalgia through this piece.

MLA Citations

“Log into Facebook.” Facebook, www.facebook.com/paulcadden.co.uk/photos/pb.100050650652000.-2207520000/1522093331194811/?type=3. Accessed 02 Nov. 2024.

“Log into Facebook.” Facebook, www.facebook.com/paulcadden.co.uk/photos/pb.100050650652000.-2207520000/3594720167265440/?type=3. Accessed 02 Nov. 2024.

“Paul Cadden.” Facebook, www.facebook.com/paulcadden.co.uk. Accessed 02 Nov. 2024.