bloggin

Concentration

The center of my concentration is shadows and how they can make things clear while also hiding those exact same thing. I'm focused on the way shadows create life and reality but are so opaque, muddling that truth so easily. I want to find ways that make shadows important in their roles to an idea and not just simply a shadow.

bloggin

Castles

This one kind of frustrates me. It isn't that I don't like it, but I'm really angry with the arm. It DEFINITELY looks awkward and unnateral. You can barely tell it's an arm, it looks like a stick coming up from the ground. It was really difficult because that was how it looked from the picture I did it from and I worked it as much as I could, but could never seem to get it right. I also feel like it may need more sand around the castle, but I'm not too sure. I was trying to show the way shadows correspond with the past in terms of the development in childhood- like they make is simple but carry a weight. I don't really know about that, but really what I really liked about the picture was the shadows the person and sandcastle created. They're so bold, but I feel like I should make them even bolder, they seem to fade more than I would like now that I really look at them. Even though the castle is right front and center without any interesting composition, I like it. I found it pleasing to me to see a central image that didn't completely draw in your eye. The piece does not have too much flow or movement but I feel like it has harmony. I am pleased with how simple it is and how I don't have the urge to add in a whole bunch of unnecessary details that would only distract from the image.

bloggin

Wonder

This one was from The Whistling Season project, but I decided to use it in my concentration because it, for the most part corresponds with shadows. I feel like the shadows look a little toostiff though- which wasn't exactly what I was looking for in the picture. I feel like the posture and face of the boy are odd too, they don't seem natural or relaxed, which was also another thing I really was hoping to portray. I do though, like the contrast that I was able to get, this picture is a little bright, but I was happiest with the way the face and neck turned out value wise. I think though I should have let the shadows in his cheek creep onto his face more. With this piece involving shadows I was kind of looking at how they can hide a part of a person, and that's definitely not easily seen by the viewer.

Raphael

This was a while ago, but it just came to mind when I was thinking about the Portland Art Museum today.

I think we went about two months ago when it had been there for a while, and by it I mean: The Woman With The Veil.

And really it was beautiful, it was actually really neat.

We bought our tickets in advanced and when we went we all crowded into a small room.

At first I couldn't see the painting beyond the crowd of people, so I read some history on Raphael, which was pretty cool.

I'm pretty positive that it was the first time it had ever been out of Italy, at least it was the first time it had been to Oregon, which made it a special event.

When I saw it, I was actually blown away.

I can't even fathom how carefully he managed the skin and the dress, it was beautiful.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to see it, and now I want to go back to the museum and see what other new exhibits they have!