Final Portfolio Project




In my third installment of this semester's portfolio course, I would like to explore the urban landscape through photography and drawings. I have already begun shooting in NYC, I love the architecture there. The ambling rooftops especially intrigue me. Formally speaking, I want to really hone my technical drawing skills in terms of proportion, perspective and value. In addition, I really want to focus on composition and composing interesting and balanced pieces. This is a subject that I have always had a strong response to visually and believe that I can capture what it is that fascinates me by doing this project. I plan on doing drawings from life rather than from my photographs. But if I find one photo that I think would look better translated into drawing, I will not limit myself to this rule. I will have a series of at least six pieces but no more than ten, that share a common aesthetic or theme that I intend to make evident to the viewer. I also intend to imbue them with some deeper expressive content , but at this point I am starting with a subject and not a concept so I expect the aforementioned content will reveal itself as I dig deeper into my work. In sum, my objectives are to improve technical and observational drawing skills, compose the pieces in a thoughtful and conscious way, and to present my viewer with a new perspective on a familiar subject.

Whew! So I've been working on my video for this phase quite a bit. I'm definitely learning as i go with this one. I'm starting to catch on to the shortcuts and the ins and outs of this application, and I must say I REALLY like video. Fun stuff! It's quite exciting to take advantage of different medias in order to translate my ideas and concepts into tangible work. I just don't find it possible, for me anyway, to express certain aesthetics through my painting.
I have found that there are two schools of art-making. There are those who just go, who start from scratch and just create whatever passes through them. Then there are those who start with a small seed of inspiration; a thought, a memory, an emotion, some social or poitical event. This is then reflected upon, reacted to, even researched and then the physical art-making process begins there, after much deliberation. I belong to the latter school. I have nothing against the first method, but I personally find that having an understanding of what it is that one is trying to convey not only informs the work but gives it a great depth of beauty and meaning. I believe it is our jobs as artists to be teachers as well as the makers of beautiful things. Without some form of conceptual content or evident intent the piece is just "stuff." I don't expect everyone to agree with me on this one, but it's just my own take. I like my work to be fueled by my brain as well as by my soul.
But I digress. I guess I am just excited by using various media previously unknown to me. Some are more effective than others in expressing certain aesthetics. Broadening my ability and knowledge of these media will strengthen and diversify my work.