Stevie Richardson - Project 2

I initially really disliked this project. I couldn't quite get a vision for what we were supposed to be attempting. I started out with a geometric pattern, and an organic one similar to the example in the handout. Super boring. I scrapped the first attempt and started over with a new concept: movement. I wanted to show something organic and fluid transitioning into a more brittle form in an unfamiliar landscape. I decided to make it apparent on the organic painting that the cup is in a kitchen, on a kitchen table with dot wallpaper. Once it crossed over onto the geometric side I strove to create more of an alien landscape while carrying over the fluid motion, and patterning of the organic painting. In the end I was pretty pleased with the results. I was nervous with my color choice initially, but I think it ended up contrasting pretty well in a way that isn't shocking.

Stevie Richardson - Project 1 Repost

I loved this project. It was my introduction to non representative art and it really changed my mind about the tools that can be used to come to a final composition. I've always thought that you had to be really great at different mediums to create something meaningful, and that there were rigid ways to get there. I was wrong about that, it made me feel a lot more empowered in my own art and honestly has shifted my focus from practical artistic applications to projects that reflect the spirit of this project.

Mack Need-Project 2

I had a good time with this project. I really enjoyed being able to use paint and colors. My two pieces were cohesive due to the pouring/falling effect they both had centered in the middle. Combining the organic shapes with each other, resulted in the use of both geometric and organic shapes. I found this could work backwards as well. Both of my designs are both organic and geometric, while following a main theme each. I often draw from life and I was just in printmaking, as my designs reflect. I did split-compliments and kept my compositions neat without adding as I originally had planned. I think the space around the images are effective for the main focus. I used fragmentation as well as dissolving, diffusion, balance and more. I honestly don't have a preference for the way in which my art is turned and looked at. It looks cohesive to me regardless of the way it is turned, but I can see how it can come full circle when one is heavier on top and one is heavier on bottom.

I like working with gouache, I never have before. However, it isn't as easily malleable as I had hoped. Once it is on bristol, it tends to dry out pretty quickly if there isn't enough water used. On the contrary, if you don't use enough water, the hue is not right/bold enough, most of the time. It required a lot of patience when coming to outside lines, and plenty of paint! This is a really nice palette to mix new exciting colors with in general.

Alex - Project 2

 Overall, I enjoyed this project. Making the swatches was pretty straight forward, no difficulty there. I did have some trouble with the gradations. I started at both ends, and tried to meet in the middle. I feel that some of the colors in the scales are too similar. The color wheels were easier. Making the circles was also a simple task, as was making the shapes. I ended up drawing random shapes on a separate piece of paper, and cutting them out. I traced the shapes on the bristol boards, and where the shapes overlapped, I mixed the two different colors. I used a graded gray wash for both of the backgrounds. 

The gouache was fun to work with, however not so much on the bristol board. I don't like how the brush strokes are so visible, I feel that it gives the project a very sloppy and unfinished look. On my own time, I used a pack of watercolor paper to experiment with the gouache. I added more water, and used the gouache like watercolor paints. It was very interesting to see how the gouache mixes, and how the pigments settle in pools and veins on the paper. If I had to change one thing about this project,  would have done the diptych on watercolor paper instead of bristol board.