“Lion”
18in x 24in
Medium: Soft Pastels & Color Pencils
This is a piece I created to picture the majestic look found within the eyes of a powerful lion. By drawing an upclose image of this creature’s face, I was able to capture every detail of hair, shape, and color found within the eyes and mane of the lion. The soft pastels helped to create wispy and flowing hair on the forehead and cheeks and eventually blend into the mane. One challenge though was the effect the color pencils created when used on some parts such as the longer hair pieces and blending of the detailed eyes. Awkward indentation of lines and unmatching colors were the main troubles I faced while drawing with the pencils on top the soft pastels but eventually I was able to the best colors and find the right angles for the pencils to create the detailed shapes of the lion while still maintain the natural flow of soft colors and fur. This piece matches the beauty and dramatic stare of one the world’s most powerful animals all while successfully challenging myself to create this image using an unusual mixture of some of my favorite mediums.
“Glory”
18in x 24in
Medium: Soft Pastels & Color Pencils
A national symbol as well as a graceful animal known for its strength and perfectly symmetric features, this portrait of a bald eagle has become one of my best pieces yet to date. Similar to my “Lion” piece from before, I used the same mediums of soft pastels for the wispy feathers and bright beak and color pencils for those detailed and threatening eyes. It may not be as color like my usual pieces, this picture tells a different story as the audience peers into its eyes and appreciates the symmetric balance it has. Mastering this symmetry was no easy task, however, as I found myself constantly reshaping, erasing, and judging both sides of the bird to match its realistic image. Being able to create the flowing feathers and penetrating glare truly portrayed the look I was looking for all while growing more accustomed to this mix of mediums and discovering more on their strengths and weaknesses together that I then can use for other future pieces.
Sustained Investigation
Here is a slideshow to explain my Sustained Investigation. My goal here was to determine what theme I will be working with this coming year and how I came to choose the one I did decide on.