Black Swan

Black Swan

Materials:  Clay and acrylic paint

For this assignment, I decided to create a sculpture of a swan.  This swan is not an ordinary swan, but it is a black swan.  Using sculpting clay, I first created the body of the swan and then rolled the clay to create the neck and head.  Then taking small pieces of the clay, I rolled the pieces to create the feathers of the swan.  

I was inspired to create this sculpture from the movie Black Swan.  The black swan represents the corruption of a persons mind.  Even though the film is about a woman's alter-ego, I decided to create my sculpture based on people's perception of themselves.  I believe that everyone starts their life as a "white swan", someone/something that is beautiful and pure.  As time progresses in a persons life, effects of media and society may corrupt their minds.  As this happens, they turn into a black swan.  They start to hate themselves, and begin to turn into something that will eventually destroy themselves.  People need to realize that they are powerful enough to overcome the effects of society and stay their pure and beautiful selves.  

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

-Yours Truly

Fashionista

Fashionista 

Materials:  Pencil crayon on cartridge paper

Using a hard pencil, I drew a croquis fashion drawing.  I then added a dress to the woman in the drawing.  Using a purple pencil crayon, I shaded different areas of the dress to create lighter parts of the dress and shadows on other parts.  Using a black pencil crayon, I went on top of the darker areas and shadows of the purple and added more darker areas creating the appearance of depth throughout the dress. I also left some very white areas on the dress to create a highlight.  I decided not to put a face on the croquis drawing because I believe that a face would take away from the drawing and the dress.

I was inspired to create this dress as I find designing red carpet dresses very interesting.  It has always been a dream of mine to walk down a red carpet wearing an extremely nice gown.  I figured that this would most likely never happen, and therefore, I decided that I would design a dress that I would want to wear if I were to walk down a red carpet.  

I know that you should never give up on your dreams, so I will never stop dreaming and trying to live out my dreams.  I will continue to draw and paint, and hopefully, one day be famous enough to get the chance to walk down a red carpet.  

"Reach for the moon and if you miss, you'll land among the starts." - Unknown

- Yours Truly 

Pretty in Red

Pretty in Red

Materials:  Acrylic paint on canvas

For this painting, I first used a painting knife to spread silver acrylic paint on the entire background.  Once this had dried, it created a 3-dimensional texture.  Using different acrylic paint, I then painted black branches of a tree and red flowers on top of the branches.  

I decided to title this painting Pretty in Red because it is a painting of a cherry blossom tree.  Usually, cherry blossom flowers are more of a pink colour rather than red.  I feel that red cherry blossoms have a more modern appearance and would match better if it was to be displayed in a home.  Because I am interested in interior design, I like paintings that would fit well when displayed throughout homes.  Even though cherry blossoms are usually pink, I believe that they also look pretty when painted using red.  

To create this painting, I was inspired by another painting of a cherry blossom tree.  Both my painting and the painting that inspired me have a textured background and include many flowers.  I wanted my painting to be different from this one, so instead of using brown for the branches of the tree, I used black.  Also, instead of using pink for the flowers, I used red.

Today, people believe that in order to fit in with the rest of society, they need to be just like everyone else.  They need to wear the same thing, have the same body and facial features, and act the same.  However, people need to realize that they are their own person.  It is good to be different from other people.  Accept who you are because everyone was created the way they were, for a reason.  

-Yours Truly