Photography Friday

Wednesday, I was trying to eat my lunch outside on campus, but they were blaring this music (I hate welcome week--just call me the Grinch of welcome week).  Needless to say, I packed back up my sandwich and avocado (I love avocados!), my camera, and the 500 Bowls book my instructor had loaned me and headed to a park.  There's a wooded park just five miles from campus, and that's where I escaped.

{click to enlarge}

Even though I said I hate welcome week, I do like the first week of classes.  My favorite part about it is getting to set back in my seat and pay attention to the first impressions people make.  Although I'm not in very many classes this semester, I did get to meet two new instructors (they are quite the opposite of each other), two ready-to-make-good-impressions women (also quite opposite of each other), and a creepy staring guy. I love first impressions!

For some reason, as I sat on my root, eating my sandwich, I found the glow under this leaf very attractive.  Don't you wish you were about half a cm tall so that you could curl up with a book under that lovely yellow shade?

Look what I found on the trail.  It brought back not-too-long-ago memories of friends and summer.

Are these mourning doves?  They are so cute.  They were interacting a lot more, but by the time I got dropped all my bags and books on the sidewalk and got my camera out, they were more interested in "that strange girl down there" so I didn't get any pictures of them beak-to-beak.

My family went out to eat...and I had to choose what to eat.  I hate ordering.  I just want to eat.

And here's a little card I made.  It's fun to make such little, simple pieces of art to send away in snail mail.  Maybe I can make a set today.

And here's a few more from earlier this week:

My sister, MarLeah, helped me make these for supper one night.  Yummy.

Cucumber and Avocado Summer Rolls with Mustard-Soy Sauce

Isn't it wonderful that no matter where you go, there will be a sky?  The sky is such a wonderful thing.

Blessings,

Alyssa

P.S. When I say "click to enlarge" that means that if you are on my actual blog (and not hiding in Google reader or some other feed service) you can click on any picture and a slideshow type thing will come up.  Anywhere else, it will probably just show that one picture on a boring white background distastefully aligned to the top left corner.

The girl with the golden hair:

...And why she has a frog in her mouth.

For two months, this ghostly sculpture has been haunting my room.  It was a paper mache project I did in sculpture class, but I never got around to painting it.  Finally, Tuesday, I decided it was time.

The first coat was white (and gold hair).

Then I did some layering and splattering and detail...and it's done.  That feels good.

Introducing: "She Has Golden Hair"

So...Why does she have a frog in her mouth?!

If you didn't take time to read the little fairy tale, basically it is a story of two girls. One sister—because of her sweet disposition—was blessed with diamonds and jewels coming out of her mouth with each word she spoke, while the other—because of her rudeness and temper—was cursed with snakes and toads coming out of her mouth with each word. This is the story I had in mind when I created the sculpture. The assignment was to sculpt a bust out of paper mache that would mingle ideas of attractiveness and repulsion. Furthermore, a verse in the Bible says,"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." (Mat 15:11) Put the verse and the fairy tale together and you have a pretty girl with a repulsive bad temper who hurts others and sins by the words coming from her mouth (represented by the frog).

Stylistically, I went for contrast--especially around the frog and mouth. There is smooth/ rough, pale/bright, and red/green contrast, and all tie back to the concept that repulsive is noticeable contrast to a pretty face.

The gold hair? It puts emphasis on the value people place on beauty (blonde being often considered a mark of beauty). The green eyes also hint to an envious nature, which is often times a malicious girl's biggest problem.

Detail texture

Detail hair

Detail eyes

Blessings,

Alyssa

By the way, does anyone see the phantom eye in the background of one of these pictures?  Double points if you know who it belongs to.

Various Summer Scenes and Happenings

Hi everyone!  I've been enjoying my summer already!  First of all, I found my camera all because I finally had time to do some sewing.  It was sitting snugly under the fabric I had cut out to sew a shirt.  How it got there, I don't know, but I'm happy I found it.  (so be warned, this post is full of pictures)  Secondly, I graduated from college with my AA in Art and Design.  Thirdly, I went on a miniature vacation with my sister where we visited my grandma and a new friend we met last summer.  Lastly, I finally designed a watermark for my pictures--it's simple, unique, and not distracting.  I like it. :)

Enjoy your summer!

Oh, and one more thing:  I listened to this message today as I did laundry.  The minister, Bro. Bob S., is encouraging us all to take time to study the Bible and "get excited" about learning about God's word.  I must say, it has inspired me to study more.

Blessings,

Alyssa

20 Things I Learned in College

Today, I take the exit exam for graduation.  That diploma is approaching quickly.  I’m so thankful for the opportunity I have had to go to school, and I feel like it has helped me grow a lot artistically.  I have learned a lot during two years of lectures, tests, and studio.  I hope the important stuff is tucked nicely away somewhere that I’ll never forget.

1.       Wasting time=stress later

2.       If you have any life whatsoever, do not expect weekends to be a “homework catch-up” time.

3.       You’ll learn only as much as you want to learn.

4.       Your instructor is very knowledgeable in his/her field.  Mine them.

5.       When an instructor is talking to you and you don’t like what they are saying, don’t try to correct them, defend yourself, make excuses, or say “I know”.  Close your mouth and nod your head.  Respectfully.

6.       Do not talk disrespectfully about your instructors.

7.       Bad days happen.

8.       Friendliness goes a long ways.

9.       Time management is a life-saver. (still learning this one)

10.   Being on time to class, and caring (or at least acting like it) gives you an advantage.  Professors appreciate effort.

11.   Usually everything works out some way, and situations never end up as bad as I envisioned.

12.   (art student specifically)  Responding to a compliment to you work with a “I don’t like it” or “it’s awful!” is awkward.  A simple “thank you” is the best way.  A constructive critique is sometimes acceptable as well.

13.   (art student specifically) Don’t tell someone that they are “way better” than you.  That is also awkward.  Please, please, please, do not tell someone that they are “showing everyone else up”, especially if “everyone else” can hear.

14.   (art student specifically) There is always that “ugly teenage” stage in making art.  Don’t get self-conscious during that time—it will only hinder you.  Instead, focus even harder on what it will be.

15.   People will judge you, but don’t let it get to you.  Stay focused on what really matters: the heart.

16.   Other people have bad days too.

17.   People are weird.  So are you.  But no one is weirder than that guy that always…never mind.

18.   First impressions: it’s what I love about the first week of classes.

19.   People are generally very helpful.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions

20.   Humor is a good habit.  Get used to laughing at yourself.

Blessings,

Alyssa

Study in Quadrants

This is the painting project I have been working on recently.  It is a study of the American Impressionist Frank Benson.  The original painting is called Summer Day, and I saw it in person at the Crystal Bridges Art Museum!  (I highly recommend a visit to that museum if you are in the area.)  As a study, we explored four different approaches to color.  The first view in the video is a four quadrants together, and then I fade it into monochrome sepia to show the values.  The first quadrant I show is the direct color painting.  It is the "normal" approach to color of mixing it on the palate and then applying it to the surface.  The second quad. shown is a black and white study of values.  The third (my favorite, but the most complexing) is indirect color.  As described in a previous post, indirect painting involves layering transparent colors until the desired color is optically blended.  Because the layers of paint allow some light to pass through, it creates a very different effect than that of the direct color mixing.  It is almost iridescent.  The last quadrant is Fauve (wild beast) color.  Unnatural and highly saturated colors are used, but values are kept the same.  I faded this quadrant into black and white to show the value relationship between the colors.  However, as the second picture in the video shows, the values of this quadrant are darker than what they should be.  I mainly did this because I didn't want to reduce the saturation of too many of the colors by adding white to all of them.  I suppose I'll stop blabbing about this awkward looking painting and just say that I learned a lot from doing this exercise.  I saw "awkward" because the quadrants aren't really supposed to look good next to each other.

Blessings,

Alyssa

Hello

Hello my fair-framed friends.  I hope the wind hasn't blown you away too far.

Hello wind.  I have a headband today!  hehehe...

Hello research paper.  I will conquer!

Hello Illustrator.  (i love you) *shhh

Hello daffodils.  You looked so sweet today!

Hello spring break!  You couldn't have come at a better time!

Hello college instructors.  Do you purposely make the last week difficult?

Hello Amanda.  I mean--um--you're not Amanda... (this is when you wish you were on the phone and could say, "sorry, wrong number."

Hello indirect painting.  You are complete!  (or abandoned--either one)

Blessings,

Alyssa