Here are some of my favorite school projects...
They are arranged from earliest to latest and more will be added from time to time. There has not been a class that I have taken where I did not learn something new and wonderful, and I greatly look forward to continuing my education.
Intro to Drawing Final
This is one of my all-time favorites. The assignment was that we were to take our own face and combine it with the face of an animal. While everyone else chose fuzzy mammals, I chose my favorite animal--the Cockroach.
While I had reference material for everything else, I didn't have any references for the eyes; so I just had to wing it using everything I had learned about light and shade. As rough as it is, I think it turned out rather nicely.
While I had reference material for everything else, I didn't have any references for the eyes; so I just had to wing it using everything I had learned about light and shade. As rough as it is, I think it turned out rather nicely.
Intro to Drawing Pen Project
If you've ever seen the scene in the movie I-Robot where he draws out his dream--that's what it felt like to make this drawing. I'm surprised it didn't give me Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Yet I have no doubt that this will come later.
Still, it was a riot using all of the different pen techniques to create different textures in the image and bring out the contours of the animal.
Still, it was a riot using all of the different pen techniques to create different textures in the image and bring out the contours of the animal.
Intro to Drawing Still-Life Self Portrait
For this assignment we were to create a still-life of objects that tell something about ourselves. I really enjoy symbols and had fun putting it together. I can only hope that you have just as much fun exploring and interpreting it.
It was my first really big charcoal piece, and I've come to really enjoy the medium--if only it didn't make such a mess.
If I could do it again, I might have cropped it differently.
It was my first really big charcoal piece, and I've come to really enjoy the medium--if only it didn't make such a mess.
If I could do it again, I might have cropped it differently.
Intro to Drawing Collage Project
I was hesitant to include this one at first, because it has a few contrast problems. The fact that I almost followed the rule of thirds was totally by accident, because I wasn't an Art Major at the time.
Still, you have to admit, it has character. We were supposed to create an image out of magazine cut-outs and then do it in charcoal. I used mostly cut-up images of dancers--though the arm holding the machete belongs to a guerrilla soldier. The Creature is composed of three dancers, a baboon, a Kudu, and a Great Dane.
The biggest challenge for me was getting lighting to match up. I remember I had to inverse the colors on the arm holding the torch...still the lighting doesn't quite match throughout the drawing.
Still, you have to admit, it has character. We were supposed to create an image out of magazine cut-outs and then do it in charcoal. I used mostly cut-up images of dancers--though the arm holding the machete belongs to a guerrilla soldier. The Creature is composed of three dancers, a baboon, a Kudu, and a Great Dane.
The biggest challenge for me was getting lighting to match up. I remember I had to inverse the colors on the arm holding the torch...still the lighting doesn't quite match throughout the drawing.
Foundation 1 Still-Life
The foundation 1 class was all about perspective and line quality. I put a lot of work into using the lines to bring out the contours of the many organic objects I had chosen. Especially the two skulls at the base of the composition.
Unfortunately, the composition is loaded with tangents.
Unfortunately, the composition is loaded with tangents.
Design Animal Variations
For this design project we were to chose an animal and do it in a set of different styles including abstract, caricature, symbol, and transposition.
I chose my favorite animal, once again. All of the images were a success except for the symbol. Most interpreted it as just a beetle rather than a cockroach. It might fix it to include another bold white line down the middle of the back, with perhaps some other thinner lines to express its wings better.
I chose my favorite animal, once again. All of the images were a success except for the symbol. Most interpreted it as just a beetle rather than a cockroach. It might fix it to include another bold white line down the middle of the back, with perhaps some other thinner lines to express its wings better.
Painter Caricature Self Portrait
For this assignment our professor brought in all of his photography equipment, and helped to take our pictures, from which we would create a caricature. You just can't help but love it.
I made the exaggerations in Photoshop and then painted over it with an unsaturated brush in Corell Painter 11.
I made the exaggerations in Photoshop and then painted over it with an unsaturated brush in Corell Painter 11.
Painter Final
For our final project we were to either create a fantasy scene, or illustrate a dream we have had. I enjoyed the technique employed with my caricature so much that I used it again with this one.
The dream I had was of helping to clean up a flood in an imaginary neighborhood and finding a small alien sick in the water. I then brought it inside and wrapped it up, placing it beside the heater.
The model for the alien is a little clay doll I made a long time ago--wrapped up in a dish-towel. I painted him over too look more organic and less rigid--even painting more watery reflections in his eyes.
The dream I had was of helping to clean up a flood in an imaginary neighborhood and finding a small alien sick in the water. I then brought it inside and wrapped it up, placing it beside the heater.
The model for the alien is a little clay doll I made a long time ago--wrapped up in a dish-towel. I painted him over too look more organic and less rigid--even painting more watery reflections in his eyes.
Painter Emulation
For this project we were to chose a famous artist and do a picture of our own, emulating their style. I'm not sure how it happened, but before I knew it I was painting an old photo from a vacation to Rachel NV, in the style of Van Gogh.
Some of the colors were picked, while others were sampled from the photo by using an unsaturated impasto brush.
Some of the colors were picked, while others were sampled from the photo by using an unsaturated impasto brush.
Painter Children's Book Illustration
For this assignment, we were to either illustrate another person's story, or we could just come up with an image for a non-existent story, or a story of our own. I decided to illustrate a children's story of my own that I hope to write someday. You know, when I have both the time and skill.
There are some perspective problems with the spines on the head. Unfortunately, it's the second image I ever did in Corell Painter (the first was an absolute disaster and had to be immediately destroyed for the sake of society), so the structure of my layers are a perfect portrait of chaos. Therefore, it's a little hard to fix. I tried once, and almost succeeded before the program crashed.
I'm proud to say that my Layer organization skills have long since improved.
There are some perspective problems with the spines on the head. Unfortunately, it's the second image I ever did in Corell Painter (the first was an absolute disaster and had to be immediately destroyed for the sake of society), so the structure of my layers are a perfect portrait of chaos. Therefore, it's a little hard to fix. I tried once, and almost succeeded before the program crashed.
I'm proud to say that my Layer organization skills have long since improved.
Advanced Type Zine
Here are some illustrations and a sample of the layout for my zine project in Advanced Typography. For the assignment we were to come up with a zine based on the theme of 'Superstitons.' Therefore, my zine bears record of all of the silly things I believed in as a child.
The illustrations are pen and colored pencil with special attention to the complimentary yellow and violet color scheme.
A copy of the full zine can be found at the Salt Lake City downtown library,
or a free personal copy can be ordered from me via my contacts page.
The illustrations are pen and colored pencil with special attention to the complimentary yellow and violet color scheme.
A copy of the full zine can be found at the Salt Lake City downtown library,
or a free personal copy can be ordered from me via my contacts page.
3D Maya Still-Life
This is the first image I ever made in Maya. It was done using Nurb shapes, and textures provided within the program.
I tried to arrange the objects in a way that would lead your eye around the image. I only wish I understood mental-ray better so that I could get more realistic light bending through the thin plastic in the lid and straw.
The picture on the postcard I took myself, and that key and chain is an exact copy of my own.
I tried to arrange the objects in a way that would lead your eye around the image. I only wish I understood mental-ray better so that I could get more realistic light bending through the thin plastic in the lid and straw.
The picture on the postcard I took myself, and that key and chain is an exact copy of my own.
3D Maya Robot
For this assignment, we were to design and build a robot in Maya, then use perspective to integrate that robot into a photograph. Then we were to take the final render into Photoshop and do our best to make it look like it belonged.
I set up the picture myself after a story of mine about a cardboard spaceship, where there were little robots made out of random junk working under the dashboard. Not a perfect sucess, but fun nonetheless.
I set up the picture myself after a story of mine about a cardboard spaceship, where there were little robots made out of random junk working under the dashboard. Not a perfect sucess, but fun nonetheless.
Portfolio illustration
Being a portfolio class, I was meant to come up with my own assignments. For this project I wondered, what if I were hired to illustrate a magazine article? So I chose at random and article about today's technology effecting children's abilities to retain knowledge gleaned at school.
After doing a few thumbnails, I decided I was rather partial to this image. I created it in Adobe Illustrator using the pen tool, gradients, and gradient maps.
After doing a few thumbnails, I decided I was rather partial to this image. I created it in Adobe Illustrator using the pen tool, gradients, and gradient maps.
Character Design Sloth and Ocelot
Here is a mid to late example of some of my work from this class. We had been doing a lot of people before now, and I was excited to move on to some animals. The main part of the assignment, however, was to personify or give them some human characteristics in some way.
I chose two brazilian animals, and had them carry themselves like people while wearing a mild amount of traditional brazillian clothing. It's quite well done overall, except for the ocelot's left hand holding the spear...ther's just something wonky about it that I've yet to figure out how to fix...at least not without giving it a thumb.
I chose two brazilian animals, and had them carry themselves like people while wearing a mild amount of traditional brazillian clothing. It's quite well done overall, except for the ocelot's left hand holding the spear...ther's just something wonky about it that I've yet to figure out how to fix...at least not without giving it a thumb.
Advanced Photoshop Self Portrait
This one was really fun. The assignment was to do a self portrait using many of the techniqes we had recently learned--such as making our own paintprushes, making selections, and using masks. It could be of anything, so long as we were in there somewhere.
Now I personally love self portraits. After all, a self portrait a day keeps the identity crisis away. So I had no trouble dressing up in a leotard and making myself the focus of the design. I drew the bones myself and painted them in Corell painter before bringing them into photoshop and cleaning them up. The chain and I were cut out and adjusted with a selection, and the clock was cut out with a mask. The smaller letters in the background are a custom paintbrush, and I experimented using adjustment layers rather than making permanent adjustments. I just need to experiment using smart objects a little more now.
Now I personally love self portraits. After all, a self portrait a day keeps the identity crisis away. So I had no trouble dressing up in a leotard and making myself the focus of the design. I drew the bones myself and painted them in Corell painter before bringing them into photoshop and cleaning them up. The chain and I were cut out and adjusted with a selection, and the clock was cut out with a mask. The smaller letters in the background are a custom paintbrush, and I experimented using adjustment layers rather than making permanent adjustments. I just need to experiment using smart objects a little more now.
