"Evolving With Time" >>> Self Portrait Process

I completely changed my idea with the mannequin. When I first thought of this project, I was imagining a woman covered with sticks, like how I am holding them in the picture below. I was planning to place each stick about an inch apart, so you could see through to the other side. I was also going to weave ribbon through the sticks. But I talked to some other students about my idea, and processed all of my thoughts, and a new idea came to mind.

I am not going to cover it with any more sticks. In each of the opening of the mannequin I am going to hand leaves, rocks, and pinecones. Kind of alternate between them all, and display them as if it was a dress. I am going to bring ribbon and pearls in to the mannequin still, but I will do it with a different technique than I was planning. I am still planning it as I go, I am not 100% sure of what I am going to attach to her. I am just going to design it as I make her, and see what the outcome is.

"A Woman's Campfire" >>> Self Portrait Process

After a scarred hand and foot, I finally finished the branch outline of my mannequin. I am very pleased with how it is looking so far. It still looks like a mannequin! I have a big huge pile of sticks and leaves that will be used on the mannequin more and more. The top part of the body was harder to glue together than the bottom part. The top uses smaller branches than the bottom, so the glue and wire was a bit more difficult to hide. And as I was making it, I developed an excellent association with my personality. At this point, the mannequin is extremely fragile, and could break very easily. Which is like me, I am very emotional and I get hurt very easily, even with words. Also, What do you think of when you see a mannequin? beauty, perfection, and appearance? All of these things describe myself very well. Mannequins are always perefct, flaunting the best outfits in the store. And that is just how I am. I am a huge perfcetionist, always trying to be perfect. And it is a bit ironic because a mannequin is perfect, but the sticks to form the mannequin are not symmetrical, so it is trying to be perfect just like myself. And they are always showing off clothes, again like me. I try to be the best at everything I do, and I do not like when somebody has created something better than mine. I like challenges and making a huge effort at everything I do.

"Time For Textures" >>> Texture/Color Study Process

We began our project dealing with colors and textures today. I made a few samples of three different colors together and finally found out the three I like best. I also made my decision based on the variety of shades I had for each color. I am using browns, pinks, and blues for this project. I had tons of browns from my cubist paintings that I wanted to use. And I also had many blues and pinks, so I tested them out and loved the outcome of the paints together! I was going to originally use blues and greens, but as I looked around the room, everyone was using those colors, so I changed my mind!

These two textures are being created as I make other textures. the one on the left is where I wipe off my fingers by pushing my thumb in to the paper. And the one on the right os pressed against other textures, getting colors all over the place.

This is just a snapshot of some of the textures I made in class today. I tended to have a pattern of all of my textures. I just blotted many things that were covered in paint. So I started rubbing things down the page. They are all turning out very neat looking, but I am on a hunt for some more things to use in my textures!

"Coming Alive" >>> Self Portrait Process

My mannequin is going very good so far. It is just like I had been visioning it. The wire structure of it was finally complete, and it actually looks like a woman!

And I began gluing sticks onto the wire. Half way done with it, and I am thinking this part is the most time consuming. I also realized I hate hot glue guns! I think I burnt myself about twenty time. I might invent a cold glue gun!! But the tree branches are forming to her shape very well. I had to hun tfor a stick that would curve just like a real woman's body does.

"Ribbons and Pines" >>> Self Portrait Process

This very well could be the project I turn in for my self portrait. It is practically like a model of what the my "real project" is going to be. I was talking to Bill about my idea for my mannequin made out of sticks, and he came across an idea of using only a pine cone and ribbon, nothing more. So I made this really quick, in about five seconds, to show him the simplest of any project. I have processed my thoughts and have tried many different techniques and ideas for this self portrait project. But I am still in progress of my mannequin and sticks. This pine cone with ribbon is representing my final project. It will contain nature and a girly side of myself.

"Taking a Closer Look" >>> Self Portrait Process

I constructed my wire figure of the woman. Once she was nicely shaped, I placed her on the mannequin stand. And I noticed just a bit of a problem. The lady slides down the stand. I thought I made the exact measurement of the stand, but apparently my measurements were a bit larger. So I had to rethink about what I was going to do to be able to fix the neck of my woman.

I thought about wrapping more wire around it, with small arches connecting to the smaller circle. But then I thought of a better and quicker idea. I decided to glue cardboard to her neck! It holds her up at the right position now. She no longer sides down the stand.

Now my wire woman is made, and I have to begin hot gluing sticks to the wire.

"The Final Decision" >>> Self Portrait Process

After making a list of personality traits, drawing tons of sketches of other project ideas, and just thinking of millions more, I made my final decision.

I am planning to make a mannequin, like the one below. I am using it as a model so I know how big it needs to be to fit on the stand.

And I began the structure of her in class today. After talking to Bill and Kathy individually, i changed my original idea of the mannequin. First, i was going to make her out of cardboard, but I then realized cardboard is a material that is versatile, and also does not relate to my personality. So Kathy helped me process my thoughts, and I am planning to make the mannequin out of sticks, with wire helping to support it. It seems like it is going to be quite a challenge, but I do not like anything simple.

The mannequin will have two of my major personality traits:

I love nature and adventures, and being outdoors. I don't mind getting dirty and my dad always calls me "one of the guys".

But on the complete opposite side, I love to get dressed up and wear makeup. I care about the presentation of myself, and I like when things coordinate together.

If somebody were to look at me, they would consider me a city girl, by the way i talk, act and dress. But somebody that knows my true self, knows I am not afraid to break a nail, even if they are perfectly painted.

I am going to relate these two personalities into the mannequin, making them intertwine, just like they do in myself.

"A World With Color" >>> Lecture 13/Color Intro

We have been focusing on black and white for the entire semester so far. Now we are experiencing some color! Our lecture today introduced the basic color theory, and the three dimensions within color. It's a very interesting aspect, with different color combinations, forming different colors. I also found it very interesting that screen and emitted lights combine to form colors that paint would not. In class, we did a little exercise to help us relate to color. It helped a lot, and I understand the three concepts very well now.

These are all of the colors I used.

Hue: location of the color in the spectrum or color wheel

Saturation: distance from neutral gray or purity of hue. I used the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow)

Value: darkness or lightness of the amount of light emitted or reflected

"Music, Marks, and Words" >>> 2D Project 2 - Part 2

My final quote and marks project. They ended up being 2.5 feet wide by about 4.5 to 5 feet high. They look wonderful, I am extremely happy with my results. They are also very shiny and glossy. I went to a graphic store to get mine printed. It was a bit more pricy than going to Office Depot, but I figured I am going to have these forever, and they are useful for my major, so I went all out. I took a picture of the actual poster, and also uploaded the picture I had on file of the scanned image, because the picture of the posters are hard to see with the shininess.

"Four Wheels" >>> Marks, Music, and Words Process

From my top eight, I had to knock it down to my top 4. It was surprisingly easy to do, but I also made one brand new one that was not in my top 8. They all turned out very pretty and unique. They will also be very helpful in my graphic design portfolio. :)

Kathy's favorite for the quote. And also my favorite.

I like the dance quote with this mark better.

Between the dance quotes, I had a difficult time choosing my favorite one. But I really like how the quote flows with this mark.

But this is Kathy's favorite. Since both of my posters will be the same size, she likes the darkness of this one next to the whiteness of the unwritten quote.

"Overflowing My Brain" >>> Self Portrait Process

At this point, I still have no idea what I my project is going to be. I have thousands of ideas coming to my mind, and I am unsure of just what the teachers are looking for. So tomorrow in class, I will hopefully narrow my many ideas down to one, and begin my project.

I feel like I need to choose a project that will have hard materials to make it with. Because my foam board for my star was too versatile, and I do not want to run into the same problem again. So I am giving this project much consideration, rethinking, and redesigning.

I have made a quick sketch for some of the projects I am thinking about making. I have many different ideas that keep coming to my mind. I was going to make bathtub filled with bubbles, a jumbo camera with pictures representing me, a mannequin with each side representing a different characteristic, a fence with a different personality on each side, a rubix cube that is confused with all of my ideas, a puzzle piece that has many different personalities, something to do with layers of myself, or three hanging balls each with a different trait. I am completely stumped on which one to use. I have tons of things coming to my mind, but I'm not sure which one to use. I have definitely thought this project out, maybe even so much to wear it all gets tangled together. I'm only hoping to make a final decision tomorrow in class, and being the project as well.

"Will You Marry Me" >>> Self Portrait Proposal

On Friday we did a proposal for our project. I was not completely 100 % sure if I was going to do this idea. I was going to make a bathtub filled with bubbles, but the supplies seem very hard to choose. My group members also did not react like I was hoping, when I told them my idea. I also realized I need to have two main personality traits, and with the tub I only had one. So I am rethinking my entire project, or maybe just making this one more clear.

"McKenzie Mobile" >>> Creating a Calder Mobile

My Calder Mobile turned out pretty good. I used coordinating colors of red, orange and yellow. It took many attempts to make. I did not realize every single piece is suppose to move and balance until after I started. So I had to tear it apart, and redo the mobile. But now it is perfectly balanced and moves around as well.

A close up of a part of the mobile. On some parts, I used a large piece of paper with the other side having to pieces of small paper. I did many different things to balance and rotate each part of the mobile.