On The Flipside Of The Stairwell

(prismacolor)
This was the smallest piece I ever created. I really liked this shot of the underside of the stairways overlapping and almost crisscrossing. I enjoyed creating this, and usually I like to add strike of vivacious color like red going through my pieces somewhere. It's a new thing I've been wanting to start. Anyway, I was really pleased with the way the colors came alive. Nobody really pays much attention to the underside of stairs, but I guess that what makes them beautiful. Now, you can see it through my eyes.

Enduring Through The Pain

(acrylic paint, prismacolor)
Every time I take a look at this piece, I'm like WOW!!! I did that with my own hands, the image out of my own head, the message out of my own mouth, the emotion out of my own heart. Before I go into all the reasons for the color scheme, I have to explain what this picture means. My original idea was that he was supposed to be trapped in a box, the whole shape of the picture is the box. However, the box is symbolic, meaning in this case that he is trapped in a place or world where he does not want to be but has no choice but only to endure the rage, the pain, the immense suffering, and depression, almost leading to madness. He puts his hands up in order to back away from and try to resist some of the pain beating down on him. This suffering is represented by the vibrant red background, which reminiscent of blood. On the background, what looks like scratches are actually "splashes" and brush strokes of orange like flames which symbolizes the burning emotions of his agony. The barbed wire symbolizes the persistent torment which implies ongoing frustration. In contrast, the blues and greens of his hoodie and jeans indicate the deep internal calmness despite the misery and anguish that he faces. The foreshortening technique used here (the reason why his head is so relatively small) let me focus on the energy and emotion being expressed through the colors instead of focusing on facial distinctions. Last, but most certainly not least, the Japanese characters are Kanji characters meaning "Endurance" or "Perseverance". This is my favorite piece.

The Fish and The Kayaker

(chalk pastels)
As if it's not already obvious, this is a surrealism piece. Honestly, I'm not real, real happy with this one. In fact, I really kinda hate it. The big black thing is supposed to be a cliff. The yellow thing is not a banana, it's a kayak. Hence the name "The Fish and The Kayaker."

A Table For One

(oil pastels, charcoal)

I like this one specifically because of the shading on the candles, the differentiating colors on the leaves, the blend of green and navy blue for the background, and the shadows coming from the vase, the glass, and the candelabra.

Pretty Girl

(chalk pastels)
This one my pieces from my ninth grade year back in Michigan. What I usually try to accomplish in my art pieces if it involves a person or an animal is the emphasis and intensity of the eyes. With this one, I'm not completely sure that I had done that. However, the shading is exceptionally good, and I like the way the hair fans out a little. I cheated on the nose... very elementary and simple. But in any case, the eyes must be expressive.

Alicia Keys

(black and white charcoal)
Alicia Keys is one of my favorite artists. Very expressive and poetic. So I thought it would be cool to do a big portrait. The teeth were very difficult, as were the braids (which probably don't really resemble braids), and if you look closely her ear is kinda messed up. But hey, it was also my ninth grade year.

The Faerie

(watercolors, oil pastels, and chalk pastels)
I've always had this thing about faeries. Mystical and mysterious... it is an interesting concept, that's why. This piece, ("The Faerie") captures that essence of the idea of a faerie. I did this back in my ninth grade year, when I was promoted from Art 9 (equivalent to Art 1) to Independent Study. I used watercolors, oil pastels, and chalk pastels, and I believe that together they created a very dreamscape type effect.

Shadows and Reflections

These shadow and reflection pieces are simple but neat. If you look at them once, they won't mean anything. However, if you stare and think about them... it's a whole new world.