Art By Grace Howard
Produced works from my High School Career
My portfolio has utilized symbolism to illustrate the burden of change whether it’s due to age, health, or sadness. I focused on value and colors to represent moods and contrast. Common themes in my pieces have been insecurities, nostalgia, and perspective. Two common symbols in my works have been butterflies and mirrorballs. I have included butterflies to show change and personal progress. Lastly, I have included mirrorballs because even though they’re a million broken pieces, they still shine and reflect light; similar to how flaws and abrupt changes affect our life and we still persevere. While on the journey of illustrating my portfolio, I made pieces with a range of media including oil pastel, acrylic paint, and charcoal while aiming to maintain the principle of harmony and stay on theme ( seen in numbers 1, 9, 11, and 15). While drawing with these materials, I gained experience with technique: utilizing cool tones, warm hues, thick strokes, thin lines, darker shades, and more to create value and contrast. To represent the effect of change I used symbols that highlight age, health, and sadness overtime. Illustrating tears, adult/toddler hands, and curved/straight spines.
Artist
Statement
1
24 x 18 in.
Oil pastel, chalk pastel, multi-media paper, and graphite pencil
This piece uses a mirrorball as symbolism. Though we contain broken shards, we still have the possibility to shine
Portfolio
2
17 x 14 in.
Oil pastel, chalk pastel, multi-media paper, graphite pencil, and CD's
I shifted my focus towards contrast to highlight the broken shards, emphasis on shape
3
15 x 10 in.
Oil pastel, chalk pastel, graphite pencil, and pastel paper
I utilized lighting and value principles to create a clear difference in the toddler and adult hand
4
Portfolio
24 x 18 in.
Acrylic paint, chalk pastel, sketch paper, glitter, and glue
This chaotic piece shows the bitter effect change in age can have and emphasizes how worldly attributes impact innocence.
24 x 18 in.
Charcoal, chalk pastel, and sketch paper
Butterflies were carefully crafted to represent the change in health as my spine began to curve.
6
10 x 15 in.
Charcoal, chalk pastel, and sketch paper
Strategically shaded to highlight the depth and anatomy of the eye; carefully whitening light areas
5
7
24 x 18 in.
Oil pastel, chalk pastel, multi-media paper, and graphite pencil
A variety of cool green tones were used to compose the iris. Warm tones were used for skin contouring.
I used my family's hands as a reference for this age piece. As seen here, I had to utilize value to create a contrast in colors for the mirrorball.
Process shots
I utilized past x-rays and physical photos to begin sketching anatomy for the scoliosis piece. I knew I had to perfect my shading to illustrate bone structure.
A variety of cool and warm tones were blended to create a difference in the structure of the eye, especially the disco iris, compared to the area of skin.
Historical inspiration was derived from Fransisco Goya to draw witches that represented worldly influence and how media impacts our mindset overtime.
Planning
Symbolism was heavy in my scoliosis piece, instead of using a mirrorball, butterflies were used. Butterflies were strategically scattered to show a change in health.
Symbolism was heavy in my age piece as well, not only did I incorporate a mirrorball, but hands were present as well to highlight the change of age.