Week 6...Project 2 Critiques

This past week in class we spent our time critiquing our second projects. Our assignment was to create two self-portraits using Adobe Illustrator. Our first image was bound by certain restrictions. Our constraints consisted of a limited color scheme and a limit on the type of shape and the size of the shape we were allowed to use. I found that the guidelines for the first image helped me to stay focused and work efficiently.

I did not stray from the guidelines for my first image. I limited my color scheme to the gray scale, and I worked with five different sizes of a circle. In addition, my circles did not overlap. I was happy with the outcome of my first image despite how frustrating its creation was at times. I was very interested in what my classmates and professor had to say about my first project. I was happy to hear that they appreciated the amount of time that I put into my project. I found it interesting that my peers noticed the way that I pretty much stuck with three tones and the way that I created a triangle pattern with either side of my hair and my forehead. After listening to the critique of my design, I think I would have changed my mouth and eyes a bit.

As for my second image, I did not get much feedback from my classmates. For my second image I stuck with one technique. I created a grid of circles with an empty fill and a black stroke. I placed the grid over a photograph, and I used the eyedropper tool to color each circle a solid color selected from the background image. Once this step was completed, I deleted the background photo and left a white background. I wish that I would have experimented with the pen tool and maybe the gradient tool, but ultimately, I was happy with my end result.

As for my classmates' designs, I was impressed with the creativity of many of them. Three projects that stick out in my mind are Kayla's, Nicolette's and Kristin's. I loved the effect of Kayla's second image despite the fact that she was unable to print it in her intended color scheme. I absolutely loved how she was able to create a sense of form and depth. She used the pen tool so successfully, and I couldn't believe that a lot of the image was made up of circles. I also loved the composition of her image. The diagonal that was created drew my eyes to her eyes, which I feel are very important to a revealing something about the artist in a self-portrait.

I was very impressed by Nicolette's second image as well. I loved the painterly quality of the image, and I really appreciated her attention to detail. The way that she chose to only include some of her strands of hair was very successful. I loved how she paid so much attention to the veins of her eyes and her eyelashes.

As for Kristin, I loved her idea to take an abstract approach for her first image. The framing technique that she used resulted in two images that complement each other very nicely. I think that her use of color was very successful as well. I really liked the various shades of oranges that she used. Now that I think about it, I wish that I would have created two images that worked well together and that could be displayed side by side coherently.