Oil Pastel Color Study

For this assignment we had to create an interesting colorful composition and draw it using oil pastels. My goals and intentions in this work were to create different colors, especially the ones in the purple vase. I wanted to use different textures and colors to make certain parts stand out. I accomplished this by using the other parts of the paper to mix colors, and taking several pictures of my composition to understand all the different parts. What surprised me most was how easy the pastels blend. My drawing is about an interesting composition, and different values of different colors. The most difficult challenge was definitely getting the right color for the shadow and the blade part of the scissors. I met that challenge by trying different shades and getting advice from Mr. G and my friends. I experienced artistic thinking when I began to mix shades that went together with the other colors in my drawing. My drawing really works in the vase and the background. Some things I learned were blending, shading, and using white to erase. Another artist in the class I learned from was Laura, her pastels blended really well and all her values and colors went together. If I had a do-over I might choose different colors, or try and make it more realistic. I feel the best thing about my work is the different colors and the texture.

Two-Page Artist Spread

This is my two page spread on the artist Van Gogh.

jpg. #6 Leftovers

For this jpg. challenge, we had to post five or more pictures of our interpretation of "leftovers". For me, I took some things that I've started and haven't finished, or some things that I started and quit or "left behind".


I have many drawings that I've started but not finished, or decided that I don't like, so I consider them "leftovers".


I took ice skating lessons for several years, but then stopped, even though I still like to skate.


These are several books that I found stored away in my closet, that I have started reading but haven't yet finished.


I have many old notebooks that I began writing in, but haven't filled up, I don't usually write in them anymore and they can be considered leftover.


This is my piano. I took piano lessons most of elementary school and middle school, but I stopped and now take guitar, so it is kind of "leftover" since I don't practice as much.

Into the Night- Charcoal Version

For this work I took a picture I had taken of my street late at night, and used charcoal to make it into a drawing. When I go for a walk at night, these shadows and lights are what I see. I tried to show contrast between light and dark, and I also tried to create different textures and values throughout my drawing.

Carry-Out Charcoal Drawing

For this studio assignment we had to draw a Carry-Out carton with chopsticks out of charcoal. My goals and intentions were to make certain values pop out and create a realistic drawing. I accomplished this by experimenting with different shades and different types of charcoal, and by outlining parts of the carton differently. My painting is about dramatic shadows, smoothness, and the contrast between lights and darks. The most difficult challenge I had to face was creating the correct proportions and drawing the chopsticks correctly; and I met that challenge by trying different ways to draw them, and by cropping my composition. My drawing really works on the inside of the carry-out carton. Some things I have learned that I can bring into my next drawing were using new types of charcoal and blending techniques, such as using my eraser. Another person I can name in the class would be Lauren because her drawing was really nice, she had a different composition and a lot of depth to her drawing and she helped me with the shadows. If I had a do over, I might create a new composition and try to draw the chopsticks again. I feel best about how much I improved from my pumpkin charcoal artwork to this artwork.

jpg. #5 Into the Night

For this jpg assignment we had to take some pictures showing light, shadows, and things such as mystery/drama. Here is what I came up with:

Charcoal Drawing

For our second project we had to "carve out the light" from a still life, using charcoal. I created a set up where a small pumpkin was in the shadows behind a larger pumpkin, and a bone was around the two. My goals and intentions in this artwork were to show how just one light can cast different shadows on an object. I accomplished them by using different types of charcoal, chalk, and erasers. What surprised me most was how easy it was to fix something if you messed up. My drawing is about how shadows and value can change how you view a composition. The most difficult challenge was getting the pumpkin to actually take the shape of a pumpkin, and getting the shadows dark enough. I met that challenge throughout the whole course of the drawing. I experienced artistic thinking when I thought about the composition as just lines and shadows- not actual objects. I feel my drawing really works in the middle of the bigger pumpkin, because of the light and outlines. Some things I've learned that I can use in the future are how to look at you're composition in a different way, and how to use different materials. In my class, Annie used really dark shadows in her drawing that caused a lot of shadows and added a lot of depth. If I had a do-over, I would draw a composition that was more close up with the light in a different place. I feel the best thing about my work is the middle of the picture, because it has the most detail and catches your eye. 

jpg. #4 What I Obsess About

For our fourth jpg assignment we had to take a few pictures about what we obsess about.

I have already posted pictures of my dogs on here but I obsess about them a lot so here are two more:)

I obsess about baking, especially new things I haven't done before. 

I obsess about art, drawing, and art supplies. 

I obsess about bands and music, and one of my favorite bands is All Time Low and here is me meeting them (I cried a lot because I love them so much)

I obsess about photography, especially outside, whenever something looks cool I always take a picture of it. 

Right now I'm also obsessing about Halloween because it's one of my favorite holidays (currently listening to This is Halloween)

Ed Ruscha Word Art

For our first studio project we had to take inspiration from Ed Ruscha and make a positive word out of ribbon or paper, adding light and shadow. I chose the word "limitless". My goals and intentions in this artwork were to convey a positive word in a unique way. I wanted to form letters in a way that is different than what you would expect, and I wanted to show how light can create different shadows by being placed at different angles. I accomplished these goals by planning out what I was going to do before I did it. I made sure to use the same lighting the whole time I created the drawing. I used different pencils to form different shadows and show value. Showing value and certain shading techniques, and how much perspective can add to art is what my drawing is about. What surprised me the most was how there are many different ways you could go about drawing 3-D objects and the many different ways people shade, such as tissue paper vs. just from different pencils. The most difficult challenge was probably getting everything to be even. It was hard to get the letters the same thickness throughout, and the shadows to be around the same value in the larger places. When I took a step back and took my time, it became easier. I feel that my drawing really works to show shadows and like the words are coming off the page. Some things I've learned are different shading techniques and how to be more consistent in my drawings. In my class, Lauren drew hers and added shadows in a way that made her word almost jump off the page. If I had a do-over, I might have chosen a different font for my letters, maybe one that was almost cursive. I feel the best thing about my work is the shading on the actual letters.

jpg. #3 What is Family to Me?

For our third jpg assignment we had to take or find pictures of what family means to us, or who is our family. Here is what I came up with:


This is my eight year old sister Katey. I had just done her makeup in this picture because she had told me she wanted "cat eyes" and "better eyebrows". She's kind of annoying sometimes but she's also honestly one of the best people in my life and always makes me laugh.


This is my dad. I told him I needed pictures so he decided to pose and told me to choose this one (we had to take like 15). He works every day but Sunday and always does so much, he is always there for me and helps me with guitar and math and blasts Nirvana and Greenday in the car with me in the morning. He's also the only person that drives me to the store at 12 AM for ice cream.


This is my mom. She's practically my best friend, and she's one of the coolest people I know. She works all the time and helps everyone out. She always is there for me when drama happens, we have the best times in the car going random places, or annoying people in stores, or laughing too loud at the movies. She is always there if something bad happens and I just need to cry, and she sends me the funniest texts and we have the best conversations.


To me, family means more than who I live with.


This is an old picture of me and my grandfather. He passed away in August due to skin cancer, dementia, and other medical issues. Every time I would go over to his house, we would sit together and talk about everything, and I would always bring him cookies or cake and he would eat all of it in one sitting. He always made everyone laugh and filmed just about anything and everything that ever happened. He was one of the best people I've ever known.


This is also another old picture, of me and my grandmother. She had leukemia for 5 years, but fought through it and won. But it came back this year, and she had a fall with a brain bleed a month ago and has been in the hospital and getting care ever since. She is the one person in my family who I told everything to- I tell her everything, and we tell each other about our days every night on the phone. She's the strongest person I know, and she is the only one who has encouraged me and made me feel better about everything, and she never stops believing in me.


Family to me also means my friends, and they are always there for me and are some of the greatest people ever.  (ft Lauren, Misha, Ciana, and Annie)





We take the weirdest pictures ever, and we do the stupidest things. There's no one else I would rather laugh too loud in french with, climb over cars and make igloos and ride animatronic animals around the mall with, stick 5 bags of popcorn in the microwave and make too many roses are red poems and rant about people or mess around in the hallways or make memes or cry or say "ohmygodddd" or rant with. I love them a lot and they mean everything to me (@ u guys i hope u actually read this far).

The End :)

jpg. #2 Where I Spend Most of My Time

For our second picture assignment we had to take 5 or more pictures of where we spend most of our time.

I spend pretty much all my time in my room doing things like listening to music and practicing guitar.








When I'm not in my room, I'm probably drawing outside or around the house, or spending time with my dogs.





The End :)

jpg. #1 Selfie That's Not a Selfie

For our first studio picture assignment I took 5 pictures of me without showing my whole face:

I took this because I really like this book. (A Work in Progress by Connor Franta) 

This my dog and I (please I hope you like this you don't know how hard it was to take a picture where he wasn't attacking the camera). 

This was taken in an old room of my grandma's house. (took a few tries thanks @ katey)

This is me being twenty one pilots trash. (I made that thing last year) 

This was taken by the water in South Baltimore. (I didn't fall in)

First Post ft. Russ Mills

I'm Jessica and this is my Studio 1 blog. The first project we've done in this class this year was to make a two page spread of an artist that we chose to be our mentor. I chose Russ Mills, and here is what I created:



I painted the background with black and blue watercolor. I used white paint to spell out his name, and traced it with pencil. I re-created two of his pieces and added another piece he made up at the top. I added some texture to the pages as well, using tissue paper with type on it and black felt. I used paint to create spaces to write some facts about Mills, and what I liked from his work and what I liked about how he used different techniques.

P.S.: my link for my blog is taken from one of my favorite songs by twenty one pilots :)