Self portrait: Pencil drawing by Alexis Baker

Description: During the first semester, students learn to use certain elements and principles of art. The last unit is the drawing unit, culminating with their self portrait.

They are instructed to draw what they see not what the brain tells them to draw. Using the right side of their brains, the artistic side, they are to look at the photo of themselves and isolate the area they are drawing.

They have to learn to stop the distractions of the whole and focus on the area of interest. They add shading and dimension to their facial features thus giving it shape and 2-D quality.  This is one of the more trying units that the students will have to endure in art this year.

Alexis Baker, sophomore

When I began the drawing of myself, I was a tad under-confident in myself, as realistic art has never been my forte. When it came down to it and the actual process of it all, I found that I was challenged in my both my art and my patience.

My biggest struggle of all had to the lips and the nose of the drawing. Shading isn’t my greatest skill, though I don’t think the end job was appalling. I loved drawing my eyes and my hair. My hair is nicely curled in the photo and I feel like it captured that in a nice way. My eyes, and eyes in general, are something I always enjoyed drawing and I found that part to be relatively easy for me.

Not my best work but not bad in its own right, more akin to the zone of the ‘uncanny valley.’

For more Feature Art, visit Featured art, No. 2, 2018-19.