17 year-old, student-artist, based in Manila. This blog is a mix of my portfolio and documentation of my journey through the IB Visual Arts HL curriculum. Instagram: @hyuurien
“For the digital artworks, I mostly manipulated the color of the background to see how they would affect the subject matter. For example, in my artwork of the hand, I attempted giving the hand a blue gradient background. I chose this because the hand’s skin tone has hints of orange and blue is its complementary color. I made the background quite dark which allowed the brightness of the hand to be emphasized on. I liked this effect and wanted to experiment how it would differ if the background was gray. With both colors, the hand was emphasized but I found that the gray made the artwork feel more impersonal. “
“In the summer of 2019, I started to do more digital drawings; one of these ended up being Newt Scamander in my then art style. When we were tasked with this character design plate, I saw it as an opportunity to practice drawing the same character from different angles. So, for this plate, I re-drew Newt and did five different profiles.
Though I could have drawn different facial expressions and added thought bubbles or aspects to further personify Newt, I wanted to focus on angle. I’ve noticed that I usually draw people/characters where they are facing directly forward or to the right. And so, I wanted to use this plate as an opportunity to branch out and expose myself to other angles. It was quite a challenge to imagine these, so I used reference images of Newt from the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
There are five angles: facing front, angled to the left, angled to the right, looking slightly up, and completely to the side. It was difficult to maintain consistency with the features, I especially struggled with the eyes, and proportions. For the latter issue, however, I was able to slightly align them more when I drew lines with a ruler. I began with sketching each angle on paper, then refining them on Autodesk Sketchbook.
As challenging and tedious as it was to draw the same subject matter, it was quite fun to explore the shifts in clothes, hair, and features. The actor who plays Newt in the movies looks quite different from my character. In reality, the actor’s face is fairly elongated and rectangular while my character’s is a more circular and stretched out. The eyes, as well, are exaggerated and made bigger which causes my Newt to appear younger. This was a conscious choice on my part, since, Newt’s personality is really playful. Since I wouldn’t be able to convey this aspect of him through his facial expression, I attempted to convey it in his overall look. The emotionless expression definitely contrasts this, but the age of the character (I hope) reads as fairly young and not someone in their 20s. Evidently, there is a lot more that can be done with the colors. The color scheme is fairly simple and, save for the shadows under the face, I didn’t delegate much focus to highlights and shadows.
As said earlier, this plate was mainly an avenue for me to explore drawing a character from other angles. However, in the future, I’d like to be able to study color and shading more in depth, but I feel that I must first master how to draw before concerning myself with coloring. Regarding the formal qualities of the work, I believe that the colors and linework are quite consistent. Overall, there is some semblance between the characters but I feel that for the angle facing right, the eyes and face shape make the character look different. It was challenging to resolve issues such as these, and no matter how much I would re-draw the feature it would still look different. I realize that perhaps I need to spend more time solidifying certain features before I draw them from different angles.
When I think back to before I started IB Visual Arts, I could never imagine creating an original character or having my own art style. It has been really satisfying to revisit my old artworks (and characters) and see how my style has developed - what changed, what stayed the same, and what is still improving. This plate was a good exercise for me to maintain that consistency in drawing facial features, but I still believe that I have a lot to improve on.
One tricky aspect for me in this plate was the eyes, nose, and lips. I feel that I’ve somewhat understood how to draw the face shape, hair, neck, and torso from different angles, but it is challenging for me to shift the proportions of the previously mentioned features based on these angles. For example, when the face tilts (either to the left or to the right), one eye should end up smaller (since it becomes covered by the nose and is farther away from the viewer’s line of sight). In my case, though, the eyes still remain a fairly similar size and though I re-drew them several times, it still looked off. I’m optimistic, however, because I believe that this is something that can be overcome by more exploration on the face and more practice. Additionally, this is my first character design work where I didn’t outline the drawing in black (something I always used to do) which is a small milestone for me.
All in all, the plate was a good exercise for me and I enjoyed doing it. I hope that in the future I would be able to do a character design with the full body and draw it from multiple angles, but first I need to master my understanding of how the face shifts.”
— Inspired by the idea of "almost perfection", in a sense, imperfection - I wanted to glorify the Greek warrior Achilles. Though popularly known for his strength and invulnerability, and often portrayed as such, this is a drawing at the moment of his death. This serves as a reminder to me that the idea of perfection is unattainable. This work was submitted as my final plate for my IB Visual Arts HL curriculum; in it, we were tasked to do a large-scale artworkt that applied our learnings and techniques from the previous plates. For this work, I focused on the blending of colors together to create the form of the subject, rather than rely on outlines.
Excerpt from my written intent:
“Given the nature of the statue, I had to apply quite a bit of texture which was challenging. I used brushes such as charcoal, chalk, and speckled brush to achieve the tiny details and the rough look of the statue’s surface. Additionally, I used the texture eraser quite frequently to blend in the edges of the spots into the gray of the statue. It was my first time having to use textured brushes this thoroughly. I did a previous digital painting where I had to recreate the look of grass but it was substantially less detailed than this plate. However, despite my unfamiliarity with recreating texture, I’m pleased with the results. I feel that I was able to achieve what I had imagined, especially for the helmet and the dark spots on Achilles’ upper torso. Honestly, given the time constraints there was no time for me to stay in my head and overthink my decisions, I had to let go of my inhibitions and simply do. Similar to what I reflected on with these previous portfolio integrated plates, I’ve been learning to do this more and each time I find the result to be pleasantly satisfying. I have a tendency to always look at where I am on my ‘artistic skill progress’ versus other people and coloring has always been an artistic insecurity of mine. To me, this plate also allowed me to improve my self-esteem, and, despite its cheesy connotations, ‘believe in myself’ instead of staying too focused on what could go wrong. Finishing a digital painting this large and complicated really gives me a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment, and I’m happy that this final plate for my IB Visual Arts course is something that I can look back on with pride.”
— A consolidated artwork of some observational drawings (solely portraits) that was meant to be part of my exhibition, but i didn't complete it on time. The work stems from my exploration done on the nature of social identification and draws from the concept of the red thread. The two pieces are intended to be shown side-by-side as they’re meant to tell the message that although the red thread cannot be seen, it is present. One of the learnings from the IB Visual Arts curriculum is that, as artists, we should try to make use of subtle complex imagery in order to tell our message. I tried to use that technique in this work as the artwork itself does not explain much, rather, it relies on the viewers’ interpretations of what they mean.
Excerpt from my written intent regarding my exhibition:
“Aristotle asserted that “Man is by nature a social animal” and that “society is something that precedes the individual.” The actuality of this assertion made me realize how socialization is an important, yet usually overlooked, component of the human experience. And so, I found myself with a two-fold task—the task of discovering the reasons why humans make connections and the task of illustrating how they are connected. That said, my works collectively serve as an inquiry into man’s social nature in an effort to understand their disposition to mutual dependence.”
Size: 1/4 illustration board preset on Autodesk Sketchbook
Rationale:
--- My Timothee Chalamet obsession is returning because of the promo tour for The King so I wanted to try practicing a new technique with him as the subject model. This artwork was not submitted as a plate for my IB Visual Arts course, but it served as a self-practice on drawing and coloring without definite (black) lines, a technique I will be employing later on for future plates. As of right now, I’m quite confused with how to construct the shadows and highlights of the work without using harsh lines since I’m quite reliant on outlines. Moreover, this was challenging because I attempted to draw the subject in another color. For future reference, I should try to understand more of how light contours the face before diving straight into the process. However, this is still the first try so I’m satisfied with the work because it resembles him. As we learn in Visual Arts, it’s better to reflect on the work rather than hide it away so that I can improve.
–- Influenced by Stranger Things as it was drawn right after I had finished watching it. It was around this time when I noticed my style to lean more towards cartoon-like characters. This was my attempt at creating an OC (although it was heavily inspired by the aesthetic seen in Stranger Things), so it was quite enjoyable. I wanted to try practicing this concept as one of our future plates centers on character design. From this, I learned that it’s important to conceptualize who your character is before you can design them since the visual aspect will play a prominent role in how the audience will understand your character. Since this was just a practice plate, I didn’t focus much on ensuring formal qualities such as proportions. I wanted to just try and flesh out my ideas, something that the IB Visual Arts curriculum encourages - just get your art out and reflect on it later. Looking back, I liked how I was able to manipulate the vibe of the character through coloring the subject and the background, so I’m keeping this in mind because I have to take into account how color plays a role in visually constructing meaning.
–- This work is essentially an exploration of texture; this was created in the summer of 2019 and was not meant for any plate in the IB Visual Arts curriculum, however, texture was something I wanted to master in order to craft future works for my exhibition so I wanted to practice on it. For this work, I wanted to attempt to fully color and digitalize a landscape - a subject matter that I don’t often pursue due to its complexities in detail. I seeked out one of my friends in the course, Joshua Dy, for a reference photo, since he takes quite a handful of landscape shots. He handed me an assortment of pictures, but I chose a scene of the countryside that was filled with grass because I felt like it would allow me to really challenge my skills; I wanted to mimic the texture and feel that it provided to the scenario. In this post, the full shot of the work is included with some close ups that show the texture, as well as the reference photo for comparison.
TITLE: “FAMTEA: BEST TASTING MILK TEA FOR THE FAMILY” (2019)
Medium: Autodesk Sketchbook on iPad
Size: Vector Graphics, no size
Rationale:
–- This is a logo I did for my friend’s upcoming milk tea business. This was my first commision work so it taught me a handful of lessons regarding the realm of graphic and logo design, and also what it is like to work in those industries. I had to learn to communicate with my client and let go of my ‘artistic freedom’ since, first and foremost, I had to comply with his requests insted of pursuing my preferences.
Excerpts from my written intent and reflection:
“FamTea, the final artwork has evidently come a long way from the start. FamTea was a really interesting project because it was the first time where the creative decisions weren’t solely up to me. Of course, I would have to consult with my Visual Arts teacher for things such as my exhibition pieces where she would give me advice, pros and cons of pursuing certain materials, but ultimately, the choice whether to listen or not was up to me. In this case, I had to let go of some of that freedom and listen to my client’s needs. Furthermore, I had to help the client find what they needed. Despite the initial setbacks such as rejected ideas and struggles with conceptualization, I’m pleased with the final product.
We decided that red should serve as an accent rather thanmain color. Looking at the logo, one would recall the brand’s name, theman, and the milk tea cup with the other details blurring into the background. The thin font for the English text creates a balanced composition between all the logo’s elements, which also creates a clean, fresh look. The subtle smile of the man creates the “friendly, approachable” personality that my client wanted, and this is reinforced by the addition of the brand’s slogan below the name. Though much is still to be improved on, I’ve learned a little bit more about the creative industry and what it’s like to work as a graphic designer. This is my first ever logo and I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish in terms of the formal qualities, but also the interpersonal skills I learned through the process of communicating with my client.”
-- Inspired by the sticker packs on messenger, I tried to create a drawing that I feel could be used as that. This is somewhat of an OC (original character) practice as well, but I didn’t spend a lot of time on conceptualizing aspects such as her personality, I was more concerned with fleshing out an idea rather than deliberately constructing the meaning behind each visual aspect (ex. her hair, the colors, etc.) I actually previously tried creating a messenger sticker pack (for fun) because I really enjoy how those short gifs can encapsulate someone’s mood, so for this work I wanted to try doing that again. Here, I used a very textured brush from the software to create a ‘laidback’ look of the character; the mood of this sticker is annoyed so I tried to use the manga technique of oversimplifying facial features to exaggerate an emotion. This artwork was meant to be a very quick sketch, so I didn’t have much to reflect on, it was just a study on how to construct a sticker.
-- Based on Newt Scamander; this was my first time attempting to create highlights and shadows in Autodesk Sketchbook. Prior to this, I would usually color block only but I also tried to explore the different brushes here. This turned out to actually be quite satisfying, I didn’t expect to be pleased with the results, but I am. I’ve recently been trying more to not outline things explicitly in black becaues I’m quite frustrated with how it limits the artwork. With this work, I’ve also been seeing that I’m adopting more of a cartoon-like style, which the IB Visual Arts curriculum encourages - to identify your style and try to reflect on it. I think it’s because I’ve also been attracted to whimsical styles more than realistic ones (although I do have a deep admiration for realism and such movements).
--- This is a very quick sketch that was done just because I wanted to try out the flat illustration style, where essentially the subject is overly simplified into only blcok colors and not drawn in that much detail. I see this style often being used by the Korean artists that I follow on Instagram and, since this was done in the summer of 2019, I wanted to attempt to pursue another art style.
-- Inspired by an unnamed Korean illustrator on Pinterest, this was the print of a sticker used at my school’s Creativity, Action, and Service project where my class showed a film that talked about the importance of community and friendship. This was probably one of my first artworks I created while I was in the IB Visual Arts HL course so it was a bit nerve wracking. At the time of creation, I still wasn’t really sure of any formal qualities and how to go about designing ‘merchandise’, but I powered through it. The theme of the short film we created was somewhat about capturing the feelings of youth and uncertainty; it was altogether quite light-hearted and playful so I wanted this sticker to reflect that mood so it features a girl playing with sugar cubes and trying to stack them. Rather than using a font, I also decided to use my own handwriting to create a loopy feel to the work.
-- A part of a larger piece meant for my exhibition which centers on the concept of human connection. This is based on the works of Rania Hassan and draws from the concept that I am influenced by my surroundings, friends, family, etc.
Excerpt from the description of the work featured in exhibition:
“PIP” stands for ‘Person In Progress’ and is a self-portrait that illustrates how I am influenced by the people around me. The work was inspired by artist Rania Hassan who uses embroidery in her art to tell stories of identity and connection. Embroidered with a red thread, I stand in the middle of hands that are in the process of weaving me. As the centerpiece of my exhibit, it is the largest work and situated in the middle of my exhibition. The work illustrates how the people in my life, represented by the hands, affect my growth in a continuous process; this is why I left myself ‘unfinished’ with threads stretching out since I believe that I never really stop growing as a person. Surrounded by my other works, which I believe are an extension of myself, “PIP” shows how I am influenced by my surroundings and how my surroundings are affected by me.
-- A piece part of my exhibit that centers on the theme of connection. Inspired by the Chinese superstition on the red thread of fate and the history of the pinky swear to signify the connection of friendship.
Excerpt from my exhibition description of the work:
“Thread” explores platonic connection and is a sculpture created using one continuous wire to show the literal manifestation of a bond formed in friendship. Inspired by Gavin Worth’s steel wire sculptures, I wanted to create a piece that told a story of a simple human moment. The two hands are locked in a pinky swear, an action associated with childhood and friends, which connects them together. To further illustrate connection, the work draws from the Chinese superstition of the red thread of fate which believes that people who are connected by this thread are destined to meet. And so, the work is painted in red as an allusion to this superstition, to represent blood, and emphasize the sculpture as it sits on a white wall. The sculpture spreads through two walls to illustrate that there are two people forming a friendship.
-- A photography plate for my Visual Arts class wherein I used a singular subject, the Sonny Angel, to explore the concepts of Gestalt Psychology in the Arts. Though I was a bit scared for this plate, I was quite pleased with the end pictures.
Excerpt from written intent:
--- (last photo) “To take this picture I decided to show continuance through a seemingly never-ending line. At first, I wanted to try and place my subject in a circular sort of motion - similar to the picture I submitted for the ‘movement’ principle of the last plate. However, I found that it would be better to showcase my subject on a line because I felt that it suited the Sonny Angel better. This picture, unlike the other three, were taken at school which is why the lighting and background differ from the other pictures - it was an interesting experience to shoot somewhere other than my house. While my house is quite limited in terms of lighting and backgrounds, I could still use other objects at my disposal to manipulate the image, however, in school, I wasn’t really allowed to access the other materials so I was left with just my subject and the background.”
--- I don’t often draw any architectural sights (though I am highly appreciative of them) which is why I wanted to try. When I went to Italy, there was no other word to describe what I felt when I saw the Trevi Fountain except for sublime. Though this drawing is far from proportionate and detailed, I’m still pleased with the way it turned out. Additionally, I decided to time myself to see how long it would take me to draw it since I was trying to practice for a talent test.
I love the color red and I’ve noticed that I often incorporate it into my works as either an accent or main color. These two drawings are samples of the works that I have an intent to digitalize. I’ve also noticed that I tend to color in the works that I feel I should refine. The sketch on top is based on a patch I once saw and the lower sketch is another attempt at an OC.
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