Kvothe

For quite a while I've wanted to create a drawing of Kvothe from Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles. I want to use this summer as an opportunity to simply create what ever I feel like for fun. Not for class, and with no time restraints. I put a lot of thought into how I wanted to try to portray Kvothe: a portrait, a scene? I decided to use his entrance line "my name is Kvothe... you may have heard of me". He summarizes various myths and legends about himself in the "...". I decided to create a piece that was a portrait, but also had a scene. I thought about choosing a scene from the book, but decided against it. Instead, he is walking into a dark forest, looking back at you, while the blue flame of the Chandrian shines between the trees. I'm using colored pencil, and so far I have been working on his head, and outlining the lettering.

Some other interpretations of Kvothe...

http://thetwirlingdragon.blogspot.com/

http://toki-kuragari.deviantart.com/

http://nameofthewind.wikia.com/wiki/Kvothe

There is another shore, you know

"What matters it how far we go?"
His scaly friend replied, 
"There is another shore, you know,
Upon the other side. 
The further off from England
The nearer is to France - 
Then turn not pale, beloved snail,
But come and join the dance."


Franz Ferdinand's version of the Lobster Quadrille


My sister and I finally graduated from West Boylston High on June 3rd, it's great to finally be done! I have my orientation at the University of Maine soon: June 19-20. After that I will be away for the majority of the summer, first staying on Long Lake in Maine, then Lake Michigan, and finally heading out for my third season on the glaciers in the North Cascades. I'll have just about a week to pack and head off for college when I return!
Tomorrow at 9 am, I am running in my town's 5k around the Wachusett Reservoir!
I was amazed that both my sister and I received the Elton & Kathleen Drew Scholarship for Continued Study in the Arts ($5000!) and I also received the Mass. Foreign Language Association Board of Directors Award, which I believe will be $500.
Yesterday I went on my final art trip with the NAHS. This year we went to Boston and visited the MFA, Faneuil Hall, and saw the Blue Man Group. We saw actress Rachel McAdams at the MFA which I thought was pretty cool!

Wachusett and Breadth Part 2

The route

I ran in the Mt. Wachusett race last Saturday on the 28th. Last year I was participating in Art All State and I wasn't able to run it, so it wasn't until just before the race I found out that the course was different now. The old course was entirely on the road, 4.3 miles up to the summit. It was a tough race, all uphill - some especially tough climbs - and on pavement. I've always been a trail runner, and I certainly wouldn't call it a fun race, it was about the challenge. Now, the route covers 4.7 miles and the majority of it is on trails. Some areas were tricky because the trails were narrow, and it was hard to pass/ be passed. The steep uphill section about halfway through was the worst. It's very narrow with a lot of rocks and roots, the type of trail I often run on, but a lot of people decided it wasn't worth putting in the effort. I got stuck behind a large group of walkers, and I barely had the breath or strength to pass them. I managed to pass at least 20 people on that section. Many of them were obviously better runners than me - but they didn't even try to keep running, which confuses me. Sure, it's really tough, but it's a race, and you have to endure it and do your best to keep running!

Portrait of Inspiration
I created this for the assignment "create a self-portrait without your face." I chose to represent myself through challenges, and the "swirl" of inspiration I get from these challenges.

Salmon Boy
I created this illustration originally as part of my concentration when I was considering veering into the negative effects of glaciers' recession. People around the world depend on the melt-water from glaciers. A Chinese boy is watching, saddened by what he sees. The stream he depends on has retreated, leaving dry stream-bed exposed. The salmon that he also relies on are struggling with the lower waters, and some have died where the stream once was. 

Transforming
I created this piece in Studio Art, under the instruction to create a "self-warped-trait." I chose to illustrate my face mid-transformation into a creature. I actually went back to add more tentacles on the right later on, and I definitely like how it looks better than before.

Vases
I created this in Studio Art from observation. I chose a cropped view of a still-life my art teacher, Mrs. Tetler, set up. The floral background is actually a larger Chinese-flower print vase.

Violet Baudelaire
I created this portrait of Violet Baudelaire based off of the third book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Wide Window. Growing up, these were some of my absolute favorite books, I read and re-read them!

AP Art : Breadth Part 1

The following works are all pieces that I created either my junior or senior year in high school and submitted in the Breadth section of the AP Studio Art Exam!

Columbia's Future
After my first visit to the North Cascades, I painted a view of Columbia Glacier from its mouth. This year, after my second visit, I decided it would be an interesting challenge to paint the mountain once the glacier is gone. In the future, two small lakes fill the basins, and the uppermost lake feeds the lower lake. The rocky bed which was previously covered in snow is beginning to host plant life.

Crampon
I drew this observational view of a crampon after my second season in the North Cascades as well. A crampon is an object that people are often either familiar with because they use them, or it is a complete mystery. You basically strap it onto your hiking boot for climbing on ice!

Deception
The calligraphy assignment in Advanced Art my junior year was one I loved. We were able to combine any type of calligraphy with an image. I actually had a song and concept in mind, but ended up changing the song to better fit the image. Both the words and the scene imply that the character is deceptive.

Deserted
This piece was my first experience using oil paints. The only specified instruction was to use indoor lighting, and I decided to try to create a story with my scene. I included different elements, such as the abandoned tabled and fallen chair, as well as the person in the background. I like how the blue in the background gives the impression of sky.

Introducing Marble Boy
I created this for AP Art during the summer. Our assignments were marble-themed, but with one we were allowed to illustrate whatever we chose. I created a superboy, who has the strength to lift this super-marble.

Measuring Marbles
This was the second marble piece, with the instruction of "marbles in a container." I chose to try a more interesting composition by arranging the marbles in measuring spoons.

Mary-Kate
I created this piece after my art class ended junior year. I worked in whatever free time I had for months on her face. I worked directly from a photograph, which I had chosen because I loved the composition and lighting. Because I love to draw faces, I wanted to challenge myself to drawing this face, before continuing to create my own faces, or drawing them from observation.

Welcome to the real world...

My last day of high school is this Friday! I'm done with classes because I don't have to take any finals, so now I just go in for graduation rehearsal. Our class song is John Mayer's "No Such Thing"
"'Welcome to the real world,' she said to me
Condescendingly
Take a seat
Take your life
Plot it out in black and white...."


I also finished my final two track meets this week. I had leagues on Monday, and there were some moments of downpour... thankfully it was just misting during my two hurdle races. Today, we had a meet against the best team in our league, Ayer, so we didn't stand a chance! I'll post some more track pictures soon, as well as my AP Studio Art concentration!