Art III Final Reflection Essay

I have very much enjoyed my time in Art III. I’ve learned a lot more about myself and art through this class. I have learned a lot of art history, which I've found to be helpful in some of my other classes, and it has helped me gain an appreciation for different kinds of art. Before this class I would have written off ready-made sculptures and most of Duchamp's pieces, but gaining some basic background information on him and Dadaism has helped me understand what is going on in those pieces and why. I have also learned a lot of new techniques this year, starting with ink wash, then using plaster and kintsugi, oil painting, and finally acrylic painting. Getting to experience a lot of these techniques has been great and having an introductory art piece for them has helped me learn some basic techniques, and pros and cons of each medium.

I've seen my greatest growth in painting, watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting. Before, I was not very keen on painting and I always saw it as just making a mess when all I want to make is some art, but I think that the paintings we’ve done in class have improved my painting skills, and my appreciation for painting. Painting has started to grow on me and I hope to grow even more in my painting skills.

I think my life-drawing skills could use some work, as well as drawing from imagination. I’ve relied heavily on tracing and using reference, which I do not see as a bad thing, but I do want to improve these general drawing skills to help move along my artwork in the future. This way, if I want to create a sketch before making a larger painting, or fix an underdrawing, I wouldn't always need a reference photo or something to trace directly from.

Putting all of this together, I think I can use these new skills and artistic knowledge next year to create some more meaningful and in depth artwork. I think from what I've learned this year, and what I plan to practice, I could create some very intricate art pieces with more detail and meaning to them. I still want to explore new mediums, but I also want my artwork to come to life in the way that I envision it. Art III has taught me a lot this year, and I'm excited to continue with my own artwork in the future.