Darwin, the Market Whiz

7 1/2 x 10" Charcoal & Graphite on vellum

This charcoal drawing was done as an assignment for my Illustration Portfolio class. It was inpired by the New York Times article by Robert H. Frank.

Unlike the bull elk who are stuck with unwieldy antlers, traits that can serve the interest of individuals but not that of the group as a whole, humans have better options because we can harness our thoughts and actions. So let's stop acting like bull elk but start using our capacity to reason thus solve our current economic crisis.

Books of Wonders' Annual "Holiday Kickoff" Event

I'm grateful that my illustration teacher Elizabeth Sayles informed me of this place and event. I couldn't believe I didn't know about this place!! The place is truly full of wonders.

On the Saturday, Novermber 26th, I visited the Books of Wonders to attend their holiday kickoff event where nine great artists shared their new books for this season. They were Leo & Diane Dillon, James Gurney, Susan Jeffers, Hilary Knight, Jerry Pinkney, Charles Santore, Melissa Sweet, and Ed Young.

Itten's Books finally arrived!

These two books are the documentations of the basic courses made by Johannes Itten taught at the Bauhaus and in his later teaching. I was very interested when I saw the Bauhaus exhibition at MOMA last year, and came across the name Itten when looking up Paul Klee, who also taught at the Bauhaus. I'm grateful to have a glimpse of these courses and to learn from a great teacher who lived almost a century ago.

Itten's Exercise #2

10" x 14"1/2 Charcoal.

After done with the introductory warming-up with black and white circles, this free perception and imagination exercise was carried out. Just something representational that involves contrasts of different values and areas. The main objective was to find harmony using values and forms.

Itten's Exercises #1

6"x8" Charcoal

This is an introductory exercise to learn the light-dark contrast. It was to produce a white and a black circle in whatever way I want. I think Itten meant for the students to understand that "all contrast effects are relative." How white a circle should be in order to look white right next to a black circle? How their sizes and positions effect each other and the whole composition? It was a simple but very helpful exercise that let me consider such fundamental questions.

Itten's exercise #3

9"x12" Charcoal
Exercise #1 Light-dark harmony

9"x12" Charcoal
Exercise #2 Balancing out area of various sizes and tone values.

9"x12" Charcoal
Exercise #3 The geometrical light-dark analysis of Valezquez's painting, Juan de Pareja.
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9"x12" Oil Pastel
Personal Exercise inspired by previous Itten exercises

These are some of the exercises from the book by Johannes Itten(1888-1967). Itten was one of the teachers who organized the Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany in 1919. I came across his name and works at the Bauhaus exhibition at MOMA in the fall of 2009.
In this book, he stresses the importance of chiaroscuro(the contrast btwn light and dark) as "one of the most expressive means of composition."

Diary

09-10-2010

A new friend#1.

09-07-2009
Labor Day. Went to Bagel Boy with my brother. He had a roll.

08-31-2009
Went to MOMA. I was hungry and tired already when I got there.

08-29-2009

Thinking I need a plan. Hoping a call from Kimmy.

On a tired day.

"Aunt Em was as gray as her land."

- Wizard of Oz -

Finally, the wretched tree bore a single giant apple.