Clarence Central High School
Clarence, NY
Score: 6
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Student Commentary:
What is the central idea of your concentration?
The central idea for my concentration was to create an abstraction of the human figure through movement, color, and different light values. With these strategies I was able to form abstract shapes which detached the figure from its traditional image.
How does the work in your concentration demonstrate the exploration of your idea? You may refer to specific slides as examples.
As my concentration progressed I found to gain the movement and abstraction I was searching for in the human figure I had to have a strong concrete light source. Images 1 through 3 best show the affects of a strong light source and how movement can be captured within the highlights, midtones, and shadows. Furthermore, with this light I was able to begin the beautiful abstract tone to pieces. I noticed as the light source became more intense I was losing the midtones. I admired the images without them, and I noticed the abstract shapes that were being formed. As my concentration progressed I had to search for ways to create shapes in order to abstract the human figure. I then began to direct the figure into a more contorted form (images 5 through 12). As can be noticed, muscles within the neck and upper body became more prominent and formed obscure shapes. This took it to a more abstract level, each of my pieces progressively looking less like the human figure. I also began to incorporate abstract colors, which helped the body morph into abstraction (images 5 through 7 and 11 through 12). With my concentration I want my viewers to discern the human figure as being beautiful through its progression to an abstract shape.
Rationale for Score:
An evocative theme, inspired by observation and photo references, is presented in these figure drawings. Additionally, a sense of real and uncluttered space is rendered through expressive mark-making, value and color contrast, and sophisticated lighting. This student uses chiaroscuro and tenebrism that go beyond mere special effects. Of further note is the student’s informed use of point of view in a variety of perspectives—birds-eye, eye level, and worms-eye—and use of the full pictorial space. The quality of craftsmanship is excellent.
* Important Note:
The numbers of the slides run from top left to bottom right.
1. 8” x 11” graphite
2. 10” x 14” oil paint
3. 17” x 21” deductive charcoal
4. 9” x 11” graphite
5. 12” x 16” chalk pastel
6. 14” x 15½” chalk pastel
7. 8” x 10” colored pencil
8. 8” x 12” deductive charcoal
9. 7” x 11” deductive charcoal
10. 7” x 11” deductive charcoal [detail of 9]
11. 16” x 13” chalk pastel
12. 16” x 13” chalk pastel [detail of 11]
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