The stack of books on the table to my right were ones that I actually used in my research for both senior seminars. They are stacked together, the history mixed with anthropology, as a nod to the two sides of the work I was engaging with. Clutched in my left hand is Beauty Shop Politics by the historian, Tiffany Gill. In the early months of the history senior seminar, the professor asked, “What would you consider to be your holy grail source?” Beauty Shop Politics was that book for me and played an important role in my research which is why it is highlighted and separated from the others. I wanted my self-portrait to be intentional in the placement of the objects, the setting, and the positioning of myself.

I used the projector to outline the basic shapes in the picture and to mark the grids on the paper. I then used the photograph I took as reference for the shading. Inspired by the midterm project, I mostly used the HB and Ebony pencil to keep the drawing light and to avoid going too dark which I have a tendency to do when using charcoal. I used the blending method and used a kneaded eraser to draw out highlights and layered slight hatching marks to mimic a wood grain on the rocking chair. 

The window and the folds of my sweater are the biggest success in my opinion. The shading of the window and creating the reflection turned out better than I had anticipated. After seeing so many people draw fabric I kind of studied their work to create the texture on the sweater which turned out well.

The bricks were the hardest part of the entire project. Making sure the lines were not skewed, shading the bricks, blending them, and then creating texture took quite a bit of time. I would say that the floor of the porch would be the least successful element in the piece. I still think that the vine charcoal was a good choice considering that it blended well and I could easily remove as much of it as I needed. But, I would go back and try to change how I used it. The floor just does not match the control seen in the wall and the body. Also, making sure that each element would be distinguishable was another challenge. I wanted to create depth and make sure that the books did not bleed into the table and that the viewer could see where the rocking chair began and where my body stopped. 

During the process, I did underestimate how long it would take me to finish the piece. I think the bricks and the time I took on those did throw me for a loop and pushed me back from starting other sections of the piece. The shading and blending and layering definitely made this drawing take a bit longer, but I think the effect was worth it in the end. 

Two self-portraits compose the piece and are placed side-by-side with a white frame around them. A white line separates the two individuals and gives them both a distinct setting that contrasts with each other. Both scenes contain organic lines that outline the human form which stands in contrast to the lines which define the space around and between the two figures. Uneven distribution of space and power can be seen between the two scenes. The portrait on the left has more space in the composition and towers over the right side portrait in scale. The portrait is drawn using a mixture of graphite stick, HB pencil, and Ebony pencil using a blending technique to achieve a smooth texture. The figure on the left carries a peaceful, calm expression on her face bringing lighthearted energy to the portrait. The eyes are closed, not tightly, but resting in a relaxed manner which blocks her gaze from the viewer. It gives the impression that she is unaware of the looked upon and that the viewer is seeing a snapshot of a moment of contentedness. Her head tilts backward slightly in a motion that exposes her neck and elongates her frame, the eyes following from the neck to her arms which rests across her chest. 

    Though containing the same subject, the portrait on the right stands in direct contrast to the portrait on the left. The right side portrait is placed in a narrower space than the figure on the left giving the impression that the figure is confined. Though confined to a smaller space, the right-side portrait captures attention through its darker tone rather than scale. While the portrait on the left reveals her face to the viewer, the portrait on the right blocks her face with her hands which dominates her scene. The only visible parts of her face being her eye which gives nothing away. The downward tilt of her hair adds to the sense of hiding and lacks the openness of the left-side figure.   

Although greatly contrasting in expression and tone, the two figures relate to each through position and subject. They are literally showcasing the same person and focus on the same body parts of the person. Additionally, the lines of the hands and arms line up and follow from on side of the page to the other which merges across the white line that divides the page. In the work, I wanted to explore the concept of openness and closedness and expression. The left side has an openness and vulnerability that the right side lacks. The neck and face are exposed and the subject is blissfully unaware of her surroundings. The right side holds mystery. She is closed off and painfully aware, staring into the gaze of the viewer. She seems to be closing in on herself.

I enjoyed the process of making this piece and the concept of pairs. I believe the areas of success were the face and hands. The proportions seem to be even between the body, face, and hands. I am also proud of the shading of the neck on the left portrait. However, there are areas for improvement. The texture of the hair on the left side portrait lacks the highlights and depth of the hair of the right-side portrait. The nose of the light-side figure could use more blending especially across the bridge of the nose. Though mimics the darkness of the photograph, I wish I had added some highlights to the eye on the right-side portrait to make it more realistic. The draping of the fabric on the t-shirt of the left side figure is a little messy and lacks depth. I intended for the left side to be a bit lighter and I should have used more of the HB pencil rather than the Ebony pencil. Despite the areas of improvement, I would still classify this piece as a success.