TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE 2-3 BIOGRAPHY

PAGE 4-5 FOREWORD

PAGE 6-19 LANDSCAPE PROJECT

PAGE 20-29 PEN TABLET DRAWINGS

& PAPER SKETCHES

PAGE 30-33 FLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY

PAGE 34-35 LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

B
I
O
G NAME:

AGE:
Brooke Restoff

18

R HOMETOWN:

SCHOOL:

YEAR:
Breese, IL

Saint Xavier University

Freshman

A

MAJOR: Nursing

INTERESTS: Spending time with family and friends

Baby-sitting my younger cousins
Watching basketball and football games

P
Dressing up and going out
Relaxing

H
Y
F
O
R
E
This magazine is a collection of all the projects I did throughout my computer graphics class at St.
Xavier. I took this class as an elective; however, it has been extremely helpful with teaching me
how to navigate through different software’s such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and In-design.
Throughout the course of the class, I worked on 4 different projects. For the first project, I took
photos of flowers in different settings. The second project was a collection of landscape photos. In
the third project, I used one of my landscape photos and made an almost exact drawing to it using
Adobe Illustrator. Along with this project, I also made several variations off of the first drawing
that used different color schemes and brush strokes. For the final project I used a pen tablet to make

W
drawings on the computer. I did these drawings in Adobe Illustrator, but also did a few on actual pa-
per, too. I did all of my drawings of apples for this project, but for warm up exercises I drew several
different objects.

O
R
D
What Is Your Backyard View? While working on this project, I followed the theory of look-
ing at my work in terms of craft, concept and composition.
The craft describes how I created the image and what tools I
used. The composition describes what my eye saw and where
overcomes me. When one looks at the pathways, they do not
know where they are leading to, which leaves several ques-
tions going through my mind. Does it end in a safe and happy
environment or a dangerous and sad one? Is someone waiting
it went first when looking at the picture. Finally, the concept at the end? Is it sunny and hot at the ending location or is it
states the meaning or emotion that I took from the picture. cold and stormy? These questions obviously cannot be an-
swered by looking at the picture which is another interesting
Craft- To being this project, I zoomed in on the original point about this picture. When someone looks at it, you can
picture that I had, and picked out a portion of the picture that come to several different conclusions about where the picture
really caught my eye. The next steps included creating and is leading to. This allows everyone to relate the pictrure to
locking down several layers throughout the image. To create themselves, by comparing the path in the picture to one they
these layers, I had to have the layers window open. When might have walked down throughout their own life.
creating these layers, it was also very beneficial to me to spe-
cifically name each layer in order to keep them organized. By
keeping the layers organized, it was easier for me to manage
the layers individually. The background layer at the top of
the photo looks like its the sky, but actually it is the Missis-
sippi River. The next layer down is composed of shrubbery The original photo that was
in the yard, followed by an open space of grass. The next taken in my Uncle Tom’s back-
layer, which stands out the most and is my favorite is the yard in St. Louis.
stone path. It is a walkway that goes all around the backyard.
When duplicating this path from the original picture to my
image, I tried to put as much detail as possible into it. At first
I changed all the hues and their values to fit the reality of the
picture, but then altered the picture based on one hue. When
duplicating these shapes from the original picture, I did so by
using the pen tool. I also used the pencil tool when I traced
the bushes because it aloud me to have more freedom when
trying to make the bushes look realistic. The eye dropper tool
was used to get the different hues and values of the shapes.

Composition- When looking at this image, the first thing that

grabs the readers eye’s is the stone path. I believe one of the
main reasons this pathway stands out so much is because it is
composed of several different shapes within one larger shape.
Also, the background hue of the pathway is the brighter
causing it to stand our more too. The rest of the shapes
throughout the picture are pretty simple and straightforward,
but with the pathway and stones, I had a little more freedom
in duplicating the shapes, numbers, and value of the various

The process in designing this image included several steps. I began by copying my image stones. The stoned pathway adds a lot to this picture, becuase
without it, the picture would lose a lot of its detail.
over to the art-server, and opening the picture up with Adobe Illustrator. When I first opened
the picture with Adobe Illustrator, I had to scale the picture down to fit onto one page. Concept- When looking at this picture, an errie feeling
While doing this, I also had the option to pick what I wanted to stay in the picture and what
I didn’t. Once I had the picture cropped to my liking, I locked it down and started creating
different layers. I created these layers by using the pen tool which alound me to trace the
shapes that I needed to make. Next I would use the eye dropper tool to match the hue of that
from the original picture. I made the different layers by starting with the ones in the back
and then moving forward. Some of the layers were harder than others depending on the size
and the complexity of the shape.
 The Stone Pathway
Eye Catching Details
Bushes and Shrubbery

From a distance you would not of been able to even

Another detail that I was particularly fond of in this
see this detail, but when I zoom in on the stones, it
image is the stone pathway. The stones vary in color,
would have been a nice touch. Secondly, another
size, and shape. This variation allows for a more
way to make these stones look more realistic when
natural look throughout the pathway. When I was
zoomed in would have been to have several shades
tracing around these stones, I did not always follow
and values of a hue within one stone. Even, though
their outline exactly because I felt that I had more
I did not add these extra details to the stones, the
freedom since there was so many stones and there
pathway still contains the most detailed objects
really was no specific shape to them that would make
throughout the entire image.
or break my image. I used the eyedropper tool in or-
der to get a variety of hues for the stones. There are
two things about the stones that I wish I could have
better replicated. First of all, I wish I had added more
texture to the stones for a more realistic approach.

When I first traced this bush, I used the pen tool and just gave it a rough outline. After I did this, it was not
extremely obvious as to what the shape was supposed to be. One probably could have figured out that it was
suppose to be a bush, but I wanted to make its appearance look more realistic. Editing the object that rep-
resented this bush included a few basic steps. First I had to zoom in and focus on this particular bush. Next,
I took the pencil tool and followed as close as possible to every twist, turn, and bend throughout the bush.
When I zoomed back out, I was amazed how much those alterations enhanced the realistic appearance of
this bush. Because of this, I decided to take this tactic and apply it to all of the shrubbery within the image.
Another way that I made the row of shrubbery appear more realistic was to blend several different shades
and values of green.

Original Photo
 The Deaper
Meaning of Colors
Revealed
The following pictures all contain a similar uniqueness. These pictures show how the meaning and appearance por-
trayed throughout a picture can change immensely by only changing the colors within them. Color can alter the mood
of the picture and allow the viewer to feel different emotions amongst each picture. Color also allows for the artist to
control where the viewers eye might be drawn. Controlling the viewer’s eye can be done by emphasizing one particular
item by changing it to a color to one that is opposite on the color wheel compared to the other colors within the picture.
Another way to control the viewer’s eye is to change the value or shade of a hue to add more emphasis to an object.
These pictures are all based off one of the following color variations, monochromatic, an emphasized object, or the use
of crazy colors.

This picture shows how the emphasis can be

placed on one object throughout the picture.

This is a picture that follows a monochromatic color variation.
CRAFT
Creating several color variations of my picture was a lot
simpler than any of the previous work that I had done
to this picture. One of the color variations that I did was
monochromatic. With this color scheme, every object in
the picture was of the same hue, but the value of the hue
varied between every object. In order to do this, I had
to use the color window and the eyedropper tool. For
my monochromatic picture I chose to use green. The
second color variation that I followed was to enhance
one object throughout the picture. I used to different
approaches for this. First I used my monochromatic pic-
ture and changed one of the bushes to red, while the rest
of the picture remained different shades of green. The
other way I went about this technique was to change
all of the objects in my picture to different shades of
gray. Then I went in and changed the stones to a variety
of bright pink and purple shades. This directed my
attention to the stones even more. Once I finished this
color change, I decided to keep all the objects in differ-
ent shades of gray, but once again emphasize the one
bush by changing it to white. The final color variation I
used was to completely change the color scheme of the
picture. I created two different images following this
technique. For the first one, I used all several soft hues.
To get these colors, and to ensure that they would all
look good together, I followed a color theme. To get this
theme, I clicked on the color window and used colors
from two different libraries called ice cream colors and
candy colors. I still had an organized approach when I
changed the colors through. All of the bushes and the
sky were different shades of blue; the grass and stone
pathway were different shades of green, and then some
of the extra stones I changed to different shades of
purple. When creating the second image following this
approach, I completely changed the color scheme, and
started using all bright colors. I stilled followed an or-
derly approach when changing the colors. I felt if I kept
the same type of objects within similar hues, such as the
bushes in greens and yellows, that it would be easier to
distinguish between different objects in the picture.
COMPOSITION
When you look at the monochromatic picture, my
eyes are immediately drawn to the brighter shades
of the green. Most of the bright colors are centered
on and around the pathway, which is meant to be the
main focal point anyways. The three pictures that I
have placed emphasis on a certain object, that object
is what grabs my attention first. The bush that is em-
phasized in both the green and red picture and also in
the white and gray picture is the first thing that catch-
es my eye. In the picture with the variety of shades
and values of gray, everything in the background of
the picture blends together for the most part, allow-
ing for the pink and purple stones to really grab the
viewer’s eye. In the third color variations, nothing
pops out at me the most. I believe that no certain
object can grab the viewer’s eye because all of the
objects are composed of a similar value of different
hues. This is the same for the picture that is filled
with all of the bright colors. Because all the hues
are so bright, no one object stands out more than
another. However, if I did have to choose an object
that caught my attention the most, it would be the
stone pathway in both pictures. In the picture with
the softer hues, the stones are in different hues of
light green which adds a more detail to the path-
way as a whole. The picture with all of the brighter
hues, the background of the pathway is blue, and
the stones are in red, orange, and yellow. Because
the stones are a little brighter than the blue, it
causes them to stand out a little more compared to
the rest of the picture.

CONCEPT
With the monochromatic picture I chose the color of
green for a few different reasons. First of all, because
this is a picture of an outside landscape, I wanted
to somehow relate it back to nature. I figured using
the color green would suit this perfectly. Also, I am
a person who does not like confrontation and looks
to find peace within myself and with others. The
meaning of green is often associated with peace.
The picture where everything is gray besides the one
white bush leaves me with another feeling about the
outdoors. When looking at this image, it reminds me
of a cold and gloomy winter day because of all the
shades of gray. The white bush looks as if it might
be covered in snow, which deepens the feeling of
winter. In the picture where the red bush is empha-
sized, I take from the picture that maybe that bush
The picture above and the picture on the following page show is dangerous. Usually when something is marked
examples of one object beigh emphasized. with red, it has some relation to a precaution. This
image could be portraying that this particular bush is
poisonous. With the gray picture that has the bright
pink and purple stones, I get the feeling that even in
a world that is full of gloom and dullness, you can
always look for the best and find your way to happi-
ness. The background appears very gloomy, yet the
bright stones find a way to boost the mood coming
from this picture. The picture where I used a variety
of soft hues reminds me of Easter. Hunting for Easter
eggs was always one of my favorite things to do as
a kid, so personally, when I look at this picture, I am
reminded of my childhood, which fills me with great
comfort. When I look at the picture that is filled with
bright hues, no certain meaning or connection comes
to my mind. However, I believe it offers a unique
view on how a picture of something from reality can
be changed drastically through editing only the hues
of the objects within it.
WHO SAID THE SKY HAD TO BE Specific Details
The pathway is my faovite detail shown in

BLUE AND THE BUSHES GREEN? this image beucase of the varity of hues used
throughout it. Blue amd orange are oppostie
on the color wheel, which causes the orange
stones to really stand out. To keep it interest-
ing, I used a few different shades of orange,
but also went in and added a few red and
yellow stones too. I think this mixture of all
the hues really added to the appearance of
the pathway in this picture.

Out of all the color variations that I did for this

image, the picture above is my favorite one. It
really shows how the change in color can switch
the emotion or mood of the picture. The origi-
nal picture was taken at night and was full of
darkness; here the picture is filled with bright
and loud colors. I am glad I used these colors,
because overall, I feel that the image portrays a
happy place. When looking at these bright colors
I cannot help but smile. A simple explanation for
this is that I am a huge fan of loud colors. When
I create any type of art, I want it to stand out. At
first when I was changing these colors, I worried
that the overall image might be too powerful,
but in the end, I am glad that I took the chance I
did because I am extremely happy with how this
image turned out.

I zoomed in on the part of the epicure shown to

the right for one main reason. Throughout the
picture, only bright colors are used making it
hard for one particular object to stand out more
than another. However, when you look at the
zoomed in view to the right, it is easier to show
that even when using all bright colors, it is pos-
sibly for one object to stand out more compared
to another. In this view of the picture, the pink
and purple appear to be a few shades darker than
the green and golden bush.
 Craft Composition
The process in creating this picture took several steps. I On the final three pictures of my project, the objects
started off by using the pen tool and outlining all of the that catch my eye first are those that have a different
objects. The next step involved using the eyedropper brush stroke. Because the brush stroke adds more detail

THE STROKE OF A BRUSH tool to get a hue close to the original one. Next I went
in and added more detail to a few of the objects, one in
particular was the bushes. After I added more detail to
and style to the object, it is more appealing to look at
causing it to grab my attention. The point of me chang-
ing the color and stroke of these objects was to show
the outline of the bushes, it them look more realistic. how much diversity could be found within one picture.
Also, I changed some of the gradient and played around As I changed the color and brush strokes within my
with transparency to get a more realistic feel. After I picture I came to like the way it looked more and more.
got it looking as close to reality as possible, I went in Looking at all of my different pictures now, I have
and completely changed colors to make it look unreal- grown to like the ones that look the most unrealistic,
istic. For one color change, I used different shades of instead of my second draft which was my favorite at
green, for another I put emphasis on one object, and first, and also the most realistic looking. At the end of
for the final color change I used crazy colors. In order this project, I had about ten variations of my picture.
to change all of these colors I used the color window While some of them do not look as good as the others, I
and swatches window. The next thing I altered in my am really pleased with how most of them turned out.
picture was the style. Instead of keeping all of the
lines the same size, I went in and used different styles
of brushes, chalk, and charcoal. When I changed the
stroke of the stones, it really called more attention to
them and they looked totally awesome. For one of
the style changes, I used the monochromatic picture.
Instead of using another shade of green as the brush
color, I changed it to red. On the bushes I used a variety
of different brush strokes because no bush is ever looks
exactly the same as another. I also changed the stroke
on a few of the stones here and there just to make a
few of them pop a little more. One another picture that
I changed the strokes on; the picture was in different
shades of gray. I used a thick brush stroke in white and
black to outline the bushes. I outlined the pathway with
a charcoal style stroke, and to a few of the stones, I
used a very thin black stroke. On the final picture that I
altered, it was also was in different shades of gray, but
the only objects that I changed the stroke of was for the
stones. I used several different types of charcoal and
chalk strokes in black, gray, and white. Because the Concept
colors all blend together for the most part, the stones do The meaning or story one could take from my picture
not really pop out, but when looking at them closely, I depends on which way you look at. The picture that
really like how the different strokes and brushes made is in all shades of green with red outline still reminds
them look. me of nature and the condition of our planet. It re-
minds me that this is where we live, and if we want our
parks to continue to be green, just like my picture, it
is our responsibility to take care of them. I look at the
stepping-stones and pathways, and I feel that they lead
to different solutions on how we can keep our planet
clean. Also, when I look at this picture, just because

CHANGES AN IMAGE of the red and green color combination, I think about
Christmas. The picture that is in the different shades
of gray reminds me of a cold and eerie night. First off

FOR THE BETTER. the color gives off that sense, but then when I look
at the stepping-stones and walkways, I do not know
where they go which leaves me wondering. Because
of the cold feel of the picture, I get the sense that the
pathways do not lead anywhere good, but instead some-
where that is full of mystery, sadness, or danger.
 Project Overview
This project started off by tak-
ing pictures of several different
landscapes. You had to chose your
favorite one, or the one that you
thought you would best be able to
duplicate. In order to be able to
trace and redesign the photo, I used
Adobe Illustrator. The first step
when getting into Adobe Illustrator
was to lock the photo layer down so
it would not accidently get moved
or altered. Next, I began creating
several layers, starting in the back
and moving forward. To change the
color of the objects, I used they eye
dropper tool to get as close as pos-
sible to the color from the original
photo. After the first critique, I went
back in to edit the shape of all the
bushes to make them look more
realistic. The next change that I did
to my new image was to change the
hues throughout the picture. With
this assignment came a few guide-
lines. I created one picture that was
monochromatic, in which the entire
picture was in shades of green.
Another approach I followed was to
enhance one object to make it stand
out more. For this, I left everything
in the picture green, and changed
the color of one bush to red. I also
used this reasoning by using differ-
ent shades of gray throughout the
picture, and changing the stepping
stones to different shades of purple
and pink. The final color change I
followed was to use crazy colors. I
did this by using the color window
and using all pastel colors. Another
way that I altered my image was by
changing the style of it through the
brush strokes. I used a variety of
different brushes including regular
brushes, chalk, and charcoal. For
some lines I used a straight skinny
brush, while on other objects I used
thicker and more jagged brushes.
At the end of this project I ended up
liking the pictures that looked the
most unrealistic.

Realistic or Not, Which Do You Prefer?

For me, that is an easy question to answer. Throughout this project, every time
we edited our pictures to look more and more unrealistic, I grew to like my
pictures more and more. Before I edited this picture by using different brushes, I
would have never imaged that my original picture could end up looking like this.
It is interesting to see how one can take a picture from real life and duplicate it
almost exactly by using adobe illustrator, and then use the different tools that one
can access through this program and render it into something that totally depicts
reality. Out of four pictures that used different brush strokes, the above image
is my favorite. Using a red brush to outline against the green fill of the objects
creates a major contrast. My favorite part about this image is the bush on the
left-hand side. The brush I used for this bush created a blog of a transparent red
over most of the bush, which causes this one bush to stand out more. Through-
out the rest of shrubbery, I tried to use a few different brushes to emphasize the
different rows of bushes. I really like how some of the brushes I used here, have
a range of shades in them. The little bit of light pink that can be seen in through-
out this brush stroke makes it more interesting to look at than just solid red. For
the stones and pathway, I used several different brushes and sizes, too. Since no
one stone looks like another, I thought if I used some skinny brushes for some “I ended up liking the pictures that looked the most unrealistic.”
and more drastic and thicker brushes for others, it would create a good balanced
variety throughout the pathway.
The Freedom
of Drawing
Revealed

These drawings are from the first week in

which I used the pen and drawing tablet. The
pen resembles a regular ink pen except that it
cannot actually make any marks, except on the
computer. The drawing tablet looks just like
a mouse pad but is hard. At the beginning of
each class when I used the pen and drawing tab-
let, I would warm up by doing certain exercises.
These exercises included drawing different
sizes of lines that went in all different direc-
tions. First, I would draw lines from the left to
the right, and then switch it up going from the
right to the left. I also applied this same tactic
with lines going up and down. Whenever I
would switch directions in which I was drawing
the lines, it always took me a few seconds to lines used to create it. While using the pen tablets, I have
readjust to the different motion. Other exer- learned how much more freedom you have when drawing
cises I used to warm up included writing and on the computer compared to drawing on paper. Work-
signing my name as big and as small as I could, ing in adobe illustrator and using the pen tablet allowed
drawing stars, and making density scales which me to have almost absolute control over my drawing at
would range from one to ten. On these den- any point. I used the layers window and always created The idea of shading was another major part of these draw-
sity scales, one would be white and ten would a gray, black, and white layer. Sometimes I would add ings. I would draw the darkest part of the object using black,
black, and the middle numbers would show the addition black and white layers, too, if needed. By having and the lightest part using white. When I first started doing
progression from no density to the densest. This all of these layers, I was able to control whether I wanted these sketches, I would give any area that was dark a black
scale was very useful when I had to change the the black or white on top, or if I wanted a mixture. Even fill, and any part that I considered to be lighter, a white fill.
density of certain objects. When using the pen when I placed the black on top of the white, you could However, as I continued working with these sketches for a
tablet, the best way to create a denser object still see the white. This is all very different from drawing few weeks, I learned how only the darkest part of the object
was to use a combination of lines that went in on paper. On paper, if one placed something white down should be black and the lightest part white, and that the rest
all different directions. The closer the lines were first, and then put black over it, one would mostly likely of the objects should contain ad mixture of these two and a
to each other, the greater the density appeared, not be able to see the white anymore. Also, once one has variety of density in order to best replicate how the object it
while fewer items resembled a less dense ob- drawn something on the paper, one cannot go back in and looked while I was drawing it. To get different views of dark
ject. Another exercise I did with the pen tablets add something underneath of the object that was already and light areas on the object, I used a spotlight while work-
was to first draw an object using only vertical drawn. These are just some of the basic reasons as to why ing. By using a spotlight, I was able to control the lighting
lines, secondly using only horizontal lines, and drawing on the computer has several more benefits than over the object, and to some extent decide which part I want-
finally using both horizontal and vertical lines using the ordinary pen and paper. ed to be the darkest and lightest. After I used the spotlight
together. It was really interesting to see how dif-
ferent an object can look just by the direction of
for a few of my drawings, it really enhanced the
ending product of my drawings.
 COMPOSITION
For the drawings that I did on the time when I would actually be able to gray layer I used on the computer. I still
computer, I started off by placing a gray

MY
rectangle over the entire page. This gives
the drawing a more neutral background
since I am dealing with mostly whites
recognize my object. After the middle began the sketching of my object by first
layers are in, I usually have to go back in putting in the darkest areas and secondly
and edit the dark and white areas of my adding in the lightest area. Adding in the
objects. Another editing concept I used middle areas came next. When draw-

APPLE
and blacks. Next, I opened the layers
window and started creating some of the
layers I would need for the drawing. The
gray background is my first layer, and
was to add some more lines that really ing on paper, this step is more difficult
describe the shape of the object and any because you only have one color
curves that might be on the actual object. in which you are drawing with,
Adding in the background was the next

OBSESSION also the only thing that ever appeared on

this layer. Next I created the white and
black layers and then began my draw-
step. Usually, I would once again have
to go in and edit the shades of my object
depending on how dark or light the
whereas on the computer I was
able to use both white and black.
Just like on the computer, adding
ing. Only lines that were white went on scenery in the background is. Having all in the background is the final step.
the white layer, while any black lines these different shades of black and white Before my drawing was com-
were drawn only on the black layer. I on a scale of one to ten really emphasize
found it easiest to fill in the black areas and add a lot of detail to the picture. pleted, I would have to once again
first and then put in the areas that are the For the most part, the drawings I did on edit it. On paper, this was done by
lightest. After I fill in these two areas, paper followed a similar work method darken some of the lines, using
you cannot always tell exactly what I to the ones I created on the computer; an eraser to lighten some of the
am drawing. Next I would go in and add however, there were a few differences, areas, or by adding or decreasing
in the middle layers. This is about the too. When I drew on paper, I could never
put in a solid background such as the the amount of lines needed in a
particular area of the drawing.
CRAFT
Creating these drawings on the computer is
completely different from drawing them on pa-
per. When drawing on the computer I used a pen
tool and a drawing tablet. When I first open up
Illustrator I start with a blank document. Before
I start any drawing, I make sure that I have my
tools, layers, and brushes windows open. If I am
using hues in my drawings I make sure that also
have the swatches and color windows open too.
Another tool that I starting to get more comfort-
able with is the eraser. In order to get different
shadows and lighting on the objects I drew on
the computer, I used a spotlight that my teacher
had out. For my drawings on paper, I used a
variety of tools and objects. First off, I had my
apple, which is the object I drew. I used regular
computer paper, #2 pencils, erasers, and some-
times a pen. I also used different tools to set up
the scene for my drawing. To get a cool lighting
I used a desk light that clips onto the side of my
desk. This allowed me to move the light however
I wanted to get different shadows. I also used my
desk, books, and some dishes to fill up the scene.
CONCEPT
When looking at all the drawings of my apple,
it might seem like a very basic picture to most
people. Fruit, healthy, refreshing are some of
the first thoughts that might come to mind of
someone who see my drawings. But for me,
these drawings hold a lot more meaning. On
some of the land behind my house, we have 40
small to medium size apple trees. When I look at
my drawings of the apples, millions of memo-
ries come to mind. I think about the times when
I would have to pull weeds around the roots,
spray the trees, or do any other kind of work
to the trees which I always considered to be a
waste of my time and boring. I usually had to do
this kind of work if I ever got in trouble. I think
about all my little cousins coming over to help
my mom pick the apples once the got ripe, and
all the excitement they got from it. Even though
I do not like apple pie, the freshly baked aroma
of it always made my house feel even cozier.
COMPUTER
Times when my brother and I would be playing
basketball outside and then for some reason go
into the orchard and start throwing the apples
SKETCHES
from the ground at each other. Now that I am
at school, I miss out on all those memories, but
the one thing I do not miss out on are the apples
themselves. Some might call me spoiled for it,
but apples from our orchard are my absolute
favorite, so about two weeks my mom will send
me a package full of apples from the orchard. So
even though my drawing might appear as if it
has little meaning, to me, apples are part of my
childhood that I will always hold close to me
These sketches that I did on the computer
are a great example of how lines can offer a
variety of looks amongst the same object. The
sketch above was created using only verti-
cal lines. When I look at this picture, my eyes
automatically pick a point and then go down
from there. That is because the lines are going
down; therefore it draws the attention of my eye
downwards. The middle sketch was done with
very few lines. In this drawing one can really
see how I used the direction of lines to show the
shape of the apple. I created the sketch in the
bottom corner by using several lines. The thick-
ness of these lines is also a lot greater than the
lines I used in the previous images. For this im-
age I used lines that went in various directions.
To create the shape of the image I used lines
that were more curved. In order to get the dark-
est spot on my drawing to match the darkest
part of the actual apple, I used black lines that
went in all different directions. The direction of
all these lines is not that apparent because there
were so many, it just looks like a black blob.
Out of these three drawings, my favorite is the
drawing where I used the fewest lines.
BLACK, WHITE, AND A HUE
Zoomed in, it is easy for one
to see how the amount of lines
used when drawing the apple
creates different levels of
density throughout the image.
Also, the direction of lines
helps to better describe the
shape of the apple, and how I
saw it when drawing it.
“While it is a simple and straightforward memory that I get from look-
ing at these drawings, the meaning and importance that it holds to my
life is very significant”
CRAFT
I created all of the following drawings on the computer. I used
most of the same tools as the previous weeks, but still, even
though I was basically doing the same thing, some tools and
techniques were new and different. I started off by putting the gray
background down. To do this I used a tool that allows me to make
different sized rectangles and squares. Next, I changed the fill of
the rectangle to grey. Opening the layers window and creating a
black, white, and gray layer was the next step. Because I used an
extra hue in these four drawings, I also had to create a layer for
that hue. Finally I was ready to draw. For this I used the paintbrush
and in some cases the eraser tool. I also opened the brushes win-
dow, which allowed me to change the style and size of the brush
I was using. For each drawing I used one hue besides black and
white. To get the hues that I wanted for my drawings, I used the
color and swatches windows and library. Sometimes, if I wanted to
replicate an exact color I used to eyedropper tool. To use this tool
correctly, one must first click on the eyedropper icon, second click
on a hue that is already in an image, and finally click on the object
in which one wants to use this same hue again.

COMPOSITION
The following four drawings all were
created following a similar method. I
would first put in the gray background,
and lock down the layer it was on.
Next, I would draw in the darkest and
lightest parts that described the apple.
In order to get the actual shape of the
apple, I would add in a few middle
layers, too. Of course the darkest area
was created using black, and the light-
est area was done in white; however,
for the middle layers, they consisted
of a mixture of black and white lines,
and also of a different hue. After I had
drawn in the apple, and had the shad-
ing to my liking, I proceeded to fill in
the background. For these drawings, I
used a desk as the background. Having
something to fill the background allows
for more variety in density to appear
throughout the image, adding even
more detail. The main goal in creating
these four drawing’s, was for me to
come up with three or four rules that
described the style of these drawings.
I have found a great liking to drawing
apples, so I continued to draw them for
this part of the project. The four rules
that I created about my style were to
always have a gray background, use
black, and white, and one other hue
when creating the drawing, to use a
desk to fill the background, and to use
thick black lines to outline the shape of
the desk. I like to use gray as a back-
ground because I use it as my starting
point when finding and drawing the
darkest and lightest parts. I also look
at the gray to act as a neutral through-
out my drawing because my drawings
consist of black and white for the most
part; gray is in-between and therefore
has a sense of neutralizing the two
hues. I continued to draw apples and
have them in all of my drawings be-
cause of the special meaning they have
to me, and also because I keep find-
ing new and interesting ways to draw
them. I also based my drawings off a
few different apples, allowing for even
more variation. By using a spotlight
to control the lighting, I was also able
to get several different looks based off
of shading. I liked putting a desk as a
background for a few different reasons.
For one, apples always remind me of
teachers and school. Secondly, when-
ever I did my homework as a little girl
and even in high school I would always
snack on an apple while sitting at my
desk. I thought that using black, white,
and one other hue would have an
interesting effect. The hue that I chose
for each drawing stands out no matter
how or where it was used within the
drawing.
CONCEPT
When I look at these four drawings that I did, a few
different thoughts and memories come to my mind.
The desk in the background reminds me of all the
homework I did throughout grade school and high
school while sitting at my desk back at home, and
also about the homework I have done in college
at a variety of desk. I was always told that having
something to snack on while I worked with help
me to have a better focus on my work. My favorite
thing to snack on as a kid and still today while I do
my homework are apples. They are healthy, yet still
delicious, and with every type of apple having a
little different taste, I never get sick of them. These
drawings of my apple are also very beneficial to
me. When I look at them it reminds me of my time
at home. It brings back memories of cutting up the This picture greatly resembles how each
apples in my kitchen and talking to someone in hue represented a different shade on the
my family while I did it. I think about all the other actual apple. The white is representing
places besides my desk that I would eat apples the lightest part, the black represents
at throughout my house. Being so far away from
the darkest, part and the green repre-
home it is nice to be able to just look at something
as simple as my drawings to create the warmness sents the middle layers. I also overlapped
in my heart that I get when thinking about my some of the green and white to show a
home and loved ones. I believe that sometimes it layer that was between just the green
is better to look at a picture that holds an obvious and white.
message or memory that you can actually relate to
personally, then to look at a picture that keeps you
wondering as to what it really means.
This picture is a
great example of how
I used drew the lines
in the direction in
which the appeared
on the object them-
selves. The desk had
several different
sections to it, and by
drawing the lines in
different directions
according to each
section, it is easier
for one to distinguish
each section sepa-
rately.
 FLOWERS GALOURE
For this project, I was required to take ten pictures of flowers.
Five of these photos were to be taken inside and five outside.
Before I even began to take the pictures of these flowers, I new
I wanted to create photos that had a certain degree of unique-
ness to them. By knowing this ahead of time, I used several
different settings on my camera, played with different amounts
of lights, and took the photos from various angles. I also mixed
in several different backgrounds while shooting these photos. I
walked around for a while to find a variety of flowers of differ-
ent shapes, sizes, colors, and textures.
Once I started taking the actual pictures, I found different
props that would look good with each flower. I took several
pictures of each flower. In order to get several different photos
of each flower, I shot the photos from a different angle, had
different amounts of light within the photo, and used a differ-
ent prop in the photo.
When I was taking these pictures, I was focusing on just get-
ting the project completed. Now, when I look at the photos
that I ended up with, I am extremely pleased. Before this, I
had never had any experience with photography. This proj-
ect helped me to develop a new hobby that I would of never
thought interest me. I am excited to know that I actually can
take good photos, and will be able to hang them up in my
home, look at them every day, and know that I was the one
who created that amazing piece.
A Beauty In The Rough
Creation Process
Out of all the photos I took, the photo above
is my favorite. A few of my classmates also
favored this photo. The outside photo of this
fuchsia flower, involved a few steps in creating
the final image. I tore this flower off of its stem,
and also tore off a white leaf to place with it.
First I found a place where there would be noth-
ing else in the photo except for the flower and
leaf. I laid the white leaf on the concrete, and
arranged the flower over top of it, so that part
of the leaf was still visible. Because this photo
was taken so close, the different color specs in
the concrete really stand out too, especially the
white ones. When taking this picture, I shot it so
that the flower was not located in the center, but
off to the side which adds a little more interest
to the photo.
What It Means To Me
I feel that this photo holds a lot of
meaning, and that several differ-
ent stories could be told from it.
When I first looked at this photo
after taking it, to me, it looked
as if the flower was out of place.
Flowers usually grow in grass or
gardens, which are full of color;
however, this bright fuchsia flower
stands out against the neutral
colors causing the flower to look
misplaced and lost in its surround-
ings. Another feeling I got from
this photo is that even in a dull
and dreary place, such as concrete,
it only takes one pop of color to
make the image come to life. This
photo shows that beauty might
not always be found everywhere,
but it is possible for one to create
beauty even in the most ugly, bor-
ing, and plain places. I think this
picture is perfect because it has a
good balance between the bright
fuchsia and natural background
which is more neutral.
FLOWER
PHOTOGRAPHY
L A N D S C A P E S
For this Assignment, I had to get ten photos of land-
scapes. These pictures were to consist of a variety of land-
scapes. Some of my photos are from the city of Chicago,
while others were taken back at home in St. Louis.
Craft
I took this same picture a few times using different cam-
eras. First I used just my digital camera because it was
with I had with me, and I wanted to get the picture before
the barges moved. I took a few pictures, and even though
they were coming out ok, I decided to use my uncle’s
camera that is more complex in order to get good shades
of the hues and lighting throughout the picture. I took the
picture from various angles. I took pictures that showed
only the water and grass on the far side, and I also tried
taking out the photo so that the yellow flowers or stone
walkways did not show either. I finally came to the con-
clusion that the different values of the green hue and the
yellow flowers added an extra touch to the photo.
Composition
When I look at this photo, my eyes are drawn to the the
big green leaves on the left hand side, and while I did
not intend for those leaves to be the attention getter, their
brightness and bold appearance really stand out. Next
I find myself looking at the row of dark green bushes.
I think that this row of bushes and the stone pathways
outline different parts of the photos. The water is out-
lined by both this first row of dark green bushes and also
the trees and brush that lay behind the water. The stone
pathways and the green bushes enclose the yard. Another
thing I like about the look of this photo is how when you
look at it, the different sections get smaller and seem to
go down as you look father to the back of the photo.
Concept
When looking at this picture I get a feeling of experi-
encing two worlds at once. You can see the back yard,
which gives me thoughts of relaxation and family. Sit-
ting in the backyard is always a relaxation experience,
and when you have an amazing view to look at, it is that
much better. Also, this part of the photo reminds me of
family because my family and I always sat back there
and had bar-be-ques and parties. The part of the photo
that shows the river and barges reminds me of hard work
and separation. People who work on the barges are usu-
ally gone for several weeks at a time separating them
from their family and friends. Also the work that is done
with these barges includes a lot of physical labor and de-
manding work. The overall feel I get from this picture is
that even a gorgeous view like this can give you insight
into two completely different worlds.
MORE PHOTOS