Stencil Critique Drawing

Word Bank: Use these vocabulary words in your responses. Please underline or make letters bold when you use them. 

Stencil                 Spray Paint       Xacto Knife        Positive/Negative Space

Composition    Collage                Photoshop        Threshold              Contrast

1. Explain how you changed your photo in the lab to create a stencil.

To make the picture that I had first got of the internet into a stencil I had to first had to make the background of my picture. This was a collage of many different things ranging from magazines to newspapers, and even advertisements. Next I had draw my picture onto a large piece of paper that we stuck to the wall. It was easier to draw because the dark's and the lights where already pointed out to me by putting in the threshold while we where using Photoshop early in the project. Next I had to understand positive and negative space. By understanding that key factor I was able to mark which areas I would cut out with an xacto knife. Which from there I would be able to spray paint through making the final picture.

2. When creating the collage background explain your choices of colors, materials (magazine paper, books pages, etc), and placement. How does it relate to your topic? If no relation discuss general idea.

When I was creating my collage background the choices of my materials varied anywhere from magazines, to paper, to books, and even pages. The colors was based on my picture I had chosen the darker areas would have darker pictures and places of greater need to be able to see would have lighter pictures just so I could have a reference when going through the steps of the project. 

3. Discuss the way positive and negative space was used to create your stencil.

I had to understand positive and negative space, contrast, and composition. By understanding these key factors I was able to mark which areas I would cut out with an xacto knife. Which from there I would be able to spray paint through making the final picture. But even before then when I was drawing it was made easier to have drawn the places that needed to be drawn and also it helped me know which areas would have been dark that later on I would have cut out.

4. When using the xacto knife, explain the safety procedures, how to use the knife and any challenges you had to overcome while cutting.

When using an xacto knife you have to hold it downward and just cut. It has a sharp blade so there is no need to put so much pressure on it. Cut away from your body and never into your fingers. If your blade is loose then tighten it up so it doesn't fall off. Also if has a jagged cut get a new one it can mess up your art work. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CUTTING BOARD MS. ROSSI GETS MAD! SHE HAS NEW TABLES. One of the challenges I had to go through is cutting my finger when I put my hand in the bucket i got stabbed without knowing so be safe.

5. How was your experience with the spray paint? Discuss how color choice is important, placement of stencil, and any other concepts you noticed while creating this. 

I like my experience with spray paint I had used it before but never in doing art. Other than graffiti I had seen spray paint was not used for art. My color choice was vital because where I had my dark I had my blue and the white was the major part of my artwork so it was easier to see and notice. The  black spray paint allowed me to make my artwork pop out so it would be easier to see.