1. Describe the subject matter and meaning of your artwork.
I drew Japanese monkeys that live in hot springs in the mountains. I chose this image because I saw it and was surprised by how much it reminded me of people. I thought it would be nice to show that animals aren’t that different from us.
2. How did you use textures to enhance your picture?
I used the fur texture to bring focus onto the monkeys, and I made sure to make the fur direction clear to create the shapes of the monkeys. I also used texture to show the difference between the ground and the lake. I used lines at the top of the mountains to indicate snow.
3. How did you balance your artwork and create a well-organized composition?
I balanced the piece by making sure that there was not only one focus, by adding movement in the steam and details in the mountains. I made sure to make a balanced composition that draws the eye to multiple places.
4. How did you imply movement in your drawing?
I implied movement by adding the outline of steam coming off of the hot spring. I added swirled ends to show movement in the air. I also used the direction of the fur on the monkeys to show movement and distinct shapes.
5. How could you improve your artwork?
I could improve the piece by adding more values and textures. There is a lot of blank space that could be filled with more details, like in the water or the mountains. The balance between black and white could be more even, with less dark space.
6. How did you demonstrate a wide range of shading values?
There is a distinct difference between the values of each area of the drawing. The monkeys have the lightest value, which helps bring focus to them. The mountains have a gradient of values to show they are in the distance, and the ground has values in between those two to represent a middle value.