Assignment 6: Part 1 (Human Subjects)

 Assignment 6: Tone and Value Study

Part 1:

For this assignment, we were supposed to use ink wash to create 24 (originally 50) tonal drawings. Here are the first 12. 

The main subjects I used for these first 12 drawings were human portraits, mostly celebrities. The theme I had in mind for all of these people was, in a nutshell, "Square pegs in round holes". This can pertain to people who had different career paths then what they originally intended, or people who act contrary to how others think they'll act, or people who are symbolic of the "other" or "the weird ones" or a different way of thinking.

These drawings will be done in chronological order (up-down, left-right).

1. Authors

Stephen King (left). One of the most famous American authors, Stephen King was known for his works in the horror genre. However, while King is best known for horror, he also has several books in the realistic fiction, science fiction, and fantasy genres. That's one reason he's on this list. An interesting fact about Stephen King is that he almost gave up being an author before his career started. His first novel had been rejected 30 times by publishers. Afterwards, he threw it in the trash believing he would never finish it. Then his wife picked up the manuscript he'd thrown out, looked it over, and was treated to the story of an abused teenage girl with developing psychic powers named Carrie. She convinced him to finish it, which he did, and from then on he kept writing and, to date, has not stopped.

Ursula K. Le Guin (right). Another famous author, Le Guin has written several books, novellas, essays, poems, critiques, short stories, and more. Just like Stephen King, it seemed Le Guin couldn't get writer's block. Her parents were anthropologists, giving her a background in science. However, as she continued to write, she learned to apply when she had learned from her parents to her books and stories. While she is a recognized author in the science fiction and fantasy genre, her work has been difficult for critics to classify, as she has blended elements of science fiction and fantasy in her works.

 

2. Different Thinkers

Albert Einstein (left) hardly needs an introduction. He was a German-born scientist, physicist, philosopher, and mathematician who created the theory of relativity, came up with the formula used for measuring energy, and contributed heavily to the world's knowledge of quantum mechanics. Despite his reputation as an intelligent man, Albert Einstein wasn't always thought of as smart. He was non-verbal until he was four years old and, even then, faced a later development then his peers. His teachers thought that he wouldn't amount to much. In 1921, he would win a Nobel prize.

Franz Kafka (right) was an Austrian-Czech writer from Prague. His works would include "The Metamorphosis" and "The Trial". His work best exemplifies the surreal, with nightmarish situations that force the characters to question the reality of their situation. The word used to describe this type of genre is, fittingly, "Kafkaesque". 

3. Artists at Heart

Isaac Asimov (left) was the best-selling author of the "Foundation" series, as well as "I, Robot", "The Gods Themselves", "Fantastic Voyage", several short stories, introductions, and educational books as well. He gained a great enough reputation as a science fiction writer that he has a magazine named after him, which is still being published today. He wasn't just an author, though. Asimov is on this list because he was an author AND a professor of biochemistry at Boston University. 

Henry Cavill (right) is a British movie star, celebrity and actor. He has played Superman in the DCEU and Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's "The Witcher" as some of his most famous roles. While he's known for playing handsome and masculine heroes as a serious actor, Henry Cavill is actually a huge geek, with interests in video games, comic books, role playing games, and model painting. He almost missed out on his audition for Superman because he got distracted playing World of Warcraft. 

4. New Styles

Tim Burton (left) is a filmmaker and artist. Originally working as an animator for Disney, he would gain a reputation for his creepy, quirky style of art, working on films such as "The Black Cauldron" and a rendition of "Hansel and Gretel". He was launched into fame when he was selected to direct the 1989 Batman movie. He would continue with his career, making films such as "Beetlejuice", "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Corpse Bride", "Edward Scissorhands", "Ed Woods", "Big Fish", and more. His style is one of the most recognizable styles in film, art, and media today.

Octavia E. Butler (right) was an American novelist and a major figure in science fiction and, more prominently, the genre known as "Afrofuturism", in which predictions of the future are shown through an African-American lens, addressing African American concerns. As a kid, she was aprolific reader and a large fan of science fiction and fantasy, but became disillusioned as she grew up with the realization that there was little to no diversity in the stories or the characters. So, she became an author who would end up representing African-American, feminist, and environmentalist ideals, winning Hugo and Nebula awards for her efforts. 

5. Monsters

Guillermo Del Toro (left) is a hispanic film-maker, director, producer, and artist. He's worked on movies such as the first two "Hellboy" films, "Pan's Labyrinth", "Pacific Rim" (a personal favorite of mine), and "The Shape of Water", some television shows such as "Tales from Arcadia", which includes "Trollhunters", 3 Below", and "Wizards", and "Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities". He also worked with Daniel Krauss to write the "Trollhunters" book. His work tends to be focused on monsters. In my opinion, you can't get more "square peg in a round hole" then that.

Gerald Brom (right) is an author and artist. He originally illustrated for Dungeons and Dragons, creating beautiful artworks for the books and magazines. He also made cover art for video games and books outside of the DnD realm. However, later in his career, he wrote and illustrated a book. Then he did it again. Then again. Then again. He has illustrated several of his own books, including "The Plucker", "Evil in Me", "The Child Thief", "Slewfoot", and others, all horror novels with a touch of fantasy for good measure, all signed with his last name only. 

6. Feminists

Eleanor Roosevelt (left) was the longest running First Lady during her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt's terms as president. When she was younger, she was nicknamed "Granny" due to her serious demeanor and plain looks, and dealt with personal insecurity. It was thought that she wouldn't amount to much. As she grew up, however, she became more confident and, when she became a First Lady, she became an activist for Women's rights, and an advocate for laborers, youth, the African-American community, and anyone else who needed help. One of Roosevelt's quotes instantly grabbed my attention and gave her a spot on this list. "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Maya Angelou (right) was a poet, entertainer, writer, and Civil Rights Activist. When she was younger, she was a victim of rape and accused the man who assaulted her. When he was found guilty and executed, either through guilt or trauma, Angelou would become mute. As she grew up, she would face many hardships including sexism, racial prejudice, and injustice. She would end up with a myriad of jobs, including fry cook, sex worker, cable car conductor, night club performer, before she would become a poet. In 1969, her first book, a memoir titled "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", was the first nonfiction book written by a Black Woman that was a bestseller. She would go on to write plays, scripts for shows, more poetry, and would also get work as a singer and an actress. 

Extras:

These are extra tonal drawings.

(Left to right): The first tonal study we did as a class. An unfinished attempt at making Stephen King. A rejected drawing when I thought we were supposed to make 25 pictures and not 24, with the theme of square pegs in round holes in mind. It's a literal depiction of a square peg in a round hole.