Don’t Touch the Edges

In this artwork, my goal was to create a painting of a pool ball using sections of color. I accomplished my goal by using colors of differing shades to create highlights and shadows, while consciously avoiding the edges of the separate colors. I was very surprised how hard it was to avoid the edges of the different colors. In addition, I found it very difficult to mix the colors to create the right "look" for my painting. I found the best way to avoid the edges of the different colors and yet still create a "clean" and purposeful look was by using a palette knife that was angled differently than what I had originally been using. In addition, I found that the best way to achieve colors with the right look was through a lot of trial and error before placing the color on the canvas. I believe that I experienced the switch to right brain thinking when I stopped looking at my artwork as a pool ball, but instead as colored shapes. I feel like my drawing really works in the region consisting of the yellow and blue shadow. Through this art piece I learned how to find colors in color. For example, I found that yellow is not just yellow, instead it has a slight blue hue when in shadow. If I had a do-over, I would paint a different pool ball and use a brush, not a palette knife. I feel that the best thing about my drawing is the abstract look it has. I did not love this art piece at first, but I learned that if you look at it from a different perspective it can turn into something beautiful.