At the very beginning of this school year, we were all tasked with creating a mandala, something special to us that let our inner artist thrive. This unit was really important to me because it made me appreciate the digital media class more. Last year, we mainly focused on the technical side, that, even though we did create "art", it felt like more of a lesson and an assignment than the freedom to create. Even when we got to the project literally called Personal Illustration" with clear instructions to do whatever we want, it still felt like school. This though, this felt personal, something that I could claim as purely my own.
Now, I've never really liked art, I'm just not good at it. It's a vicious cycle of me not being good at it so deciding to not even try to create anything, and knowing that the only way to improve is through time and practice, while once again thinking that there's no use practicing creating ugly art. But this project, this I could understand. It's patterns and symmetry and everything flows together I don't need to be incredibly precise and make it look lifelike, because it's not supposed to be that kind of art. I don't have to feel bad about myself because one aspect of the picture feels uneven, because the reflection of everything turns any mistakes you think you have into just another part of your artwork.
I've tried in the past to create something or anything personal to me but it has never worked out. I can't do art so it all comes across as cheesy or just plain bad. But with this project, I could finally create something that didn't need perfection and so I proceeded to go crazy. In most of the other mandalas you'll see, they use the reflecting aspect to do their art and it all just looks like a kaleidoscope. With mine, it was a bit different. I chose a peacock feather, reflected again and again, and that's the main focus of my art. Peacocks have always meant something to me, they are these majestic birds that are extravagant and beautiful, they are the embodiment of being unafraid to show who they are and that seems pretty cool to me. I decided to back them on acrylic with extravagant colors lighting them up, to add to the breathtaking image I'd hoped to create. Or maybe I'm just thinking too deep into this and just liked the look, who knows? I certainly don't.
Related website
