{"id":60,"date":"2021-08-26T05:38:32","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T05:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LucyW\/?page_id=60"},"modified":"2023-05-11T16:51:19","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T16:51:19","slug":"reflections","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/freestyleacademy.rocks\/~LucyW\/reflections\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In the Reflections unit, we explored answers to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Who am I?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What do I value?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In English<\/strong> class, I read the book, “College Essay Essentials”, by Ethan Sawyer, otherwise known as ‘The College Essay Guy’. I started brainstorming for writing my personal essay by listening objects that are important to me and remind me of core memories: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Essence Objects<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Colorful glass apple with stem missing
2. Postcard from friend with an ink painting of ducks
3. Plaque for MVP, badminton
4. UCLA Summer Sessions lanyard
5. Stone elephant figurine
6. Blue double-shock mouthguard
7. A piece of orange agate, polished
8. Micron ink pen (size 0.8)
9. Peter Pauper Press journals
10. Scott Joplin Repertoire book
11. Science Olympiad Anatomy Nationals medal
12. Needle and thread
13. Regular skateboard that I helped build
14. Book from my grandma’s home, \u84dd\u77f3\u5934
15. Book, \u7a97\u8fb9\u7684\u5c0f\u8373\u8373 (The Little Girl by the Window);
I used it to practice my reading and writing<\/em>
16. Packets of origami paper
17. Any nice fresh yellow bananas
18. Photo collage of friends, 2016
19. Green-blue neon spatula<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I decided to write about what I learned form joining the wrestling team in junior year. I used this project for my personal statement on the Common Application! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I felt very prolific in Digital Media<\/strong> class, where we reflected our values in a personal mandala made in Illustrator, created digital paintings using Photoshop, and used Photoshop’s awesome tools to carry out its classic purpose: editing images!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Animation<\/strong>, we explored 3D modeling and learned to sculpt and texture characters. We will continue to learn 3D animation techniques as we create our Narrative 2 group project next semester!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Media works<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

personal mandala<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The personal mandala project encouraged us to translate our core values into visual representation. In Illustrator, 1. drew pattern, 2. colored it, 3. created a build-reveal video, and 4. got it engraved into 3D object. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I began this project, I struggled to create a design that would embody my core values, similar to my obstacles in writing my personal statement. How can I present a few key details through visual and literary work, that would represent who I am? Who I’m headed to become? The infinite possibilities for filling a blank white space seemed daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Please reload the page if a mandala comparison doesn’t appear below this line! Working on fixing bug.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n\t\t\"Personal\n\t\t\"Personal\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

But, like writing, once I got started, I continued to find inspiration in my essence objects and from old memories that floated back to me at different points in time. Within my mandala design, I drew symbols inspired by watermelon slices, carrots, lace, bananas, Science Olympiad, piano keys, and a water polo ball, among others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps one of the most important details lies in the center of the mandala, drawing the eye to a bowling ball among pins. I had drawn this while looking at a silver medal belonging to my grandfather, hanging against the wall; this aspect represents my family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project changed the way I saw the role of pre-planning in art. Some of the most interesting symbols in the mandala were formed as a result of spontaneous brush strokes, such as the angel holding up a crown and the head silhouettes on either side of it. I valued being able to take time to reflect on what is important to me while creating something beautiful from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve filled my mandala with colors. Though vibrant, they are balanced by duller, almost nostalgic shades in the background. I used color gradients especially to represent fruit and vegetables and multi-colored yarn. The interaction of patterns in the mandala show how I have many passions that have guided my growth, and so many more things I want to try in the future. Just like in the song Childhood Dreams<\/em> by Ary, I ‘dream a hundred dreams a minute.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I make decisions about where and how I might be spending the next few years of my life, sometimes it feels harder to stay with my present and past. I find myself spending less time reflecting on who I used to be, instead forming ideas about who I want to be in the future. But both are equally important. In creating this project, I’m especially grateful for having space to reconsider what is valuable to me and represent it through art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some close-up insights to show smaller details of objects I wanted to represent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Knitting, and bananas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lace of carrots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Crown underneath keyboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Forestry representation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bowling for my grandfather<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Watermelon, bicolored seeds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the video progression of building this mandala, layer by layer! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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