Final Project

Originally my project presentation would consist of 3 images:  logo design, tote bag design, and shopping bag design.  I have excluded the tote bag design from my final project. The presentation is  promotional material for a business that specializes in African American Art.  The concept is to increase this new business' visibility to its targeted audience which is all people interested in African American art. The business is called African Diaspora in Informal Times font.  The artwork reflects the connection with African American heritage is the vibrant earth tones of yellow and brown colors merging together displaying  ethnic dancers.  This will be used for the shopping bad design.  The vibrant color were dimmed by using the diffuse glow feature. The logo design was too large for the shopping bag artwork. So, I created a Vector Smart object in Illustrator then placed  the smart object (smaller) logo into my artwork in photoshop (object layer).  Since the objective of this concept was to create a visual to increase business I put a QR code in the lower right corner of the artwork which can have details about the business.  The logo is Bauhaus 93 font.  I merged AD of African Diaspora by using keening and tracking features in the logo.  I wanted to create enough intrigue in the artwork that it would tempt the targeted audience to explore the new art  gallery.    The software used for this presentation is Photoshop and Illustrator.  The presentation maintains a positive position ethically as well as social responsible because it addresses cultural awareness  and diversity in the Arts.  It embraces legal considerations because the logo is unique and the artwork used on the shopping bag has not be altered and it was stock artwork.  The shopping bag would be of recycling products to conform with environmental consciousness.

                                                           

Preliminary Sketches -

Design Competition

Ecosystem - preliminary #2

I have eliminated many of the images in my design.  I am using a pen for this sketch. I am attempting to focus more on the stormwater (rain and snow) drain which leads to the waterways and express that dumping waste in the drains are harmful to our water supply. 

ECO Art Award-Biodiversity

I have selected the fine art category of the Eco Art  Award competition to design  a visual of an urban environment.  It will display the need for a storm water management plan to avoid debris from going down the sewer drain to nearby lakes, rivers and bays.  In the background of the sketch is an apartment complex which faces a grassy area with a large tree on it. In the foreground is the street curb and sewer drain with leaves, oil and grease covering the drain before it rained.  In the background of the composition is another drain after the storm  that is clear of debris

Alicia Keys Album cover - Songs in A Minor

My first idea was to use the same image used on the original album cover then trace it.  I later decided to select a new photograph of Alicia Keys for my final album cover.  My objective was to select  an image that would reflect the fact that this album was the the 10th  anniversay edition of the Album Songs in A Minor.  The photograph I chose is a more vibrant  image of the artist to match her persona.    I selected Broadway type because it would be the appropriate font to go with the vintage nightclub style gown Alica is wearing.

                  My final cover

Original cover                              Preliminary cover

Preliminary Album Cover - Alicia Keys

                                                  Fig 1                                           Fig 2
Figure is the album cover from Alicia Keys  Songs in A Minor 10th Anniversary Edition. I have done traced the cover using preset settings.  This is my preliminary cover.

Idea: Piano

I traced this raster image of piano keys using the grayscale tracing option which produced a vector image.

Idea: Piano

Artist Statement (continued)

Spring Flower (2011)

Violet & Flowers (2011)

Artist Statement

Artist Statement

Colonel Knight 

My interest in creating fine art started when I was 9 years old.  My artwork in elementary school grew to be a passion by the time I graduated from high school.  I loved doing watercolor paintings of flowers, trees and butterflies in elementary school. In high school I worked with oils, gouache and oil pastels to create landscapes scenes.  In college I did less painting and concentrated on graphics and advertising design.

My most recent work is Works on Paper. When my work turns out well I am very satisfied.  I feel a sense of pride I complete a piece of art. I can then step away from the work. I feel even more satisfied with myself when viewers give me favorable critiques. I also interested in critiques that are not favorable. I use those comments to address new perspective in future artwork. I am particularly interested in repetition of forms in my work such as creating hatching. The art that I create is based on culture, religion and ethnic beliefs. It reflects my life from childhood to adulthood.  My themes are also of nature and the environment which has been depicted through the use of cool hues. The message that I attempt to depict in my work are a sense of sadness, endurance, sorrow, humility and happiness combined with aspects of fantasy and realism.

 I start my work by doing sketches and taking photographs of subjects. During this process I also decide the theme, subject, medium and other materials to use for the art/design.  I then work on the piece.   I know when I have completed the art/design work when I feel that I have communicated a clear message to the viewer through my art. Works on Paper is my most recent work.  Spring Flower (2011) and Violet and Grey Flowers (2011) are both monoprints with etching ink. Both were enhanced with oil pastels.