Jasmine Kay Art

This past semester, I had the opportunity to work with Neal Daugherty for an Independent Study. It was a chance for me to explore concept art, develop my style, and find my voice as an artist.

For some time, I had become complacent with my own personal style and have been ignoring several issues, most of which were on a foundational level. Throughout this semester, we were able to identify and tackle these problems head on. I've seen improvement in my sense of proportion, anatomy, and hand-eye coordination. By having an understanding of the human figure, I can achieve the same sense of volume and form even if I apply my own style. I can make more educated choices when experimenting with different body types and shapes. Even if the bodies are extreme, fantastical, and unrealistic, an understanding anatomy will still make that character feel real. Being able to really see, study, and interpret things is just as important as actually drawing them.

For the longest time, I've been impatient. I still am. I like clear, concise answers. I like efficiency. I skip tutorials, flip through books, get what I need and jump straight into a project so I can see the end product as soon as possible. This semester has taught me the importance of slowing down, to take things in, and to not try to do everything all at once. When I don't know how to do something, I need to be patient with myself and go through the proper steps of learning it. Even if I think I know how to do something, it doesn't hurt to go back and study the basics. Knowing the proper way to study and observe is so important, and I can continue to apply these tools when learning to draw things other than the human figure.

As for the concepts and characters that I've explored so far, I can't wait to develop them further. At first, I wasn't sure where to start. This blog started from nothing, and it includes the hard process of ironing out my ideas and struggling to find a direction to go. I really worked to narrow down my interests, identify my inspirations, and try to create a world that spoke to me. It had to be something that I could become invested in and expand on, something I could proudly call original and mine.

I plan to continue on developing this world and updating my progress on this blog. I hope to fully flesh out the characters, their stories, and expand the world they live in. For the Bridging Disciplines Program that I am a part of, Digital Arts & Media students have the choice of finishing up their certification by working on their own Creative Project. When that time comes, I want to create a trailer for my story in a way that would showcase 2D/3D art and animation, an idea we had talked about at the beginning of the semester. I think it would be a good way to finish up my final year of college, and thanks to this Independent Study, I have the proper foundation to build upon to reach that goal.

There is still a lot of work to be done, but this experience has really helped me feel more confident in my abilities and the direction I want to go in as an artist. Who knew that something as simple as keeping up a blog could be so effective. It's the most personal improvement that I've seen in a while, and I'm very excited to see where I'll go from here.

I want to thank Neal Daugherty for the wonderful opportunity and amazing guidance he gave me throughout this semester. He was truthful, resourceful, and always sought what was best for my own individual improvement. This Independent Study experience has been so beneficial and valuable to me. I can't thank you enough.

-Jasmine