![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/93ecb696-3328-4f95-a970-991e19e5a126_rw_3840.png?h=d759c6f5a69589b8b8b479b560f644d1)
Study i - Crumpled Paper
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/b84e81df-46c9-4074-b492-7ffe9a8d901a_rw_1920.jpg?h=59a13f40251cc3136eb7a141224706cd)
For the first time since my kindergarten days, I was assigned a still life. However, this time, my art teacher actually expected something from me. The abstract shapes of crumpled paper intimidated me. I was confident I would produce something; only the quality was in question.
This study stretched my capacity for rendering complex and foreign shapes. I became much more intentional with my artistic approach, and technique. Prior to working with this still life, I was not focusing on value scale or line style. I learned the value of negative space. Because of my work with still life, my quality of work has greatly improved as well as my confidence.
Study ii - Draped Cloth
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8552483db8ec59e99bcdce3d45067fbd/20ad9d31-4366-412d-8b73-2e9db92a6dc6_rw_1920.jpg?h=b152dab252a2e5f16b62644bbc791bf8)
I was overwhelmed with this particular still life because, as always, I bit off more than I could chew. As per usual, when instructed to pick a small area with a medium amount of detail, I proceeded to attempt drawing the entire drapery, top to bottom. A quarter of the way through, I debated giving up, but that's not who I am. So, I diligently ground my way through the last 60.75 square inches of pure tedium, all the while asking myself, "why am I doing this?". The answer to that question is simple: to test my skills, my patience, and how long I could sit in the same spot without getting butt cramps.