Yingruo Cao

Reflection

I always find Sea life astounding as inspiration, so I went to the London aquarium to look for colours. As imagined, the place was so rich with saturated colours that it presented a vivid but calm vibe. As a result, I started to think about the natural balance of the deep ocean. 

Finding inspiring colours was successful; however, it was challenging to record quick observations due to the environment. The non-returned walking routine made me hard to stop by and draw. The lightings inside are either too dark or are the special elude light to illuminate fishes. As a solution, I would observe and draw whenever I encountered ample space. I mainly brought dry mediums and added wet materials after I got home to overcome the difficulties of bringing in various mediums. Additionally, adding more layers afterward enabled me to be open-minded and utilize unexpected materials, such as nail polish, to draw fluorescent colours.

On the other hand, I could draw more free-handed quick sketches instead of being too mindful of every mark I drew. Also, I could be more experimental and try more styles, such as Pointillism.

The experience of drawing dynamic creatures was challenging, but I improved my skills in doing quick sketches based on my instant observations and sensations. Furthermore, I can now quickly extract the features that inspired me; even if it is the pattern of a tiny tropical fish that I glanced at, my lens of eyes can capture and create sensations and ideas in my brain.