This document outlines a student's drawing project where they were asked to create a self-portrait inspired by master artists. The student chose Dorothea Lange and Sally Mann as influences for their black and white self-portrait holding a camera. The student struggled with rendering hands and facial features but overcame challenges through refining and adding shadows. They were pleased with accomplishing this intimidating project and gaining a new understanding of dimensional objects and portraiture.

1. Drawing II Composition & Media
DRAW – 101 – OL
Professor Markowsky
Sandi Bruegger

2. Master Copy
Bruegger vs. Tenniel

3. Master Artist: Dorothea Lange
Self-portrait Migrant Mother

4. Contemporary Artist: Sally Mann
Self-por trait Night-Blooming Cereus

5. Project B, Part II
Thumbnail sketches

6. Project B, Part III
Developed Compositional Sketch

7. Project B, Part IV
Beginning For mulating

8. Project B, Part IV
Defining Refining I

9. Project B, Part IV
Refining III Refining IV

10. Project B, Part IV
Refining V Refining VI

11. Project B, Part IV
Refining VII

12. Project B, Part V
Fully Developed Final Drawing

13. Self-Critique
Because I felt that I had a grasp of dimensional objects and volume, I set out to push
myself outside my comfort zone and enter into the realm of faces and hands. However,
it was not without incident. My first obstacle was during the thumbnail development.
Instead of creating an original composition, I worked my self-portrait and my camera
into the master artists’ photographs. Realizing the error in that decision, I worked on a
developed compositional sketch that was not only original, but included a more concise
and succinct composition.
From a technical standpoint, I had the most trouble with my nose and hands. Because
they are closer to the mirror, they are larger than my face (which is behind the camera
several inches away). Adding shadow and trimming back one palm helped with that. I
also had issues with my nostrils, which either looked like they were flared or just far too
big. In the end, I added far more subtractive reflections along the face, bridge of the
nose, and frame to highlight those even further. What began as the most intimidating
project ended in a great sense of accomplishment and pride.

14. Summary
When it came time to select inspiring artists, I was pleased to learn that I could
choose photographers. For my master artist, I chose Dorothea Lange, best known
for her coverage of the Great Depression. Her images are compelling and intimate,
often showing deep emotion, and are entirely black and white. For my contemporary
artist, I chose Sally Mann. Her photography is somewhat controversial, but highly
acclaimed. Her images are all black and white, and like Lange she chooses intimate
compositions. Inspired by both photographer’s self-portraits, I set up the drawing to
include my camera as Lange did. In order to pull a bit of Mann’s self-portrait into
my drawing, I added a framed mirror to suggest a vignette. My final drawing is on
grey canson mi-teintes paper, which I felt was a similar tone to what you would see in
a black and white photograph. The image was entirely done in charcoal pencils
with subtractive and additive methods. It includes a nod to the Tenniel master copy,
who also illustrated Through The Looking Glass. In this image, I am looking toward
the future and reflecting inward on self-recognition as a photographer.