When I draw, I focus on how people interact with one another in some small yet meaningful way. I emphasize the negative or white/empty space around the characters I draw and their environment. I do this not only to make the characters “stick out,” but also to help create a separate personality for the environment, such as the sky, trees, the sun, clouds, houses, and buildings. I use geometric shapes to emphasize how the characters in their environments are “perfect” in their own way. For instance, I use the circle to portray the idea of a generational connection and bond between the individuals within a family and circles of friends. I show not only spatial depth in my drawings but also emotional depth, such as by portraying the characters’ feelings for one another, the rituals they engage in and their attitudes. The shading techniques that I use help to compliment, add texture, and “color” the characters and their environment.
A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric