When registering for classes my counselor suggested I take this course. I thought that it was just another art class that analyzed how colors and structure worked visually. The second week of school the class exceeded my expectations. I never worked with photoshop, advanced color technology, or an inkjet printer, so starting off I was intimidated but I didn’t let my ignorance discourage me, instead I proceeded with the class and got out of my comfort zone.
Our first assignment was to explore south congress through photography. Going into this without any prior knowledge I tried my best to convey a theme. As an artist you have to be open to all feedback but when applying it to your work you still want to express the core values of your art. As our weekly critiques passed each time I’d take notes on not only the feedback I received but on others prints as well. I thought critically about what my professors and classmates had to say about my work and how I can apply their input to my work while still making the piece my own. Using their feedback I would try to get more complex with my work by putting in extra hours into my projects.
One of my biggest challenges I faced was balancing my other classes with the practice I needed for this class. Even though I wanted to make excellent grades, I didn’t want to sacrifice the quality of my work for deadlines so I came up with a schedule that incorporated the available lab times. Taking the extra time to practice in the lab I noticed I received more positive feedback on my prints. The feedback allowed me to gain a new perspective that wasn’t strictly studio art based but influenced by graphic design and technology. Using my new set of eyes and the knowledge I have acquired I have been making prints of my physical art work outside of class as practice.
The reason I chose to go to Saint Edward’s is because it is located in Austin, a social hub. In order to be successful an artist you have to network, make mistakes, use feedback, and improve. I have been trying to explore all of these aspects through this visual studies course.