The Artistic Process Anonymous

Before last October, I crafted artwork in a way that I now find stifling to the creative process. I devised pieces in a manner that I can only describe as linear: I would imagine a scene, create different compositional sketches, and then draw and color the final piece. My work was realistic, small and tight. It was an important place for me to start as an artist, as it helped me to develop strong technical skills. But it was just that: a starting point.

Around the springtime of 2015, I first began to diverge from this strict method because I had to finish my concentration for the AP Drawing portfolio. During this time, I began to think in terms of design more than figurative fine art. As senior year began, and my art class became more focused on design, I started experimenting more with different types of mediums and subjects. That October I devised a piece called The Mortician’s Deathbed, which I believe defines the beginning of my new artistic style. My art teacher, Milo, had decided to push our boundaries, to force us into working with topics that we would normally never consider creating art about. He gave each student a card from the board game Apples to Apples and made us do a piece about it. My card was “Mortician” and...