Project #4
Mixed Media Still-Life
INQUIRY STATEMENT
How can combining different materials and personal objects in a still life communicate layers of meaning about who I am?
By combining different materials in this still life, I reflected and showed how my identity is made up of many layers and influences. Each layer or texture being a complex tangle of trials and errors, I showed how, even though they do not blend perfectly, they show how they can coexist in a more complex piece.
The perspicacious and intentional use of layering, color combination, hues, tints and tones within the same artwork allows a flat surface (Such as a simple paper plate) to transform into a three-dimensional piece with clear highlights, shadows and reflections. The use of different colored lines and intentional shapes allows the artwork to elevate into a more dynamic piece for the viewer.
CONNECTION
Cultural, historical, and artistic influences with critical evaluation.
For my pictures, I tried layering different objects in different ways (As seen in the pictures to the left), and I decided on a very specific set of objects in a very specific composition. To maximize the possibilities, I tried taking the picture of my final composition both during the night and the morning, to play with the shadows that the lights above were able to create on the objects. For this reason, I decided to utlize the picture taken at night, as the contour and shadows were much more predominant.
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The smaller pictures represent the quickly dismissed pictures and the larger ones display the pictures that I was close to choosing
The artwork shown belong to past art students and have helped me and guided me in creating a set-up that can transmit emotion to the viewer. I took inspiration from many aspects of these projects, such as: the positioning of the paper, the planned use of materials accordingly to the paper used, the layering of paper, and the different artistic styles that could be used. ​
investigate
INITIAL TRIALS - contour
These first trials were done prior to beginning the actual mixed media piece. I practiced areas such as blind contour, valule scales and crosshatching in order to prepare better.
CREATE
Visual documentation of steps of creation
day 1
day 2
day 3
day 4
day 5
day 6
day 7
day 8
day 9
final artwork
Final artwork detailed image
Artist: Lucía Granada
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Title: Mixed Media Project
SIZE: 28cm x 36cm
Date of Completion: 18 of dec 2025
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The Why?: I made this piece to experiment with mixing different materials and papers while exploring how separate elements can work together to create meaning.
communicate and reflect
Challenges, successes, and self-evaluation of how the artwork aligns with the inquiry question.
For my final mixed media project, I made choices to show contrast and mix different materials together. I used newspaper as the background and didn’t want to cover it completely with leaves, so I left spaces where the words could still show through. I liked how this made the text stand out more and added another layer to the piece.
The crown was meant to go with the flower and not take attention away from it. The flower is a main focus, and I like how its color and texture stand out compared to the drawn and painted parts. I also used chalk pastels at the bottom to add depth, even though they don’t look as bright in the photo as they do in real life.
Overall, I have mixed feelings about the final result. I’m happy with how the different parts look on their own, but I’m not completely satisfied with how they work together as a whole. I think the composition could be more connected and flow better. Still, this project helped me experiment with new materials and take more risks.
This self-assessment was made on day 6
Colors are clean and opaque ​3
Staggered Tiles - 3
Minimum 6 different hues - 4
Full range value in Hues - 4
Round appearance - 4
Overall craftmanship - 4
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TOTAL: 22