Longboard Construction

Steps

1. -Gluing-

To start our unit we were given 7 sheets of wooden panels that would in the end be our board. We glued the 7 wooden layers together and nailed the board into a thick Styrofoam replica of a long board. After that we placed them in an air tight sealed bag. From there we pumped the air out until there was no air inside the bag and the layers were compressed together. While doing this we were given the option to place the board on two stacks of books one stack on each end to create a curve in the board.

2.- Carving-

After the glue dried we returned to our boards. We started by carving the edges of the board to even out the wood levels of the sides of the boards. Also by carving

the edges of our board we were able to start what was supposedly going to be the curve on the sides.

3. -Sanding-

After the edges were carved we went on to sanding the bottom and the edges with a 60 grain piece of sandpaper. As we did this the edges started to form the curve and the bottom became s

moother, this was because we were evening the grain all around the board. Once we were able to get the board the smoothest it could be with a certain grain we advanced to the next level until we reached the limit of 400. The grain levels we had to work with were 60, 80, 100, 120, 200, 220, and 400.

Elements and Principles of Design Used

1. Shape -

This was an important element of design because our class wanted to keep the long board shape while smoothening and carving the edges of the board. Hardcore sanding for many days would cause the shape to be altered greatly.

2.-Direction-

Direction played a key role in our project because if we were to carve or sand against the grain usually there would be scratches, and chips made in the board. Therefore we had to follow the direction of the grain and stroke it a certain way prevent any damage done to the board. This was difficult because maintaining the proper stroke for many hours of sanding is difficult and can sometimes get frustrating.

3.- Texture-

This was maybe one of the biggest elements of designs that we had to co

nsider and achieve because the longest part of the project was actually the sanding. Staying at the 60 and 80 grain the longest really helped when we got to 400, which made the board feel like glass. The texture from before and after the sanding has an incredible difference and it played a big role in this project.

4. - Balance-

This principle of design was one that was difficult for me , but in the end it was still achieved. The carving of the board had to be consistent with both sides our else the board would seem a bit warped alternating its shape. making sure i was balancing the amount of sanding and carving on both sides of the board was nerve wracking , but in the end i believe i was successful with the process.

Tips, Pros, and Cons

1. -Tips-

Some tips that i discovered while sanding was to always follow the grain to prevent damage or scratches to the board. Also personally i found that if i was to stroke the board with sandpaper without putting to much pressure the surface would get smoother a lot faster and it would not wear out the board as fast. To me this was a benefit because i felt i was almost sanding through the board in the end and reducing pressure made it better.

2. -Pros-

Some pros about this concept of sanding and carving was that we had a lot of freedom in creating the actual shape of the board. Also it was our personal choice when moving on to the next level of sandpaper. The satisfaction in the end also is a benefit in doing this project.

3.- Cons-

Some cons about this project was the countless hours of sanding that can make one's arm tired, and cause cramps. The dust in the air can affect one's breathing. Also there was really no way in counting how many strokes we did on each side so the board may have been unbalanced sometimes.

Personal Reflection

In the end of this carving and sanding unit I can say that i did achieve a smooth surface. I was not expecting such a smooth feeling from wood, on something that was hand made. In the end I pulled it off and I am happy to have succeeded, but I wish i had spent a little more time on the carving because I personally do not feel my edges are curved enough. Overall i think it was a great start to the long board unit.

Compression Air Tight Bag

Glue

Carving

Sanding

My Hero Poster

Comic Life Movie

Comic Life

Famous Landscape Painters

Lawren Harris

Mount Lefroy

I like the way Lawren used her colours in large strips rather than mixing them alot. Though she did mix colours together to create a sense of depth she still allows there to be strips of large paint which is very different, but also interesting.

Lawren Harris

Maligne Lake Jasper Park

I appreciate Lawren Harris' use of the depth in this painting. We can really see that the water goes very far off into the distance because of the mountains and how the mountains have a more lighter colour as they recede. There are also noticeable paint strips in this painting.

Claude Monet, "Water-Lily Pond"

I appreciate Monet's use of colour in this painting. Even though the whole painting is generally green and blue, it really sends the viewer the message that the lily pond is full of vegetation. The choice of colour also does not confuse the viewer because of the difference of value of green in the painting.

Claude Monet, "The Grand Canal, Venice"

I like how Claude Monet uses his brush strokes to make the water seem like its moving constantly. Also the reflection of the various warm colours in the water makes the painting more interesting and it brings the painting together since there are some of the same colours on the buildings.

Unit ONE_ FINAL SUMMATIVE_ THE STILL IMAGE

Visual Arts Process Photos

3rd Picture was flipped due to blog issues.

When i was first starting on my painting i created an outline of the main features of my painting. Using line (the element of design) i was able to clearly see where i needed to paint. As i was painting i wanted to keep a darker value near the right side of my painting. The mountain in the back appears lighter because i wanted to show that it was farther on the picture plane. The colour that i decided to use for the sky is different from my original picture because i wanted a more exciting atmosphere to attract the viewers eyes. One of the skills that i found was useful in my painting was when i decided to do the mountain. I found if i added more paint than usual it almost created a texture effect on the mountain which was affective for the rough rock of a mountain. Another skill that i learned was using colours which you might not always see in places unexpected. This made an interesting effect and my painting seemed less predictable. The ground had space so the viewers eye could focus more on the building in the front of the picture plane.