Drawing My Future

My hand is moving with a mind of its own in a stream of creative consciousness. It may as well be a poltergeist. Rough shapes are being formed, abstract blobs that at first have no cohesion, no combined purpose. After time these strange, independent elements start to form something recognizable. The doodle I started on my paper in class has turned into a sports car. It is something of my own creation; wide, low-slung, angry, with squinting aggressive headlights, strong flared fenders, and a large open grille. The machine looks determined, ready to attack when provoked. I stare at my creation, and picture myself driving it. It is only one of the hundreds I have drawn all over my notebooks and worksheets. Give me a paper and a pencil and there will be something drawn – I simply can’t help myself. It’s something I’ve always done.

All of my art, drawings, digital, or otherwise, all start out the same. They all begin as small, independent, abstract shapes; it begins from chaos. As I continue with my work, these shapes get sculpted and formed into a recognizable cohesive piece. Every line has a meaning, everything connects and flows: the work is complete. This is why I love art and design, because it can depict life, not only in its final form but also in its creation.

I started, just like everyone else, as a blank page. Every experience and grain of knowledge became new shape on my canvas. Over time larger more complex shapes started to form from the smaller ones and I began to take shape as who I am today. As my page filled I started to learn about what I liked, what I didn’t like, and the type of person I wanted to be.

I opened myself up to as many things as I could: I played Little League baseball, I sang in all county chorus, I played trombone in the seventh grade band, I was in the eighth grade play, I took technology classes over the summer, I took a video and media class, and even dabbled in the culinary arts at one point. The more things I tried the more I knew I wanted to do something creative with my life. I became increasingly interested in how technology could make an impact in the art world. In a sense, my paper full of shapes became digital.

I began experimenting with different types of digital media. It started with very simple animations made with Keynote, and then I started to teach myself how to make movies. Every chance I could get, every project, I would make an elaborate mini-documentary on the assigned subject. It wasn’t until my sophomore year in high school that I discovered Photoshop on my school laptop and I was hooked, fascinated, entranced, and addicted. I had a blank canvas in front of me and no idea how to use it, but that didn’t stop me. I went online and bought books and started following tutorials, teaching myself about layers, color, masking, and photo manipulation. I would spend all my time in class working on Photoshop, lost in my own world.

My page continues to fill, with each new project that I undertake and each new thing that I learn. It has taken years, but all the small, rough, independent shapes are beginning to form something more complex; it is starting to become clear what I want to do with my life. The image drawn on my paper is slowly coming together, and I like it so far.