Image Attribution: “Assignment 3 Reflection and Refraction” by Bryanna Dyer/Gouda Mourning is licensed under CC0. (See interactive map)
Fall semester 2025 Drawing 3. Warped still life objects and collage.
Image Attribution: “Assignment 3 Reflection and Refraction” by Bryanna Dyer/Gouda Mourning is licensed under CC0. (See interactive map)
Fall semester 2025 Drawing 3. Warped still life objects and collage.
Ricardo Alexander Munoz Cazares
This composition immediately captures attention with its dynamic circular movement and vibrant layering of color. The central eye acts as a strong focal point, pulling the viewer’s gaze inward, while the surrounding shapes and characters move in a spiral rhythm that guides the eye naturally around the entire piece. The placement of the colorful forms creates a sense of balance despite the visual chaos, showing good control of composition.
The use of color, shading, and texture adds energy and depth. Each hue contrasts sharply with the others, which enhances the illusion of space and reflection. The overlapping paper textures and collage technique add an interesting three-dimensional quality that makes the artwork feel alive and in motion.
Overall, this drawing demonstrates creativity and confidence in experimentation. The mixture of surreal elements, like the floating eye and cosmic shapes, creates a dreamlike feeling that fits perfectly with the theme of reflection and refraction. The only small improvement could be to refine some edges for cleaner separation, but the concept and execution are visually powerful and imaginative.
Jolie Won-Hyang Cho
1. The diverse array of colors and materials captures my attention positively. The well-balanced composition of each layer of elements, combined with the intentionally distorted Rubik’s Cube, adds an engaging element of creativity and entertainment, which I find to be an excellent concept.
However, the overall presentation could benefit from greater emphasis or display on a larger scale to enhance its impact.
2. Given the concept and style of the artwork, I would not anticipate a full range of tonal variations or extensive shadowing. The purple shading on the Rubik’s Cube is very effective. Aside from this, I observe primarily variations in tonal value across the elements.
It would be interesting to see some more elongated and distorted representations to further develop the technique. Overall, this is a highly creative piece.
Ricardo Alexander Munoz Cazares
In this drawing, I will analyze 8 aspects: Initial Impact, Composition, Texture and Detail, Shading and Values, Form and Volume, Perspective and Spatial Logic, Concept and Narrative Feeling, and Practical Suggestions:
1. First Impression
Right away, this piece just jumps out at you. There’s an incredible burst of energy that comes from the bright colors set against the dark, starry background. It feels playful, a little chaotic, and completely full of imagination, like a snapshot from a vivid dream.
2. Composition & Layout
The artist did a great job of leading your eye. Everything naturally circles back to that big yellow circle with the blue eye in the middle it’s the heart of the whole piece. The swirls of color around it create a sense of spinning motion, which keeps your gaze moving around the artwork. The little details, like the Rubik’s Cube tucked in the corner and the hand at the bottom, are placed perfectly to keep the whole thing balanced and interesting.
3. Color & Contrast
The use of color is fantastic. It’s a bold mix of yellows, blues, purples, and pinks, and somehow it all works together without feeling overwhelming. The real masterstroke, though, is the black background. It makes every single color pop and gives the collage a cosmic, nighttime feel. The little white specks are the perfect finishing touch, like stars in a personal, creative universe.
4. Depth & Layering
Even though it’s a flat collage, it has a real sense of depth. You can tell the artist thought about which pieces to layer on top of others. The swirling shapes seem to lift right off the page, and the purple hand at the bottom feels like it’s reaching out toward the viewer. This layering makes the whole scene feel more alive and three dimensional.
5. Visual Texture
You can almost feel the texture just by looking at it. This isn’t a perfectly smooth, digital image; it’s a handmade creation. You can imagine the slightly raised edges of the cut paper and the different surfaces overlapping. This rough, crafted quality gives the artwork a warm, personal touch that you just don’t get from a computer.
6. Symbolism & Idea
This piece feels like a window into someone’s imagination. The central eye could be the artist’s own perspective, watching over a world of creative chaos. The swirling vortex might represent a storm of ideas or a dream in motion. The Rubik’s Cube is a fun nod to puzzles and logic existing inside a fantasy world, and the hand holding something suggests an act of creation or magic. It all tells a story about the joy and freedom of letting your mind wander.
7. Craftsmanship
The choice of collage is perfect for this concept. The cutting and placement of the paper shapes look deliberate and full of expression. It takes a good eye to create such a fluid, energetic movement with simple cut-outs. The handmade nature of the technique is what makes the piece feel so authentic and spontaneous.
8. A Few Ideas
The piece is already wonderful as it is, but it’s always fun to think what if?. It could be interesting to see other materials mixed in, like bits of fabric, yarn, or maybe a button to give it even more varied textures. Or, playing with the scale more dramatically making one object giant and another tiny could push the fantasy element even further. But these are just thoughts for an already fantastic piece of art.