"City Light" by Jackson Edds

The primary media I used in this piece was graphite. I used graphite for the city in order to portray how cities are dull and colorless. To draw the city, I used straight edges in order to create straight lines. This emphasizes the perfection of the city, which can seem boring. In contrast, for the one tree, I used bright yellow colored pencils to illustrate bright foliage and contrast the tree with the dark, dull city. I also used a Micron pen to draw the branches of the tree, which makes the tree more defined so it can catch the viewer’s attention. I did not have to use any straight edges for the tree, which was meaningful since I had to use straight edges for everything else in the piece.

My goal for this piece was to contrast the boring perfection of cities with the natural beauty of trees. I hope to inspire viewers that even when you feel trapped in a modern city with skyscrapers towering over you and never-ending streets, nature is always somewhere waiting to provide beauty.

Jackson Edds, Class of 2022

AP Studio Art and Design: Sustained Investigation Project