As an artist, I most enjoy painting and drawing. I have tried digital design and 3D design but I don't find these art styles to be my cup of tea. I have been painting and drawing from a very early age in my life. In a 10th grade art class was when I discovered that I do very well in art and that I quite like it. This is when I started to pursue it as a hobby. I am a very realistic artist, I like to capture every detail without having to change any part of the scene. My work as a whole gives an insight to my character. I use charcoal, charcoal pencil, oil paint, India ink, and sometimes watercolor paint in my work. Charcoal is my favorite when it comes to shading and depth. Using a variety of values when using charcoal really can bring out the depth in what I’m depicting. I use a variety of thin and thick lines to create variety. I also love using the technique called  “reductive drawing” to take away charcoal in order to bring out highlights. When painting I usually take a picture of what I want to draw and then I draw it later in time. Sometimes I use a method called “gouache” painting which is a base layer of paint with a binding agent. This method was first used in France in the eighteenth century. My goal as an artist is to capture the beauty around me in my works in a very intricate and detailed way.

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-Julia M. Ackley