My art was made to be a realistic piece based off a picture of a pangolin. The title of it is “Depending on Scale.” The elements of value and lighting were very important to get right while creating this art. This piece was made by using a stippling technique. Essentially, I used a fine-tip permanent marker to make small dots across the whole artwork. How close and how many dots were in each area would determine its value or how much shadow was placed there. I found this process to be fun and relaxing.

I chose to do a pangolin because it seemed like a unique and cool animal. I don’t believe that people often think of pangolins, but they are actually one of the most trafficked animals in the world. All 8 species of pangolin are on the endangered animals list, and it is estimated that 10,000 pangolins get poached and trafficked each year. Making art of this animal was a small way to bring it into the light.

While making this piece, I had many goals. For one, I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t get lazy with placing the dots as I went on. I actually found placing the dots to be a lot more enjoyable than I expected, and in the end, I think I did a pretty good job of sticking with it. However, I would say that the hardest part of this project was achieving convincing shading, particularly with each of the scales. I knew that doing an animal with so many scales would be a challenge, but I am happy I took it on. I am very proud of the shading, and look forward to using the stippling method again. My favorite part has to be the face and head of the pangolin. Although it took a lot of time, I think it turned out really well and brings out the most character in the piece. I was really able to focus on using value and shading while making this, and that has taught me a lot for future art.