Hannah's Eyes

Summer break’s coming to a rapid end and I still have so many books and tasks to finish before heading back to school. Luckily, as promised in my summer to-do-list, I finally sketched out a portrait! Here are some of the details.

Of course, I first had to set up a small work space and gather my supplies. Being an aspiring amateur artist, I know nothing of the variety of sketching utensils. Instead, I opted for a No.2 mechanical pencil, a ruler, a small lamp, a few sheets of computer paper, and a 9 by 12-inch canvas.

I also cheated and decided to use a photo of my friend. It was better than paying someone to pose for several hours a day…and learning how to reproduce a three-dimensional image on a textured plane. Did I mention I’m an aspiring amateur artist?

Using the ruler and scrap paper, I started with a rough sketch of the photo to make sure I was accurate in my estimations of how far the eyes were from the base of the mouth, and where the earlobe should be drawn.

Yes, her eyes definitely weren’t sparkly enough.

I then went on to draw a more thorough draft within a larger frame. This allowed me to get a better idea of what the picture would look like on canvas. After a few crumpled balls of paper, I managed to improve on the facial features and figure out where to add darker texture or mellow down the shading.

The nerve-racking part was transferring the image onto the cotton canvas and making it better. I had no idea how well the material would show the difference of shadows, or whether I could even erase on it!

After thousands to minute revisions and hundreds of accidental grayed pencil smudges, I saw an image that began to resemble my friend, and I set my pencil down. The entire project, from setting up a pseudo-office to the last pencil mark, took about 16 hours over the course of 5 days.

I named the art piece “Hannah’s Eyes” because the eyes were both the hardest to draw and, to me, the most alluring feature. They might not be perfect (yet…) but it’s where I look at first when examining the picture.

I would like to thank my friends for their helpful critiques throughout the process. Without Ali, Aaron, Hang Tian, and Hannah, the lips might still be crooked or the eyes too sharp. Drawing this was also made more fun by their humorous comments, such as these:

“The eyes need to be rounder. Also, is this part of your grand scheme to get Hannah to like you??? LOL!” – Aaron

“Yeah, I think it looks like me. I look like a man hahaha.” – Hannah

“She looks beautiful, but you must put in more love for the picture, or for her.” – Hang Tian

Thanks for your unconditional support, everyone.

But most importantly, I have to thank Hannah for being the model in this drawing! I couldn’t make the illustration as pretty as she is in real life (Bam! Two points for sucking up) but hey, it could happen someday. Maybe when I’m more than an aspiring amateur artist.

Laugh and Love

I wrote this short piece during an overnight train ride to Shanghai. It came from my thoughts as I read “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. The story led me to reflect a bit on my own values, and this is where I ended up. Hopefully, you can bear with me, as I’m not usually too emotionally invested in my writings here, and therefore, am not sure if I really conveyed a message. Anyways, enjoy!

Often times I am left staring into memories and questions. I tell myself to hold no regrets for the past, and promise never to give in to any hardships. Between the daydreams of romance and friendship, there are layers of wanting to help the poor and taking up a hobby of photography. They lead me to wonder about my life in it s entirety. Am I unaware of some deeper passion? How do I turn a dream into reality? How far do my actions echo? More importantly, I wonder not of my own self, but of myself in relation to others. How do I show her that I truly care? How can I change this ragged man’s vagabond life? How can I be a better person? Have I been a good person?

But someone once told me that I think too much. And I realized life is much more than just memories and questions. It’s even more than just turning dreams into realities. Life is much more because it is much simpler. No, rather, life is much more because it transcends simplicity. Life is hidden in plain sight and stares right through past regrets and forthcoming adversities. And while I have yet to find it, I have learned where to look. Underneath the romances and friendships, I have found an answer that may take a lifetime to realize. But before I am gone, I promise, I will have lived to laugh, and to love.

-Jacky Cheng
July 12, 2010