English Assignment

1st Assignment

I am required to write a 600-800 word essay about either the difference in traditional houses, leisure time or how to sketch. I chose to write how to sketch.

REFLECTION

Through this assignment, I have learnt to express myself differently, through writing and by using a variety of words to explain the topics though there is much to improve on, in terms of grammar. I have also learnt the techniques of writing a clear essay by using topic sentences, thesis statements and supporting sentences. When compared to the form 5 level of writing, this method is much more systematic and reliable.

                                           

Discipline specific knowledge            Thinking and problem solving skills

PRE-WRITING

Research

·       - brainstorm for ideas

·       - read or look for materials from books or online resources

·        -select a theme/ decide on what to draw

Selection of materials

·        -pencil and charcoal can be used to cast shadows

·        -pen and 6B pencil to add fine details

·        -selection of colours- colour pencil or paint

Produce the final product

·        -practice hand movements- draw circles

·        -use fast and light strokes with loose hand

·        -put away all distractions(hand phones, television, computer)

·        -capture the details in the background

How to produce a fine sketch

            Nowadays, I have been hearing many people asking how to make their drawings more lively be it in university and even on the social networks such as 'Facebook' and 'YouTube'. I was also interested in finding out the answer. Hence, I sought to find the answer to relieve my curious side. After quite a lot of research, I came to conclude that there are three simple steps to produce a realistic sketch.

            Before starting with a pencil and a piece of paper, you should always have head knowledge on which materials or instruments to use. You should do a bit of research whether it may be from books, online resources or maybe even friendly advice. What materials used can also be dependent on the theme of your drawing such as self portrait, landscapes, scenery, comic style, etc. When buying supplies, please make sure the source can be trusted because it would be annoying when your paper keeps tearing or pencils keep breaking. The best would be to get your stationary from well known franchise such as 'Popular' or 'MPH' bookstores. Later, you might want to research or brainstorm on what you want to draw. I would suggest something that you really like, because if it were something you didn't admire, you wouldn't have the motivation to carry on with the drawing.

            The second part of preparation is to know what materials to use when drawing. As I had said before, your selection of materials should always depend on what you plan to draw. For example, if you would like to do a lot of shading, you should most probably use charcoal and pencils to cast shadows and create a 3-dimensional effect. However when drawing comics, you should use a 6B pencil and pen for the outline or as an alternative, you can use a computer to draw which is much more convenient as you don't have to waste precious time to erase mistakes but just by a click of 'undo', the problem is solved. Next would be to select what colours to use. What colours you use is very important as it affects the mood of the picture. For example, if you put dark colours, the picture will be more gloomy and dull and if you put bright colours, the picture will appear more happy and lively. A balance of both types of colours will do just fine.

            The third part of the preparation is to warm up hand movements. To improve sketching abilities, many professionals like to practice hand movements like drawing circles and squares just to loosen the hands. When drawing, use fast and light strokes with loose hands so that your hands don't wobble along the way. After drawing the main object, make sure you also capture the details in the background as best as possible. I had made that mistake of not polishing up the background and trust me, it makes the picture look very 2-dimensional. When drawing you would want to be fully focused on visualizing the picture, so you should stay away from all potential distractions like hand phones, computer, television and possibly friends. In short, you should forget time itself and just concentrate on the drawing.

            These are the steps to producing a fine sketch, research and brainstorm, selection of materials and produce the final product. These steps definitely worked for me however this may not apply to everyone but I hope that this will inspire and motivate you to continue to drawing. Drawing not only give you satisfaction, but also relieves stress when you start to visualize a perfect fantasy world and put it on paper.

2nd assignment
We are to form a group of 4 or 5 and present a speech on a famous artist or architect, i which my case is Pablo Picasso. Each member is required to talk for not less than 4 minutes.

Reflection
Through the assignment on public speaking, I've learnt to communicate information to the audiences more effectively through speech. Although I'm still getting the hang of it, I'm sure I will master the art of speech in due time. I have also learnt to do research more effectively on certain topics, to pinpoint the important key facts. Overall, I've learnt to appreciate the english language, knowing that many people do not have the privilege of coming from an english-speaking background. Lastly, I have learnt to manage my time amongst all the projects and assignments of different subjects.

Overall video presentation