Joaquin Seminario
Section 1: Inquiry Question and Concept Exploration
Explanation of the guiding question or concept
Inquiry Statement: How can combining different materials and personal objects in a still life communicate layers of meaning about who I am?
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Combining different materials and personal objects in a still life lets you show who I am without words. Materials carry meaning, and personal items hint at your habits, values, and memories. How I arrange, light, or isolate objects shows relationships, conflict, or growth, turning ordinary objects into a quiet self-portrait.
Section 2: Connection
Cultural, historical, and artistic influences with critical evaluation.
Anna Valdez
Anna Valdez is a contemporary American painter based in San Antonio, Texas. She was born in 1985 and grew up in a Mexican American household, which strongly shapes her work. Her style is contemporary realism with expressive color. The objects are recognizable, but the bold palettes and loose brushwork give them emotional weight rather than photo accuracy.
She mainly uses oil paint on canvas, working with layered brushstrokes and saturated colors to highlight texture and light. Her still lifes focus on identity, domestic life, memory, and culture. Everyday objects like dishes, clothing, or food become symbols of family, heritage, and personal history, turning ordinary scenes into reflections of lived experience.
Garden Snake Vase in Three Views (2023)
This artwork is interesting to me because it feels alive and layered, not quiet or stiff like most still lifes. The bold colors and patterns keep my eye moving and make the space feel full. Ordinary objects like plants and mugs turn the painting into symbols of home, memory, and identity. It feels less like a setup and more like walking into someone’s home.
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Oil on canvas
72 x 72 in (182.9 x 182.9 cm)
Reflection
I could borrow the way she uses bold color and pattern to give energy to everyday objects. Instead of a plain background, layering fabrics, plants, and textures makes the scene feel personal and intentional. I could also use repetition, like similar shapes or colors, to tie objects together.
One of the most important things I should reflect is the way she makes ordinary objects feel meaningful by treating them with care. Each item is painted with attention and placed like it matters. The objects relate to each other, suggesting home, routine, and identity rather than just decoration.
Images
Chosen Image
I took 10 images of four objects I picked, these objects are all used in different sports that I play, like surfing, tennis, and football, and a trophy that came from a surfing tournament. I ended up picking this one because the composition felt more balanced with the shadows of the trophy and the football on the wall. This image can represent my hobbies, which symbolize my identity and reflect my personality.
Section 3: Investigate
Visual evidence of material tests, alternate compositions, sketches.
Contour Line Sketches (day 1)
Mug Cross-Hatching Practice (Day 3)
Grid Drawing Practice (Day 4)
Planning over the printed Image (Day 4)
Contour of Final Still Life ( Day 4)
These trials of experimentation changed how I think when I draw. Instead of copying what I see, I focused on structure, spotting the main forms first and then adding detail. It made me more patient and intentional, and helped me understand how separate elements come together to create a balanced composition.
Mixed Media Tests
Acrylic Paint
This test allowed me to see how acrylics interact with these specific types of colored papers, and introduced me to passing the sketch to the other paper, which required a lot of patience and precision. I used this knowledge in an area where I used acrylics.
Colored Pencils
I created value scales for areas that were really complex, like the one displayed on the right. By testing and figuring out the colors to blend, it was much easier to create a depth effect in the ball, and the gradient that goes from orange to red to black.
Oil Pastels
I knew that I was going to do some part of the trophy with oil pastels, so practicing creating a reflection really helped in doing it in the final work.
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With this practice, I learned the importance of precision and having a small pastel to make thinner lines.
Hatching – Pencil & Pen
I was strong with hatching with a pencil, but felt insecure hatching with a pen, so I decided to still practice it.
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I practiced the area of the fin, which I would implement into my final artwork.
Section 4: Create
Visual documentation of steps of creation
Grid Drawing and Sketch
Mixed Media
Sketch on Colored Paper
Acrylic Paint
Sketch on a Paper-Bag
Oil Pastels
Hatching with Pencil
Hatching with Pencil & Newspaper Sketch
Hatching with Pencil
Hatching with Pen
Hatching with Pen
Hatching with Pencil – Trophy
Hatching with Pencil – Trophy & Ball
Sketch in News & Colored Paper
Colored Pencils – Trophy
Hatching with Red Pen
Sketch in Paper-Bag
Colored Pencil
Final Result
Process
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My process started with transferring the still life through grid-drawing sketching, where I upscaled the grid I created in my reference image on my final paper. After transferring the sketch, I chose the papers I wanted to place, and cut them, then applied the techniques for different media, such as acrylics, colored pencils, oil pastels, and hatching to create a realistic but varied composition.
Section 5: Final Artwork
Fragments of Victory
Size: 9.5 x 13 inch
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Medium: Oil pastels, color pencils, pencils, pens, acrylic paint, scrap paper.
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Date: 19/12/25
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Why: This piece represents how success is never a single moment, but the result of pressure, repetition, and sacrifice.
Section 6: Communicate and Reflect
Challenges, successes, and self-evaluation of how the artwork aligns with the inquiry question.
Check-In – Self Assessment
Reflection
Have I drawn my contour lines boldly, with some variation in line thickness to show texture or value?
YES
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Have I used 2 paper types and 3 drawing materials on my final?
YES
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Am I drawing what I actually see, not just what I think the object “should” look like through accurate grid drawing?
YES​
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Have I used hatching or cross-hatching in at least one area to build value or form?
YES
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Did I test materials or techniques in my sketchbook before applying them to my final piece?
YES
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Is my work clean and professional-looking? (No eraser smudges, fingerprints, wrinkles, or rough marks.)
SOMEWHAT
I have worked carefully on my final piece, not rushing, with thoughtful choices and application of materials?
YES
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Have I stayed focused, worked hard even when it got challenging, supported classmates, and cleaned up my materials?
YES
This art project helped me grow both technically and creatively, and it was one of my favorite experiences this year. I combined many skills into one artwork, especially experimenting with mixed media to create texture, depth, and value. Testing techniques in other papers improved my performance, and choosing my own materials and objects gave me a strong emotional connection to the piece.​n One of my strengths was staying focused and working carefully, which improved the overall quality of the work. Peer feedback, like adding colored paper to other sides to balance awkward areas, also helped strengthen the composition. If I were to redo this piece, I would risk more and use bolder contrasts and build up more layers with colored pencil. I would also practice more with the pen because I felt like that was my weakness. Overall, this project increased my confidence and motivated me to keep developing my artistic skills.
