Prompt: We were tasked with creating a self-portrait with a single object.
I have a lot of memories with family and friends playing card games as a way to connect ever since I was young. I chose to put a queen of hearts at the top of the cards because it has always been my favorite card, as it is the only female card in the face cards. I wanted to paint the box with worn, yellow edges to show that the cards are used frequently. I chose to have the cards slightly spilling out to show they were in use. It also brought motion motion and interest into the piece. I sketched out ideas in my sketchbook before cleaning my final sketch digitally. I printed this sketch out and then traced it on watercolor paper. I originally planned to render my piece in watercolor but I thought the transparency would make the cards feel too distant. Instead, I chose to paint the cards in gouache so it would be more opaque and give more life to the painting. I wanted the box to feel tangible, as if you could pick up the box and play.