Portrait of the Artist

Jordan Hall loves that art has no rules. He likes to stray from  the traditional. “It’s exciting that  I can create anything that I want,” says Jordan, 19, a freshman studying graphic design at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He hopes to someday work in advertising or video-game animation.

What were you looking at?

A lot of people ask me that. The truth is, I was looking at the ceiling. Even so, there’s an element of mystery that makes people wonder what I’m thinking and draws them in.

How did you create your self-portrait?  

I put a grid over my photo and drew a grid with the same proportions on a sheet of paper. I sketched my outline on the paper. Then I sketched in all the highlights and shadows. I filled in all the dark areas with charcoal. I shaded the mid-gray points, such as the nose, mouth, and eyes. Then I used a blending tool to blend the lines between the darker and lighter areas. Using an eraser, I highlighted areas like  the cheekbone, nostril, and lips. Finally,  I cut out my image with an X-Acto knife and pasted it onto the light-blue paper.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists like yourself?

Don’t compare your style with anyone else’s. Follow your own creative vision. You’ll end up being a better artist, not only in the work you create, but also in how you think of yourself as an artist. It will give you more confidence and allow you to create even better work.

Jordan won a Gold Key for his drawing in the 2015 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

To find out more about this program, visit artandwriting.org.