Throughout my AP Portfolio, I aimed to convey political storytelling using illustrations. I focused on the theme of authority figures and government suppressing the voices of the people. This idea was inspired by my love for art and a growing concern surrounding the country’s political system. Through research, I learned that many artists have the ability to portray social and political commentary through artwork. For example, artists Marina Abramovic and Marlene Dumas both protest human rights violations in their respective governments by utilizing symbolism and color emphasis in political artwork. Through experimentation, I found that improvements were needed in several areas in order to effectively paint a political message. I noticed that my art lacked complexity, and I needed to use more techniques to guide the viewer's eye and mind. For one, I focused on movement: attempting to use line work, angles, and composition to force the viewer's eye towards a focal point, and then towards the surrounding symbolism. I delved into color theory, learning how pigment changes the message of each piece. I noticed that cooler colors seemed to evoke peaceful moods, while the darker reds proved more oppressive: a feeling perfect for the tone I aimed to capture. I also learned that color created emphasis when used sparingly, and it aided movement while strengthening the focal points in my drawings. Through more research and experimenting, I found that different surfaces worked better for political art than just standard white paper. I began drawing on documents, specifically the Constitution and Newspapers, which highlighted modern political issues. Through this portfolio, I finally found a method to convey my emotions on paper, and express my concerns while standing up for others, against the problems we face in our imperfect world and government.