Candles
Lim Xin Ying
Pencil Drawing
2010

The artwork depicts a group of candles surrounding one taller striped candle and the striped candle is the only candle that is lit up, illuminating the darkness surrounding the candles.


There are seven candles in the picture and one stands taller than the rest, and it has stripes on it, so it is significantly different from the others. It is also the only candle that is lit up. The background is dark and there is nothing in the background. The composition of the artwork is balanced as both sides of the artwork have equal weightage. The artwork is not realistic as there isn’t a floor to support the candles and they seem floating in mid-air. The background is created by pencil strokes being blendedtogether, however, it is not carefully blended as some pencil strokes are still visible and appear rough, which gives the background uneven patches of darkness. The pencil strokes used to draw the candles are well refined and the picture does not look sketchy.
The artwork actually tells a story. The tallest, candle depicts an individual, who is trying to achieve find his own path towards success. The dark surroundings represent the hardships he has to face in order to become successful and the flame represents hope, which pushes him to strive on. However, after burning overtime, candles melt completely. Since the tall candle is lit up, it will melt eventually and the flame will go off, this represents that at some point of time, the individual may feel depressed and have the urge to give up. However, those candles surrounding the tallest candle represent the people to catch him when he falls. The surrounding candles are not lit as candles that are not lit will last forever, which represents that the individual has the forever support and love from his family and friends.