Artwork: Project 5
Title: Lost in The Sea
Size: 46cm x 41cm Medium: Watercolor on paper Completion: November 2019 Exhibition Living a life is like staying on top of the water. Sometimes it seems hopeless because the end is invisible. We might feel alone, empty and ready to give up and drown. However, despite all the hardships, there is a land or a safe place on the other side of the invisible. Inspired by the Tama River in Musashi Province and At Sea off Kazusa by Katsushika Hokusai. Watercolor on paper is used to produce this piece. |
Planning
Inspiration
Hokusai, Katsushika. Tama River in Musashi Province. Polychrome woodblock print. The Met. The Met. Web. 5 Dec. 2019.
My first inspiration was Tama River in Musashi Province, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji is created by a Japanese artist, print-maker and painter, Katsushika Hokusai. When I first saw this masterpiece, I have noticed the amount of negative space that is applied. The objects are not highly details, however, the balanced use of colors to create an object emphasizes the image to be more recognizable. I was inspired to paint an image that has a lot of negative spaces because it helps the audience to focus on any objects that are present. Another idea that I got from this piece is to paint a person in a boat in the middle of an ocean in the dark, trying to find away. I had an idea of only using watercolor for my artwork because not only this work will be different from the previous projects that I did but also give me an opportunity to experiment with just using watercolor on paper.
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Hokusai, Katsushika. At Sea off Kazusa. Polychrome woodblock print. The Met. The Met. Web. 5 Dec. 2019.
My second inspiration was At Sea off Kazusa, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai. The main focus of this piece is huge a ship in the center with somewhat details. There is a lot of negative space in the image as well. I have noticed that applying negative space to the image is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, I find it calmer. I wanted to use different shades of blue to create a blue night sky in the middle of an ocean. I like the fact that using limited colors could create and emphasizes certain emotions. The artwork, At Sea off Kazusa includes various lines to emphasizes the movement of water. This image is somewhat realistic but also a cartoonist.
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Planning Sketches
The first sketch that I made is a person sitting on a boat in the middle of the sea at night with a fully bright moon shining down. I thought this image captured the emptiness and the isolation one has with the world, perhaps feeling lost and hopeless. I think we all feel like that at some point in our lives.
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Second sketch is a very similar with the first sketch, however, the boat is more detail and the person on the boat is rowing the boat emphasizing hopefulness. I think we keep moving and trying in life because we have some kind of hope somewhere which drive us. I decided to use this sketch for my final piece.
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The third sketch is just an unknown person standing straight emphasizes the emptiness and lost one feel about life. Everything else is blank such as the plain white background highlights the uninteresting world for someone else.
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Experimentation & Techniques
I first experiment that I did was using watercolor on canvas without applying the primer for the base. The color seems brighter, thicker, and more solid when applied on the canvas with a little amount of water. However, the color seems to spread more and lighter when a large amount of water is applied. One thing I really love about watercolor is that it is easy to blend the colors. I used a clear clean brush with a little bit of water to blend the two edges of the color to get rid of the harsh and rough lines. The colors are visible without applying anything for the base, but gesso.
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The second experiment that I did was using the paper for watercolor. At first, I thought it would be easy to control, however, I need a lot of patience. I found out that I need some time to let the paint dry instead of adding a different color because it is too easy to blend. In addition to that, the paper will crumble or curve if a large amount of water is applied. Overall, all you need is patience. I have decided to use just watercolor on paper because I want to do something that is different from the previous projects that I did.
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Process
Second, I applied cobalt blue to the entire paper using #8 Royal & Langnickel and #2 Artist'sLoft brushes. At first I used the #8 Royal & Langnickel brush to apply the paint, however, it took me a great amount of time because it was not that big. So, I decided to use a bigger brush to spread the paint more effectively. The more water I use the more wrinkles the paper. So, I placed brushes on each corner to straighten the edges. I let the base color dry because the color is easy to blend and move around with the brush. After that, I applied sky blue with Chinese white to blend the colors and emphasizes the value of the light. I added more cobalt blue with a little bit of water to create a darker shade of blue to emphasizes the night.
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Third, to create a perfect moon, I used a water bottle cap because it is a perfect side and circle. I placed the cap on the right corner of the paper and lightly outline with a pencil. I applied Chinese white using #8 Royal & Langnikel brush. The brush has a curve on each corner which is great for create a circle. I let it dry for a bit and add another layer of Chinese white.
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Fourth, I did a very light outline of a person on the boat using pencil. Then, I started to color in with #2 Royal & Langnickel brush. This brush has a very pointy tip which is great for filling small areas and outlines of the objects. I used the side of the brush to blend which evenly spread the color. I added more darker color to create shadows to emphasizes depth. The yellow figure of the person is holding a paddle to row the boat to move forward. Even though I am surround with water in the dark I somehow manage to keep moving forward.
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Reflection
Critique
I am proud of the final product because this was my first creating a piece using only watercolor on paper. There are many challenges throughout the process. One example was wrinkling paper when using a great amount of water and the pieces of paper were coming out. So, I decided to wait and dry the paper while placing paintbrushes on every corner to straighten the edges. Another challenge was the fact that it took time to dry and add layers of paint to get different shades of color to emphasizes the objects. However, there were many successes as well. One example is capturing an emotion of emptiness and loneliness with the use of the different shade of blue. Another thing was using the very fine #2 Royal & long nickel brush which not only clean the edges but also blend well. If I were to do this again, I would use specifically watercolor paintbrushes because I think it might be more effective and blend well on the paper.
Compare and Contrast
Similarities
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Differences
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Similarities
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Differences
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ACT Responses
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
Both Tama River in Musashi Province and At Sea off Kazusa, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, is created by Katsushika Hokusai has highly negative spaces with a limited amount of color just like my artwork.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The author of my research talks about Katsushika Hokusai's life and how his works of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji are a masterpiece.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
While researching my inspiration, I discovered that ukiyo-e or "picture of the floating world" is a unique Japanese art during the Edo Period from 1615 to 1868.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my inspirational research is to look at things from a different perspective to get the full image.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While reading my research, I inferred Katsushika Hokusai to have a huge impact on the Japanese society. I found out that his ukiyo-e, Japanese painting, and woodblock print transformed the art form from a style of portraiture focused into a much broader style of art such as landscapes, plants, and cities.
Both Tama River in Musashi Province and At Sea off Kazusa, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, is created by Katsushika Hokusai has highly negative spaces with a limited amount of color just like my artwork.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The author of my research talks about Katsushika Hokusai's life and how his works of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji are a masterpiece.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
While researching my inspiration, I discovered that ukiyo-e or "picture of the floating world" is a unique Japanese art during the Edo Period from 1615 to 1868.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my inspirational research is to look at things from a different perspective to get the full image.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While reading my research, I inferred Katsushika Hokusai to have a huge impact on the Japanese society. I found out that his ukiyo-e, Japanese painting, and woodblock print transformed the art form from a style of portraiture focused into a much broader style of art such as landscapes, plants, and cities.
Bibliography
(n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/36497.
Biography of Katsushika Hokusai. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from http://www.katsushikahokusai.org/biography.html.
(n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/36502.
(n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/36502?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=Katsushika+Hokusai&offset=140&rpp=20&pos=14
Biography of Katsushika Hokusai. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from http://www.katsushikahokusai.org/biography.html.
(n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/36502.
(n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2019, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/36502?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=Katsushika+Hokusai&offset=140&rpp=20&pos=14