My Wash and Color for Portrait

Hi, Friends, did you enjoy a weekend?This week, I'll chat over how to move on to a loose style from a stiff style, particularly, focusing on "my" wash and colour for portraits.
Below, I sketched the speaker at an exhibtion opening ceremony, while I was standing. The quicker, the better---for me.
I originally, came from quite a traditional watercolour style(See below). But a stiff style bored me and I tried a loose style. So, I totally understand others struggling to seek fresh and liquid expressions.In order to loosen up work, "value study" and "very accurate drawing skills" are the key. Mono tone painting is a good practice to check values. Below, the gig player was in a strong red light at a pub. Very good study of value. We enjoyed music and my work. I always prefer life models. Don't be shy. Just keep sketching at anywhere and anytime. I sketched the lady enjoying holidays at a pub. We enjoyed a chat together. Cerulean blue was added at a studio. Changing an angle is important, which builds 3D image. OK, lets' move on to my current painting process and colours. It could be different from yours. If you could pick up anything useful, I'm very happy.
Materials
1) Paper : Arche, 300, smooth2) Pencil : Soft. 5B or bigger number
3) Brush : #12, (hardly use others)
4) Paints : Winsor Newton or Holbein. Very limited palette.
Raw sienna, Burnt sienna, Composed Green, Winsor Newton Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Permanent Rose, Antwerp Blue.SettingUpright paper. Get on work at once. Make work in rush.
Painting Process
1) Start with middle value or dark area.
2) Leave highlight blank
...if I get any image for background, put colour at this stage
or make background later.
3) Enhance the darkest area = Make contrast more
4) Check balance in value & colourControl of water is the pivot point for my style.
There's no magic, but practice.
In addition, sadly quick watercolour work is underestimated and put a low price at demonstration. Please consider, the work is a fruit of incessant practices for "years."
Be original and unique in a style.Happy Painting!

My Wash and Color for Portrait

Odditorium:Imagination & Creativity are Our Wings

This week, I'd take you to the very funny exhibition, "Odditorium". Before it, become a kid again?! (below, young Sadami?!) "Odditorium" displays hilarious and mysterious objects. Originally, objects were designed for right purposes. But primary school children and an Australian great picture book illustrator Shaun Tan have created funny tags for objects and turned them into laughable archiological bits & pieces. (*Can you guess what was used for?The actuall use will be at the end of this post! )

OK, some examples for you.
First, painful dental devices. According to Shaun, this is "The Replica Horse Teeth from Society of Dental Surgeons, London." Priopr to the 1700s, it is true that barbers did both haircut and surgery. But I've never heard that barbers learnt "dental" surgery with this replica (How did they learn sugery for humans with these odd replicas?! ) Another, at right hand, is, according to Ryan, 9yrs Stammore Public School pupil, "The Toother Outer." Ryan says the device actually won the first prize at the international odd competition in 1944 and a dentist started using it to pull out teeth. Ohhhh!!! Ouch!!


There we go! Second, jolly and playful objects or two balls.
Oh, my! This little ball is"elephant's wee. " According to Augustine aged 9, the brilliant treat for tea like cake!! Especially, an elephant or a cow wee fed on mango leaves tastes delicious?? ....gulp...Another, above, Shaun claims, "Bullock Hair Ball for Riot Control," substituted for iron cannonballs in the Middle Ages. Hey, how come these cannonballes opressed the public or Gov power abuse tools?!

Last, tadadada~~~, very sexy "Giant Griffin"!
Shaun asserts, Australian Bonza Motors made this hilariously huge Griffin as a "car hood ornament" for FJ "You-Lilttle-Beauity," when Bonza competed with US Crysler in 1948. Unfortunately, what a shame! Bonza Morters dissmissed the designer and chucked his plan into a bin.
Wow, I saw such a gramous griffin for the first time.Did you have a laugh? The exhibition has more objects.
Actually...
*It was a dental teaching aid.
*The object originally was a door knocker.
*Yes, it was really an elephant or a cow's wee, but used for dying on fabrics.
* Ooops, I missed out recording the actual use. Sorry!
*The female Griffin once was the guard of the entrance of Kings Cross Theatre.The narrative tags show primary school children's wonderful creativity and Shaun's brilliant sense of humour. They are our legends!!

Can you remember your young days? How much you enjoyed making up stories with just pebbles, a piece of stick, or ordinary things? How proudly you invented unique stuff that grown-ups would never get? "Creativity" and "imagination" are the wings that enable human beings to fly across a sky! Joy must come first. That's the spirit of painting and drawing, too. There's no secret to learn drawing and painting, but the power of imagination and creativity. I believe if you can go back to a child, you can draw!
So, pick up whatever the media at your hand and just have fun!
Happy painting!!

Finally, I'd really appreciate the courtesy of the Powerhouse Museum and Parramatta Heritage Centre's kind assistance to sketch the objects.

Odditorium:Imagination & Creativity are Our Wings

Children, Our Future : Invited For BookFestival

Hi, did you have a wonderful weekend?
I had a good time despite in cold rainy days. Just before rain, I sketched a baby enjoying a swing with Dad. 

Now, I'm invited for the Bookfest again! Great honour.
This NON PROFIT event has been running for 19years. Invited authors and illustrators will attend and donate their time.

BOOKFEAST 2011!!

Lunch with your readers

WHEN: Thursday 15th Sept 2011

WHERE: 96 Shaftesbury Rd, Burwood NSW 2134

TIME: 11:00am - 2:30pm

In the event, children from all over Sydney will enjoy lunch with writers and illustrators. For kids, we are their super heros (*I certainly feel my responsibility as an illustrator and artist!).

 The real aim of Book Festival is to promote literacy, education and awareness of Australian literature. The Bookfeast provides the space and creative opportunity for young people to come face to face with writers and illustrators, gaining an insight into their practice and also the world of writing. Last year, I really enjoyed the time with children(below).*I'll put on the fool's cap and that colourful shirt again! Hehehe!!!I heartly hope some of young students will remember that day and my message, "Love & Hope," and get through a tough time in the future.

The "domestic violence and child abuse" psychology unit at uni taught me how precious and important our childhood is. Young days' experiences serioudly impact on personalities, self-esteem and behaviours.
Regarding self-esteem, I cannot judge which children do better or not at school and in a community. A competitive society puts terrible pressures on young people to get high scores, because society tends to focus on "good results or winners." Hermann Hesse's "Beneath the Wheel" shows an old and new theme.Each individual is different and so precious. I never, ever want to see any child suffers in a winner-centralized value.
So, I always come back to this point, "who I am" and will be "who I can be most." I encourage any child to enjoy whatever they like fully. All children deserve to be happy and should have confidence in themselves. Each of us has something shining or a talent like a mine. It takes time to find an ability. But also, our ordinary daily stuff such as just walking, cooking, etc, etc, are, in fact, miracles and amazing abilities. Unfortunately, most people will never realize it untill they loose abilities. This year, I'll happily talk of my disabled leg to the children at a table. I'd cheer up all children to pursue their dreams and be what they are the most.

If picture book illustrators or writers are interested in this BookFestival, or would like more information, please contact: Mr Michael Fraser
Teacher librarian
Haberfield Public School
Tel: (02) 9798 8767
Children are our future and hope.
Let us work and bequeath a better world for them.
Happy painting!!

PS
A dog shop keeper happily invites me to sketch more! I love doggies!

Children, Our Future : Invited For BookFestival

Doug Moran 2011, World Richest Portrait Prize

I enjoyed Doug Moran Pize Free Exhibition 2011 at NSW State Library(21st April - 26th June) last Saturday.Moran is the world's richest portrait and photographic prizes. $150,000 for the best work.

The portrait winner is Vincent Fantauzzo, "Baz Lurhmann 'off screen.'" Vincent often becomes a finalist at Archibald, too.There is no watercolour work in.
Regarding a size, some works were quite small, which made me, a watercolourist very comfortable. It implies room for watercolours to compete with other media. Some finalists showed a traditional style and realism, which encouraged me so much.Indeed, the winner, Vincent's style is based on realism. It has cheered me up so much. I could not get what sort of media he uses. If anyone knows his media, please let me know it in comments.Unlike Archibold 2011 (below), not many visitors were at the library. Rather quiet. Or I might visit there after a busy time. Already, when I posted on my thoughts about Archibold, many blog friends encouraged me to be what I am(*thanks millions, everyone!). I'll keep my own watercolour style for competitions. The first uploaded baby's work is my style.

But I will keep learning, while I maintain my identity.
Copying interesting works always teaches me lots. Above, the winner's composition and colour use was very fascinating. Of course, their techniques are different from watercolour. Yet I learned a lot and feel the "unlimited" potential in watercolour techniques. Particularly, I want to explore wash and brush strokes more. Apart from technical stuff, fine artists are "bounty hunters." We try to shoot a "competition prize" in order to earn money. Not easy. Laughs and tears are in one.
Often my dear artists friends and I have kidding,
"Are you still on the earth?"
"My transaction has only few cents."
Gulp?!
Nice friends are the most assets. We exchange information on competitions and back up each other. You're one of them.

Hopefully, this blog will never stop suddenly! Hahahaha?!
I'd keep up this blog till the end of my life and share joy with you, Friends!! Today, I sketched a cute baby at a market. Children's portraits are my most favorite.
Happy painting.

Doug Moran 2011, World Richest Portrait Prize