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Monday, September 1, 2014

Sketch Musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try"

Hi, Friends, I'll take you to a theatre today! Sydney sketch club challenged "mission impossible," sketching a musical in almost darkness! But I sketched a lot. I'll chat over the play and drawing technical tips. The final year students of the Australian Institute of Music  offered a fantastic musical for freebie! 
Hedy LaRue, "A Secretary Is Not A Toy." 
For the first time, I used soft oil pastel. Interesting. Need more experiments. 
A musical, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try" is a satirical comedy that discloses problems in big business. Unfair promotion involved with kinship, old school tie, relationship, sexism, backstabbing competition for promotion, irrational lust for commercial benefits and so ons. They are smartly wrapped with humour and nice music. The story follows the rise of a young man, Finch who uses a handbook called "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying." He climbs up the corporate ladder from a window washer to a top. A time setting is 1960s.
Finch and Secretary  
The theme is the importance of humanity. Like I promised you if I found "how to get success," I will share with you. OK, my conclusion is need to define what success is. So, I'll leave it to you. "Enjoy the play by your own and find it!" I say ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ.  
A protagonist, Finch gets a happy ending though, I felt interest in another NEW window washer, Bud Frump holding the handbook... behind Finch's happy finale. Yeah, if Bud uses that book... gulp...will he rise like Finch?!
Finch gets favour of a 25-yrs working mailroom head, Mr. Twimble. 
They sing "The Company Way."
Regarding sketching a musical, a practical approach is "discover social conventions" and capture them in sketches. Social conventions show messages in a play. Technically, although it's very hard to draw in darkness, one solution is to draw without looking at own hand and paper. Another tip is to seize the most dramatic/crucial moments/scenes in the play that has social conventions. All these tips are very similar to picture book illustration. Why?
Setting, a scenario and body language use our social conventions to convey symbolic meanings, which is same as picture book illustrators do. Character design amuses me. It's a good example of social agreement. It reveals culture and value in society. Think of a typical bad guy in a business company. How do you set his character? How does he look like? What costume and what colour does he put on? Setting in a theatre also uses a limited space efficiently and very clever. Especially, light and colours on a stage and setting interest me so much. It reminds me of page and space. In the play, "Book Voice" works excellent. Ahahahaha, different though, I remembered a tv show "Big Brother." That's a narrator and same as sentences in picture books. Got an image? I also paid attention when audience laughed = when audience respond well.
Boss Mr Biggley, Bad guy/sneaky/nepotistic little nephew Bud Frump 
& Hedy LaRue,(Mr Biggly's secret mistress).
So, for me, to watch a big hit play is a very important study at the same time. They all deepen knowledge and develop drawing skills to create picture books. Wonderful and helpful. Yes, picture book illustrators are no less than film directors. In our industry, very famous and successful picture book illustrators are, you can find, originally from a film/animation industry and vice verse. For example, Shaun Tan and Freya Blackwood. Films and plays are very good case studies for illustration.
"Paris Original"
All secretaries/girls ironically put on the same dress at a party!
Oh, each girl expected she should be the best. 
This already classic play is still popular. It's my another interest to think of why classic wins popularity. It implies same old issues remain in our modern society.

In addition, the final year students are excellent!!! They gave us a fabulous afternoon of free entertainment. Youngish and so talented students! They asked us for donation for Cancer Council! Good on them!! I happily put some money into a box. When I left the theatre, I said the special thanks to a music mixer and a receptionist. I hope they would pass on my thanks to other students. 
Sketching a musical play is hard, but we can do it! I'll explore oil pastel more. 


Let's challenge something new and explore it. 

Above all, let's have fun and enjoy a theatre play!
Friends, Happy Painting!!

















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20 comments:

  1. Como siempre, llena de un entusiasmo que comunicas a quien te lee, muestras unos dibujos magistrales. Gracias por la sesion de teatro!

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    1. Thank you, Tina! Your sweet cheers are my energy and I can move on!
      Cheers, Sadami

      Thank you, Tina! Your sweet cheers are my energy and I can move on!
      Cheers, Sadami

      >>>>Tina said...
      As always, full of enthusiasm you communicate who you read, signs a master drawings. Thanks for the session of theater!

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  2. Even in the low light of a theatre you managed to capture the scenes so well.

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    1. Thank u, sweet Ann! Yeah, nearly no light, but really a fun to try it.

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  3. Wow, that must be so hard to sketch during a musical! You did really well in the dark! I love the lady in pink! :)

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    1. Thank u, caring Judy. The lady is really a character. I played up her looking. You'll find a same technique in caricature. Cheers, Sadami

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  4. I loved the story of the musical. But how on earth can you concentrate on the story and sketch. You really are extraordinary. Love the sketches with the pastels. I smile just trying to imagine you. Have a lovely week

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    1. Hi, sweet Polly! Thank u. Indeed, how on earth, but I made it. Oil pastel is so soft that surprised me. I'll use it onward. You, too, enjoy drawing!! Cheers, Sadami

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  5. ¡Dibujos maravillosos como siempre! ¡Te felicito Sadami!
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Muchas gracias, dulce Onera! Voy a disfrutar el dibujo y explorar nuevo medio, pastel al óleo.
      Cheers, Sadami

      Thank you so much, sweet Onera! I'll enjoy drawing and explore new medium, oil pastel.
      Cheers, Sadami

      >>>>Onera said...
      Drawings wonderful as always!Congratulations Sadami!
      A hug.

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  6. Tu trabajo es muy hermoso y emocionante, lleno de vida. Muchas gracias por compartirlo, Sadami.
    Un fuerte abrazo y feliz semana.

    :)

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    1. Gracias dulce J. Paz para sus aplausos cálidos todo el tiempo. Usted, también, siga disfrutando de dibujo y de la vida plenamente. Mis mejores deseos, Sadami

      Thank you sweet J. Paz for your warm cheers all the time. You, too, keep enjoying drawing and life fully. Best wishes, Sadami

      >>>J. Paz said...
      Your work is very beautiful and exciting, full of life. Thank you very much for sharing, Sadami.
      A big hug and happy week. :)

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  7. Oh, I love these theatre sketches! What a great job you did. I can hear them singing. :)

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  8. Thank u, Carol. Very happy to know you enjoy my post. Not easy to sketch in darkness, but quite a fun!
    Cheers, Sadami

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  9. I have missed so many of your posts lately, Sadami (I didn't realize that I haven't looked at blogger for such a long time) What an array of characters you sketched here, such a set of individualities. I love them! And in the dark, in the theatre. You like good challenges like this, I'm sure, because you are so good at them. Have a great week, Sadami!

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    1. Thank u, sweet Blaga! The successful character design and actors/actresses' hard work are the key for this play. Blaga, do you know we, picture book illustrators do exactly the same. Although I love challenge, I do not expect good results at all. Challenge means I try it for the first time, doesn't it? "Go for it and have fun!" is my spirit! You, too, have a wonderful week. Cheers, Sadami

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  10. You never cease to amaze me, Sadami. Beautiful work and created in darkness. Such skill you have. I admire it ~ almost as much as I admire your spirit of adventure. xx

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    1. Oh, Pat!!! Thank u! Let us enjoy adventure. Plse take care of yourself. I always pray for you. Best wishes, xx, Sadami

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  11. Beautiful Sadami! Todo lo que haces es maravilloso y te felicito mucho! Regards, Eduardo

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    1. Thank u, Eduardo! Yes, you, too, enjoy painting!! Best wishes, Sadami

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