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Monday, August 17, 2015

Background in Figurative Work

Are you enjoying creating a background in work? These years, I've been studying a background. I did not push myself too much and awaited my own inspiration would come up. It seems NOW, the time has come. In my view, a background is simple and a side actor in a portrait. As I often do a spot-on-work, sometimes background images sharply come up at places and sometimes, not at all. If "not at all", I'll suspend my brushes not to mess up work or overwork. 
"Old man enjoying St Martin's summer" 
I've begun to understand these critical things in my "hands" holding brushes. The point is the construction of value and its balance in whole work. The same is true of colours. I know, you may say, "I've heard it in other famous artists quotes." But I'm not a type to just repeat other artists' advice or theories straightforward. Until I can get why in my own hands and a heart, I cannot do it. Hahaha, you see my brain is not a matter. Until my sense accepts it, I keep drawing and the hands think of why in my own work. I need to digest other people's methods and pick up something, if it's beneficial to me. A surface understanding is not understanding for me. Once, my hands get it, I can do it at anytime and at anywhere in my own way. Now, I feel my hands getting something in creating a background. In other words, it's "design" of work.   
  
What do you do with a background? Do you work on it first or later or in parallel to a subject? I do all ways and it depends on my art work's expected result. In creating the firstly uploaded image, I painted the old man first at a market and added a background in a studio. My eyes tell me how to loose up a background to make a subject look good. I need to be more brave to play up in a background. (*but I celebrate my achievement!) Technically, I always enjoy washes = need thick papers. A4 Arche smooth 300gsm comes with me to anywhere in a backpack. A thin sketchbook paper does not please me any more. I use a sketchbook for black and white study and warm-up watercolour painting. Below, I sketched a gentleman on a sketchbook paper. Later, I felt like making a background for experiment. It did not work well, in my view, because of a thin paper (*I could not make washes well) and a poor value balance. Ever since, I go outside with thick Arche A4.     
I'll explore the background of portraits. "Nulla dies sine linea."—"Not a day without a line drawn," said Appelles, a Greek painter (332–329 BC). Me, too. Drawing/watercolour painting always gives a new horizon and challenge. "Got something" means "Want to know more = early equal to know nothing or only a start," for me. Let me hear your story about creating backgrounds. In addition, we're in spring now. Light is so beautiful, which invites for watercolour painting outside with friends. Sydney Sketch Club members describe me as "the portrait lady." Unexpected and a great honour. I'll keep up. I'm getting lots of projects at once. Busy like a bee.  
Friends, Happy Painting! 
  







 









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12 comments:

  1. It's good to hear you are busy, busy painting and having fun and learning still. Mostly my backgrounds are done at the end, simply, to enhance the outline or sometimes, though, first, so that I can judge the tones I may use. Rules are, there are no rules!!!! Carry on with your lovely figures.

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    1. Thank you, Polly! Your advice is great. I agree with "No rules". Oh, I see you do backgrounds at the end. I love your style. Keep up your wonderful work and a so good sense of humour. Bravo, Polly!! Best wishes, Sadami

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  2. Wow Sadami, your figures and portraits are just wonderful! Love reading your thoughts on backgrounds, and something to consider....

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    1. Thank you, Sherry! Your work is very adorable and charrrming! You've got to teach me how to draw. No surprise that you've won prizes and worked at card companies. Now, you're enjoying drawing as you like! Keep up your wonderful work. Best wishes, Sadami

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  3. Backgrounds are a subject of study for me too, Sadami. I too have to 'digest' other people's advice and make it my own. I love how you describe that. :) In my opinion your sketchy portrait work does not always need a background.

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    1. Thank you, Judy! I agree with your opinion that says it's a subject matter. Picture book Illustration, too, sometimes does not require a background. It depends on a text. You, too, enjoy drawing and painting. Best wishes, Sadami

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  4. I've been considering the usefulness of backgrounds too. At the workshop I attended in July, the instructor shared his philosophy that if the background served no purpose, leave it out! I kind of like that.... but it's hard not to add a background! Your paintings are wonderful. I love the movement and life that your subjects have.

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    1. Thank you for wonderful advice. I agree. It depends on a context : a subject, text, etc. Your style almost always has a background. Lovely. Go your own way and keep up wonderful work. I've got ANOTHER solo exhibition project right now, this year, after CCGallery. Later, I'll post it. Busy, but so happy. Best wishes, Sadami
      Best wishes, Sadami

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  5. Tus dibujos de figuras son siempre excelentes y por supuesto que un fondo las realza. También estoy de acuerdo que para las ilustraciones no es obligatorio ponerles fondo. Puede dejarse en blanco o el propio color del papel. Cuando pinto figura (que me resulta muy difícil) acostumbro a poner un fondo oscuro para contrastar con las partes caras de la figura. Como para delimitar el dibujo.
    Un abrazo.

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    1. Muchas gracias, dulce Joshemari! Su consejo de un fondo es maravilloso. Voy a utilizar en mi trabajo. Su obra figurativa es encantador. El punto es que si te gusta la gente de dibujo, se puede ir en él. No tengo dudas de que lo ama, porque te gusta la gente! Usted obtendrá mejor y mejor y disfrutar de todos ellos. Hemos de tener atraer a la gente todos los días es la clave.
      Mis mejores deseos, Sadami

      Thank you very much, sweet Joshemari! Your advice of a background is wonderful. I'll use it in my work. Your figurative work is lovely. The point is if you love drawing people, you can go on it. I have no doubt you love it, because you love people! You'll get better and better and enjoy them all. Just keep drawing people everyday is the key.
      Best wishes, Sadami

      >>>>Joshemari said...
      Your drawings of figures are always excellent and of course a thoroughly enhanced. I also agree that the artwork is not obligatory bring them back. It may be left blank or color of the paper itself. When I paint figure (which I find very difficult) I usually put a dark background to contrast with the expensive parts of the figure. As to delimit the drawing.
      A hug.

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  6. backgrounds! what a great topic. I like the minimal background. Your paintings are so great...love them (especially love that big hat)

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    1. Thnank you, Celeste, you're always nice. Best wishes, Sadami

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