How Long Does It Take to Create Art Work?

Have you ever thought of an appropriate time frame for work? How many hours do you spend to create a work? Or working speed? The other day, I enjoyed a half-day-long life drawing and a choir members get-together. In that life drawing class, we had ONE posture for hours!! Sounds great?

Harmonica Player with Mic (A4)

(His concentration and eyes caught my heart. 

I'll work on it in the studio later) 

Of course, working speed is varied. It depends on media, a size of work, an expecting result, a subject and a style.  
In the day-long life drawing class, I've found myself...
1) a very slow starter or very fussy about getting an inspiration and take time to develop an image. 
(I was 2 sessions behind from all other members. Tried very hard to find a favorite spot, an angle and did a thumb nail study. *1 session = 20 minutes.) 
2) Once get on work, I was so quick. At once, caught up with others and made more than others.

Portrait in Life Drawing Class (A3, 15 minutes. 

Yes, after finishing a face, I'm having a break.)

For me, 10 to 20 minutes are not bad. Maximum 30 minutes. Creating art work requires huge energy and great concentration. After it, I'm flat out. Need a break & check a work. If necessary, get on it again, but try not to do too much. Otherwise, overwork. Although my figurative work seems very fast and quick, landscape takes me FOUR times longer.

China Town (A4 took 2 hours!

But I feel my brush dancing in this work.
Yey! Practice, practice!)

I told another life drawing class member, "Making a rush seems good for me. I do not think twice. I draw strong, confident lines and make dynamic brush strokes. Interesting textures can come up. In a long session, I make a dull work."  In a dull work, my most strength, "spontaneous and vigour" will be lost. No way! 

So, I've found I should be quick, but I carefully plan at the beginning. Good sart up is critically important. It means a half way through and right on a track. Once, I've got a good speed, it gives me a rythmical and smooth pace to finish up work. It often results in a nice work. 
What about you, Friends? I look forward to your feedback. 

Friends, Happy Painting!!  

(Balmain) 

How Long Does It Take to Create Art Work?

24th Rotary Cartoon Awards Winners

This post is on Rotary Cartoon Awards Winners under the permission of Mr Rob De Groot and the courtesy of the Bunker Cartoon Gallery. Thank you very much.

The Awards ceremony for the 24th Rotary Cartoon Awards was held on Saturday 21st July 2012 at the Bunker Cartoon Gallery in Coffs Harbour, Australia.  In total almost 1,000  cartoon were entered by 197 cartoonists from 41 countries around the world. Wow, great numbers!!

The Winner – Cartoon of the Year

The winning cartoon was titled ” Experimental Research” by John Farmer from Tasmania.  His prize included a specially minted medallion plus a cheque for $2,250. (Oh, sounds wonderful!)

 
Other Awards

In total, another 14 awards were presented on the evening across seven categories.  Each category winner received $750 plus a medallion with the Merit prize being $250 plus a medallion.

The Political Theme:

The winner was “Experimental Research” by John Farmer

The Merit prize went to Peter Lewis with his cartoon “Qantas Sackings”

The Merit prize went to Mark Lynch with his cartoon “Modern Families.”  

The  prize went to Mark Lynch with his cartoon “Boat People”

The Open Theme:

The winner was “Lucky Country” by Peter Lewis
(* The "Lucky Country" is the famous phrase for Ausrtalia.) 

The Sports Theme:

The winner was “Needle Exchange” by Mark Lynch

This year the Special Theme was the Carbon Emissions Tax.
(*The Carbon Emission Tax is the hot topic in Australia right now.)

The winner was “House Protection” by Lindsay Foyle

 The Merit prize went to Mark Lynch with his cartoon “Industry Response”   

In the Comic Strip Section:

The winner was “Social Media” by Tony Lopes

The Merit prize went to Glen Le Lievre with his cartoon “Money”

 

The Caricature Section

The winner was “Phil Gould aka Blabber the Horrible”

by Chris Barr

The Merit prize went to David Rowe with his caricature “Rupert Murdoch”

The International Section:
The winner was “Mildred the Merciless” by Terrence Allen from England.

The Merit prize went to Claudio Spritzer from Brazil with his cartoon “Andogies.”

Did you enjoy them all? Good relaxing for a cuppa?
The Bunker Cartoon Gallery will call for participants for a next year annual cartoon comeptition.

If you love cartoons, let's try. The information is here,
Rotary Entry Details. 
The 25th Rotary Cartoon Award Competition will open from the end of January 2013.

Next year winners could be YOU!

Friends, Happy, Happy Painting!!!

 

24th Rotary Cartoon Awards Winners

Life Drawing & Face Expression

Hi, Friends, how is your weekend? Did you enjoy it? 
Now, this week, I'll chat over my approach to life drawing and face expressions. As I'm a portraitist, a face often interests me most even in life drawing. Then, I choose the most interesting point. Only one. Not many.

Below, the model's eyes caught my heart. A rest of other visual information is simplified. His "mood" comes up that made me happy! I'm planning to make this work on A2 Arche paper and create a backgroud. Hopefully, these free brush strokes will happen again.

            Lion Against a Wind (A2)

This lady looked happy and relaxing. I made it in a few minutes! Quick job always gives me interesting results.

 Relaxing (A2)

A same model shows different personalities that fascinate me. This model is the first man, but I felt him like a philosopher or a man in a cold wind. 
Technically, I tried not to do overwork. (*I felt too busy around his cheek and stopped paiting at once).

 

Philosopher (A2) 

So, my steps to get on a face are ...
1) Choose one topic = What most interests you? 
Eyes? Nose? Mouth? What else such as a mood? Only one, not two or many. Then, I focus on the topic.
2) Simplify a rest.
Omit other information. If necessary, I leave out other areas blank. 
3) Emphasize the focal point.   
With colour? Lines? Angle? Distortion? Different media? What else? Up to your techniques.  

Also, in watercolour painting, timing to stop a brush stroke is critically important. Don't do overwork!

Now, KuRingGai Art Society is having the annual exhibition. I've put two paintings, the life drawing and Sydeny uni below.

Today, we, life drawing class members will have dinner together. The class is planning to have a same model with a one posture from 10am to 3pm on Saturday. Sounds nice, doesn't it? 
You, too, Frirends, have a wonderful week and Happy Painting!!  

 Sydney University. 

Life Drawing & Face Expression

Spotlight Violet in Sketchcrawl#36

Hi, Friends, this is the exclusive,  on the story of my model, a shy lady in the 36th International Urban Sketchcrawl in Sydney. 

Queen Vitoria Building was chosen. It started from 10 AM. I, "architecture allergy girl" looked for a figure to draw. I met a lady at a lunch time. She seldom spoke in a group. I felt her like a violet, shyly looking down with a humble smile. I really love shy people or those who will not come up on a central stage. "May I sketch you?" I asked.  My asking a bit surprised the lady.  Other members told her, "Sadami makes a beautiful work! We want to be models!" (Thanks, members, great backup! Cheers for our mateship!)

I just sat besides the lady and shared a wonderful silence. She sometimes smiled and kept on drawing seriously. It gave me her image. When she looked at my finished sketch, she said, "Oh, you  flattering!," but happily she took a photo of my sketch.

Outside the QVB, I challenged sketching a statue and Town Hall. Thank goodness, Queen! Without her, I might have messed up the work. (*Often my tiny "handmade" paint kit amazes others. Daarrrling, size is not a matter! All we need is LOVE! xx!!)

Group work is fun. We, members were sketching each other. Could be a classic joke! (actually, this  quick sketch was a warm up for my right hand. I usually do some warm up before "get on.") This gentleman was a very productive caricaturist. He made the quick cartoons of most attendances. Amazing!

Later, we, members uploaded photos and sketches at our MeetUp site. The members gave me really nice feedback, particularly on the quick protrait. It's the lady's beauty. I'm dead honest with what I feel. Very happy to know my work made others happy, too. 

In work, I hope myself to spotlight violets standing against the wall as well as orchids, roses, party flowers. 
I hope my painting brings something heartwarming and shares joy with others.  

Friends, Happy Painting!! 

Spotlight Violet in Sketchcrawl#36

Flowers and Uniqueness

I enjoyed an orchid show and the 36th International Sketchcrowl in Sydney. Hahaha, you know I rarely  work on "still" life. As still life does not move around, it bores me too much. 

But when I looked at these flowers, I fell in love with them. Particularly, this pot caught me, even though it did not win any prize at the show. What do you feel in these flowers? Well, I feel something very sexy. Colours, forms and styles look like dressed up ladies going out for a party.  

 Technically, the colours have come up well in those paintings. I usually bring Arche300(A4) and a cheap sketch book(A4) together. The first uploaded work is on Arche. I'm thinking of a background and waiting for an idea will come up. The below is my first quick sketch.

Putting similar colours/picking up one colour from a subject is a safe and orthodox way to make a background. I do not know why, but a very light blue came across heart for a backgroud colour. Mmm ... not sure yet. I hold an action and leave it out "white" untill a clear image comes up.      

Back to the topic. 
The Orchid loving members told me interesting backstage stories with their enthusiasm for flowers. They say, "Each flower is different. Like it has a mouth and a face. So, I look into a flower one by one."  Uniqueness! Individuality! Oh, that's what I've been working on in my art work. In my eyes, each person is so precious and beautiful in any circumstances or contexts.

"Life is beautiful. People are lovely, " is my mantra for drawing. I hope my work will depict humanity and the beauty of us, ordinary people in daily life. 

Friends, Happy Painting!! Bloom out in your own way!
(*Oh, yes, our life drawing class will start from today. Hey, we're planning to have get-together dinner after class late in the evening. Yey!!)  
Happy Painting!! 

Flowers and Uniqueness

Ice Skating & Life Experinece

I enjoyed sketching skating children. We are in the middle of winter and school holidays. Parramatta Council has set an open air ice skate rink like a last year. An event, "Winterlight" is from June 30th to July 16th, 10:00 AM – 9.00 PM Daily. 

I'll take you to the rink!  
Most children experice skating for the first time. Some kids get very scared and "walk" like "tiptoe, balancing.... Oooops!" But children get so excited, too!  

This girl looked so charming after skating. I wondered what she was thinking of. 

Skating is challening. Some children cling to a fence. Many parents take photos and cheer up kids.(I saw little children crying out. Their parents picked up kids, but with a big laugh in love.) 

How cute  these slipping kids!  Really fallen angels!
The more, slip on the ice, the sooner we learn skating. One mother said to me with a wink, "Just she will have some bruises tomorrow and ok!" Yes! Skating is much like life experience in general. We need to be brave to challenge new things and get how to handle it! 

While chilren are "struggling", professionals are skating beautifully.  

Very elegant! (*Ohh..., their beautiful skating makes me forget about friction, force and gravity.)  Practice makes perfect.   

Yes, we are having a great fun! The skate rink staff well remember me, a sketcher and invite me for skating. Well, not sure, it is appropriate for the leg, but I want to try it. 

Let's challenge new things and learn it.  
Have a wonderful week.
Happy Painting!!

Ice Skating & Life Experinece

Semi Finalist of Moran Prize 2012, World Richest Portrait comp

I've become the semi-finalists of Moran Prize 2012. (*the site displays all shortlisted work.)  Doug Moran National Portrait Prize is the world richest portrait competition with A$150,000 awarded to the winner and A$10,000 awarded to the runner-up. 

My work is "Dignity" with the statement(*50 words limit). 

"The work captures the exact moment a needle enters an elder patient’s arm. His face shows dignity between two opponents : life vs death, but they are beautifully unified in a brave fighter’s triumph to be respected. Pencil drawing and watercolour focuses the subject and simplified other visual information.

As Moran is very competitive, the good news surprized me so much~(*o*)~ . Wow, but I made it!(*Last year, more than 200,000 works challenged Moran. **The number includes photos and paintings.)

Unlike Archibald, Moran does not require the artist or the subject be well known. Portraits that reveal a deep connection between the artist and their subject are well received by the judges. Yes, Friends, if your work shows the strong relation between a model and you, you have a chance!

Moran Prize Office 

(Submitted paintings/canvas at the right cornor in the sketch.)

Very delighted that the judges have acknowledged my profound relation between a model and me. Indeed, a third party has appreciated the patient's dignity and struggling for life in a treatment. It's a great reward. Then, I sent "special thanks" to my medical team, the hand surgery, uni professors and all other supporters. Without their help, I could not make this achievement. Yes, of course, I'd send big hugs to you, blogger Friends!!  

This achievement has convinced me the importance of "be what I am fully." When I submitted the real work to Moran, I glanced at other wonderful and huge paintings by chance. Most of them were oil or acrylics and as large as a wall or a door. Mine is an A4 size and watercolour. Level is quite high. No surprise, any semi-finalist could be a finalist. I do not expect myself at all. From here, all is a bonus. Whatever the result would be, I look forward to the news. Their notice says,

Christopher Menz and Vincent Fantauzzo have selected this year’s semi-finalists for the 2012 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. They said the works are diverse, challenging and exciting.

The 30 finalists will be announced shortly followed by the winner of the $150k prize on
24th July 2012.

The exhibition will be displayed from 25th July to 9th September 2012 at Moran House, 
13-15 Bridge Street, 
Sydney NSW between 9am to 5pm.

 

This Moran experience encourages me so much! So, I'd encourage you to try any big entitlements. If we hesitate, we'll waste time and it'll never come back. Let's challenge big entitlements in our own ways.  I'll keep up as a watercolour artist ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ. 
Friends, Happy Painting!! 

**In 2017, I became a Moran semi-finalist again with "Publisher Helen Chamberlin". 

  

Semi Finalist of Moran Prize 2012, World Richest Portrait comp