It's over and I'm alive! The end of term is here along with Christmas, family, and sleep! I thoroughly enjoyed the courses offered this semester, and I know why people say second year is their favourite at Sheridan. After learning the basics we're finally able to express ourselves more effectively.
I think of art school like learning to dance. At first, you have to stay at the barre perfecting your tondue and other simple steps, and it all seems really mundane. You're then allowed to grace the floor with a bold grand jeté, for example, and you feel the excitement of the practice. Finally, you're able to choreograph steps together, and all of the sudden you're dancing! You combine traditional, ancient motions with original moves of your own, and all the tedious practice at the barre has given you the language required to communicate exactly what you want on the stage. The technique doesn't hold you back, it allows you to be free!
These are two painted layouts that I allowed myself to explore a little more freely than in the past. The above morning view of a nondescript Chinatown was created in about two hours with ink and watercolour, while the night scene below was analyzed for several hours and painted with gouache. The thumbnails are below if you'd like to see the process from tonal to final. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, so I suppose the trick is balancing spontaneity with overkill. Ha. Cinch.
7 comments:
Good painting Jamie!!
It's nice to see the thumbnails too.
Love the first one! i stand by stage my stage three comment...anyhow...it's only a matter of time for one of us to catch up to the other:p
san- well, then post a painting, goof! i wanna see this legendary watercolour you speak of. ;)
jordan- thank you! :)
love those street corners. bitchin' paintn's dear.
-Andy
i love your dance analogy and how it relates to growing as a visual artist! Oh btw i wanted to mention that a while ago when you posted on my blog in january but i plum forgot about it til I was checking out your blog again just now >__> How's life?? Ready for 3rd yr?
Life is great, Ed, thanks for asking. :) In Whistler right now, and it rocks. Third year is scary at the moment. Ogawd. So much expectation. :-/ Gotta live up to it. Ahhhh! So, yeah, I'm nervous.
How are things with you?
Man i find it funny how third year has gained quite a reputation to first and second year students (partly because of all the grads sharing their 3rd year horror stories).
There was only one year that had done their films before my year so there wasn't too much expectation and fear for us, but honestly just treat third year as what it is, another year, another learning experience. For the most part everyone, even the groups that disagreed a lot, had good times as well, its just more fun to speak about the horrible moments, makes for a more interesting story to tell.
Post a Comment