I wanted to make a piece of work about colour and memory.
I chose blue because the blue sky and sea have been part of my life for so long. Even when you are above the clouds, the blue sky is untouchable and far in the distance.
Blue is a cold hue and the colour of wealth and luxury. The favoured blue pigments, some made from lapis lazuli, were more expensive than gold because of their mining in Afghanistan and transportation to Europe.
I chose gold/orange because of the complement and warmth compared to the blue/teal.
Klimt used gold in the Kiss painting I had seen in Vienna, which also had an influence.
Gold leaf gives a painting an almost mystical illumination.
Gold is radiant and blazing, and some say it possesses the sun's power.
Renoir's use of warm and cool colours, for example, in 'The Skiff' and using complementary colours and a loose, impressionistic style, inspired me to simultaneous contrasting colour combinations.
Fig 1 - Pierre-Auguste Renoir The Skiff (La Yole) 1875 Oil on canvas - National Galleries of Scotland.
In my images (taken in Japan) with the memories of Narita-san, a place I visited whilst flying I can see the gold, blue and orange tones. So I decided to use paint to evoke my memories of Japan.
Process
I used my sketchbook to play with colour and composition: Japanese prints, fish and symbols like the scales and parasols, which are typical and traditional in Japan.
I built colours and patterns.
I used glazes and layering to add depth to the colour.
I referred to the Renoir way of using simultaneous contrasting colours.
Materials
Acrylic inks, acrylic paints.
Primed A4 canvas board, found wooden board/palette 30cm x 43cm
Metal leaf, metal size.
Glue sticks and a glue gun.
Various-sized synthetic brushes.
Matt glaze medium.
Water sprayer.
Sculpture gel.
Sandpaper
Fineliner (black)
Outcome
I have two pieces of work.
Close Ups.
The painting's complementary colours, blue/teal and gold/orange, create movement and vibrancy.
The blue and gold colours contrast each other, highlighting the parasol and the fish and creating balance and unity.
The gold leaf adds luxury and texture and is a traditional technique in Japanese art.
The painting captures the essence of Japan and its culture and shows how colours, composition, and traditional techniques can create an emotionally evocative artwork.
I have captured the beauty and essence of Japan I remember.
These paintings present narrative and 'storytelling' elements, where one image sits next to the other, informing it.
Colour choice has been supported by relevant research and is a central feature of the work.
There are lightly deconstructed areas of formal quality against bold attention to detail, for example, the fish and the parasol.
Subtle detail, rendering and metal leaf reflect the light and generate valuable tension in work.
I show a lively interest in the materiality of the paint and enthusiastically push its potential as a direct medium.
"Golden Koi and Blue Parasols: A Tribute to Narita Japan"
Mixed media on found wood board 30cm x 43cm
BUT WAIT- What would Klimt do?
Travelling to Vienna during this course and seeing the work of Klimt, Hundertwasser and Schiele first-hand, particularly, has impacted my process and making. I liked my Japanese painting, but I know it needs to be more unusual, distinctive, and more me (if that makes sense).
If he were alive today, what would Gustav Klimt do?
He would likely be intrigued by the many varied modern paints and mediums available to artists. Klimt would probably experiment with various metallic paints, such as iridescent acrylics, to create the luminous effect he was known for.
Can I push my painting further?
Louis Comfort Tiffany used iridescent glass in his stained-glass windows, lamps, and decorative objects.
Hundertwasser used metallics, reflective patterned surfaces and colour along with text in his work.
Can I make my painting more of a hybrid between image/text and decorative object?
Klimt might also explore the possibilities of digital art, using software to manipulate and enhance his images. With his bold, expressive style and love of decorative detail, Klimt would undoubtedly find new and exciting ways to push the boundaries of contemporary painting, and so shall I. Klimt used gold leaf and metallic pigments to create a luminous effect in his paintings. Iridescent techniques were popular among Art Nouveau artists because they added a mystical quality to their works, evoking the shimmering beauty of nature and the cosmos.
Can I use this ethereal use of iridescent colour to evoke a kind or dreamlike state ( similar to the jetlag I experienced whilst visiting Japan?)
How can I get the look of a metallic frame without using metal?
I used air dry clay to form the frame around my board. Why?
I can manipulate the clay to the thickness and shape I desire.
I can paint/leaf over the clay and make it look metallic.
I can add patterns with tools, stencils and stamps.
My painting becomes a hybrid of both painting and object.
Who influenced me in my decision?
The designs, furniture and objects in Vienna's museums.
Hundertwasser and his quirky architectural unevenness and bold use of colour. His use of words as titles and the small details around the edges of his pictorial spaces.
Klimt was obvious but there somehow had to be 'extra Klimt' I'm not sure I have achieved that just yet but I am closer than ever.
The text in the picture frame is;
NARITA/NRT- the airport code of Narita Japan
THE PILLOW BOOK- a reference to the tutor recommendation of the Pillow Book film
GOLDEN- a reference to the colour
KOI- a reference to a symbol of Japanese culture.
The colour is iridescent (colour placed over the golden gilding effect on the frames surface).
Stencils and dots of Japanese traditional patterns have been pushed into surface of the clay. The line and pattern of Gustav Klimt always foremost in my mind and making.
What text can I use to title my work?
The alluring essence of Japanese culture, a fusion of both antiquity and modernity,
The captivating hues of the sea and sky, the radiant golden hues of Koi Carp.
The intricacy of the patterns in kimono fabrics, the elegance of Japanese culture.
A garden of blue flowers, savouring the flavors of sushi and matcha tea.
Mixed media on found wood board 40 cm x 53 cm with a gilded clay frame.
Close Up crop that could be used in a digital series.
What works well?
The fact that this isn't a painting it's an object.
Is it considered a sculpture?
All these forms of art possess their own unique strengths and values within this piece.
It is my personal taste and interpretation of Japan and a hybrid object containing different coloured materials, techniques, and mediums to create a multidimensional artwork that is both visually and conceptually complex.
It feels more of an immersive experience for the viewer because it is both a two dimensional painting and unique ethereal quality.
Clay could be utilized to make different shapes and concepts in the future.
Using tradition and the work of artists in Vienna has inspired my inner curiosity and sparked a burst of creativity that I have enjoyed more than any other project.
What hasn't worked well?
The support of foam board with overlaid clay is not strong and would not stand the test of time.
Elements of luck more than judgement within the concept (clay) and an element of rise with an already quite acceptable painting. Should I be taking risks within a time frame?
References
Figure 1 - Renoir, P.-A. (1875) The Skiff (La Yole) [Oil on canvas Dimensions 71 × 92 cm]. Available at: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/pierre-auguste-renoir-the-skiff-la-yole (Accessed: 21 March 2023).
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