2D: Lines Process Journal (Transferred from Hard-copy)

(Transferred from Hard-copy)

A rough plan of what the lines should typically look like, and went on to explore from there.

Trying out on different types of paper with all sorts of tools. No limits!

Drying the papers and allowing the more inky ones to flow a little .. .

Work table

Going organic

Using a fork and a syringe

Having experimented with multiple kinds of black inks/paints/dyes, i found that dried up chinese ink creates a shiny finish . . desirable.

2D: Lines Greatest Influence (transferred notes from hard-copy journal)

(Transferred notes from Hard copy Journal)

I found most of my inspiration for this project from one of my favorite contemporary artists, James R.Eads, who was born in 1989, Los Angeles. He had his college education at Skidmore before rising in popularity on social media e.g. Tumblr and Instagram for his (Van Gogh – like) illustrations.

This is his webpage: James R.Eads Illustration

Alternatively, his tumblr: James R.Eads Tumblr

The most distinctive feature of his works is his “reductive” approach in line-making (and thus, images). He does this from a largely black background, and creates the illusion of an image with lighter outlines.

This is my final product. As you can see, I have adopted his approach in making a number of my lines, usually in emotions that have a dark or intense personality e.g. anxious, exhausted. But there’s more to it than the approach of making the lines.

There is the element of “expansion” in his lines, an effect that creates both space and void. He does so by playing around with the size of his lines, the amount of white and black in each region and the direction of his lines. Although most of his work is done digitally, I am inspired to try them out via monoprinting and the more traditional/fundamental methods.

2D: “A Line is a dot that went for a Walk” Finished Product.

Photo courtesy of the most reliable friend in the universe, Gary.

2D Final Cuts (03): New Textured-Paper Pieces!

After a number of experiments (using new techniques) on many different types of paper (rice, calligraphy, newsprint, drawing, printing, glossy), I found the best techniques for each type of paper and made my “textured” pieces. The medium used was Chinese Ink. When dried, the ink becomes slightly glossy.

Fine grain Drawing Paper, Bottle Caps & Fingerprints.

Calligraphy Paper, Homemade miniature Paintball Gun.

Rice Paper, Pinkies & Spray Bottle.

MUJI Newsprint, Flick the Paintbrush & Spray Bottle.

Regular Copier Paper, Paintbrush & Pen (hand-drawn).

Letter-writing Paper, Paintbrush & Pen (hand-drawn).

Newsprint, Dabbing with Toliet Paper.

2D Final Cuts (02): Emotional Inspiration for Lines Creation

Anxious: U.N Owen was Her

Embarrassed: Salut d’Amour Op.12, Edward Elgar

Bizarre: Turkish March (Music Box), Mozart

Exhausted: Warette, Rima

Fragile: I Love You, Woodkid

Systematic: Where Are Ü Now, Skrillrex and Diplo feat. Justin Bieber

Lyrical: Guilty, Al Bowlly

Turbulent: Carnivore, Giselle

Nonsensical: Luna, Bombay Bicycle Club

Psychotic: Waltz No. 2, Dmitri Shostakovich

Ambiguous: Chopin Style Arrangement – Howl’s Moving Castle OST

Distracted: Fantasie Impromptu Op. 66, Chopin

Sensual: Valse Sentimentale, Tchaikovsky

Sloven: Breezeblocks, Alt-J (∆)

Spontaneous: – (literally spontaneous) –

Aggressive: Smells like Teen Spirit, Nirvana

Awkward: Itsuka wa Romansu

Indecisive: Chou Wasabi, Julien Dore feat. Mickey Green

2D Final Cuts (01): Personal History in Line Creation

Although I never had an official arts education, I have always been passionately curious about exploring the realm of visual-to-mind stimulation. Some of my works (done solely on my phone with my finger since I’m a poorly-equipped artist for now) are shown below. These were made in my free time during the June – July period, and submitted as part of my portfolio to La Salle and ADM. I was granted admission to both schools.

I like to make huge contrasts by playing with the size of the imprints, with a relatively smooth, gradual transition rather than erratically placed marks. Some are lighter and some, noticeably darker. I like my lines bold and expressive when creating darker moods, e.g. Bizarre, Anxious, Psychotics, Aggressive . . . Perhaps it reflects on how I express my darker emotions; Powerful, invasive & overwhelming. -01: Mad man in Red

01: Turbulent

01: Systematic

I may have used a black background and worked from there in this piece, but in traditional practice, it would be employing the reductive approach of creating the patterns I desire. It creates a passive setting for a more distant emotion e.g. distracted, exhausted, lyrical. -02: Highway to the Unknown

02: Distracted

Packing lots of lines in different directions and textures (created by contrasting sizes in dots) in one frame may create a busy atmosphere, which is perfect for moods that veer towards moods that are more complicated with multiple implications e.g. indecisive, nonsensical, ambiguous. -03: Childhood Lovers

03: Indecisive

By varying the sizes of the imprints to give an illusion of one being in the foreground or background, we establish a multi-planar space. Some shapes are more obvious than others, and this helps create focus in an image. Thus, it is much like the feeling of making a spontaneous decision in spite of the many choices available to us. -04: Illusion of the Give or Take

04: Spontaneous

By drawing clear borders and directions, we create movement which are similar to moods that are more dynamic and easy to identify e.g. embarrassed, awkward, aggressive. -05: Lasso-ing Dreams

05: Embarrassed

05: Awkward

Layering one picture over another like a collage is almost like a build-up of emotions and experiences e.g. exhausted, psychotic. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and tiring to hold it within, leading to a lapse in control e.g. sloven. -06: The Castle of Dreams

06: Sloven

06: Exhausted

2D (BTS 02): The Blue Ink Girl’s 2 Favorite Contemporary Influences

James R.Eads James R.Eads uses the reductive approach to encapsulate his astronomical atmospheres. The Less is More style and the homage to Van Gogh resonates with me.

Line reference: Overlapping, Smooth, Varying thickness.

Matt Forsythe Matt Forsythe‘s technique is smudgy and thus smooth. Sensuality is usually presented in darker atmospheres and glowing effects from great balance of contrast here and there.

Line reference: Thin, Many, Pencil-like, Chiaroscuro.

2D (BTS 01): The Blue Ink Girl’s Research on Artists

Madness in volume, passion and texture. Rolled in 1 swirl. Perfection. Have got to adopt this cliche but glorious Vincent Van Gogh technique.

Tawara Yusaka‘s works have always been intense. His goal is to contain energy in brushstrokes, which I do feel from his work. There is a variation of pressure, texture, lightness and spaces. But there’s also a focus. That’s how I want to work things out, be it in art or in life.

Koichi Yamamoto‘s fascinating liquid-like atmospheres. It really stimulates the mind with its soothing vibes.

Jackson Pollock‘s famous drip painting technique. There’s something about how the paint connects to each other, as if a system, that appeals to human brain. Maybe we like our talent for making logic linkages too much.

The reductive technique is notably visually attractive. Still Pollock in this piece.

Organised chaos. Pollock.

Cai Guo Qiang‘s gunpowder painting might be too violent for me, but I do appreciate how an action/movement creates marvelous designs that are unique to the motion. Let’s try collecting different movements on paper and see which creates a pattern I would like to replicate in my monoprint pieces (since they’re much cleaner and consistent anyway).

Simplicity and Clarity in form and structure is what I can appreciate in Franz Kline‘s work. It’s not so much about the meaning of his work, for he himself said that he preferred portraying emotion than images for one to tap into his/her associative memory. Sure, it may not be the most comprehensible picture, but It does make me feel. I want to be able to make another person feel when they look at my art, too.