This is the second image and sketch (in terms of production but not necessarily with respect to its position in the final submission) in the projected group of four. It lent itself very much to Klee’s Golden Fish model and so, based on the earlier copy I’d done of that, I prepped my white cartridge with black gesso and used soft pastels to make a humpback whale centre stage. It’s clearly not as bright as the golden fish because, to retain its dignity which I felt it deserved, the palette needed to be more consistent with that of the deep sea and this huge mammal within that environment. I’ve deviated considerably from Klee’s model by reducing the child-like, cartoonish drawing style to, instead, pull out the shapes there in the animal’s own body surface, its volume, and its inherent brightness. The colours are exaggerated in a way that might resonate with reimagining of a field of flowers as seen in ultra-violet by bees. I’ve also brought some light down from the surface and I think I’d like to make these into much more of an aurora borealis to reflect the feeding grounds of these stunning creatures.
I want the colours also to hark back to Moore’s poem and the ” sea the purple of the peacock’s neck” which “is paled to greenish azure as Dürer changed the pine green of the Tyrol to peacock blue and guinea gray.”
I’m beginning also to think of how to present this grouping and the idea of a horizontal ‘storyboard’ is beginning to appeal with the images arranged according to either date order (Turner first) or some theme that emerges as they emerge themselves. The text of the poem should also play a part. The idea of cropping, suggested by my tutor and something I hadn’t quite legitimised in my own mind, seems also to be relevant here as A1 is the largest mounting board I have and these need to fit both logistically and aesthetically. It is after all, one piece of work so what is it, as a whole, going to say?
Image source: Unreal Engine where I find it’s actually an animation!
Love this! The colours are great. Definitely reminiscent of the northern lights. Similar in composition to your wave so they’re coming together as coherent while so far. Very good: well done! 👍
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Thanks – keep talking about coherence because I’m struggling not to include a photo of some reef animals which are just absolute jewels! I have a photo of whales rising out of the sea in one of those feeding circles which I think will suit the Truner treatment, and my goodness but did I find a Maggi Hambling candidate – photos of huge waves to illustrate the biggest wave ever recorded. 2016, between Iceland and the UK and a little too close to the latter for my liking! Six storeys high. Never going out there in a boat.
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Well I’m seeing a coherent set so far so keep it up! I wonder whether you might need to look at moving the composition away from one thing in the middle? Maybe not, just thinking of the critiques on artprof.org that I’ve watched. I see now where my craze for working on a dark substrate is coming from: I’m channeling Suzanne… be scared!
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Good point, although as these will be four parts of a whole submission, there’s layout to consider, and maybe crops too. Also the text of the poem to weave through it. Quite a big design in the end. [cripes, did I just say that out loud!]
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Ah I see! Sounds ambitious to me… can’t wait to see the next installment! It’s like a serialised novel.🤣
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