Vagabond 3 by Takehiko Inoue Inked drawing by Takehiko Inoue, coloring by me in Photoshop CS4. Tweet Review: With swords like that, why fight? If I can turn ANY club readers into graphic novel fans...I am going to be very happy, but then so will you. As most club readers are also artists, this challenge especially emphasizes the relationship between words and pictures. And, as in graphic novels and manga...that's exactly what you get! A little look into Japanese manga is enough to pique anyone's interest. The manga artists keep up with societies interests. The stories written are illustrated for all age groups; boys and girls, men and women. The series Vagabond , my April book is seinem manga which means it's written for men ages 18-40. But I don't think I'll be arrested for reading it. The first two things to know about Vagabond is that the artist Takehiko Inoue is also the author and his drawings are done, up until very recently, with a black ink...
I have named this untitled picture for myself - the centre at the eye of the storm. Why? One reason is because this has an 'eye wall'...
ReplyDeleteEqually, though, she could be surrounded by a burning world or sitting beside a dragon... There is something about the composition that suggests this is not a real place, but instead a structure of the mind, a moment of introspection (I assume it is a woman that we see, given the hourglass figure).
The body of the model is structured very cleverly with triangles. The shaded triangle at the back stands at the middle of a reconcilliation of two opposing triangles - those created by crack between the buttocks and the implicit triangle created by the the very athletic v-shape of the model's frame. To reinforce the imagery, one other triangle sits on the boulder, 'pointing' up to what is happening. The hourglass suggests waiting...
I am sure the triangle theme has something to do with the fact that this is 'three'.
The model stares into a window, a portal. A white space in it forms a question mark. Everything is very textured, tactile. However, it feels as though the model is insecure: part of her body is a crack (right side) - another triangle (an empty and more irregular one). It seems as though the boulder is not a good seat for her - I tried the pose myself and it is very unnatural - transitional. Is she in two minds about something (making a move)? (red on the sinister left, angelic light on the right side...)
Even bathed in the angelic light, which she appears to face, her face is dark and clouded...
The hand is very noticeable. It casts a big shadow (a pentagon - is this a reference to the government?) and is quite detailed, with strong black lines (very Cezanne). It may be a reference to the kind of texturing and making tactile of the image. It also sits beside a wash of blood, suggesting what? guilt? The arm (a symbol of power) is very straight but seems unnatural - the most awkward part of the body, since it takes all the strain...
This is a midpoint painting from a workshop in nearly scorching tempuratures (108 degrees or 42 celsius).I was almost totally annoyed by the instructor, who insisted on the students painting in a constant play of warm vs. cool colors (yes, how Cezanne painted). He was often grabbing the brush and applying paint himself onto students work, luckily not mine. Although, he is quite an accomplished painter, I just didn't like this way of painting. However, I continued to paint this way, and I understand how pleasing the final work can be. Many, many artists paint in this manner and it is very popular, but it's not modern enough for me.
ReplyDeleteThis version is from a digital photo, and then sent through photo filters in Photoshop.
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