PPP OUIL402: Geisha: Sketchbook

I used a small book (Moleskin: Japanese Album) which has fold out pages, so it is basically one long landscape image, to use for my initial sketches for this project. I also used a larger A4 sketchbook for my ink paintings and drawings. The media I used in this small book was fineliner black pen and watercolour, apart from one image in which I used biro. I really love the effect of water colour as I often stick closely to reference and details so when I use fine liner my illustrations are very tight; watercolour allows me to express movement and colour in my own way through instinct and so this produces a more expressive outcome which I feel has far more life in it than were I to just use fine liner.

There are so many other aspects I want to work on in my work and many artists whose work I aspire to for many different reasons. I created a pinterest page for these inspirational pieces and artists: http://www.pinterest.com/dearalice1/ppp-inspo/

I used many reference images for these pieces. I collated these on a separate pinterest page and I also found more in other books and from Japanese prints from the Edo period.

http://www.pinterest.com/dearalice1/japan/

Below are some of my illustrations influenced by the traditional Japanese pints from the Edo period:

The one portrait I did using biro worked really well as I could do so much detail and shading with it and it meant I could focus on the pressure and direction of the brush strokes which created a really effective look. However it would have taken me far to long to do the entire book in this style: 

The rest of the portraits I created by drawing the majority of the image in fine liner black pen using a reference image for knowledge on how the kimono falls and the position of the head, hair and hands which all are thought out to create the graceful elegance of a geisha's appearance. I then added colour with water colour, sometimes referring back to the reference image as some kimono's colours symbolise certain specific occasions or seasons. A meiko and and geisha's kimono also differ in colour choices, design and height of the obi.

I used both ways of working, Edo style and my own portraiture style, in my book and combined them. I will continue to do this in my book for the exhibition as I think tradition and heritage is hugely important to the Japanese so it is important my work combines the past and the present. 

Here are some of my ideas sketching out possible pieces...

I am really interested in doing a 'no speak, no hear, no see' one as I think this links to geisha's code of silence perfectly!

Nature is hugely important to the Japanese. It is on all patterns of kimono and flowers are inspiration for hair pieces and even the hair style of meiko is based on a cut peach! So it is important to use nature as a running theme throughout my sketches...

Ink Paintings:

Less is more: The bare skin left without makeup hints at nudity and sexuality, the thin layer around the face and at the back of the neck is the only bare flesh geisha's have on show. 

For my exhibition I plan to recreate a more completed and following book of the same size. The content will remain as geisha's and I will try to depict many aspects of their lives and the sisterhood and dynamics of their world. The forbidden flower and willow world will be the theme of the book so I will need to keep it in sync with this throughout. Perhaps by having a theme of flowers and willow patterns flowing throughout the illustrations. 

The small things count in the world of the geisha's, every movement has meaning and symbolism. So in my work this needs to be the case too. Small details like holding hands etc...

I want to practice with some other medias too and try to push my own creative judgement more by straying further from the reference material yet still keeping with all the intricate details and graceful thought out poses of the geisha's. This will be a challenge for me to balance both these components although it is the direction I want my artwork to go in so it is crucial. 

I will continue to collect images of other artists sketchbooks for inspiration on my pinterest: 

http://www.pinterest.com/dearalice1/sketchbook/

Chico Baldini: I really like the colour and creativity he imbues into his work so I will aim to channel some of this into my own work. 

I will also have to research watercolour use a lot more. I love Daniel Egneus's work and he uses it a lot to add great feeling to his pieces. He also creates intricate details and patterns with it. I also will look at fashion illustrators as they often use this media. David Downton's 'Masters of Fashion Illustration' book will be extremely helpful. 

http://www.pinterest.com/dearalice1/watercolour/