Artwork : Block-Print
Exhibition Text :
My piece "Tower Shrouded by Water" is a block-print piece around the mysterious palace that seems to have been completely covered by water. I wanted to include my love for mystery and to create a place that seemed out of the ordinary, as something you would see on an adventure map. I have a high fascination with water based places as the intricate and flowing designs water can add to places are very distinct and beautiful. This was combined with Kastsushika Hokusai and his "Great Wave" piece, as I loved his design of water and how it was very detailed and intricate.
Artist Inspiration :Japanese Artist : Katshushika Hokusai
Hokusai went through many names growing up, but at the peak of his career he had made his most famous work(s), 36 Views of Mount Fuji, which includes the two pieces to the right. Hokusai later added ten more prints because of its popularity. Hokusai uses detail in the form of the water, and even gives shadows a certain form through his pieces. The texture of his pieces look somehow not only soft but give an ancient sort of look to his pieces. My goal is to use the way Hokusai makes his waves and the form of his mountains, and waterfalls. The way I would make sure of this, is to study his art-style which I would do in my planning. |
"The Great Wave off Kanagwa
Differing from Hokusai's inspiration, my other inspiration was based on something more personal. The water tower is something usually put into some medias of television. They are usually depicted as these beautiful locations of importance that usually hold old artifacts. That was something I wanted to add into my piece because of how interesting and pretty I believe such places are.
The various layers and detail put into these water towers show how amazing the structure of water can be, and how it can transform into something beautiful. (ex. the photo on the right) |
"Fine Wind, Clear Morning"
"Dream of the Tower"
Cookie Run: Kingdom : Mobile Game |
Planning Phase
This is the complete notes I had taken on both my inspired artist and the theme I had choose, deception of reality, where I tried to make a land that was more mythical to what we usually see in life. The purpose I had wanted was to make a land washed or created by water. This was supposed to show the beauty of water and architectural beauty using the structure of water.
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This portion from my notes page was directly focused on the studying of my artist, Hokusai's style. I looked through pieces such as "Kirifuri Waterfall at Mount Province," and "The Great Wave of Kanagwa" to study his movement of water and form of the waters current and the splashing effect of the water. I wanted to make sure I mastered the look of these for my block-print, and to show my inspiration for Hokusai's style of water movement.
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This page is the concept art for what actually went into my block-print. I formed the tower of water surrounded by mountains with water runoff around them. I also included clouds coming from each of the four corners, to add an "unveiling" feeling to the piece. The whole purpose was to reveal a place that felt like a deception of reality, and the clouds were supposed to unveil such a beautiful structured place.
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: Process :
There are various changes I made throughout my process compared to my concept page, I will describe it down below.
After the concept, at first I had to transfer my drawing to the actual block-print, so I could figure out what I actually wanted to be inked and what I needed to carve out. The problem with after the process was that, after I had done it, I regretted how much detail I had put into the concept. I had put way to much on my plate to do in such the short limit of time I had left to do it. So to fix this, I had shortened down from four mountains to only two, and I got rid of the background clouds entirely. The only clouds I kept were the ones by the four corners keeping the unveiling theme.
The lines itself turned out fairly well, at first, when I started I did not remember to retrace over the lines, but my second try I had gotten it right. The lines were clear, and I could see how I planned it out. The only problem was how shaded the block-print got. but that was only a tiny problem I did not really need to focus on fixing. |
Now was on to the part I was nervous to do with the little experience I had with the cutting of a block-print. I carefully cut out what I wanted to show up as white after I inked the block-print. I tried to keep outlines of the clouds and get the right part of the block-prints outlined. I wanted an outline of the building structure to add attention to the water tower, and kept the water streaming down the mountains white, while keeping the mountains white also. I used these materials while creating the carving:
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Now I moved onto the inking process, the process that will make my final product. I used these materials while doing the inking process:
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My thoughts during the inking process were not exactly put up to my expectations. I was already nervous to do this part, but the worst part was that the ink I had used at first was very, very dry. I was lucky enough to borrow someone else's, and then the ink showed up more. After every inking trial, I washed the block-print and then continued once again after drying. The attempts did not go to my expectations as some parts of the block-print had the ink not exactly showing up, but eventually I got a fairly nice one. After a few more tries, I was able to come up with three good ones at the most for the project. |
Experimentation
I had various experiments into my design for the tower and its background, and my practice through Hokusai's style. On the left, I experimented with background clouds and two other mountains, but with giving myself too much to do I got rid of them.
On the right, practicing Hokusai's style was experimentation itself because I experimented withe the various pieces Hokusai had made with his "36 Views of Mount Fuji." With the ink process I experimented multiple times with more ink and the use of different ink later on. |
: Critique :
Compare and Contrast
Similarities include:
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Differences include:
- Me and Hokusai made different types of pieces. Hokusai made two different pieces; one of the mountains, and one of the great wave. Both our pieces had different motives and made it different.
- My piece is in black and white, while Hokusai had made his pieces mostly in color format. We used a different hue based on the materials we had, making me focus heavily on line and form, making sure its viewable to see what I had laid out.
- Though we used the same medium, my piece had thicker lines than Hokusai. Hokusai's pieces have small, thin lines showing particular details through his piece. I had a difficult time replicating that with having little color to work with.
Reflection :
My piece "Tower Shrouded by Water" was a new opportunity I had to study making a block-print and studying an artist that I had choose on my own. Learning about Hokusai and the pieces he made was very interesting because I was really interested into the "Great Wave of Kanagwa" and how he made water look. It was also very great to have full control over what my block-print was about because it was fully my choice on what to do, and I just love anything about mystical water things. The water tower was something I had always been interested in that type of building and I just love the way it forms from the top. I believe my piece turned out fairly well, but not exactly what I was hoping for. Before I transferred the concept to the block-print, I really did not understand the process of transferring and got shading all over one side of the block-print which messed with some of my lines. Otherwise, I love the way I included Hokusai's form of waves, and I really like how the clouds turned out. The problem was that I put way too much pressure on myself. Knowing that I had never carved before, I gave myself such intricate and small details to work on when in reality I wasn't much confidant in my own ability. Its understandable that I did this because I love to design little details into things and I really added so much into the design. So to fix this, I changed the mountains I had and the background I had made in the concept.
Things I would change or make different if I had to do this project again would probably be the intricate design and the cutting process. Within giving more time, I could work on a better concept that gave me way less to focus on, giving me less tiny details that are harder to cut with the tool I had to use. Also I would have more time to get more ink onto my block-print for a better and more clear print. With what I made on my last day, I got some fairly good prints, but I really do believe I only made up to two good prints at best. So with doing this project again I would focus on my use of design, form, and line, and focus on how to make it easier to carve. Lastly, on a good note, my studying of Hokusai's work went amazing to me, I really believe I understood how he created those pieces in his mind and my transferring to my notes.
Things I would change or make different if I had to do this project again would probably be the intricate design and the cutting process. Within giving more time, I could work on a better concept that gave me way less to focus on, giving me less tiny details that are harder to cut with the tool I had to use. Also I would have more time to get more ink onto my block-print for a better and more clear print. With what I made on my last day, I got some fairly good prints, but I really do believe I only made up to two good prints at best. So with doing this project again I would focus on my use of design, form, and line, and focus on how to make it easier to carve. Lastly, on a good note, my studying of Hokusai's work went amazing to me, I really believe I understood how he created those pieces in his mind and my transferring to my notes.
Connecting to the ACT :
- Clearly explain and describe how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork?
Katsushika Hokusai during the era of his "36 Views of Mount Fuji" uses a small thin use of line and form of the objects he's depicting through his pieces. Showing the forming of water, its currents at the bottom, and giving shadows shape had inspired me to do the same through my block-print. I fabricated this into my concept and analysis of his art-style and added in the various lines used to differ details in objects.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Hokusai was best-known for his series of artworks in his Mount Fuji series. His creations of them based off of his own personal obsession with Mount Fuji and as a response to the domestic travel boom going on through the 1820's. Through this specific series, The Great Wave print was made from and this piece is his most popular, gaining acclaim from the future of its making into Western areas. Hokusai loved these views and were fascinated so I believe I incorporated that fascination into my deception of reality theme.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Using an artist form Japan's "Edo period" was a very good way of studying artists not from Western areas, and focusing on art from outside the place I know today. It showed how people from Japan saw and created art and the popularity Hokusai's views had given him through these different art pieces.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea I had around my research was to create something with water, hearing I had control over the project, it was my first idea. Finding Hokusai's "Great Wave" was amazing because it was a piece I had seen before and I loved the way he turned water into his style. Looking at the water tower and the idea of a place surrounded by water was what pulled me into making that my block-prints idea.
5. What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
I wanted to capture the style of Hokusai's art and find out what type of form he used, and why he created the pieces that are so popular in today's eyes. Also linking to mystical ideas presented in media of putting out the viewers curiosity in a place inhumane to them.
: Citations in MLA Format :
“Katsushika Hokusai.” Katsushika Hokusai - The Complete Works, https://www.katsushikahokusai.org/.
“Katsushika Hokusai Biography, Life & Quotes.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/hokusai-katsushika/life-and-legacy/.
“Katsushika Hokusai Biography, Life & Quotes.” The Art Story, https://www.theartstory.org/artist/hokusai-katsushika/life-and-legacy/.