100 project - Japanese woodprint copies!

[artist144]

Interesting and informative. i am looking forward to seeing more of your series.

[M.L. Schaefer]

Oh My Goodness! Diamondsutra, you have such a talent for this! I hope you carry on this time-honored style for your own paintings...Absolutely delicious! Thank you for letting us share!

Margarete

[Bobar57]

I like the idea and certainly your paintings.
I'm a fan of ukiyo-e and specially of Yo****oshi.If you want take a look at the Facebook page I created in his memory.There is almost all his work and therefore a lot of material for your project.

Bob

[diamondsutra]

Is this 6? Anyhow, I did this sketch on the train to my work today. This is a really different style than I typically approach when I go to sketch people. Heavily influenced by the Japanese woodprints I am working on. The influence is that the lines all cut each other off, they usually overlap and give strength to each other. In this picture, the hand over the backpack, each fingers edge is defined by the line that starts the next. Also, the wrinkles underneath the thighs/knees . Lastly, observe the lines on the face. The profile is all overlapping lines ... the jaw line is cut off by the bottom lip, cut off by the top lip, cut off by the nose, cut off by the brow, cut off by the hair. It lends SO well to understanding form. Does this explanation make sense? I really feel that this is a great study to understanding form in our works. If you have questions, please post them! I have a few other copies at home I have yet to color/photograph. For now, enjoy ~

[diamondsutra]

Also thank you to Ros, Char, Tommy, Gail, Debra, Margarete, and Pat! I am glad that these can be informative or interesting to watch. It is really engaging for me to study the method and analyze it as I work ..

Also, Bob, thanks for the great resource!

[DKB444]

This sketch is wonderful! It is amazing how just a few lines can show so much. This is helping me with my pen and ink practice, so we get a lot out of your posts!

[tommyjav]

Bob: Thx for the FB page! It's really great!
Tommy

[Horsa]

Wonderful! I have also been exploring Japanese woodblocks as an inspirational source.

[DKB444]

Bob, thank you so much for that link to the Facebook page! I really enjoy this type of art, so I just bookmarked it for more inspiration.

[diamondsutra]

Here is a copy of an Utamaro, watercolor and brush pen on paper, 11x14"


Same noticeable techniques here .. Lots of overlap and dynamic lines, particularly around the right side of the picture where the red and pink of the clothes overlap. Also, the straight hair pins and straight line in her neck add contrast by having a few rigid lines. The flowing nature of the hair and clothes make an interesting background shape!

[diamondsutra]

Here is a more contemporary copy! This is from 1926. You can see the same principles here but I notice more hushed color.





Red is always a strong dominant color, but it is balanced here between the skirt and the lips. Also the pink in the fingernails is balanced with the pink in the earring. The lines are great, especially in the right sleeve where they sort of hatch into each other. Lastly, straight lines in the background serve as an anchor for all of the wavy ones!

[diamondsutra]

Also, the hands in the last portrait were very fun. Extremely simple but expressive. Well placed lines that overlap in the right places.

[DKB444]

Wow, I like them both and the hands in the last one are amazing.

[tommyjav]

Great work, Josh!

[Don Berendsen]

Wonderful series Josh, thanks for sharing it. Your comments are very informative and the drawings are suberb!