So, currently I am sitting in the library trying to word a conclusion to the first chapter in my FYP and really struggling, so instead of making myself sad trying to do that, I'll do a blog update instead (This way the other people here will hear me typing and think golly gosh she is working hard!)
Now I know my own is nothing as compared, but considering it is the first time I have even picked up a paintbrush I am pretty happy (so far at least, at the time of writing this I haven't actually finished and I know it needs a lot of work). As these things normally go, I found pictures to base it on and I drew the picture first, then outlined it in pen and retraced it to get fine line outlines instead of the rough scribbles I draw with (as I've said, drawing ain't actually really my thing)
Then I began to paint. This included the outlines of the wave at the beginning and spilling a load of red powder paint out onto the plate. Ah yes! A good start! Oh, and I also painted the Cherry Blossom Tree at the beginning too and I was using the powder paints I took from the Art Room at the secondary school I went to and have had for over five years or so now.
I'd decided that I wasn't going to be able do the sky as it is in the original so I wimped out and altered it even further. So instead of a black and orange sky I did a red and yellow which was much easier! Now I feel really self conscious of what it is I'm actually doing, saying constantly look what I've done, look what I've done! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!! So that's enough of that I guess, but this is the point I've reached so far and it is actually a great thing I think, because, like I've said, its been three years, that's like a life-time...if you know you're a toddler or something else that's three years old!
Last night, for the first time in three years I did something quite unexpected. I painted a picture! I did art for my Leaving Cert and even though I was never gone on the whole drawing thing but I was pretty good when it came to painting and pen work. I have drawn some since then and it's normally pen work, painting just takes too long. But after spending a great deal of my day looking at this and this and other general searches on flickr, I could feel that obsession with Japan (that we all seem to have) creeping up on myself. So obviously I tried to get the creative juices pumping and by which I mean, I totally just ripped off one of the most known images in the world.
Now the great thing about this woodblock print, other than its sheer awesomeness is that it has no copyright. Meaning of course you can pretty much do whatever you want with it, including as I have said ripping it off like crazy! For me, this meant getting rid of the little boats and throwing in the only thing people in the West think is more Japanese then this image itself. Now I considered Coy Fish but they are pretty damn difficult, so in comes a Sakura Tree - Cherry Blossoms!
Now I know my own is nothing as compared, but considering it is the first time I have even picked up a paintbrush I am pretty happy (so far at least, at the time of writing this I haven't actually finished and I know it needs a lot of work). As these things normally go, I found pictures to base it on and I drew the picture first, then outlined it in pen and retraced it to get fine line outlines instead of the rough scribbles I draw with (as I've said, drawing ain't actually really my thing)
Then I began to paint. This included the outlines of the wave at the beginning and spilling a load of red powder paint out onto the plate. Ah yes! A good start! Oh, and I also painted the Cherry Blossom Tree at the beginning too and I was using the powder paints I took from the Art Room at the secondary school I went to and have had for over five years or so now. 
I was going pretty quick with it but at the same time I was at this for a few hours already at this stage with not a ridiculous amount done. As you could imagine now I was getting hungry so at this point I went and made me some yummy pasta! Unfortunately at the same time my brother the Arab was getting hungry too and decided to cook some breaded mushrooms. Seriously though, how disgusting are mushrooms!? I had to leave the room before I could get back to the painting.
I'd decided that I wasn't going to be able do the sky as it is in the original so I wimped out and altered it even further. So instead of a black and orange sky I did a red and yellow which was much easier! Now I feel really self conscious of what it is I'm actually doing, saying constantly look what I've done, look what I've done! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!! So that's enough of that I guess, but this is the point I've reached so far and it is actually a great thing I think, because, like I've said, its been three years, that's like a life-time...if you know you're a toddler or something else that's three years old! 
Anyway I hope to finish it tonight, that is more definition in the wash on the waves and on the tree and cliff edge, more shades in the sky and cherry blossoms blowing in the wind. Not entirely sure how I'm going to do that so I might go completely over the top and paint them onto another page and do a cut and paste job or just be lazy and have like pink spatters all over the page. Hopefully anyway I'll update this with a picture of the final image sometime tonight or tomorrow, though who knows I might totally make a breakthrough and instead of spending the rest of my evening reading this and doing this I might actually do this blasted conclusion instead of it all 'cos I'm totally not doing it now!
**UPDATE**
So as promised here is my finished (At least for now) version of The Great Wave! I know its still not great and I'm certain I'll give it another go sometime soon but over all I am happy with the result. Especially how the detail in the wave, at least in parts looks a bit like Kangii! So all that means is I must get on and learn how to read/write Kangii for my next attempt. I did take the lazy route with the cherry blossoms and just spattered pink paint down, its not very noticeable in the photo of the painting but it is there.
In the meantime I really do feel a trend setting, that being things that display an obsession with Japan and stuff I haven't done in roughly three years. Last night I was really tempted to read Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura. A great little novel that I studied for my leaving cert but never actually got around to finishing. Instead of reading it though I did finish the painting so I'm sure I'll read it before the weekend is out.
**FURTHER UPDATE**
I have since read and finished 'Shipwrecks', it is a fantastic story, short and easy to read. As such I recommend it and demand you purchase and read a copy immediately.
**UPDATE**
So as promised here is my finished (At least for now) version of The Great Wave! I know its still not great and I'm certain I'll give it another go sometime soon but over all I am happy with the result. Especially how the detail in the wave, at least in parts looks a bit like Kangii! So all that means is I must get on and learn how to read/write Kangii for my next attempt. I did take the lazy route with the cherry blossoms and just spattered pink paint down, its not very noticeable in the photo of the painting but it is there.
In the meantime I really do feel a trend setting, that being things that display an obsession with Japan and stuff I haven't done in roughly three years. Last night I was really tempted to read Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura. A great little novel that I studied for my leaving cert but never actually got around to finishing. Instead of reading it though I did finish the painting so I'm sure I'll read it before the weekend is out.
**FURTHER UPDATE**
I have since read and finished 'Shipwrecks', it is a fantastic story, short and easy to read. As such I recommend it and demand you purchase and read a copy immediately.
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