Developing Digital Painting "Spring"

I was not quite happy with the weak composition of the "Spring" as shown here at the bottom. So, I cropped it and developed that into a horizontal painting. Don't know whether it is any better. As I kept working on it, a face started to show up. That face resembles that of "七爺“ （Seventh Brother), a deity in the temple in Taiwan. Suddenly, the picture takes up a totally different direction. Spring carries a different meaning with erotic implication.

Digital Painting Practice

It has been snowing for a while. Cooped up in the house. Good time to do digital paintings. From top to the bottom: Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. Each one took me about 90 minutes to do, except Spring. I got fancy with it, and keep evolving it.

More landscapes digital paintings

One can sit at the computer and whip out these fictitious landscapes in no time. I did "Winter" and "storm in a Northwest City" in one afternoon. It is just so convenient.

Pretty Picture?

Don't like what I did. So, here is the new version. It is so easy to evolve a painting using digital painting, changing canvas aspect ratio, changing composition...etc.

Impression of Utah

Two years ago, we went to Utah to see my sister and brother in law. My brother in law, Dr. Lin, took us to Moab and arranged a very memorable trip to Arches and Canyon Lands. I painted these two using digital painting. The second one is a little bit Diebenkornian.

Just want to paint pretty picture

I get more and more into digital painting. Just want to paint something pretty, I did this seaside picture pretty much in 3 hours.

I did print some of my digital painting on canvas. Although it still does not have the feel of "substantial" of a real oil painting, it is not too bad.

Monk and Bird 2

Yet another version. Cathleen said that I drew the monks head like a Japanese mang-ga. Click the picture to enlarge.

Monk and Bird

I am into painting monks these days. There is a story about Buddha and a vulture. Here is the short version of it. Buddha saw a vulture chasing a pigeon for a meal. He asked the bird not to kill. The vulture said "it is easy for you to say. I need to eat meat to live". Buddha rolled up the sleeves and cut his own flesh to feed the bird. I suppose that this story is the origin of the funeral practice in Tibet where they feed birds with the flesh of the deceased.

After I drew the theme using computer software, I found a discarded canvas and a few cans of enamel paint in my garage. I just quickly painted the theme in color.

Painting Monks

Quite a while ago, I drew this realistic monk portrait describing the "un-monk-like" character of this fee collector, hired by the government, in a temple in China.
I got more interested in painting monks.
I did the second digital drawing, using Artrage software, trying to use just lines, except on his head.
I did a digital painting of a group of three monks using the same software. I used oil paint brushes, knife, crayon, pencils, eraser (on oil paint!), airbrush, etc. It is a freedom that the "physical painting" do not offer. Also, the digital layers allow me to try out different things without destroying the stuff I already painted.

It is quite fun to do them. And it takes much less effort to do these than to use the real paint. I am sending them to Costco to print out large size images and see how it looks. They also offer printing on canvas surface. I do not know whether the inks are archival quality. Perhaps not.

Understanding Chang Yu (常玉)

I having following this art critic website:
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/ailleurs-art/article?mid=35&prev=42&l=f&fid=5
He has strongly claimed that this Chinese artist, resided in France, is among the 15 greatest artists in the last 100 years, surpassing Picasso. Although I respect this blogger's integrity, I am not sure about this claim. So, in addition to the last exercise of painting a monk using his "lonely planet" style, I just painted this nude in his style. The purpose is trying to understand what are the essence of his art.

Again, it took me only a couple hours on my computer using Artrage software. Even though the cited blog wants to rate the artists' work mainly on the merit of moving (emotionally, spiritually,...), I am still not convinced that he is better than Picasso. I just saw Picasso's show in Seattle Art Museum. There are quite a few pieces that I was very moved. To name a few: "The Shadow" and some of the blue period work. I was also very moved by a small piece of abstracted guitar, in the tone of beautiful muddy ocher, white and black. I can not remember the title of that little Picasso. But, I was moved the same way as when I look at a good Morandi.

After I have a deeper understanding of Chang Yu's art, I would write an analysis of his work. The only drawback, perhaps a big one, is that I only have access to his work through internet. As we all know, nothing can substitute the original paintings.

Digital Homage to Chang Yu (常玉）

Saw some paintings by the Chinese painter 常玉 1910-1977 （Chang Yu). Did this monk in his "lonely planet" style using computer painting. Took only less than 2 hours. I made the painting quite large. The viewers can click at the picture to see a bit of details.

Digital Painting Studies

Did a studio drawing of a Korean-American lady. Got bored with it. Start to do a series of computer digital painting to transform it to more interesting pictures. I found it more interesting by not painting the shadow. Lighter, floating in the air.
The layering feature of the software is very useful in trying out options.
Please click on the picture to see details.

Artist Stuck

Feeling stuck like the one in the painting I just did.

Tulip Field- Quick Digital Painting

We have had very bad spring weather. Just drizzle and drizzle. Saturday was the only clear day for a long time. And the forecast for the next week is again, rain. Cathleen suggested that we drive up to Mt. Vernon to see the tulip field. We started around 10 a.m. The freeway was jam packed. There were too many like minded people. It took us more than 2 hours, normally 50 minutes, to get to the freeway exit. even when we got there, we were lining up a mile away to get off the exit. We decided to drive one more exit and to find a place for lunch. After lunch we made another attempt with equally unsuccessful outcome. We gave up and drove home, never saw a single tulip.

Today, it rains again as the weatherman promised. So, I sat on my computer and paint this picture using my painting software, just to mentally seeing the tulip field. It is kind of fun. it took me about one hour to do it.

Digital Drawings

Got a bad cold and cannot do much. Just thought I would draw whatever come automatically using Artrage software in my computer.
The first one is "The fish that got away". The second one is untitled. Some images are related to the vegetable gardening work I had to do in grade school. I try to find a new way to draw in the third one.
These drawings take less than an hour each. It is kind of fun.

Cow with A Mornful Eye (3)

Seen Picasso Show at Seattle Art Museum twice. Aside from marveling at his genius, I learned a few things. In a painting, gesture is much more important than accuracy. And, linear element is such a powerful tool that I should exploit it more than what I had been doing.

It is cold in my garage where I paint. So, I keep working on digital painting on my computer. This is the latest version.

Cow with Mornful Eyes (2)

Continue working on the painting on computer.

Cow with a Mournful Eye

Please click the pictures to enlarge.

When I was growing up, our home was near a slaughter house. When a working cow got old and could no longer work, the owner would take it to the slaughter house. These are "yellow cows". Or Huang Niu in Chinese. They mostly tow heavy loads of coal or other stuff. These cows are very intelligent. They know that they are being led to be slaughtered. I saw them mowing and crying. I believe I had seen their tear drops. It was hard to watch. That image has such a strong imprint in my brain.

I use my computer painting software to come up with these two drafts. I will paint them on canvases later. I think the first one may need a large canvas to get the psychological impacts. I may do a few more versions of these seemingly comical yet dark paintings.

Remember Joan Baez's song Donna, Donna, Donna...? It goes "There's a wagon bound for market, and a cow with a mournful eye..."

Jin Temple - 晉祠 （3）

Please click on the Figures to Enlarge 請點圖片放大
TIE (iron) Figures
Nearby Xian Hall, there is a patio with four figures cast in iron. These are supposedly guards to protect the compound. A few of them were cast in early 20th century, and with poor design and workmanship. But, this one in Figure 9 was built in Song Dynasty. The facial features are definitely not ethnic Han. The weapon in his hands is missing. Both the posture and the facial expression of the figure are very well modeled. Although it is one thousand year old, there is no rust on it. It seems that stainless steel was already being manufactured 1000 years ago!

鐵人
獻殿附近的平台上有4尊鐵人。他們是護祠的武士。 其中幾尊是民國時補鑄的。 造型不佳， 作工粗糙。 圖9這一尊是原來宋朝鑄的。不但造型生動，威武，而且歷久不銹。 至今仍然保持得金光閃閃。令人不知1000年前， 他們是否已經知道怎樣鑄造不銹鋼。
Zhi-Bo Ditch
Winding in front of Xian Hall is this un-assuming ditch (Figure10) that has the longest history in the whole compound. It was dug in Chun-Qiu Era (BC 5th Century) some 2500 years ago. At the time, the nation of Jin was dominated by 3 war lords. They warred against each other. One of them linked up with the other in an attempt to eliminate the third. This third war lord walled themselves up well, and the siege continued for a long time. There was this strategist by the name of Zhi-Bo (meaning wise old man) who suggested that they dug a ditch to divert the water from Jin Creek to flood the besieged city. However, before they were able to subdue the third war lord, the coalition fell apart. Instead, the first initiator of the conflict was eliminated. This ditch remains as the reminder of that ancient conflict.

智伯渠
獻殿的前面繞了圖10顯示的這道小渠。不要看它不起眼。 它是整個祠園中最古的人工修築物。據說2500年前的春秋時代，晉世卿智伯為了久攻越國不下， 要引晉水來淹攻敵人。 後來沒有成功， 自己就被‘三家分晉’了。這個渠道就是他挖掘留下來的。

Shui-Jing Performing Stage
This is a building (Figure 11) that provides a stage for performing opera. This is actually the back side of the stage. The stage is on the other side facing a courtyard. The audiences sit or stand outdoors to enjoy the performance. It was built in Ming Dynasty (17th Century). The ornate style of the building is the hall mark of Ming-Qing architecture.

水鏡台
圖11的建築是水鏡台。是演戲的舞台。照片是面對晉祠入口拍的， 演戲的舞台在另一面， 面對院子。這是明初造的。 它明顯的華麗裝飾性和宋朝造的聖母殿形成對比。

Jin Temple - 晉祠 （2）

Please Click On the Picture to Enlarge 請點圖片放大

Flying Beams over Fish Pond
Right in front of Sheng Mu Hall, there is a cross-shaped stone bridge (Figure 1 of the previous post) that covers a fish pond. Figure 3 is another look of the hall and the bridge. The bridge leads down to Xian Hall at a lower level (Figure 4). This bridge was also rebuilt at the time of rebuilding Sheng Mu Hall. It is very elegant and is one of the most treasured structures at this site.
魚沼飛樑
在上一集的圖1， 我們可以看到聖母殿前面有一個十字型的石橋架在聖母殿面前的一個魚池。圖3是從另一個角度看橋和聖母殿的配置。 而圖4可以看到橋和下面的獻殿的配置。這個橋也是和聖母殿一樣， 在宋朝時造的。 這個橋造型特殊美觀。 配合殿堂，樹木的配置，當初總體設計園區的古人是很用心而有創意的。


Nan Lao Spring
Facing Sheng Mu Hall, you will see (Figure 5) a spring with a pavilion over it. The water flows into a beautifully constructed pond. This spring is said to be one of the sources of Jing Creek that played an important role of the irrigation system. The pavilion was said to be erected back in North Qi (6th Century). However, the present structure seems to be built at later time.
難老泉
我們面對聖母殿， 左邊有一個用一個小亭子蓋著的泉叫‘難老泉’（圖5）. 泉水流入一個用石頭砌的渠道。據說這個泉就是歷史上造福這一帶農業的晉水的源頭之一。 亭子原來是在第六世紀的北齊時造的。 現在這個亭子何時造的就不清楚了。這個景觀和整體的配置替這個祠園增色多多。

Xian (Offering) Hall
Across the Flying Beam Bridge going toward the entrance, one can see Xian Hall. Figure 6 shows how beautifully the hall integrates with the landscape. Xian means offering. During the ceremony, offerings were placed inside the hall. It is an unusual structure with no enclosing wall (Figure 7). It was built in 12th Century during when the area was ruled by Jin, an ethnic group from Manchuria. It was rebuilt in Ming Dynasty. In 1955, the building was rebuilt again using the same material and the same building style and technique in Jin era.
獻殿
圖6的獻殿是在祭祀時擺設祭品的地方。這個配置， 在中國祠寺是比較少見的。圖7可以看到這個殿是沒有牆壁的。獻殿是12世紀金朝代建的。 殿內沒有柱子（圖7），顯得寬敞。