"Butterfly Dance" Mandala

With the outdoorsi-ness of summer over, I have time for the palette again. My second mandala, a dance of butterflies. Faber Castell watercolor pencils painted out with a water brush, micron pens (005, 05 and 08) and a Xeno brush pen, small. Just an FYI, the Microns have pretty good archival ink, but the Xeno does not, so it's not a good idea to even put a dab of water on the Xeno ink and expect it to stay put.

Sketchbook 10" x 13 3/4"

center of mandala - horizontal view

center of mandala - vertical view

"The Dance of Butterflies" Mandala - 10" x 13 3/4" with Faber Castell watercolor pencils

Horse Mandala

The Yeoksam Global Village Center (Seoul, S. Korea), a center for promoting cultural programs for expats in Korea, offered a month-long mandala class. Participants would meet once a week for two hours and, depending on the creativity and time spent, by the end of the month each participant would have created a personal mandala.

To reach this goal, participants are given a package of materials:

• a book, "My Nature Sound Therapy" (published in S. Korea by My Nature Sound Research Society, 2016)
• a 25cm x 39cm sketch book
• a package of markers
• a gold gel pen
• a two-piece stencil set
• an eraser

A tiny lecture begins each session but the majority of time is for creating a mandala while nature sounds are played. Music therapy at work! Participants are encouraged to hum along, but I find this VERY distracting! I'll find my inner zen just listening.

The examples in the book and with the instructors were all made with geometric shapes, hence the stencil set. Maybe I'm thinking out of the box, but mandalas don't have to be based on geometric shapes but can also be regularly patterned shapes, figures, whatever. So with this in mind, and since I love animals, my mandala started out as horses in perpetual flow, and later peacocks and fish were added. If you think about it, these animals represent all the sentient beings--those from the earth, from the air and from the water--very Buddhist thinking. I'm not Buddhist, but have lived here long enough to pick up quite a few cultural beliefs and symbolisms.

I also used watercolor pencils and Micron permanent ink markers (size .005, .02 and .08) instead of the supplies provided. Just seemed more suitable to the topic and because markers bleed through paper very easily and can't be layered.

After a total of 8 hours in broken sittings, I had completed my simple mandala.

Fun new experience, and my niece will get the materials now with a sample mandala in the sketch book. Think it'll be something she'd really like ... and have time for. 

Horses, peacocks, fish in perpetual motion

Comparing Louvre and Mungyo Oil Pastels

There's really not much online info about either the Louvre or Mungyo Oil Pastels, but I've gotten interested in the oil pastels since the month of "Inktober" when I had met an American who was greedily purchasing the open stock Sennelier brand at Hangaram, my favorite art store here in Seoul. We started talking and she was telling me about what she planned to do with the oils and was thinking that watercolor cold-press might be a good match to lay down the color on. Hmm, I'd seen lots of oil pastels before and even purchased many sets for kids, but I'd never taken them as a serious artist medium. After talking with her though, they started to intrigue me so a couple weeks later I decided to purchase a set. Certainly not Sennelier oil pastels since they are W2,800 per stick, but a set that seemed inexpensive mid-range -- the Louvre 48-color oil pastels for W23,000. 

As soon as I got home, I tried them out. Nope, not an alluring art form for me. No love. Just like coloring with crayolas. I knew they wouldn't be creamy-smooth like the Senneliers, but I didn't expect waxy crayon consistency (just slightly better really) and the need to apply firm pressure to get the colors to adhere to a sturdy rough sketchbook paper. My impression -- crayons at a glorified price. 

I went online and tried to read about them, but couldn't find much. The wrappers on the pastels give a French website but clearly state they are manufactured in China. With no info on the box, I should have been clued in that they wouldn't be super good. My bad. Anyway, while looking at oil pastels online, a couple artists who didn't want the expense of the Senneliers had commented on the creaminess of the Mungyos. I just filed that info away, but with no desire to test it out.

So today, I wanted to pick up a 24-color or even 36-color Mungyo Watercolor Crayons set as the 12-color set had been such a success with my neiceling and nephew a few days ago. And what do you know, right beside the set of 24 watercolor crayons (W7,200 or about $7) was a 24-color set of Mungyo Aquarelle Oil Pastels for W6,300. For that price, why not? I could try something out, and then if I didn't like them, my neiceling and nephew and I could spend a winter afternoon just having fun with them and they would be well worth the money.

I have to say though, the Mungyos are a pleasure to use. Really fun in fact. The are quite creamy (not like the Senneliers but still nice) and just touching them to the paper leaves an oily trail of color. Like the Louvres, they do leave crayon-line waxy flakes, but those waxy flakes can be easily pushed into the paper or wiped in a color-trail across the paper with the finger. The Louvres don't manipulate much. That said, it means the Mungyos smear more easily, which I realized after my little cactus drawing was nearly done. In the future, I'll just use a piece of wax paper to buffer my hand and protect my drawing. 

Here's a comparison using the greens and yellows of the Louvre 48-color set and the Mungyo 24-color set. Despite using more Louvre colors, Mungyo achieved the same richness with fewer. They were easier to lay down and blend (the yellow petals). In my opinion, the only way the Louvre had the edge on Mungyo is the pastels would be much easier for doing finer drawing as they are much harder and can hold an edge necessary for more detailed work.

Comparing Louvre Oil Pastels on the left & Mungyo Aquarelle Oil Pastels on the right

(left) Louvre oil pastels used - 1 dark blue, 5 greens, 4 yellows, 1 orange
(right) Mungyo aquarelle oil pastels used - 1 dark blue, 3 greens, 2 yellows, 1 orange
The Mungyos were much easier to lay down color,  and I did intentionally smudge the yellow petals a bit on the Mungyos, a technique that didn't work so well with the Louvre pastels.

After comparing their colors, thought I'd test out the aquarelle aspect of the Mungyos. Just lightly flicked the base of the cactus barrels with a firm damp brush and the colors, even on the first stroke, flicked up the barrels. I flicked a brush 3-4 times on the largest barrel (at the base) and realized the brush was picking up the color and the contrast was disappearing. Must remember this! The Mungyos both smear easily across the paper (I think a positive point) and respond quickly to even the lightest touches of water.

For me, this means I have found an art medium for laying down quick medium and making quick adjustments to spread that color with minimal effort. Yep. Definitely like the Mungyos!

Made this the day I bought the Louvre oil pastels. Laid down the oil color quite thickly but the sketchbook paper could still be seen through. (Same paper as the cacti above.) Then, as I saw online, dipped a wide firm brush in coconut oil and used the oil as a medium for adjusting the colors. Discovered the colors responded quite differently. The red, orange and pink blended adequately with the coconut oil, and I really worked at blending the blue of the "M" (meh, am not a keener), but the light purple pretty much refused to blend -- very waxy and crayon-like. Then, to test how much color I was picking up and moving, started swiping the page with the "loaded" brush. It's obvious the brush wasn't loaded and the colors didn't shift much ... They are just glorified crayons after all. 

Monkeying Around

Day 29 of the November Asian art daily painting challenge. One day left. Because the time is winding down and I've really wanted to challenge myself this month by first (1) starting to do art, (2) learning and practicing skills to make beautiful paintings (beautiful in my eyes is ok), and (3) drawing and painting different things than what I've attempted in the past. Well, I haven't draw a lot  in the past but what I'm saying is trying to do things that I haven't thought of drawing before (like the monkeys tonight) or drawing things that I don't particularly like (example, drawing still life (*&^#$@!) which I find boring but I did a still life piece two days ago, "Tea Time"). A friend just asked me to draw her little dog with a plum blossom and a tea set, all symbols that are a part of her life. I really don't like dogs and probably have never thought of drawing one, but you know, it's for a friend and she has an intriguing composition in mind ... so why not?! It'll be my first dog probably, so another first! This month there's been a lot of firsts! I have thoroughly enjoyed this painting challenge!

For these monkeys I drew two monkeys by looking at different reference pictures. The third and smallest monkey I drew without any reference. I just had to get the shape ok and since it's further in the background I didn't have to draw in a lot of detail. The shading could be better in several spots of the composition and I'm seeing a couple other areas that could be fixed up before posting this, but it's very very late and I need to crash. 

Monkeying Around
Marie's watercolor and Chinese ink with touches of Micron .005 around the face, hands and feet. Shikishi.

Tiger Woodblock Carving

The 2018 woodblock carving contest approaches, but this year instead of being held in October-November, the competition is in July ... of all things. Who can carve when the spring sun revolves into a bright shiny globe for warming the earth in the summer months?! I had to force myself to get this woodblock done. The only reason I didn't throw in the towel is that the opportunity only comes once a year, and I should never live with the regrets of having missed a meaningful opportunity and an artistic challenge ... and so I carved.

After many, many hours of careful designing, I had my picture
and then just had to transfer it to the woodblock. 

The tiger and its reflection in a pool

Once I had it drawn, I carefully shaded all the areas I wanted to be in well-defined bas relief.

With the faces transferred, I am ready to begin the first cuts.

If anyone says carving is not a messy activity, trust me, they LIE!

Oh yes, a very messy activity. At one point, me, my chair and my picture were very covered!
BTW, just got this chair and wow is it saving my back!!!

Those whiskers just about drove me nuts, esp because something just doesn't seem right about them.

Something felt missing to be an authentic reflection, so added a couple of ripple-rings.
Now the idea of a reflection makes more sense.

Just need a few more hours ...

And the finished woodblock!

And then the part I dislike the most about carving ... inking the block.
It didn't come out dark enough. I'll have to buy another scroll.

The whole process took about 37 hours to carve, and untold hours to design. Quite proud of it, but still feel that something just isn't quite right about those blasted whiskers.

My First Woodblock Carving

After a weekend templestay-visit to the Museum of Ancient Asian Woodblock Prints in Wonju, Korea, my friends and I were walking out the door when Director Han (owner, director, curator of the museum) challenged me to participate in the woodblock carving contest currently being held. All submissions would be judged under the three categories of experience: highly experienced/professional, students of art, and amateur—definitely my category. My three friends and I had been given a hands-on woodblock carving experience during our visit to give us understanding of the precision and detail needed in carving the perfectly precise Buddhist sutras and pictures. Therefore, I had enough knowledge to create a woodblock carving on my own. 

I had exactly 13 days to get material, choose or make a design, carve it and mail it in! I love challenges, and I love art, so ... challenge accepted! 

Sunday, Nov 20: accepted the challenge!

Monday, Nov 21: bought supplies

Tuesday, Nov 22: thinking and thinking on what to carve ... tiger? horses? cranes?

Wed & Thurs, Nov 23-24: scoured the Internet for pictures on crane and lily pad inspirations and from multiple pictures, designed my composition (exhausting! carving was easier than designing! carving is mindless and somehow rhythmic and cathartic, but designing is demanding!)

Friday, Nov 25: traced my design on the board (the fragile fibers of the board get damaged by repeated erasing so best to design then transfer); carved 2 hours

Saturday, Nov 26: -------
Sunday, Nov 27: carved 12 hours!

Monday, Nov 28: carved about 7 hours
Tuesday, Nov 29: carved 6 hours — finished! inked the woodblock carving

Felt the time pressure and got a bit hasty — nicked a chunk off the leg of one of the cranes;
to the observing eye made a couple other small but noticeable mistakes .... aaaiigo!

Now the test, ink the woodblock to see if the carving is good or not!

My ink-spreader was a brush, not a very good tool for laying ink evenly, but then I have no intention of carving much so didn't purchase the expensive roller tool. And my tool for smoothing the paper is just the edge of a cardboard box. The way I see it, my job in the competition is (thankfully) not inking, but carving. Amateur-me blobs up one area and wipes another free of ink. Nope, won't be sending one of my inkings to the competition!

Aaaigo! Can't get a good copy. My board is slightly curved, and I'm an untalented inking "artist".

The best ink job I achieved. Good enough to send my mom an idea of my work.
Director Han will just get the woodblock. I figure he'll want to test out the quality of reproduction
for judges and himself anyway. 

Wednesday, Nov 30: mailed the woodblock carving to meet the Saturday, Dec 3 deadline

Wednesday, Dec 14: Announcements were published with the names of all the winners for each of the categories. I didn't place at all, not even an honorable mention, but I'm certainly proud of my small piece — about 9 1/2" x 15. It was very satisfying to create something so unique and unusual and to try a totally new art form.

Rather doubt I'll do much with woodblock carving in the future. My index finger is still a bit numb (two weeks later), and my neck and back have been grumpy since the intense few days hunched over paper then wood. Well, maybe I was just too intense with the whole project. The quiet time of carving after work hours was very cathartic, but this is not an art form that makes my heart sing. That said, I just might join the woodblock carving competition again next year. Another challenge to mark my growth in art!

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Imagine my surprise when I went to the awards ceremony at the Gopanhwa Museum of Ancient Asian Woodblock Prints and discovered that I did indeed get an honorable mention! Wow! I was totally stunned!