Amateur Copy Artist - Katsa and Watercolor

I started a project in March to paint a full picture of an unknown anime.  I wanted to see how so many years of not drawing and painting has affected my skills (if I had any).  ^_^  I finished it 1st week of April after 2 weeks of on and off painting.

The materials I used were:

• Cheesecloth or better known as "Katsa" - I used leftovers from the 4 or so meters I bought in Glorietta at 18php each meter (on sale in one of the stores - the rest were selling them for 30php).  I used them to make privacy curtains to hide the stuff under the stairs.  ^_^
• Watercolor
• water
• tissue
• a picture from the internet (the image I copied)
• Pencil
• extra paper or extra katsa to test out the colors

I sketched the outlines on the katsa using a mechanical pencil (the only pencil I had at that time) which I didn't think would really work, but it did!

Here's the sketch on the katsa in pencil.

And here it is side by side with the image I'm trying to copy.  I have a layer of paper covering the table because I expect the paint, being very watery, to seep through the katsa and just blot out the painting.  A paper or tissue at the back of the katsa will absorb the excess paint or water.

And here's the finish product!  Not bad, ei?

And here's the finish product side by side with the original image plus some of the materials I used.  I wasn't confident enough to add the sakura flowers on the yukata.  I might mess it up and it looks pretty ok even without them, so I left the flowers out.

I loved the whole experience and to actually finish the painting is just unbelievable!  It's like a personal breakthrough because I seem to always be good at starting things and never big on actually finishing them except if I really have to.  ^_^

If you want to see the painting as it progressed, here's a slideshow featuring shots I took throughout the painting process:





Why don't you start working on that project you've been putting aside for a long time now?  Whether it's learning to speak in a different language, taking up a hobby you always wanted to try or starting your own blog, there's no better time but NOW!  For we'll never know what tomorrow is going to be like for us.

A friendly reminder from Anne in Red.

Back to Painting? For How Long?

I'm one of those people who can't wait to get their hands on a new, or in this case old, hobby...  Start doing it... buy the necessary materials (props)... only to leave it again for a new hobby...  ^_^  Also, a jack of all trades, and, unfortunately master of none...  And here I go again!  I'm back to painting after, ummm... 10 years!?

I use watercolor and love how very flexible and easy it is to use!  I started with painting Japanese Anime Characters and never attempted to do serious painting.  And it was all for the love of art!  I'm a copy artist and I never draw/paint without a copy...  I have to say, I'm very good at it (copying).  I can get the proportions, color, etc. down to the last detail, or at least I try.  I remember those good old days when I didn't have a paper that's big enough for what I wanted to do so I tape four 8.5" x 11" sheets together!  I taped them at the back, end to end and they look like 1 big poster paper!  That's how desperate I was and needed to paint right away and didn't bother going to a bookstore to buy a cartolina.  I transform text cards of anime characters to posters!  For those of you who don't know what a "text card" is, it's like the Magic the Gathering cards only smaller... around 2" x 1" and has the characteristics of trump cards (power, speed, etc.) and you can flip 2 of them in the air and play against your friends.  ^_^

Here's how some of them would look like:

Dragon Ball

 

Sailormoon

  Yuyu Hakusho (Ghost Fighter)

Going back to painting, yes, I'm back to painting and here's the result...

 First, the sketch.  I'm also into poem writing so I wrote a poem dedicated to my husband.  ^_^  It's entitled "Left Hand Ring".  I tried drawing my hands... I'm not really a 3D artist nor have I tried still life, because I know I'm not good at it.  But I decided I should try...  ^_^

Here it is, nearing completion.  I painted flesh over those green paint that got inside the hand border.  I also made an error when I wrote the poem in ink...  I accidentally transposed 2 words.  The last line should have been written as "And they'll never be empty again."  This is in reference to my favorite novel, Little Women (by Louisa May Alcott) where Jo (a girl) got proposed to by Prof. Baehr under the rain and he said he has nothing to offer but his empty hands.  Jo put her hands in them and said, "Not empty now."  So romantic!

For anyone who's interested, here's how the whole poem goes...

*  I usually follow strict measure and rhyme pattern when I make poems but I found it hard to stick to one when I was making this.  A bit rusty, I guess.

Left Hand Ring

When the band stopped playing

And the music faded to nothing

I stopped to look at my empty hands

Nothing special, nothing new, nothing grand

As other continued living

My hands wouldn't stop trembling

Thinking about the days I've had

Nothing significant, unique, or fab

But the light showed me something

Reflecting from my left hand ring

Reminding me of the joys at hand

Something different, special and grand

A change has taken place

And not a minute sooner

As I look forward to the days

We spend fun times together

As my hands start to fold

You put yours in them

Now my hands are never cold

And they'll never be empty again.

- by Anne in Red

My husband seemed to like it and we posted it on our dining room wall.  ^_^  The painting might not be perfect and the poem might need a little polishing, not to mention, I might grow tired of painting again and lay my brushes untouched after another 10 years. But the message, the thought and the emotion behind this work is perfect.  A perfect love that will never fade.  Unconditional and true.  That's the love I have for my Mario!

Happy loving everyone!

from Anne in Red.