Painting Nanyang

"The (Nanyang) Green Stripe"

2010 Oil on Canvas assignment

This was one of the most memorable assignments ever!!!!!! Basically our class had to paint a nanyang-related subject matter with adaptations from a chosen art movement. The movement I chose was fauvism, known characteristically for the exaggerated use of colour and simplified forms. I decided to paint with reference to this famous artwork....

The Green Stripe

40.50 cm × 32.5 cm, Oil on Canvas

by Henri Matisse

My painting doesn't really tell much of a story, and it was actually just a direct 'translation' of Matisse's painting into the Nanyang context. While most of my classmates chose to paint the building or other significant parts of nygh, I chose to paint a nanyang girl as I felt that was really representative of what Nanyang was made of--- us and our symbolic hongzi! 

The biggest challenge I had with this work was the STYLE. Fauvist brushstrokes are generally thick and NOT well-blended. And sadly, that's just the opposite of what I usually practice. I am someone who likes blending everything nicely!!! not a perfectionist like xindi yet not like zhiping who fancies sketchy outlines. So when it came to this assignment, it was very very very very hard for me to restrain from blending. I had to deliberately apply brushstrokes that stood out for no apparent reason, apply brushstrokes that overlapped when I had a dying urge to press them down. 

Frankly, it was torturous at first.

But thanks to shiyin, we kinda had a plan to "share resources". I imparted my skill of patience to her while she imparted her skill of 'daringness' to apply thick paint on the canvas to me. Anyway this was her work, and we had a really fun time 'collaborating' with each other to complete both works!!!

Shiyin's work 

(her movement was Pop Art as you can see, and the brushwork needed to be much more well-blended and this took SO MUCH PATIENCE. but it was super fun!!!!!!!)

Quoting shiyin, "I feel that this assignment has allowed me to know (VERY CLEARLY) what my weaknesses are". Yes I realised that it's really very hard for me to step out of my comfort zone to try a very different style of painting. I eventually completed the work after smashing on layers and layers of paint. It was a super super unforgettable experience but I'm glad I learnt many new oil-painting techniques through the assignment, such as how to pile on paint without smashing down the previous layer (ok I need to learn the technical terms someday)

Here are more photos up-close!!! honestly I doubt I'll ever do such a painting again. unblended brushstrokes are really not my thing hahahah :) 

 Notice how the green stripe isn't actually green, but yellow, ochre and a minty green side by side. this is something like how Matisse painted his wife in his work!

green and beige-y colours were also used to add dimension to the otherwise flat hongzi^ 

... and our 南!