Rock Paper Scissors

A Liberating Approach to Painting

2010-03-04T23:57:00.009-05:00

I recently came across an interview of artist Larry Poons through the Unedit my heart blog.

I find Mr Poons' understanding of painting liberating.
...

Paintings are mistakes. You put a mark on a canvas, and it’s a mistake. Of course it’s a mistake, otherwise it would be wonderful, because it would be finished. But it’s not. After maybe 50 or 60,000 mistakes, you give up. Like Leonardo said, “Works of art aren’t finished, they’re abandoned.” That’s absolutely true, art is never finished.

...

When you’re painting, then you’ve got nothing to paint until there’s something there, that first mistake. But once you see something – you’ll see a flow or a shape – then that’s what you’re painting, and that’s where paintings come from.

...

Of course the only tool a painter has – or ever had – to make paintings is color. It’s all color. There is no drawing in painting, just like Cézanne said. What you think is drawing is just two colors coming together, and if the colors aren’t harmonious (to use Cézanne’s word) then neither is the drawing, and it’s a bad painting.

...

Create Drawings based on Art from the Past or Art by other Artists

2010-01-03T13:07:00.012-05:00

Over the Christmas holidays, I have introduced another change (besides adding erase) to my colouring book drawings. After making 1500 drawings, I need injection of new forms and shapes and composition. Hence, I have started to look at art work from the past, and art work from today's artists, and treat them as subjects for new drawings.

The first such drawings are drawings of King Tut.

The second batch are drawings based on the the work of John Baldessari.

Adding Erase

2010-01-03T12:18:00.011-05:00

"Erase" is a drawing process that I have acknowledged early on but never used as a major way to construct drawings. In 2010, I will be using it more, starting with these drawings.

To show the lines that have been erased, I have left a trace of them in the final work.

Drawing Page 8719 to 8721

2009-10-10T12:35:00.001-04:00

Go to drawings.

Drawing Page 8722 to 8727

2009-10-10T12:31:00.001-04:00

Go to drawings.

Drawing Page 8729 and 8730

2009-10-07T01:04:00.003-04:00

Page 8729

Page 8730

Drawing Day 2009 Drawings and Undrawings

2009-06-29T23:29:00.006-04:00

Drawing 1 to 10

Drawing 11 to 20

Undrawing 21 to 25

See the completed drawings.

7 Drawings from March 29th, 2009

2009-03-29T14:10:00.001-04:00

7 Drawings from March 29th 2009 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Being Pictorial

2009-03-29T12:57:00.009-04:00

There is a wonderful write up at Saatchi Online by Matthew Collings on the Picasso exhibit at the National Gallery in London.

It is the work of Picasso that has inspired me to draw. The following text from the essay speaks to the reasons.

... old masters are profoundly abstract but modern art is explicitly abstract.

Picasso is always a lesson about reading the past. The lesson is that some visual traditions run out and become impossible but some remain powerful and modern art isolates and emphasises them.

The word for what a painting essentially is, as opposed to what is depicted, is "pictorial," and it's the pictorial realm that Picasso is the king of, not the sex realm or free-thinking law breaker realm.

Unerasing 2 drawings

2009-03-10T01:07:00.004-04:00

2 drawings being un-erased.

Unerasing Drawing 9061 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Unerasing Drawing 9062 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Undrawing Page 9140

2009-02-01T14:40:00.004-05:00

Undrawing Page 9140 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Link to abstract drawing Page 9140.

Thinking About Drawing

2009-01-04T09:34:00.007-05:00

Drawing

Drawing is
lines
        coming together
        forming colourable areas
        sculpting pictorial spaces
        giving rise to visual parts.

Drawing is
visual parts
        coming together
        forming pictorial objects.

Lines Coming Together

	Coming together, one line at a time, touching or not, crossing or not, connected or not. Examples:
	An open line
	A line with one end touching itself
	A line crossing itself
	A closed line, connecting on its ends
	Two closed lines, side by side
	Two closed lines, touching
	Two closed lines crossing each other
	One closed line with a second line touch the first on both ends
	Two closed lines, one inside the other
	One closed line with a second line touching the first on one end
	One closed line with a second line touching the first on one end and crossing it multiple times
	Two open lines crossing each other multiple times
	Four open lines touching and crossing one another
	Many open lines, unconnected, floating in parallel
	Many lines, connected

(Back to Drawing)

Forming Colourable Areas

A Colourable area is
pictorial space bounded by lines
            to hold colours.

A Closed area has
closed boundary,
            can receive a single colour.

An Open area has
partial boundary -
open for interpretation.
            Colour gradation naturally occurs
            at undefined border.

(Back to Drawing)

Sculpting Pictorial Spaces

	A space is not pictorial
	until sculpted with lines.

	Growing is to
	add lines forming new areas previously unoccupied.

	Dividing is to
	adds lines carving new areas within existing areas.

	Joining is to
	add lines pulling together unconnected areas.
	add lines pulling together unconnected areas.

(Back to Drawing)

Visual Parts

Visual parts are
perceived
        when lines come together
        in a certain way.

Visual parts are
used
        for constructing pictorial objects.

Visual parts are
        not unlike alphabets
        to English words.

        And not unlike radicals
        to Chinese characters.







		To see more, follow this link.

(Back to Drawing)

Parts Coming Together

Line by line,
parts form.

Part by part,
objects form.

Not unlike alphabets
forming English words.

Not unlike radicals
forming Chinese characters.










Colour
		(See larger version)

(Back to Drawing)

Pictures

Examples:

To see more, go to the 10,000 Page Colouring Book.

(Back to Drawing)

See a line for what it is

2008-11-30T20:10:00.001-05:00

See a line for what it is from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Erasing 10 Drawings on Nov 25th 2008

2008-11-25T23:25:00.001-05:00

Erasing 10 Drawings on Nov 25th 2008 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

6 Drawings from Nov 22nd 2008

2008-11-23T00:11:00.001-05:00

6 Drawings from Nov 22nd 2008 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

If Picasso were Chinese

2008-11-12T01:37:00.001-05:00

After a swim, on the beach at Golfe-Juan, we are talking about Chinese characters. A Chinese friend is drawing Chinese characters in the sand. Picasso has amused himself before by drawing his own ideograms in the sand: bulls, goats, faces of peace. He is fascinated by the interplay of Chinese characters, the strengths and economy of their construction.

"If I were born Chinese" says he, "I would not be a painter but a writer. I'd write my pictures".

The above text is from the book "Picasso on Art" by Dore Ashton. The original French text came from "L'Amour de la peinture: Goya, Picasso et autres peintres" by Claude Roy.

Interrelationship of calligraphy and painting

2008-11-09T14:02:00.005-05:00

From a page at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art web site:

To understand the lack of color in many Chinese landscape paintings, one must fully appreciate the interrelationship of calligraphy and painting.

Calligraphy and painting use the same formats and tools (brush, ink, paper, and silk). The basic methods of handling a brush and ink to create the individual strokes of a Chinese character can also be used to create descriptive lines and textures in painting.

...

In this hanging scroll, entitled Woods and Valleys of Mount Yu, by the artist Ni Zan (1306–1374), the correspondence between calligraphy and painting becomes apparent.

...

Ni Zan, using abstract brushstrokes to suggest three-dimensional forms, exploits the tension between surface pattern and the illusion of recession to animate his composition.

...

To see the detail of this painting, follow this link and click on "Open full-size image".

6 Drawings from Nov 8th 2008

2008-11-08T22:14:00.002-05:00

6 Drawings from Nov 8th 2008 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

6 More October Drawings

2008-10-26T14:39:00.001-04:00

6 Drawings from Oct 25th 2008 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

6 Drawings Doodeo

2008-10-13T21:31:00.003-04:00

A doodeo of 6 drawings done on Oct 8th, 2008.

6 drawings done on Oct 8th, 2008 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Unerasing Page 9324

2008-08-23T20:12:00.006-04:00

Reverse playback of systematic erasure of abstract line drawing Page 9324.

Unerasing 9324 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Undrawing Page 9363 R

2008-07-28T09:35:00.002-04:00

The undrawing and unerasing of the right half of abstract line drawing Page 9369.

Undrawing Page 9363 R from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Drawing Day Drawing Doodeo

2008-06-08T11:25:00.005-04:00

20 drawings were made on the first Drawing Day. Below is the recording.

Drawing 1 to 8

Drawing 9 to 16

Drawing 17 to 20

8 Drawings Doodeo 080510

2008-05-10T23:10:00.001-04:00

Pixo Drawing Doodeo 080510 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Undrawing 6 drawings

2008-04-23T23:58:00.005-04:00

The first video recorded the undrawing of 6 drawings.

The second video is the exact same video, but play in reverse.

Undrawing Doodeo Page 9472 to 9477 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Unerasing Doodeo Page 9472 to 9477 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Sketchy Doodeo 9975

2008-04-06T19:43:00.003-04:00

Sketchy Doodeo 9975 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

See finished drawing.

20 Drawings Doodeo 080327

2008-03-30T00:43:00.012-04:00

These 20 drawings were done in a single session, non-stop, in 70 minutes. The playback here was compressed into 9 minutes. There was no planning ahead of time on what to draw. The drawings just came out the way they are. The accompanying music was by Manicure.

Correction: There is actually only 19 drawings. I thought I did 20.

20 Drawings Doodeo 080327 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Painterly Doodeo 080323b

2008-03-24T08:51:00.003-04:00

Painterly Doodeo 080323b from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

View completed painting.

Sketchy Doodeo 9976

2008-03-11T21:33:00.007-04:00

Sketchy Doodeo 9976 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

View completed drawing.

Drawing A-B-C

2008-03-10T00:42:00.011-04:00

I came across this wonderful video through Drawn.ca.

I have never thought there can be so much drama in watching a child painting the alphabets.

This video also happens to be an excellent illustration of my ideas on ...

1) Writing being a form of Drawing (illustrated by young Gradus W. Wouters on the left), and ...

2) Drawing being a form of Writing (illustrated by Job Wouters on the right).

How I wrote a drawing

2008-03-01T21:01:00.008-05:00

I have a stack of old business cards with the blank side filled with hand-drawn "writing parts". I use them as flash cards.

A number of cards was randomly drawn. In this case, I picked 5.

The "writing parts" on these cards formed the "seeds" to "grow" the drawing. They were applied to the drawing in the order that they were drawn from the stack.

What eventually got put into the drawing was not limited to the selected cards. These cards merely served as a device to get the drawing going. How the drawing evolves and finishes depended more on how the mind - and the hands - respond to the drawing in progress. Below is the finished drawing.

Draw a Writing / Write a Drawing

2008-02-17T00:24:00.022-05:00

This is my personal "theory and practice" for drawing abstract line art.

1) Writing is a form of drawing.

All of us has "drawn" writings. It happened when we first learnt to lay down the strokes of an unfamiliar handwriting. The scenario can be a child learning to write A-B-C for the first time, or a Westerner learning to write Chinese or Kanji characters.

2) Drawing is a form of writing.

All of us has also "written" drawings. We call them stick figures. The convention is simple. The head is drawn as a circle. Body, arms and legs are simple straight lines.

3) The Theory

Drawing stick figures is no different from writing A-B-C.

To "write" more elaborate drawings, we need more "writing parts" - besides circles and straight lines, and be adventurous in how to put these parts together.

Just as we are capable of learning A-B-C and drawing stick figures, (my theory says) all of us are also capable of creating complex abstract line art - by treating it as a form of writing.

4) In Practice

Based on this theory, I have been experimenting with drawings that I collectively refer to as the The 10,000 Page Colouring Book. Through the experimentation process, I began to establish a set of frequently used "writing parts".

Undrawing 9654

2007-12-09T17:38:00.003-05:00

Systematic erasing (left) and unerasing (right) of an abstract line drawing.

Unerasing 9690

2007-10-21T17:38:00.005-04:00

IF: Grow

"Grow" is often the term I use when I think about drawing. I see drawings as results of spontaneous growth of lines. To turn that growing process into performances that I can sit back and watch, I take finished drawings and rework them into videos. Below is an example.

Unerasing Doodeo 9690 from Pixo Hammer on Vimeo.

Doodeo 2007-08-17

2007-08-17T21:04:00.001-04:00

Different ways to connect.

Doodeo 2007-08-13

2007-08-14T09:16:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Doodeo 2007-07-03

2007-07-04T09:22:00.001-04:00

4 green drawings.

Doodeo 2007-07-01

2007-07-02T01:07:00.001-04:00

The making of 44 abstract drawings in one continuous session.

Unerasing 9758

2007-07-02T01:04:00.001-04:00

Reverse playback of the systematic erasure of an abstract drawing.

Unerasing 9754

2007-07-02T01:01:00.001-04:00

Reverse playback of the systematic erasure of an abstract drawing.

Doodeo 9990

2007-06-30T14:54:00.002-04:00

Go to drawing.

Undrawing 9766

2007-06-24T17:22:00.001-04:00

Systematic erasing (left side) and unerasing (right side) of an abstract line drawing.

Undrawing 9768

2007-06-24T17:20:00.001-04:00

Systematic erasing (left side) and unerasing (right side) of an abstract line drawing.

Undrawing 9769

2007-06-19T00:03:00.001-04:00

Systematic erasing (left side) and unerasing (right side) of an abstract line drawing.

Doodeo 9992

2007-06-11T01:34:00.002-04:00

Go to drawing.

Doodeo 9993

2007-06-11T01:17:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Doodeo 9994

2007-06-11T01:12:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Doodeo 9995

2007-06-11T00:55:00.002-04:00

Go to drawing.

Undrawing 9814

2007-06-08T22:20:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Undrawing 9813

2007-06-08T22:19:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Undrawing 9811

2007-06-08T22:08:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Undrawing 9810

2007-06-07T23:42:00.001-04:00

Go to drawing.

Undrawing 9796

2007-06-06T23:41:00.001-04:00

Go to the drawing.

Undrawing 9787

2007-06-06T01:26:00.001-04:00

Go to the drawing.

Undrawing 9788 - A New Presentation Format

2007-06-04T02:18:00.002-04:00

The video shows the erasing of a drawing on the left side, and the unerasing (i.e. reversing the erase) of the same drawing on the right.

This presentation format is a new attempt, and the closest that I have ever gotten to expressing the idea of emptiness through abstract line art.

Drawing Colour Doodle 9996

2007-05-29T00:12:00.001-04:00

My second video on the making of a doodle.

My second Doodeo.

Drawing Colour Doodle 9997

2007-05-27T16:00:00.001-04:00

The making of a doodle.

My first Doodeo.

Undrawing Page 9796

2007-05-13T03:18:00.001-04:00

The systematic erase of drawing 9796.

Unerasing Page 9810

2007-05-13T01:26:00.001-04:00

Reversing the erase of drawing 9810.

Unerasing followed by undrawing of 9811

2007-05-04T22:49:00.001-04:00

Unerase is the reverse of an undraw.

This video starts with the unerasing of the drawing 9811 followed by its undrawing.

Undrawing Page 9814

2007-04-30T01:25:00.001-04:00

New form and shapes appeared gradually as parts were added to a drawing.

Similarly, new form and shapes appeared as parts were being removed systematically.

This is the systematic erasing of 9814.

Undrawing Page 9813

2007-04-29T14:21:00.001-04:00

The systematic approach to the making of a drawing can also be applied to its unmaking.

I call the process undrawing.

This video is the undrawing of 9813.

Drawing Analysis 02

2007-04-22T02:27:00.001-04:00

This video shows the making of a drawing.

Drawing Analysis 01

2007-04-12T01:17:00.001-04:00

This video shows the making of a drawing.

Assembling

2007-04-08T16:13:00.001-04:00

The Mosaic approach lays parts down side by side.

The Landscape approach arranges parts from front to back.

The Basket approach weaves parts together like a basket.

Surfacing

2007-04-08T16:03:00.001-04:00

Surfacing provides a sense of surface and texture.

Hair is added by drawing short line segments perpendicular to an existing line.

Skin is added by drawing parallel lines across an area. The curvature of the parallel lines can be used to suggest non-flat/flowing surfaces.

Fur is done by dashing an area with short line segements.

Erasing

2007-04-08T15:23:00.000-04:00

Erasing is undrawing.

When the medium allows erasing, it can be used to undo a drawing mis-step. It can also be used to convert a see through area into a solid shape.

More Complex Parts

2007-04-08T15:06:00.001-04:00

Grow, Divide and Join

2007-04-08T11:12:00.001-04:00

A drawing is evolved through the growing, dividing and joining of shapes.

Ripple grows a drawing by adding layers of outlines that hug the existing shapes.

Petal grows a drawing by adding simple U-shape or tear-drop-shaped outlines. Each petal is formed with a single line. Petal can add a sense of dynamic and movement.

Wrap grows a drawing by adding non-hugging outlines around existing shapes.

Ribbon thickens line segments.

A hole divides a shape into part rock (solid area) and part paper (see thru area).

Skeleton divides the space inside an existing shape by adding scaffolding lines or segmentation lines. Scaffolding lines are like internal skeleton. They can look like the bone structure of a person, or the vein structure of a leaf. Segementation lines are like external skeleton, such as the shell of a bug.

Connector are simple line segments that connect disjoint shapes to form a unified one. A ripple or a wrap can perform the same function by drawing an outline around multiple existing shapes. Connector does the same by adding line segments in between shapes.

Rock, Paper and Scissors

2007-04-08T00:59:00.000-04:00

Rock represents solid shapes.

Paper represents transparent shapes.

Scissors represent open shapes.