What you see here began as what I call a “mono print” foundation. Giving a name to a process helps when you work with students. I use a glass top table, brush and water, bleed watercolor or other wet medium into the water. Keep it light. This will help create distance. Keep in mind the what a viewer will see. Viewers who look at our art often seek to understand the process of what it took to creating that particular art.
As a Shibuiest I learned much through doing “it”. I called this mono print because after manipulating the light tint on the glass I laid the paper carefully over the tint. Waited a few, and lifted, then bled into it with darker tints in areas I felt would be interesting with a darker medium or using different colors and let dry.
Once dry the foundations are what they are, the results of action art. What happens is random, and uncontrolled, what happens happens! And there you are! Now it is finding what is there and simple line work! The idea is to use the edges the wet medium has left. The process is like finding something in the clouds or a stain. Only you need to “round it out” to create the illusion of realism. This feels a lot like design work to me. I love Art Deco, and so it is not hard to fall into making leaves on thicken lines. I love Alponse Mucha! And Japanese prints. I am a print maker also, I love watercolor! So I can easily fall into a mode I can borrow from. I plan to use oil paints and huge canvas. yet another studio in the basement for this I think. Some staging, large plastic sheets. Overhauls, old sneakers! Lots of paint safe thinners. The world is your oyster!
The very last step I do is work my Shibui is bring it to life by using pastel pencils of all kinds! Neo colors too! If you already use pastel pencils you know about bloom, and that making small circles will help you layer. I often have to go away and come back later to layer. Some Shibui happens quick, some is very slow in its process. Some I have to stop and set aside because I am stuck!
You can not erase Shibui, what happens happens on the page; if you can not use a splatter or some “mark” you leave it and work around it bring other things to life first. It may tell you what it is at some point, or never. With Shibui the viewer will see the image at a viewing distance. These shibui blemishes are a part of being a Shibui. They will be found layer, and for fun you can turn them into something that wills surprise the viewer later when he or she steps up closer to see what is going on it the image.
Dare to marry things! Have fun with your creative side. But plan it out, and s you don’t lose those ideas keep a journal.
Best wishes! Pejj
Anisette Studios & Shibui Fine Arts 