OK, so I watched the first four videos of The Pen and Ink Experience series, and I did try drawing my first work using one of my own photos introduced here.
I came up with the title “five hundred years of glare” for the original photo when I was traveling in Madagascar and heard from the tour guide that these Baobab trees have been there for over 500 years. I was thinking about how many things happened in our human society during the 500 years, how much things have changed during the time, and couldn’t help but be amazed at how differently the “time” means for trees and for us humans. I really loved the Baobab’s detached manner, hence the title.
This is one of the scenes used in my next animation, that’s why the aspect ratio is 16:9, i.e. pretty horizontally long format.
The exact size of the paper is 290mmx163mm and it took me 2:45 to complete this work.
I actually used a ballpoint pen. This is because I know this is the pen which a popular Japanese pen-artist, Shohei Otomo uses to create his artworks. I remember he once said in an interview that he used to do oil paintings before but he wondered if he might be able to attract more ordinary people if he used an inexpensive art tool. That’s how he started ballpoint pen drawing for which he’s become famous.
I looked at his works and got very curious to see if a ballpoint pen will work for my artworks too.
Looks like it does
Anyways, this work is going to be converted into something like this in the film:
Thank you for your comment Judy, They have such a gorgeous academic name like “Adansonia digitata”. And the ones I looked at were around 500 years old. I hear that there are even older ones as well
Maki, thank you for the information. They appeared to me to be prehistoric. If you don’t mind, I would appreciate to know where they are located?
Also, are they protected species?
Hi Judy, thanks for your reply. Sounds like you’re a tree-lover!
I think the information in the following link would be of some help for you. # Where did that baobab come from?
Also, I recommend a collection of tree photos titled “Ancient Trees” by Beth Moon, if you’re a tree-lover, which I am actually, and I have this book for myself
Maki, thank you for the information. I think, sometimes as humans, supposed to be the superior species(?) and a lot of times without thinking, destroy living things without realizing their importance, the beauty and majesty and life, i.e., Red Wood forest in California vs. the timber industry or the hard wood forest that used to be here where I live!
This is beautiful, Maki. I love the way you handled the clouds - a lot of movement and life. The strokes themselves suggest a form that is alive (moving I mean), and clouds can often look static in drawings or paintings. You kept their softness, but retained the dynamic sense of moving with the breeze.
Thank you, Cathy, for your very kind comment. The clouds were actually the most difficult part in this drawing, because at this time I was still not so sure about how to effectively express mid-tones using a ballpoint pen. So the strokes you mention is a result of my pondering while drawing this piece, that is, thanks to my lack of solid skills in pen&ink drawing. But sometimes your lack of appropriate skills works better than too refined skills. Thanks again!
