The Massive Wave

The Massive Wave - Part 4 - Qn & Ans

Jul 6, 2022

The Massive Wave

Questions & Answers

In the last three posts, I enlightened the subscribers in a step by step manner regarding the creation of the entire painting from its conception, planning and implementation. I also discussed the problems encountered and their solutions.

Today I will briefly address some questions posed by the readers of the newsletter regarding the painting.

Fig 1 A Part 1

Qn. 1: Why does the canvas look yellow on fig 1 A part 1? should it not be white?

Ans: This question refers to the image fig1 in part 1.

Yes, the canvas bought from the art stores is indeed white. See (Fig 1) below. The riginal canvas compared to the tinted canvas).

Some artists like to tint their canvas. I for one tint mine because the same colour across the entire painting harmonizes the painting and provides a subtle underlying tint.The colour of the tint and the strength depends on the subject I intend to paint. Since this painting was supposed to depict the warm glow of the sun peeking through the clouds, I decided to use a very light yellow tint to provide the glow. (the colour on the image (fig 1A) is a bit washed out due to poor photographic technique. The more accurate colour is seen in Fig 2 the image below, on the right)

Fig 1

Fig 2

Qn.2: Why are there so many scribbles and lines on the image?

Ans: The question refers to the images from part 2 of the series. Sections of the images have been reproduced in fig 2 and presented side by side.

The clouds have been approximately outlined on the image on the left and shaded with red strokes. The rest is the blue sky which has been painted on the image on the right.The reason for this is to guide me whilst I am busy painting so as not to confuse the cloud shape for the sky shape and apply paint where it would be detrimental to the plan.

Artistically, it is important for the illusion of distance in a painting that laws of perspectives be followed. In summary, perspectives requires that the sizes of the clouds get smaller as they are painted down towards the horizon and the colour of the sky has to get lighter and less vibrant as it recedes towards the horizon. Confusing one for the other would violate this principle.

Fig 3

Qn. 3: What is blocking in?

Ans: Again, for the sake of clarity, in fig 3, the same sections of the painting have been reproduced side by side.

The image on the left has the trees, the bushes, the cliff, the clouds, the rocks, water and the beach all "blocked in". Essentially blocked in areas look two dimensional and cartoonish upon which details are added to give it a structure and a three dimension look. Since during blocking in, the paint is applied thinly, mistakes are easier corrected at this stage thus it also helps in composition of the painting.

Fig 4

Qn.4: Why does the sky look much better in Part 3 Fig 4 than in the final image?

Ans: Again the sections of the images have been reproduced here. The image on the left is the fig #4 being referred to and the image on the right is a later image.

This is purely a photographic distortion. The sky on the final image indeed looked exactly like it looks on the image on the left except for the sun.

Fig 5

Qn 5: Does the leaning tree have anything to do with the secret message?

Ans: No. It does not. It is a compositional aid. If all the trees are similar in size, shape located equidistant to one another etc. The mind of the viewer gets bored and soon the viewer quits looking at the painting. To entertain the audience, each and every thing in the painting has to be unique, e.g. cloud shapes, their colour, the number and shapes of the rocks, the jagged edges of the cliff etc. In addition, the leaning tree is a tool used by artists to subtly guide the viewers eyes to the centre of interest, in this case the crest of the wave. As the red arrow indicates, the artists intent is for the viewers eyes to land on the leaning tree (which is so different and thus attractive) the eyes then follow up the trunk of the leaning tree, along its boughs then the eyes jump to the adjacent clouds and on to the wave.

Fig 6

Qn 6: Where is the bald eagle?

Ans: An animate object is very attractive to the human eye, and acts as an eye magnet. If the artist does not want it to become the focal point (ideally there should be only one focal spot in a painting). The artist therefore tries to make it less obvious. Here the eagle is hidden amongst the tree branches, it is also less conspicuous due to its shape and darkness blending with the tree boughs. The eagle is difficult to see on this small image so for those interested, I have placed an arrow to show its location.

Qn 7: Where and what is the secret message?

Ans: Sorry I cannot reveal the message.It is a romantic message only for the couples eyes. It is well hidden, so it is no surprise that it cannot be found.

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Mohamed Hirji