[Homework Book (Self-Study)] Art Class: Painting Classroom
[Text]
"Color Edition: Painting Classroom" (Chuko Shinsho) by Mitsumasa Anno
[ Content ]
For example, the masterpieces where angels fly through the sky while blowing trumpets could not have been painted through technical accumulation alone.
Painters who depict such invisible figures must have mastered human anatomy and, aided by their imagination, constructed the world of painting.
In this book, I would like to trace the schemes and traces of passion of artists like Courbet and Van Gogh, and journey to the source of the universe of beauty.
There are no shortcuts or final destinations to mastering the techniques of painting or the sensibilities of appreciation, but the "truth of painting" emerges in the history of creation.
[ Table of Contents ]
1. Homework of Fantasy
2. Painting and Truth
3. Experiments in Perspective
4. Observe Well and Draw
5. Experiments in Self-Portraiture
6. The Existence of Van Gogh
7. Imagination and the Age of Childhood
[ Discoveries (Insights) ]
The author of these unique paintings is sometimes called the Japanese Escher.
Even in the casual sketches in this book, one can read a deep reverence for mathematics and logic.
He seems to hold Van Gogh as an ideal, and his commentary on him is detailed.
I have read many new books and paperbacks related to art, but this is the first time I have encountered a book with such careful and solid content.
In the beginning, 10 "homework assignments of fantasy" are presented.
They are prompts like "draw such and such a picture," and I was captivated by the book because of them.
For example, Question 1 is,
"Draw the outline of an imaginary island."
Question 2 is,
"Imagine and draw the ridgeline of a mountain."
That is what they are.
There are many others, but I thought the questions were very precise.
Drawing from imagination is actually very difficult.
You must be in the habit of observing things well.
Looking at things from the perspective of someone who draws is completely different from looking at them normally.
If you like to draw, you will understand the intent behind these questions very well.
For example, regarding the topic of mountain ridgelines in Question 2, don't you sometimes feel a "rhythm" in the overlapping of the ridges?
The author writes about similar things.
I would like to write about the other questions as well, but it would become too long, so I will stop here.
I realized this while reading this book.
Many people are likely familiar with the author's paintings from picture books they read in the past.
Although "ABC Book" is introduced in this book,
"ABC Book" (Picture Book by Mitsumasa Anno) by Mitsumasa Anno
For example, I think "AIUEO Book" is a picture book that adults can also enjoy.
"AIUEO Book" (Picture Book by Mitsumasa Anno) by Mitsumasa Anno
It is a book where lumber is assembled three-dimensionally to form the shapes of hiragana characters, with one character per page.
It was full of creativity and ingenuity, and it was fun to turn the pages.
The second chapter is "Pictures and Truth".
It discusses the issue of realism from various perspectives.
The third chapter is "Experiments in Perspective".
All of them are very interesting, written while introducing examples that the author actually tried from the perspective of a painter.
In the following chapters as well, various examples are introduced from the perspective of actually drawing pictures, and it delves firmly into issues such as "figuration and abstraction".
The meaning of "expressing through pictures" is thoroughly explored.
I think the book's obi strip, "The ideal class that everyone wants to take," is a truly accurate description.
[ Lesson ]
This is a book where Mitsumasa Anno, one of my favorite painters, talks about various things regarding painting.
It is based on the NHK program Human Course: "Pictures and Imagination".
The content is wide-ranging, including explanations of art history, the fun of drawing pictures, advice on what to be careful about when drawing, and the works and lives of famous painters.
A narrative that is humble and never forgets its roots, despite being a famous painter.
He does not claim that there is only one correct answer for any theme.
It is written in a way that acknowledges various perspectives in art history and the industry, saying things like 'this is what I think, but there are other ways of doing it, and I would like to try those too, but it is difficult'.
He values individual creativity while never forgetting to show respect for those who came before him.
I feel that this is the secret to why Mitsumasa Anno is able to paint such good pictures, with a style that feels like something you have seen somewhere before, yet is definitely original.
Regarding technique and creativity, the author states the following:
'For example, there was a view that emphasized creativity, stating that "the practice of technique is at the opposite pole of creativity, and the more you practice technique, the further you move away from creativity; is it really necessary to acquire technique at the expense of losing creativity?"'
However, in the case of traditional crafts or traditional theater, it is considered more difficult to "inherit tradition" without interpreting it than it is to start something new.
This means that transmission is not mere imitation, but requires creativity; it is also important to be humble and think that one's own ingenuity cannot compare to historical ingenuity, and that one's own creativity was, after all, nurtured by tradition.'
A long time ago, was there a hidden gem that could be enjoyed even on crowded days?
There was a recommendation for Tokyo Disneyland.
The Disney Drawing Class.
It was a class where you could draw Disney characters, taking about 20 minutes.
As you watched the teacher's video and drew the lines, lo and behold, everyone was able to draw Mickey Mouse or Stitch quite well.
Unlike a drawing song, after having you draw thin, rough outlines at first, they would give you advice on drawing the details.
Because there was a degree of freedom, it was fun to feel like you had drawn it yourself.
In the drawing class, you could even keep the pencil you used.
There was also time to show your work to the participants sitting around you, which was fun, and it was often introduced in media such as television, so it was quite popular, and its closure was greatly lamented.
[ A word ]
The author is said to have experience as an elementary school teacher, and his tone is both flexible and humble.
On the back of the obi strip
"For example, a masterpiece of an angel flying through the sky while blowing a trumpet could not have been painted through the accumulation of technique alone."
It says.
Since humans cannot fly through the sky, neither sketching from life nor photography is possible.
The point is that an angel flying in the sky is the result of a painter combining human anatomy drawing with imagination.
However, what catches the eye on the obi strip is the text "Ideal Class" as you can see.
Perhaps in response to this, the first chapter is "Homework of Fantasy."
"Question 1: Please draw the outline of an imaginary island."
Homework is not a pleasant thought, but it is enjoyable just to read.
Of the seven chapters, the first half, including "Experiments in Perspective" and "Experiments in Self-Portraiture," takes a more scientific approach.
The descriptions that reveal the secrets behind the author's many paintings, seen in works like "ABC Book" and "Journey," are also fun.
The last two chapters have a slightly different nuance.
Among these two chapters, "The Existence of Van Gogh" was particularly rewarding to read.
However, the pictures are small in this paperback edition.
I would have liked them to narrow down the content or split it into two volumes to make the illustrations larger.
In the afterword, the people involved in the production? of this book are introduced, and it concludes with,
"All the praise and criticism regarding this book rests on the shoulders of the people mentioned above."
It ends with that.
Blaming others for both the praise and the criticism—maybe I'll copy that.
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