Lately, I’ve been exploring the theme of time, space, light, and atmosphere, which I call “Echoes of Time.” This theme was inspired by my experience in an art gallery where time created a sense of flow in a relatively static space where color and light blurred the architecture. I was captivated by the stillness of space and the flow of time, and after conducting some artistic research, I discovered that pastels can create a soft and hazy atmosphere.
So, I started experimenting with painting. The picture is my sketches in the Gallery.
- Colour experiment
Initially, I tried using the pastel in my sketches and then began working on small blocks of color, including some superimposed colors. I used three different types of pastel material: hard pastel strips, soft pastel strips, and moderately pastel pencil. I found that the softer pastel, the smoother the transition between overlays and holo. Moreover, I discovered that pastel pencil an advantage over pastel strips when it came to detailing. I also experimented with coloring by hand, cotton swabs, and paper towels, which resulted in some beautiful processes being recorded.
I continued to experiment with irregular blocks of colour in pastel to depict the flow of time.
- Creative sketches
Space in Time – National Galleries of Scotland (left) and Museums (right)
Left. Soft pastel on paper 21×14.8cm / Right. Soft pastel on paper 21×14.8cm
- One of the finished illustrations
Walking with the Past
Soft pastel on paper
21×29.7cm
I continued to experiment with irregular blocks of color in pastel to depict the flow of time. The project is a series of artistic illustrations, with 6-8 planned. The next step is to explore how time flows in a still space, looking at light, time, space, and atmosphere. My hope is that the illustrations will be suitable for lifestyle and women’s magazines or stand-alone illustration album.
- Here are a few questions I’d like to get your opinion on
- What kind of scenes do you think could be used to feel the flow of time, other than setting the scene in an interior space?
- Do you have a relevant artist or work to recommend?
- Are there other ways to present this theme than in magazines and stand-alone books?