April showers and glowers
But still time for flowers
Angry then calm
Poonami be darned
Prussian blue blues
Zuleikha, Yusuf
Structure, Architecture
Emotions you choose
Choice and conjecture
Browse and peruse...
...ANGER! It's ok to be angry, there's lots to be angry about. I also understand its other side - as a creative force. Understand Kali's rage, ire, fury, temper, annoyance, irritation, exasperation, resentment, indignation... and paint it all out. (Also, there's a rare skeleton in miniature painting which I'm looking forward to.) Read 'Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger' by Soraya Chemaly. Be pissed off...
... and calm down by gazing at this giant deer from the Kalila wa Dimna. Actually, he's not so calm as he's on the run from a hunter (but he survives, don't worry). His beautiful female doe is on the other side. We'll paint beautiful (human) females for the Faces Masterclasses for the rest of this year after pouring the rage out of our system, like the storm before the calm. Last year was spent mostly on males. It's time to redress the balance and I can't wait. Speaking of storms...
…I walked past this on the tube the other day and chuckled to myself. Anyone else been there? Those days are over, but I remember the chemical-weapon projectile yellow bum missiles as clear as day as I do the faint permastain on my mother's carpet (women are allowed to be angry, remember) (but equally, it was hilarious)...
…and now for the real tsunami. Hokusai's Great Wave off Kanagawa looms large. The ‘old man mad about art’ was influenced by European prints at a time when the islands of Japan were isolated from the rest of the world. Trade and curiosity are irresistible to artists, however, and we can’t help but be interested in everything. Islands are islands but it’s best when they have bridges. We'll use one of Hokusai’s favourite colours for printing, a moody Prussian blue that contains a multitude of lighter and deeper tones within - itself a European colour and one, if not used carefully, can lead to feelings of wave-like overwhelm in the wrong hands. Let’s learn how to use it by trusting the right hands of Hokusai, and paint his glorious Great Wave. More at https://www.vaishaliprazmariteaching.com...
...here are some King's blue tortoise feet, again on the run but slightly slower than the deer. The scuffling scurrying is the running paint lines. There is so much you can do with oil paint. The next Cabinet of Curiosities Oil class is on glass beads. Get your turquoise ready...
…this is my palette, when it was a few days old and quite clean (it's a mess now). This palette, oil brushes and other tools can be found on the website: https://www.theperfectbrush.co.uk/shop...
... And now for some structure. The Architecture series continues for a few more classes. April's version is based on Behzad's famous Yusuf and Zuleikha (left), possibly the most famous architectural image in Persian painting (I like to be comprehensive), and we'll also study Zahhak's Nightmare (right; Zahhak was a demon from the Shahnameh, the Persian Book of Kings). You can download a structural page canon resource below...
...The Art of Attention: Court of Gayumars sessions are continuing and I'm increasingly enjoying mentoring. Gayumars himself was a kind of mentor and teacher. Above is a very early - and much larger (A4) - image I made of him in the siyah qalam style, using black ink only with touches of walnut ink. Looking back, his left hand is a little strange, and although it's a direct copy of the original, I would have changed it to make it more naturalistic. We continue a form of mentoring and discussion in our monthly meetings. The Zoom link is via the Forum https://www.miniaturepaintingforum.com or here's the direct link:
APRIL MEETING
Vaishali Prazmari is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Vaishali Prazmari's Monthly Miniature Meeting 19.4.22 5-6pm London time
Time: Apr 19, 2022 17:00 London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88973434687?pwd=U213Nk80cGJkSllWM1VnWkJ6WW5LZz09
Meeting ID: 889 7343 4687
Passcode: 431374
Join by Skype for Business
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...architecture in miniature paintings includes both inside and outside in the same painting, so I thought I'd show you some interior shots of our house. From left to right: my paintings on the wall: the middle one is Canopy of Stars (see it and read more on my website at www.vaishaliprazmari.co.uk) and beneath is Red Cinema, a quick inspired painting I made in a day that my husband adores, so it's his now. In the middle is 'the sun' with our coat hanger orrery with planets made from air-drying clay. On the right are 2 cheeky devils ..
… and now it's time for their bath. Bathtime is fun time creative time story time. They insist on these little plastic animals and these animals, along with Lego, are their no.1 favourite toys. What are your favourite toys/your kids' favourite toys? I'm glad they are so creatively preoccupied with these but at the same time most of the animals were hand-me-downs or donations from friends, and I spent £2 on a bunch of ocean creatures for a paddling pool treasure hunt in lockdown, and the Lego was also a gift. What about your expensive, beautiful, handmade wooden toys, boys?...
...at least most outdoor time is free. Daffodils/narcissus for spring and Costa Rican orchids in Kew Gardens. Sunshine and small boys with long shadows is pure bliss. Calmly yours,
Vaishali Prazmari
