There’s nothing like a visit to a museum to
get the creative juices flowing. After admiring the artwork, one can’t help but
feel an irresistible urge to set up an easel and get to work on a new
masterpiece of one’s own. Fortunately, the Ueno Royal Museum offers a series of
public art classes at the Ueno no Mori Art School to satiate such artistic
ambitions. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or an aspiring hobbyist, the
classes present an engaging opportunity to study with a rotating roster of
instructors, and “brush up” on techniques ranging from oils to acrylics,
watercolors, and even Japanese-style nihonga painting.
Having last picked up a brush in high school art class, this writer recently dusted off the rust, and reconvened with her lapsed inner artist by sitting in on one of the school’s watercolor sessions.
Expert tutelage from professional artists
This particular watercolor course, tailored
toward adult students, meets once a month for a total of four sessions.
Convening at 10:30 in the morning and lasting until 4:00 in the afternoon, each
class provides an extended deep dive into the world of watercolors.
Instructor Shitsu Murayama is himself a
talented artist, known for his innovative layering of color. Many readers may
recognize his contributions to the NHK television drama Natsuzora. It
turns out that Murayama served as art advisor, and created the iconic painting
of a horse that featured prominently in the show.
The day’s theme was “Shadow: Shapes and Shades.” I arrived in the classroom to find a sizable group of students, aged from their 20s to 60s, seated eagerly in front of easels. Three still-life compositions had been set up in the classroom. The subject of the day’s lesson consisted of a metal can sitting atop a pedestal of red bricks, surrounded by a handful of artificial apples and oranges, with a long rope draped over it for good measure. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that twigs had also been propped up against the bricks.
Our assigned still-life assemblage. The lesson began with close direct observation, and a discussion of the angles and stylistic strategies that would dictate our compositions.
A unique perspective is more important than detail
Murayama commences his lessons with a model demonstration
before sending students off to attempt their own interpretations.
The lesson began with a tutorial on drafting.
Murayama first sketched the still life in pencil, with a swift, flowing hand. Everyone
gathered around the master, intently observing his every stroke. Some students
circled around the canvas for a closer look, notepads in hand, taking copious
notes.
“First, you have to decide what to give
precedence, and consider how to best compose your painting to showcase this focal
point.”
Returning to my seat, I timidly picked up a
pencil, and set about the daunting task of beginning to frame my composition.
Remembering the instructor’s example, I extended my index and middle fingers to
create a square, and peered through this makeshift frame to isolate a more
manageable portion of the still life.
Murayama made the rounds to check each student’s progress, offering the reassuring advice, “As long as you have a solid vantage point, you don’t have to worry about capturing all the minute detail.”
When initially planning a composition, one useful trick is to create a frame with your fingers.Murayama provides one-on-one advice. His positive feedback brings out the best in each student, and supplies the much-needed motivation to tackle the challenging task ahead.
Controlling color to create depth
The next step was to begin applying color to
hash out a silhouette. Murayama works from light to dark, broad to pinpoint,
applying layers of a light, woodsy brown tone for the bricks. Although he is
only working with one color at this early stage, the bricks have already begun
to look 3D.
Murayama then adds a vibrant lemon yellow, to
capture the bricks’ strikingly yellowish hues. He demonstrates how tissues are
a useful tool to dab up any glistening highlights.
He uses a sanguine perylene maroon to outline a silhouette for the apples, and grey for the metal can. Being taught the specific names of paint colors and how to use the brush are certainly both invaluable perks of an art class.
Vermillion and lemon yellow were blended to produce a brownish maroon for the silhouettes. Multiple layers of paint were then applied to control the shadow’s gradation. The painting process was broken down in compact, easily digestible steps on a whiteboard. Although it was a full five-and-a-half-hour class, undivided concentration was required to complete each masterpiece.
After a full morning, the class temporarily recessed
for lunch. In the afternoon, we began the meticulous task of layering color to
capture the specific hues in the still life. As in the morning, the key was to
work from bright to dark, wide to narrow.
As Murayama cautions, “When the paper is wet,
the color tends to blur. Let the paper dry before layering darker tones.”
The classroom was even equipped with
blow-dryers to speed up the paint-drying process.
Once the base colors had been applied, it was
time to add the finishing touches. When we accentuated the darkest hues, the
overall composition became miraculously tighter, and exuded considerable power.
The key is to limit the amount of water in the brush. The moisture in the palette’s paint is enough.
“The last step is to paint the rope and twigs. Together, they will instill the painting with a sense of motion, a sense of rhythm.”
After applying rough shadow to the still life at the silhouetting stage, it’s time to begin adding the final color. Murayama demonstrates the technique for students.Students flock around Murayama, intently observing his brushstrokes. He explains each step of his creative process in helpful detail.
Each painting is as unique as its artist.
As the clock struck 3:00, students at last put
down their brushes. The moment of review had arrived, and each painting was
displayed for the instructor’s appraisal. There was a surprising array of
interpretations of the same still life, ranging from light, almost translucent
paintings, to vibrant, pop art-esque works. The variation in perspectives and
color reflected the rich individuality of each student.
“Past sessions focused on faithful replication
as a means of acquiring technique. But today was all about individuality, and freely
realizing a composition of the students’ choosing. This required important
choices, such as where to position objects, and how to convey the scene.”
Even when addressing an individual student’s
work, Murayama’s critiques proved helpful and pertinent for the entire class.
For example, his praise of a particularly deft representation of the rope
underscored how to produce a dynamic painting. His comments on the successful
handling of broad space in another painting evinced how the use of space and
color are key elements that influence the overall impression of a watercolor
work.
Although admittedly a neophyte, I am glad to
report that I thoroughly enjoyed my first true painting class. In particular, the
experience helped to demystify the critical defining of an initial silhouette.
That said, Murayama’s watercolor course is in high demand, with a long waiting list. Prospective students will be relieved to hear that Murayama will be teaching an additional 11 biweekly classes, beginning in April 2020. Seats for his new class are bound to fill up fast.
An impromptu gallery of student work on display. Each painting offered a surprisingly unique take on the same subject. (The writer’s contribution is the first to the left.)Murayama praised each student’s original touches and points of improvement from previous sessions. This positive feedback provided ample motivation to keep painting.
Closing comments from instructor Shitsu Murayama:
“Watercolor is largely a matter of practice
and familiarity with the medium. With experience, you learn how to blend and
dry the paint. The paint bleeds differently on the page depending on how much
water is used, affecting the interaction between colors. On a certain level,
the artist is never truly in control. This lack of control is conversely one of
the great appeals of watercolor.
“Nowadays, there are many books that can be used to study technique. But some things can only be learned in person, in the studio. Ueno no Mori Art School offers quite a wide curriculum, with a great many specialized courses. I believe the school is an excellent place for artists of all stripes to not only expand their toolkit, but also to have fun and enjoy their art.”
Text: Naoko Tsunoda (Fillmore East Co., Ltd.) Photos: Fumitaka Miyoshi
Shitsu Murayama Born 1969, Hokkaido. B.A. Musashino Art University, Department of Painting (2001). M.A. Musashino University Graduate School of Art and Design, Fine Arts Painting Course (2003).
The Ueno Royal Museum Annex Ueno no Mori Art School
