THE PRINCE OF EGYPT The power, divinity and appearance of the Egyptian Pharaohs has been greatly fantasized throughout history. My initial fascination with the pharaohs began with me watching the animation movie: the Prince of Egypt as a child. The movie’s plot follows the biblical narrative of how the prophet Moses delivered the Hebrews from the land of Egypt where they were enslaved.
Screenshot taken of the movie the Prince of Egypt on Youtube =Despite the fact I found the narrative very interesting the movie tendered my fascination with the Ancient Egyptian Civilisation. The animated environment of alabaster stone and the seemingly-divine image of the pharaoh fascinated me. My initial intentions for an art project are realised in the concept sketch to the right which the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh in full regalia in a posture of power Concept sketch of The Pharoah
Historical Investigation- Ancient Egyptian Canon of Proportions Doing further research on ancient Egyptian civilisation led to their Canon of proportions. I wanted to do a comparison between modern human body proportions and that of the ancient Egyptians. Today the basic unit of measurement in figure drawing is the head - with eight heads being used as a standard for average height- and is used by artists to represent the human figure proportionally.. An artist grid was used to preserve the Egyptian Canon of Proportions. Here different parts of the body corresponded to different squares on the grid. This grid system which consisted of 18 units for the whole human body gave artists the ease of representing the human body on any scale.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_proportions) My drawing below shows a comparison between artistic body proportions of the Ancient Egyptians and how they are today. I used an image I downloaded online which showed the grid system of the ancient Egyptians. On either side of the ancient Egyptian canon I also copied profile and frontal view drawings of the modern standard of body proportions—that is 8 heads tall. I aligned the Egyptian’s height to that of the modern human and worked out the subsequent width by ratio The image shows the [notice that it’s the same number of squares across and top Ancient Egyptian Canon of to bottom and that the grid proportions are the same]. proportions taken from the I noticed that in using that grid system in compliance with the ‘’8heads’’ theory, the height of the ancient Egyptian head was sitethe same as that of the modern human’s. But also as we see the proportions of the human body are also similar. Also by dividing 19 square vertical grids by the 2.5 grids occupied by a Egyptian head we get 7.6 heads. Almost close to 8. Other similarities included same shoulder level, hip level, full arm length, knee cap level, torso span. The differences however include:Different eye levels, chest levels, feet length.
Brainstorming
CASE-STUDY-FACIAL PROPORTIONS I also decided to investigate what the facial proportions of the Ancient Egyptians might’ve been depicted as. I found the photo on the left through google images which I found really interesting from the site https://forum.davidicke.com/showthread.php?t=93496 The image above sparked my imagination. What could be much symbolic of the African head of the greatest empire on earth than using Barack Obama’s profile as a model. I didn’t concentrate much on the detail of his face, because the main point is symbolism
The Egyptians were unique in the depiction of royalty in a manner which possessed huge symbolism to their culture. Perspective was distorted and instead of figures appearing in a way which made sense to their relative position from the onlooker figures were depicted large and small on the basis of order and power. The pharaoh would normally appear more than thrice as large as probably a servant, this because they were shown in order of societal hierarchy. What I also found really attractive and unique about the depiction of royalty was their regalia. BRAINSTORM: INITIAL IDEAS: THE COURT OF THE PHARAOH I have been brainstorming a few ideas about how the theme and content of the scene I want to depict. Below are a list of my ideas for the scene. • A court setting: The Pharaoh’s court. • Prophets and other court members • Music players, • court pets • A kneeling scribe [in writing posture], • Court servants and guards • Depiction of Egyptian culture, architecture and religion. • Architecture: Depiction of the Nile, pyramids, sphinx, colonnades •
THE EXODUS Brainstorming on how to take this project further gave me ideas about doing a court scenerysomething which shows the architecture, the history and the people. I decide to go back to my original inspiration- The Exodus story, more specifically the scene where Moses confronts the pharaoh about the liberation of the Hebrews. The extract below is taken from the Bible book of Exodus 7:10. ‘’…So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts.…
Decreasing Court Hierarchy
Court Hierarchy and Body forms Decreasing Court Hierarchy
Hierarchy was a very important thing in Ancient Egypt. The very figures were depicted their posture and size was quite relevant to the status of that individuals in the society. Court hierarchy in Ancient Egypt in decreasing- The Pharaoh, the Pharaoh’s vizier, nobles, priests, scribes, soldiers and servants. Since this is going to be a court painting as the story of the exodus implies Moses confronted the Pharaoh in his royal court, I am trying to develop figure drawings to suit the characters. And each figure will be positioned to suit his role, profession and relevance.
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Ancient Egyptian Regalia This project requires me to attain a lot of detail about Egyptian culture including how they looked and how they dressed. With respect to the Pharaoh, his regalia pronounced his power, significance and influence. This research will help in my depiction of the figures movie: The prince of Egypt for more in the painting and what they will be wearing ideas on the pharaoh’s regalia and the photo above shows a snapshot from the movie. The pharaoh’s Crowns and Headdresses:
The Pharaoh’’s Reglia I have been able to source out information from the internet on this topic. The Pharaoh’s Sceptre: Crook and flail This was held by the pharaoh and it was a symbol of its authority
The Pschent Crown, The Nemes Headdress And The Blue Crown http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bluecr own.svg
The Pharaoh’s throne
http://www.hugova.be/KEMET/img2EGYPTOLOGI E/StaatMaatschappii/scepters-360px.jpg I also re-visited my original source of inspiration the
Ancient Egyptian Architecture
This project requires me to attain a lot of detail about Egyptian culture including how they looked and how they dressed. With respect to the Pharaoh, his Regalia pronounc ed his power, significanc e and influence. This research will help in my depiction of the figures in the painting and what they will be wearing
Project ResolutionTimeline I transferred my intentions and designs on canvas. The first layer consisted of pencil drawings. Setting up the Scene and negotiating the right places to put certain figures took up a lot of my time. In order to plan the scene well I used MS Paint to edit a photo of the canvas. Through this software I was able to negotiate where certain figures and architectural elements should be on the Canvas (The photo in the extreme mid-right shows this). The arrows on the page show my progress up until this, The bottom left is a photo of my final progress on the work. I felt I had to redo the piece because there were many changes I hoped to make to the perspective style- which I didn’t plan for at all
VISIONARY Architecture
CAPTION
VISIONARY ARCHITECTURE My passion for passion for Architecture is something which I seek to keep on in all my undertakings. My passion for Architecture was greatly inspired by watching Disney cartoons when growing up. These movies which exposed me to the animated environment also provided me with idyllic landscape scenes, picture-perfect facades and utopian cities. Each movie would leave me with some idyllic idea which I realised through drawings. But my sketches like the ones on both sides of this slide, were not one people thought of as being realistic or possible at all. For some it was extreme idealism for me it was visionary architecture. The first two drawings were concept sketches for an archway with a water-pipe framework which sprouts water along the walls and domes of the arch. The last drawing shows a stairway which is supposed to be carefully nested on the edge of a cliff.
Visionary Architecture…from the Past-The Architect’s
Dream
Thomas Cole, The Architect’s Dream, 1840. Oil on Canvas. Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo 136 cm × 214 cm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Architect's_Dream
Earlier in my life, at age 16, I came across a painting called The Architect’s Dream, done in 1840 by American artist Thomas Cole. The painting shows a grandeur scene achieved by an idealistic mix of ancient architectural styles ranging from ancient Egypt to the Gothic Era. The image is meant to be a fantasy of the architect portrayed in the foreground. I soon formed a customised version of this image in my mind. Despite the representation of Ancient Egyptian Architecture there is nothing else from the African continent in the piece above. Having made myself familiar with the diverse range of African architectural styles such as Ndbele, SudaneseSahelian, Benin, Bamileke, Kush, Nok, Oyo and many more, I felt these unique styles should also find a place in a piece like this. This was the source of inspiration for my next Project – The African Architect’s dream.
The African Architect’s Dream I wanted to do a piece which had the same as theme as Thomas Cole’s painting; but this time inspired by Architectural styles from the African continent. This however meant that I had to look more 2D Architectural drawings and paintings. What I also had to decide on was the perspective and the angle at which I was going to portray the scene- which was something I wanted to be different from Thomas Cole’s piece. I was very pleased with the perspective style used in an imaginative representation of the Sack and Pillage of Babylon by an unknown arts in the Harmsworth History of the World book (1907). I liked the use of perspective in the piece
http://www.lookandlearn.com/historyimages/M819165/An-Imaginative-Representation-ofthe-Sack-and-Pillage-of-Babylon
Because it allowed the artist To portray an almostpanoramic cityscape. The scene stretches far into the horizon whilst paying equal focus to human figures shown in the foreground. In order copy the perspective style I had to draw to print
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob o-Dioulasso
Gurunsi Earth House- the Gurunsi people live in parts of Ghana and Burkina Faso and are quite renowned for their mural painting houses.
Bobo Bialousso Mosque- SudanoSahelian ArchitectureThe Bobo Dialousso Grand Mosque in Bobo Dioulasso city, Burkina Faso. The mosque is a renowned example of Sudano-Sahelian Architecture which is prominent in the Sub-Saharan African states in the Sahel region. The Mosque was built in 1880.- (a)
http://kwekudeetripdownmemorylane.blogspot.ca/2013/06/ gurunsi-people-west-african-tribe-with.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyra mid_of_Giza
Obelisk-Ancient Egyptian Architecture- This is one of the two obelisks taken from Luxor in front of the Place de la Concorde in Paris. https://en.wikipedia.org/wi ki/Obelisk
Great Pyramid of GizaAncient Egyptian Architecture This is the oldest and largest of all the three pyramids that are at Giza. It is also the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mosque_of_Dj enn%C3%A9 out a copy (shown to the left). The chalk white criss-crossing lines Ancient World.-(d). are actually convergent s The Great Mosque of Djenné- This mosque is located in the city of Perspective lines which I drew with chalk in order to determine the Djenne in Mali. It is one of the greatest Sudano-Sahelian Architectural examples. The current structure was built around 1907. It is one of the position of both vanishing points which lie outside the horizon. famous landmarks of Africa. –(e) African Architectural Styles- Prompt Images.
CONCEPT SKETCHES Using the Perspective style from the illustration of the destruction of Babylon I was able to apply it to my concept sketches shown to the right, for the final piece. The order of the two concept sketches are indicated with the arrow. With the bottom right sketch contain more detail than the other. One of the most tricky aspects about this project was the order in which I would arrange the architectural styles on the scenery. I initially thought about representing the oldest architectural styles such as those of ancient Egypt in the background and then working my way to the foreground with later architectural styles. This however I felt stifled my creativity and thus proceeded with instinct.
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INSPIRATION AND CONCEPT SKETCHES With the use of Microsoft (MS) paint software I was able to use circles and arrows to connect prompt images to my actual concept sketches. The photo of the real structure has been paired up with how it has been used in my artwork.
The connection between the illustration taken from the textbook and my concept sketch is also shown below Aspects with clear similarity between my design and the illustration have been circled and matched. One thing which should be noted though is that the pyramidal-like structures which have been circled in my drawing and in the illustration are not same. My concept sketch, though resembling the structure in the illustration greatly, is in fact a tower from the Mosque of Djenne in Mali which has been mentioned earlier. The similarity in the use of perspective lines has also been emphasised through the use of red convergent and divergent lines drawn with MS Paint.
YIN AND YANG In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (also, yin-yang or yin yang) describes how apparently Opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world and how they give rise to each Other as they interrelate to one ano-
ther. My first encounter with This ideology was while wat-
ching the cartoon series Avatar:- The Last Airbender It reinforces the idea that nothing is simply black and white. This
applies greatly to the Human world.: Two things
which are deeply alike but of opposite poles never admit their Interdependency on each other but accept it nonetheless .
Brainstorming. I plan to do an ink painting to show the many opposing and yet dependent units of Yin and Yang. The reason why I chose to do it in ink is because the theory itself –Yin and Yang- comes from the Chinese who are very skilled with ink. The artwork on this page shows my first sampling with Ink. The symbol shows repetitions of the Yin and Yang symbol. The top symbol shows the sun and the moon while the bottom shows water and fire. I tried to create the effect by alternate use of the colors. I alternated layers of Prussian blue and turquoise for the moon and water, whilst using Cyprian flame red and yellow for the sun and fire. Other yin and yang elements include left and right, positive and negative, active and passive, the sun and moon, the sky and the earth etc
Still focusing on the Yin and Yang Philosophy To go through with my project. I have decided to do detailed studies on the textures of substances for working with ink. The pairs below represent opposing and contrasting forces of the natural world. The high quality images sourced from google will help with my work with colors.
TEXTURES The drawings to the left and right show detailed studies of color textures. The page to the left is of an eagle. After sourcing out images (shown in the previous slide) I did detailed studies of the eagle by examining the hue, tint, shade and transition of colors on the body of this animal.The page to the right shows a detailed study of the sun and the moon, linked by strands of fire and water. It was on these detailed drawings that I did the ink work of the moon and water show on the bottom. Here the moon has been paired with an element with which it shares a peaceful essence.
TEXTURES • My plan is to do an ink painting that would have multiple and concentric units of Yin and Yang forces. • Complementary Use of warm and cool colors: In context with the complementary theme of yin and yang the piece will be split into units of complementary colors. Complementary Color Wheel
Cool colors
Warm colors
TEXTURES
Design Process Brainstorming so far for this project has led me to some fantastic ideas. At the center of the piece I have chosen to depict a man and woman who themselves serve as opposing and yet complementary unit of the Yin and Yang philosophy. I wanted to let them be positioned in such a way that their forms would be complementing each other. Fortunately enough I was able to come across a fantastic inspiration from the video clip of the song Unconditionally by American singer Katy Perry. Below are photos of snapshots taken from a point in the video clip: Using Microsoft Paint I was able to edit the photo and superimpose the Yin and Yang symbol in the white line. Another design idea which came to me was to draw the muscles of the two figures in the style of the human’s internal muscle anatomy.
This page shows my ink work inspired by the image from the Katy Perry video. As you can see from the woman’s figure. The lines and incisions on her body, the different colors and ink thickness represent her muscles. I used exclusively cool colors for this ink painting of the woman.
The ink colors used are Green, Blue, Torquoise, Violet and Prussian Blue. My plan was to also use Exclus -ively warm colors for the man, but I decided to leave this for the final piece
Pen Nib Waterbrush Chinese Brush
Waterbrush I used this along with the water color brush in the ink drop technique. This technique involves spreading water first on the paper and then taking an ink dropper to put the ink on the paper in single drops. The effect is superb as the ink spreads outwards from the center. The Chinese Brush This was used to paint directly where I wanted distinct brush strokes. Nib and Pen This tool was used to create fine or thick hatching lines. With my progress so far on this exercise I have learnt some techniques and lessons which I intended to utilize for my final piece: • Always dilute the ink to get a lighter shade and work from light to dark and from cool to warm no matter what tone you’re aiming for. Ink dries to fast. • Tissue can serve as an absorber for ink- a way to retrace your mistakes
PROJECT RESOLUTION This is a photo of the final resolution of my piece. The woman and the man represent a single unit of Yin and Yang, so also do the fire and water, and the Sun and Moon. The Lion was meant to be complemented by an Eagle. The project gave me quite insightful skills in working with Ink. This was largely made possible through the detailed texture drawings which made me understand how the colors combined and transited.
Rumble in the Jungle- Charcoal
http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegalese_wrestling
This project required me to do a lot of research into various wrestling traditions in Africa such as Senegalese wrestling. Kokawa wrestling, Nuba fighting etc. In Senegalese wrestling for example fighters often pray before bouts and wear amulets for protection, as they can be dangerous. Wood ash is also rubbed over the body to provide the fighter with strength. Young men also used to wrestle in order to court certain women.
Building the wrestlers I was able to go back To my original method of building human figures While working on the Exodus painting. By using stick figures and then building the muscles around them. These stick figures show concept ideas of how the two wrestlers would be locked in Combat
Working on the pharaoh project made me gain a lot of skills regarding body forms, I’m however interested in perfecting body muscles as well as light and dark shades on the human body. The reason why I chose a wrestling scene was because here the muscles of people are more pronounced further since the scene will be a traditional African wrestling scene, I will be showing people of different body ages. That is it will help me practice not only manly muscled bodies but also female, young babies, old men and women, young boys etc
To aid this goal also one of the other reasons why I selected traditional African wrestling is because in After blending excess areas of shade most African cultures such The toilet tissue can also be used to blend as those in Nigeria Areas without shade to a very wrestling is usually done to Light muscular gray win a woman’s hand in marriage. Pertaining to that theme I wish to depict
Challenges I found it hard to not use outlines I found out that there were still areas too white to be part of a charcoal drawing, so what I plan on doing
next time is to blend the whole paper with a very light shade and build up from there
Tips Outline gesture muscles and try to build shadows around them Use charcoal for preliminary dark shadows instead of square charcoal
Square charcoal
Try and work on well blended but definite shadows Start drawings by outlining where shadows begin and end and blend out the line in the end but they would
help you Achieve definite gradations
-The curve of the muscles influence the direction of blend. This means if the muscles on the shape of the muscles is oval, blend on curved sways. Use of zig-zag hatching with light charcoal to cover white spaces around muscles.
The Prince of Egypt. The oil painting above shows the Architectural features of Ancient Egypt in a mix with religion. The piece was inspired by the animated movie The Prince of Egypt which retells the biblical Exodus story. Here, the biblical prophet Moses has been positioned in the extreme right in the middle-ground of the painting. The Pharaoh is represented symbolically by the statues which define the architectural space in the painting. This art piece is 100 cm long and 50 cm wide.
Hero The oil painting is a portrait of a schoolmate and someone who I had the chance to know to a great extent. The pale color of the skin, rugged nature of the details, and random brush strokes represents the idea that I got to know this person beneath all the covers- in her true nature. The peaceful countenance of her expression not only represents her character but the effect this person had on me. This art piece is 61.5cm long and 30.5cm wide.
The African Architect’s dream This work was inspired by the 1840 oil painting, The Architect’s Dream, by Thomas Cole, which portrays an olio of Ancient architectural styles. Similarly, my work combines history and Architecture by combining Africa’s diverse architectural in an idyllic city-scape. The dreamy nature of the city-scape is realised through gaps within the drawing which draws our attention to the fact that it is a dream and not a whole reality. The drawing is 71cm long and 44cm wide.
The Landscape. The landscape shows the beginning of my pursuits with acrylic painting. The scene is supposed to contain what is perceived as the stereotypical features of a landscape- A winding river, a forest, mountains, blue skies, and a glowing Sun. The idyllic scene represents my initial perceptions of the Canadian landscape- a country I called home for two years. The painting is 45.5 cm long and 35.5cm wide.
The Stadium. This piece is an architectural clay model of a Stadium. The work, shown here as a whole, in fact is constituted of numerous pieces each of which were modeled on the potter’s wheel. The concentric rings are clay bowls, thrown on the potter’s wheel, whose bases and rims have been carved to give a wavy look. This work was inspired by the layered nature of the shell of the Beijing Olympic Stadium. The dimensions of the piece are 34cm long by 34cm wide by 18cm high.