I N S I G H T
I N S I G H T
Mic Rees
The Innovative Artist In addition to traditional methods, Mic Rees harnesses the latest in technology to create some of his art. By Mic Rees
F
rom early childhood, art has been a dominant influence in my life. My preoccupation with painting and drawing during my school years on the New South Wales Central Coast was such that other subjects may have been somewhat neglected. For as long as I can recall my primary ambition was to seek a career in art. On leaving school in 1983 I studied in Sydney, firstly Fine Art, majoring in painting, then Graphic Design. I have since worked as a graphic designer and illustrator. In that capacity I relished the opportunity to develop and refine my own techniques using the computer and drawing tablet. I continued painting and drawing using both traditional and innovative techniques until some years later, when marriage and baby daughter intervened, the paint and chemicals were locked away and I indulged my passion for fine arts, experimenting by merging timehonoured methods with the new technologies. I painted, maintaining my love for the traditional process but using a different set of tools. Landscape painting has been a major component of my work. Having been fortunate enough to have lived in some of the most beautiful places in New South Wales, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast and the North Coast I have never wanted for challenging subjects. More recently I have been inspired by iconic artists like David Hockney, 26
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exhibiting in Europe and using a similar process for landscape painting. I have been experimenting and developing digital painting techniques since the early 1990s. My recent work I have initiated onsite in the form of sketches and studies both on the iPhone and iPad and the ever present sketchbook. I develop and produce the work using the Brushes
app. It is then printed on archival cotton rag paper using the Gi Clee process (pigment paint ink). My themes have been mainly Australian landscapes, inspired by local surroundings and travels, beaches, rainforests, wetlands and street scapes. My recent visit to Vietnam has enabled me to add to my work a whole new visual
perspective, inspired by that country’s unique environment. I strive to ensure that my painting never becomes too tight or laboured or too contrived in composition. I have been gratified and encouraged to have had my techniques described as fresh and active. I admire the work and am especially influenced by the landscape paintings
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I N S I G H T
I N S I G H T
of artists such as Whiteley, Williams, Rees, Turner, Smart, Boyd, Bacon, Giacometti and more recently Euan MacLeod, Margaret Woodward and David Hockney. I have illustrated for national magazines and publications in Australia and my new work has been featured in magazines, newspapers and online. I have exhibited over the years in various locations in NSW, my most recent exhibitions being: 2009. Solo Exhibition. “Central Coast Series”, M Gallery, Avoca Beach, NSW, Australian Computer Drawings. 2010. Solo Exhibition. “Wild Things” native fauna and flora. Sea Acres, Port Macquarie, NSW, iPad and iPhone drawings. 2011. Solo Exhibition. “Portable Canvas”, Sunset Gallery, Port Macquarie, NSW, IPad and iPhone drawings. I am currently working on night themes and exploring the possibility of including samples of audio tracks recorded on site for a solo exhibition in 2011-2012 entitled “Still of the Night” again featuring iPad and iPhone drawings. Using the same techniques I also have a substantial amount of work in hand for a solo exhibition in 2012 entitled “Dark Ocean”. I love to paint and am fascinated by different lighting effects on the scenery whether it be city or country, industrial or rural, the exotic or the mundane. My favourite pieces at the moment are the night series where I am painting, at night, scenes of the bush, beaches, industrial 28
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areas and some highways. When the sun sets, the beachgoers go home and the hum of the factories slows down, these places assume a different character. In the partial darkness features unimaginable during daylight hours emerge. This is where the iPad comes into its own with the lit-up screen for onsite painting. As an artist’s accessory the iPad has much to commend it. It is portable, easy to use and quick to respond. The iPad’s lit up screen enables the artist to paint in low light or even complete darkness in every conceivable colour. It has afforded me plein air (night painting) opportunities on site which
otherwise I could not have considered. A pressure sensitive screen would be a wonderful addition but even without that refinement the iPad is a great tool. It sits nicely with all my other art tools and, for me, it speeds the creative process especially when painting on site. The iPad has also facilitated my experimentation of integrating audio and animation with my paintings. Despite the wonderful benefits and scope of new technology I still love to get the sketchbook out occasionally and get my hands dirty. Some of the painting apps and tools that I use are:
Brushes -- This one started it all for me on the iPhone. It is still my favourite. Clean, simple, quick to access and get on with painting. Sketchbook pro -- Very professional, full of features and good for illustration work. Sketji --A nice, simple sketching app like black and white charcoal for quick rough sketches. Adobe ideas-- Great for clean fresh lines. It also saves as PDF. I use an iPad for my large work; an iPhone for quick sketches on the fly and also on occasions my Wacom tablet and computer. n
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D E M O N S T R A T I O N
D E M O N S T R A T I O N
Watercolour
The Boardwalk By Mic Rees
Using an iPad, Mic creates this evocative scene.
STEP ONE
STEP TWO
STEP ONE
I sometimes start with quick sketches on my sketchpad but most of the time I like to start straight on the iPad and block in the real basic elements. I try to get the essential movement and composition in the painting. I really try not to map out any detail at this stage, as I prefer to resolve that towards the end of the painting. I also find I can capture the essential lighting and feel better quickly as the subjects’ light is always changing in the landscape. STEP TWO
Always mindful of keeping the painting fresh, I start to rough in little detail and establish some depth and foreground elements. M AT E R I A L S
FINAL STEP 22
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• iPad and a painting application called brushes and a “pogo Stylus”(and a ECO Stylus like paint brushes for the iPad) • Sketchpad • 2b and 6b pencil • Biro
STEP THREE
Here I start to work up more depth and work in some shadows, mid-tones and highlight focal points, still leaving an open mind for what way the painting may resolve. STEP FOUR
I felt the painting was a little too blue, so I have put a yellow wash over the painting to “warm up” the painting a
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little. This is done with a separate layer and the opacity of the yellow can be adjusted to suit. STEP FIVE
Now I adjust the opacity on the yellow wash to get to a glow I am happy with. In some areas (like the highlights) I nearly totally knock out the yellow. I also add some sun highlights to trees. FINAL STEP
step four
The hardest step, when to let go, I probably labour over this the most and usually over several days offsite. I just bring small amounts of detail into some sections to explain them better and leave others fresh and unresolved to avoid the painting tightening right up – it is a fine line sometimes. I do a little tweaking in the colours and walk away hoping the painting still captures the essence of what I was feeling. n
Artist’s HINTS AND TIPS
• Try to see the essentials of what interested you in the subject and capture it. • Whether it be painted in oil, acrylic, iPad or iPhone it makes no difference. • With iPad and iPhone painting I steer clear of using effects - when painting the essential process is the same, just a different medium to work with. • If the painting is getting stale or too hard, walk away and come back with fresh eyes, and look at it from a distance or turn it upside down for a new perspective on the colour and composition.
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step five