Uncle Iroh meets Toph

Avatar: the Last Airbender . Book 2
E8- The Chase. Uncle Iroh meets Toph
15 Sep 2023

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I'll admit, this painting was my excuse to capture Uncle Iroh. If you are a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, you know you need an Uncle Iroh in your life. I need an Uncle Iroh; you need an Uncle Iroh; everybody needs an Uncle Iroh! Watch the series if you are curious!

In this scene, Uncle Iroh who is separated from the antagonist Zuko, meets Toph, a friend of Aang, the protagonist. They don't know each other yet and have a wholesome conversation with each other. As Toph gets up and says goodbye, Iroh says this famous dialogue.

SHARING TEA WITH A FASCINATING STRANGER

 IS ONE OF LIFE'S TRUE DELIGHTS.

Coming to the technicalities, I chose to use gouache medium to paint this scene. Sketching was easier for me compared to painting it. Having used the medium only a few times, I kept feeling slight discomfort with it. The buttery smooth texture, the opaqueness of the paint felt nice.  But I couldn't do we-on-wet or figure out as I went about painting... something I enjoy with watercolors (the transparent ones). I think I sat with this one for about 4 sessions or 5, and then only last few details were remaining, when I abandoned it. It took me a while to get back to it; but I could do so spontaneously; and was surprised how quickly I could finish it.

Here's to Uncle Iroh!

 

Singing like Christmas Trees for us

OUR BELOVED SUMMER E5: A Secret that Can't be Told
Song. Christmas Tree. By V(BTS)
29 Jan 2024

I love the song "Christmas Tree": the voice, the lyrics and the melody ... all of it. But I like the MV the most. Although the song is used as a background score throughout the series, there is a MV dedicated to this song, and I love watching it. Choi Woong (played by Choi Wook-Shik) is an aloof artist, and the movie depicts him preparing to start his work as the sun sets and immerse himself in his art until the morning. The scenes beautifully transition from one frame to another and are a treat to my eyes. The night fall and beginning of drawing process and slow immersion into his craft are shown by light slowly receding from this armchair at the beginning. And then when sun rises, light slowly creeps back into the room through this armchair signaling that it's time to rest.

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I was itching to paint this scene and as soon as I finished the painting of Uncle Iroh, I got started on this one. This has been the most difficult one in this sketchbook so far. Still, I sat and worked on it for about 3 sessions back-to-back. Getting the scene right with its proportions was hard, with constant drawing, re-drawing and erasing. I had to shift the duct tape so many times just to get the dimensions of the scene right. I enjoyed adding the details. And then did a round of color blocking. Then I added details to the green corner shelves/drawers. 

After that I abruptly stopped. My day-to-day life took over and I couldn't get back to it until mid-January. The sketchbook lay open on my isle waiting patiently for me to pay attention to it one day. One day I finally sat with it and resumed from where I left. It was easy to continue the momentum after that. If drawing the proportions were hard, painting the details and subtle changes in light was even harder and intense and that much fun. Also, I noticed the details on the scene more clearly ... The drawers with drawing sheets, the house sketches on the wall, the gramophone records on the shelves and the gramophone player to the right! All part of Choi Woong's everyday life! 

Well! It was an awesome n fun journey painting this one. I am glad I did it!