The placement process for the fish in the depths of the bottom environment were similar to the placement of the moose in the gently flowing stream. Too close to the rocky bottom and the delicate fins and tail appeared to be in jeopardy. Too close to the surface and the pale characteristics of the fish didn't fit the surface environment. I started by quickly laying in two basic colors in a semi-transparent wash.
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| Fish layer #1 on top of the ocean-bottom rocks and water. Acrylic on Gessobord. |
I really like the ethereal quality of the fish above and am very tempted to stop right now. I have used the edit capacity of the iPad to look at the gray range, taking the color out of the decision making.
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| Fish, using iPad tools to create a "Notan-esque" image for analysis. |
Early this Spring, I was re-introduced to the concept of Notan as part of the process to be planful about design and composition. Literature about "notan" credits the Japanese culture for its' development:
"Notan is a unique type of study that allows us to explore the essential energies of a composition through an arrangement of darks and light patterns. Notan is a Japanese word that means "light-dark harmony." This strict dark-light arrangement has a unique way of revealing the underlying structure of a composition, thereby allowing us to take an active role in the manipulation of the compositional energies." www.mitchelaballa.com in Exploring Composition Through Shape and Notan
This is indeed a tough decision for me. The Notan representation has areas that are too indecisive for me, however, so I will decide quickly.
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