arts plan – african art

for our weds4ed we thought it might be good if we took turns/variably provided an arts activity that might be ‘arts award’ in style – ie teaching and concentrating on techniques or artists. here we have using different textures and styles to create 2 very different moods, tho clearly of the same region. the first creates movement and activity, the second more reflective and perhaps wistful.

This was themed around a fab painting in SB’s french family house. They have visited north africa a number of times, and this is probably a keepsake from a journey there.

and the masai warrior picture. this seems to be a particularly evocative version. It says a bit about the artist ‘Born in 1960 in the Machakos District, Ndambuki was interested in art from an early age. He graduated from the Creative Arts Centre in Nairobi where he received a diploma in fine arts. He then went on to receive a diploma in Graphic Design at the Kenya Polytechnic. Ndambuki’s work is strongly influenced by the Masai people. His paintings, typically in warm, bright colors, depict simple scenes from everyday life, evoking that sunset, sunrise feeling. Ndambuki’s work has been exhibited in the United States, Germany and Japan. One painting is on permanent display at the Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. Local Kenyan exhibitions have been held at the French Cultural Centre, British Council, and Tazama Art.’

I plan to talk about about how this is views of africa, rather than ‘native art of africa’, and we might get to do some african style art too.

1. african women

I used watercolours, but think should have used acrylics for vibrancy, and quick drying! Could be in oils, but these give me migraine, so only used when I have too! the original picture built up layers, including a paper strip for the dress, so I have too, using some animal prints I have. Initially i used green as background, swirled a thick yellow, then some thin red and blue. i thought the blue wasnt right, but decided not to start again, and actually at the end I am fairly happy. I did a few lines in red, then splashed/dotted on some white, red and blue paint [as original] . whilst some of these were drying, I practiced my female forms. when dried, i placed my 2 animal print paper strips on, drew the women around them in thin black paint – a sharpie might work too. when dried, i did highlights in white – here acrylic or oil would def be better. These thumbprints show the stages.

Tho clearly not the same, I am happy this picture captures the essence of movement of the women picture.

2. masai warrior

ALthough the original is in oils, again, we will be using watercolours. this is the easier of the 2 pictures and most accessable for the younger/less confident as I think it will be hard to not look good at the end. Again I also used animal print strips of paper for clothing, though the original doesn’t. We start with a background yellow roughly put on so some paper shows through. cotton wool is used to dab on orange at top and bottom, and then a madder red to add a final depth, more at the bottom. this would be good for the clothes if not using paper. I practiced my warrior shapes, cut out some paper strips and stuck on. then with black paint added heads, arms, spears and legs. one spear is far to thick!

definately happy with the final picture