Woven Value Seascapes with Si-Chen Yuan

DISCUSSION: 

Artist and the artwork: 


Si-Chan Yuan

BEACH, MONTEREY, CA. 1968-1974, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA

seascapes, sand in foreground, water in middle ground, sky in background

linear horizon

wash with texture Burlap pieces to give sand like quality

drawing with pencil

wash in water several blue values

Greyscale

Artist: Si-Chen Yuan (1911-   )

Born in Hangchow, China, Si-Chen Yuan studied at the Fine Arts Academy in Nanking, 

He practiced Western styles and worked in oil paint—as opposed to traditional ink painting. By the time of his graduation, China was in turmoil, caught between nationalist and communist politics. 

For a time, Yuan worked as an artist producing political propaganda for the Nationalist party. But, when the Communist party gained control in 1949, he left China. 

The following year he became a United States citizen. 

Yuan was seduced by Monterey’s dramatic coast and moved there in 1951. 

He married in 1953,  

In addition to portraits of family and friends, Yuan painted a range of subject matter, including still lifes, landscapes, and seascapes, and he experimented with non-representational abstraction. 

He painted swiftly and energetically, as friends recall, using broad strokes to rapidly render his subjects. 

He delighted in the interplay of color, which he applied thickly. 

For additional information: please visit: www.crockerartmuseum.org/art?page=shop.product_details&product_id=677&flypage=flypage_cust.tpl&pop=0

PROJECT: create seascape in color and greyscale to be woven together

Step1: using a pencil draw a seascape: include the sky, water, sand and objects in sand (people, umbrellas, etc)

Step2: draw the same drawing a second time as close to the original as possible

Step3: paint in the first using color

Step4: add texture to the sand by adding salt while it is still wet

Step5: Paint second drawing an values of grey

Step6: once both paintings are complete cut one in strips vertically (be sure that you do not cut all the way through leave 1/4" at the edge to make weaving easier) 

Step7: Cut the second piece horizontally (cut these stripes all the way and place them slightly above your work space in the order in which they should be woven back in).

Step7: weave the two together creating a woven seascape.

MATERIALS: 

watercolor paper 

Liquid watercolor paints

salt

pencils

black and white acrylic paints for grey scale. 3 to 4 values of grey should be enough.