I’m also planning more masterclasses in different aspects of miniature painting eg. architecture, animals and more. In Blade Runner, my all-time favourite film, real animals are rare (humans having killed most of them off, sadly). In a kind of homage to the beasts, flora and fauna that we share our planet with, I recently painted an elephant. I'd like to paint more of these giant, noble animals as well as horses... all things great and small. All creatures are equal in value and I'd like my future miniatures to reflect that. Architecture - this is a separate interest related to my PhD research and happy to share alongside marginalia and perspective theory which is a personal interest of mine.
Feedback, as always, welcome!
Blade Runner is one of my favorites too. I watch it often. In fact I used to teach it in an Introduction to Humanities class called "The Art of being Human". I dream of painting Peaceable Kingdoms. I hope very much that there might be animal painting classes one day!
So glad Blade Runner is so popular, and rightly so - it's a true masterpiece and also a good reminder of our possible future (one of them) if we and our politicians don't make good decisions. Peaceable kingdoms - absolutely. The older I get, the more I believe that art actually can be an instrument for peace - lofty goal perhaps but there you go, I really believe it. Yes animals and all things bright and beautiful coming in soon... maybe in summer!
Blade Runner is one of my favorites too. I watch it often. In fact I used to teach it in an Introduction to Humanities class called "The Art of being Human". I dream of painting Peaceable Kingdoms. I hope very much that there might be animal painting classes one day!
Do you like the original or the more recent Bladerunner? Any concept for miniature painting involving the oneness of all creatures is appealing to me. I am especially in love with trees, particularly our beloved coastal redwood/sequoias. And Richard Powers book, "Overstory" is one of my favorites. The Guardian review was a real take-down though...
I love the original Blade Runner. However, I'm not as critical of the recent Bladerunner sequel as some - I believe they did a good job and it's a hard act to follow. Some bits I didn't understand - did he need to be in love with an illusory... or maybe that's a mirroring of the love between Harrison Ford and the original replicant (also were they all replicants...?) ... also... aren't we all chasing illusions anyway... so much in there! I loved the desert orange heavily atmospheric skies. I loved the soundtrack that paid homage to the original. Again - a hard act to follow and by default it won't be better than the first!
I googled that book - on my list, too, now! Seems they were critical of the character plots - however - I'm fine with beautifully lush descriptions or imagery and a minimal plot. Some artworks tell a gripping story, some artworks don't 'move much' (bit like trees themselves!) and are just beautiful, and that's ok. The film Avatar which I also loved was the same - criticised for lack of plot but - look at all those lush visuals and beautiful colours - which themselves remind me of the Persian miniature rocks! However - reading about the plot it sounds again a bit like a miniature painting, and quite intricate and you'd need to be fully awake while reading to follow these leaps of imagination... therefore right up my street!
I dream of encountering and touching redwood sequoias in real life one day! With kids, as they need to make the small daily decisions that end up protecting these irreplaceable large beings in the complex web that is life.
For me, I love the original one. I saw the recent one and enjoyed it very much but the world that was created in that movies with its quirky characters and panoramic end-of-world cityscapes just captured my imagination. I also love trees. I am practicing trees for my peaceable kingdoms.
Wonderfully green and lush trees @Alison Guest ! So many different species in one painting - miniature paintings both Indian and Persian have this characteristic. I'm not sure if all forests and jungles are similar to rainforests in their sheer biodiversity but the paintings certainly make it so. Yes the original Blade Runner - is like Hong Kong and Tokyo. The Hong Kong of my childhood was a mix of east and west and ancient and modern (as I always like to say!) and you had ancient temples next to skyscrapers... this influenced my own thinking a lot in terms of art and life. I can imagine Tokyo is even more skyscrapered. Manhattan is too I know but felt different... I guess it didn't have that ancient element and with Tokyo too it was not the original capital of Japan (so Kyoto may contain more of the 'ancient') - still - fascinating.
I am so glad you like it, Vaishali! I have never been to Hong Kong but hope to go there some day. That mixture of ancient and modern and way the mix levels time is fascinating. You are right NYC has no ancient structures but it is fun to sometimes find an old building in amongst the very modern ones! But is is such a great city. Finally I got to the Met yesterday to look at Conference of Birds -- it has been a full year since I was there -- and it is as enchanting as ever -- but now I have an infinitely enhanced appreciation -- thank you Vaishali!
I heart NY! It's fabulous. When I went as a teenager I immediately wanted to move there, I fell in love that instant! The Met, New York Public Library, Little Italy, Little Korea, Chinatown, Flatiron, Bergdorf Goodman windows... I won't list them all. But know that NY always has a special place in my heart, as does New Orleans! And the rest of the States... are on my list!
I shall hope that one day we can all meet up here!!! It would be a fabulous field trip!!!!
Same - I'd like to do it, Route 66 style! And meet you all of course in real life!
And London of course!!!!
Always welcome. My city is your city - and actually, it actually IS yours @Alison Guest hehe! (well, country!)
Looking forward!!!
I missed Alison's painting in this thread earlier - and missing you, too!