My entry for Blackwolf's "One Word" contest. The word I chose to illustrate was "change", and I did the tree of life because life is all about change. The Japanese characters emphasize the key points:
1. Day (In the sun on the left)
2. Night (In the moon on the right)
These two symbolize the changes as each new day begins and ends.
3. Spirit (On the forehead of the spirit)
The spirit within each of us and everything around us changes constantly as we grow.
4. Metamorphis (Next to the butterfly)
Some things change dramatically from one thing into something completely different.
5. Passage (Next to the skull)
Our passing from life to death is a change not only for the living being, but for everyone and everything around it.
6. Seasons (underneath the tree)
With each new season thing come and go, the example is also in the leaves on the tree which change from flowering (spring) to bright and leafy (summer) to the reds, browns, oranges, and yellows of fall, and last to the bare branches with snow falling down around them.
7. Change (in the middle of the circle in the tree)
This character is surrounded by the astrological signs, which symboloize the changes in the earth's position, etc, and for those that believe in astrology, the differences between people born under different signs.
As for the picture itself: It took me four layers of paint, not counting the basecoat of white I had sprayed on it after sanding it down, because this is painted on the 35" X 42" piece of oak plywood I had used as part of my National History Day display.
Medium: White spray paint, sandpaper, way too many acrylics on a 35" X 42" oak board, used a roller, sea sponge, and sumi brushes (for the characters) in addition to paintbrushes.
Note: Full size is best, but either way this photo does not do the picture justice in any way....'tis my baby, I am hanging it over the really bad old mural I did in my room when I was 13. This is the second largest painting I have ever done (the largest was painted on a drop cloth as a mural of Mexico my friend and I did for a project/school play)^-^ |
