Have a Wonderful Christmas!!

People often ask me how I come up with an idea and how I paint. Here I try to put together a work-in-progress posting, and share my creative process.

Usually I start an idea with a story. I try to think about what story I want to tell, and then develop the layout and art style around the story. That's kind of why I don't always paint or draw the same. When I do quick sketches, I may use a shorthand or whatever style come naturally at the time. when I draw. But once I find the story, and nail the layout of the painting, I would look for a style that I feel ... would be the most suitable expression for that particular painting.

This painting here, is my opinion on the current economy situation. The bear symbolizes "bad economy" - "Bear market" ... the bull symbolizes "Wealth" - "Bull market" ... The "little" people, symbolize the general public ... everyday people like ourselves try to struggle, and work hard to bring back prosperity. This piece is done specifically for IMOW - Economica.

The previous posting is the rough idea draft of the painting. This set of posting, from bottom to top, is the step by step thinking process of this painting. I don't like the look of the rough draft from the previous post, but I like the storytelling ... I feel like there is a strong voice there. It's working in the sense that it expresses my opinion about the current economy situation, and my hope towards the situation in the new year. So the second step, is to find a better way to visually display the idea, and how to make the painting looks prettier. LOL

Once, I figure out the style of the painting, the last step is to put everything together ... and I come up with the top layout. I sort of go for a Tiepolo mural composition style, a bit abstract and graphical design ... well ... have to admit, I am influenced by the Sargent's murals, which I saw in Boston last month, I love how he use iconography to make statements ... although my piece has a strong social and political statement behind it, I don't want it to feel like a newspaper political cartoon.

Not that I have problem with political cartoon, I love them. But I do want the painting to be time lasting, and people could appreciate it visually outside of the political context, and don't mind to hang it out their wall. At least, personally, I wouldn't mind to hang it on my own wall. LOL

This is illustration will be featured at Economica at the International Museum of Women web-site.