Space to Think
I’ve been in Tokyo for two months and developing a studio practice has been difficult but not impossible. During this time I’ve lived in three different locations with my wife, Nanako. From a one room hotel room, to an air bnb hotel room with a kitchen, and finally to an air bnb house. All of which have limited space and can feel cramped with two people.
I have had to rethink my studio practice and find new avenues and tools to creating artwork. Space has always been important to making art, but being this long in small spaces has put into perspective how defining a space can be on the mind.
To make things work we made much of the surface area multi-functional and interchangeable. In our first two locations the coffee table was the dining table, office, studio, and theater. That was hard on both of us so we looked for accommodation with more leg room. The space we’re in now can fit both of us better. We have a full kitchen with a table that functions as a studio/office and where we dine. I’ve converted the hallway into a standing studio to work on larger pieces, and created a mobile studio that can be easily transported if I need to change locations.
Surface Materials
My main mediums I’ve used during the time away from my studio in China have been acrylic gouache and graphite pencils. The brands I’m using are Turner Acrylic Gouache and Caran d'Ache Technalo Water Soluble Graphite Pencil. For surfaces to paint or draw on I use my trusty moleskine and watercolor paper by vif Art.
The Acrylic Gouache from Turner has exactly what I need for creating quick studies for potential larger works. For me the goal is to fill my sketchbook with as many ideas as possible so I have an assortment of painting projects to choose from when I return to China. If you’ve tried gouache before then you know that its water soluable and the bottom layers can be affected by newly applied layers. For me it was always difficult to control the medium and I’d end up removing more paint than I’d put down, but I loved the matte finish that makes gouache so attractive. Acrylic paint has the ability to apply layer upon layer while preserving the under painting, but I’m not a fan of the sheen that acrylic paints create (I know I’m a picky painter) so when a friend showed me acrylic gouache I felt like I had met my soulmate. As a travel companion acrylic gouache is my favorite painting medium to work with.
Sometimes I go down a dark hole when I’m confronted with color and paint application. Painting is versatile and lends itself to so many choices that I sometimes feel overwhelmed by all those awesome options. Whenever this happens I find solace in good ole drawing. Graphite is an old friend that seems to be the center of my art skill-set, but the cool thing with the pencils I’m currently using is that they can be applied dry and with a brush they can become ink/watercolors! I haven’t experimented with the possibilities all that much, but I’m loving the depth they create with just the dry application.
Surface matters so much to my art making process. I said I was a picky painter and I get really particular when it comes to surface quality for my sketches and completed works. For me I have built a bond with Moleskine Sketchbooks. They are compact, the paper is thick and smooth, able to handle an assortment of mediums (wet and dry), have great storage pockets in the back, and just look really good. I’ve tried other sketchbooks and had a lot of fun playing with different sizes and textures, but I never travel without a Moleskine.
The larger watercolor paper I’m using right now is from a Japanese company called Maruman, and I’m using their vif Art series watercolor paper. I usually use Arches for anything that will go on a wall, but the Maruman paper has surpassed my expectations. At 242 g/m2 it is durable and doesn’t warp easily. I always go for hot press since I like smooth surfaces to paint on and Maruman allows for my paint to glide smoothly with just enough tooth and friction.
Going MobILE
Coleman Backpack- This pack is large enough to hold a piece of paper and has room to spare. The straps are comfortable and the side pockets make great pencil holders. The fact that is waterproof and rectilinear played a large part in my choosing this specific bag. Since I’m currently working on paper surfaces I needed a bag that can protect and hold the works on paper.
Usually I use a drafting table to work on drawings as it puts less stress on my back and creates less warp on my drawings. Since I can’t drag one around and can’t afford to buy a new one at each new place I’ve had to scour Amazon for something that can accommodate my preferences, and I found this awesome adjustable table lecture board. It folds perfectly in to my new bag and while not perfect it allows me to work in a more comfortable position. It’s not quite the same size as the largest paper I work on so I upcycled the box it was shipped in to create a drawing board to accommodate larger paper.
