Get lost in the Medina of Casablanca.
Which of the place or its inhabitants shape the other? Ricochet.
The project
About the Medina
The Medina is the historic heart of the city of Casablanca. This big city of Morocco was a small fishing port a century ago. I undertake to paint like illustrators the vendors of the Medina. The drawings will join the Casablanca notebook.
To find the material, we went with Loriane as an image hunter. The term a little warrior is not too much, because Moroccans do not like to take a picture. We had to find subterfuges to capture about fifty clichés, looking for authenticity and unexpected.
The artistic line, through different characters, is to show the invisible link between them and their relationship with the place (La Medina). I had in mind Balzac's Father Goriot: "Finally, his whole person explains the pension, as the pension implies his person. The prison does not go without the guard, you will not imagine one without the other. "
Each watercolour is linked with the previous one by a detail. The last painting gets into resonance with all the others by resuming (another) detail of each one of them. They are the Ricochets.
The clip
Music
The clip is first and foremost a piece of music. It was composed by Minetti, from a riff on 2 chords, recorded on acoustic guitar, then supplemented with different variations on all kinds of guitars.
Same as the Ellipse project, we then exchanged a lot of skype or lunch breaks to give substance to the project. The painter described the sequence of paintings, the musicians sent their rushes.
The structure of the piece is an intro, 9 paintings and a finale. The set lasts 5 minutes and 28 seconds. As we went along, we imagined what that would be like with the video.
The music composed during the production also participates in the ricochet principle:
Starting from eight guitar notes on two chords, music flew from rebound to rebound, to follow the pattern of watercolors of piano parts, drums synths, on rock, techno, flamenco or reggae rhythms in a continual exchange between we three.
Minetti
We enjoyed so much the result that OAMM and I have each made a remix in a very different style. Emms has put them online.
|
Scene |
duration |
Start time |
End time |
Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Intro |
00:26 |
00:26 |
Solo Guitar |
|
|
watercolour 1 Tripe seller |
00 :32 |
00 :26 |
00 :58 |
Cool – Solo Guitare +pickings |
|
watercolour 2 The grocers |
00:32 |
00:58 |
01:30 |
Piano + guitar |
|
watercolour 3 Blind man |
00:32 |
01:30 |
02:02 |
Harder (electric guitars) |
|
watercolour 4 Smartphone |
00:32 |
02:02 |
02:34 |
Electro |
|
watercolour 5 The argan oil shop |
00:32 |
02:34 |
03:06 |
space + electro |
|
watercolour 6 The spices child |
00:32 |
03:06 |
03:38 |
Piano and electric guitar |
|
watercolour 7 The greengrocer |
00:32 |
03:38 |
04:10 |
Piano + guitar |
|
watercolour 8 Watermelons |
00:32 |
04:10 |
04:42 |
Flamenco |
|
watercolour 9 The poulterer |
00:32 |
04:42 |
05:14 |
Reggae |
|
Logo |
00:14 |
05:14 |
05:28 |
Piano + solo guitar |
The movie
The theme of the movie is imported from a template bought on the net, then that I personalized. The link between the inhabitants and the Medina is symbolized in the paintings by details that pass from one to the other, like the links of the same chain. This thread is represented by a line (black on a white background, white on a black background) that runs throughout the clip.
Each narration sequence alternates a white background in 2 dimensions, with a black background in 3 dimensions. The first is a scroll of history, the second to "enter the project" and get lost in the Medina with me.
The narration is in black and white, that is to say at once neutral, and cut off from reality, which is in color. Redesigned real photos and movies are embedded in black and white. Animations and color tasks (black, gray and white) to develop the theme of painting. The reality is that of the artist, who reveals the colors, but also imposes his vision.
The encounters
To close this project that previously allowed me to share with musicians my artistic feelings in the Medina, I undertook to give to my models a reproduction of their portraits in watercolour.
The Medina of Casablanca is very large, with a maze of alleys. I had spotted the location of the argan shop, but for the other places, it was a total adventure. Followed by my family, we walked through the streets, and located in 3 hours time each merchant’s places.
On the back of each painting, I had written in Arabic " You are great! This is the reproduction of a watercolor that I made thanks to you and which I give you. ».
People were surprised, but very happy. I felt like a happiness distributor.
And I realized there is a live community in the Medina: neighbors arrived, thumbs up, to thank with a few French words. For the blind man, one of his friends described to him in Arabic the painting " Monsieur made a painting of you, it's really you, and this is a gift ".
As for the watermelon seller, the customers expressed their comments of the painting to the merchant. He offered us mandarins to thank us. Among the two bearded grocers, only the oldest was in his shop when we showed up. He was laughing, and as we left him by, he came it to us, stopped us for a moment so that he could find a French-speaking friend: " He is very moved, and he is asking me to thank you » said the interpreter.
Emotions.
Ricochet 1
Ricochet 1, The tripe seller
The guts in the foreground, this is harsh! But yes, this is part of this project, authenticity . Loriane is Ellipse's ricochet , next ricochet is your guess.
3 colors only on the whole painting: ultramarine blue (green shade), sienna, and permanent rose. Chromatic is between blue-violet and orange, complementary colors.
How to paint a black skin: orange background and shade in purple. I had done a study on notebook to check that the colors would be right.
Ricochet 2
Ricochet 2, The grocers
On this watercolor, I worked the gaze games, and contrasted the very dark right-hand character, while the one on the left is painted smoothly in the blue-roses. There are also several plans (say 3), with different brightness.
But so many details ! I wondered if I will get through them, staying coherent. Other challenges to take up:
- Paint 4 varieties of olives
- Bottles with plastic reflection
- Sausages in a crate with plastic film
- More than 15 different inscriptions
Ricochet 3
Ricochet 3, The blind cigarette seller
A certain dramatic intensity on this 3 rd watercolour, it must be said that I was moved by this salesman man I saw in the Medina for his miserable appearance and yet very dignified.
The staging in the composition follows the following principles:
- The most respectable look of the character: tired suit, cane which figures a scepter. The character underlined by a large discreet cross of which he is the center
- Sobriety of colors (almost everything in blue and red), dominant violet for the dramatic, reminder of ultramarine blue
- Felt outlines in XIXth Century engraving style, with passages between the watercolor and the lines. It is very detailed, and yet figured in places (the left shoe, the inside of the window on the left of the table).
Ricochet 4
Ricochet 4, The smartphone dandy
The first part of the Medina (the southern part) is rather for tourists. There are clothing shops, leather jackets. The streets are narrow and covered, leaving here and there rays of sun.
At the bend of a forked crossroad, I see this young man, very elegant with his sports clothes scratched, his gomina and clappers.
I started this painting as a watercolor course for Loriane.
But I couldn't paint the face and I preferred to interrupt the course to ... Find a way out!
I got the upper hand after an hour or two. The picture was not obvious because a lot of detail, for example the telephone wire, painted in negative and without masking liquid, as do the purist watercolorists.
I introduced levels of blur, to enhance the character, which I highlighted by simulating a vertical light.
Question of the theme: what is the ricochet with the blind - cigarette seller?
Ricochet 5
Ricochet 5, The argan oil shop
I took from the previous watercolour the principle of progressive blur: the character and the plans that have the focus are painted very precisely, while the backgrounds are painted vaguely. On this table again, many bottles, perfume articles.
Rather than drawing the silhouettes of the objects, I try monochrome on watercolor, which is an official genre among watercolors (they use a mixed watercolor and Indian ink).
I was attentive to the modern and yet very constrained side of the character. I see this ambiguity among many Casa women, shared between modern and traditional life. I liked the clean character of his establishment, while perceiving his precariousness. It's a bit like the panel in French combined with Arabic characters.
This is Casa.
Ricochet 6
Ricochet 6, The spices child
In some places, the Medina takes on a colorful atmosphere. It is the sun's rays that are sifted by the tarpaulins.
The spice shop is shaded by a yellow curtain. I apply an orange wash, on which I paint the subjects by superimposing the colors. The yellow remains present by transparency. Outside, the sun at the zenith accentuates the contrasts and projects vertical shadows.
The composition is an X, with two points of light diagonally (here the top left), and the dark points on the other diagonal.
The points of light explain the violent sun with strong contrasts and the shadow on the pile of rice, while giving the perspective of the painting (look at the vanishing point above the 3rd woman, right).
In contrast, the spice stall is bathed in a golden atmosphere, contrasted by the penumbra of the back shop. The various objects appear by their reflections (grinding machine, mirror, boxes, wicker tray).
As for Ricochet 5, the edges of the composition go into monochrome to focus on the main subjects.
Ricochet 7
Ricochet 7, The greengrocer
In the less touristy part, the inhabitants make their market. In the shadow of his shop, I see an old merchant selling spinach and radishes. The multi-layered walls of paint contrast with the darkness of his stall.
I approach this portrait in polychrome, ie by juxtaposing bright colors. As it is painted on a small surface, I was able to mark the technique only in the dark areas of the face. The hat is also polychrome, with the same colors.
I accentuate the walls by reserving white areas to the liquid to mask. The chain on the left is painted with watercolor, and marked with felt.
The very first plan (bags of salt) is positioned under the nose of the spectator. It is to give more perspective.
I spent an entire afternoon on spinach and leeks. They are painted in interpretation, that is to say, more or less vague to integrate into the whole. I wanted to restore the impression of piles of different vegetables, without diverting the center of interest. So I "stopped" to leave the structure of vegetable heaps, without painting them realistically. It is difficult on a drawing to make this kind of decision.
The edges of the drawing are made with felt.
Ricochet 8
Ricochet 8, The watermelon seller
On this watercolour, I wanted to preserve the softness of the subject, and the brightness (the pink / orange), do not "add". So I painted it in classic watercolor style.
What does that mean ? On this painting, no felt, or blur on the sides. Everything is painted in watercolor technique. Finally almost everything, because the top left corner is almost abstract to represent the background without competing with the main subject.
Classicism in watercolor is to be able to paint a still life convincingly , even interesting. The challenge on this painting is to paint the fruits. I always smile when I think about the first year of watercolor in schools in Moscow: paint an apple for a year. This had discouraged me from registering.
I'm happy to succeed not only a realistic watermelon, but also 10 others with a lighting effect for a coherence overall. Oranges are in principle easier, so on the stall I kept their leaves and twigs, all painted without liquid to hide. It means details to the millimeter to keep the brightness.
Continuing on the classic watercolor style, how to paint a portrait. It is necessary to use the watercolor rather than want to copy its subject.
3 tips to mark the point, illustrated on the 1st step of the table opposite:
- Alternate warm colors and cold colors. On the face, the skull is in intense oranges, the chin in purple. The corner the eye is green, to mark the shadow without adding black. It is brighter to have colors than dirty with black (which in principle is NEVER used in watercolor, like white).
- Place the shadow and light points. On the face, the light is on the forehead, the shadow on the neck. You can see it also on the arms, which parts are restored, and which are placed in the shadow.
- "To interpret" is to mark with vigorous colors what one wants to explain about the subject. Probably the most difficult to explain, but if you detail your hands, you can see what I mean.
Ricochet 9
Ricochet 9, The poulterer
In line with the previous 3 watercolors and in a kind of artistic trajectory, the intensity of the colors has risen a notch. But how to raise the colors?
I took a red dominant, because on this final, I had fireworks in mind.
The portrait is made in polychrome, as on the seller of watermelons. All colors are present: blue, red yellow, and complementary: orange, green, and purple.
The face is very small, it was a meticulous job. Then, I realized very intense compositions on each of these 6 colors, all integrated in the watercolour:- Blue: the polo, contrasted by the white stripes
- Yellow: hens (in fact, there are a lot of variations: yellow blue, yellow brown)
- Red: dominant with the tiles, and the cage
The complementary ones:
- Orange: the wooden box, tiles on the top left
- Violet: the scales, the pants
- Green: the crate
As a wink to this bunch of colors, the broom, which is completely polychrome, like the face. I drew with a felt to make the fringes right, then I made a gradient of all the colors.
Lastly, to avoid that fireworks give headache, I introduced gray and soft gradients. We remain on the theory of gray mice, ie predominantly gray, here between ultramarine blue and brown. Here and there parts in beige (the counter, the aprons).
And of course the chickens, which stand out by the contrasts, not enough on their colors. The chickens were painted night after night throughout the week. There are 3 zones:
- the cocks we see the rumps, at the top of the cage
- hens underneath (more indistinct)
- The bottom hens, which are silhouettes.
The signature is painted polychrome, normally it is not done, but it was to point out that there is something special ...
Yes, here's the moment of surprise: you were used to guess ricochets from one watercolour to another, and on the 9th, there is a ricochet of each of the 8 previous paintings!
Solutions
|
Tableau |
Ricochet |
|---|---|
|
#1 Tripe Seller |
Link with Ellipse: Loriane on the left, which refers to Ellipse 3 |
|
#2 Grocers |
The green box at the top left, which can be found above the character on the left in Ricochet 2 |
|
#3 Blind man |
The black glasses, which are in a plastic bag over the big bottle of oil |
|
#4 Smartphone |
Winston's package at the bottom of the stool, which refers to the paper of the cartridge on the box of the blind |
|
#5 Argan shop |
The saleswoman's pants, which was in display in the shop of the dandy, foreground right. |
|
#6 Spices' child |
The Royal Henna package, which was in the argan shop at the top left. |
|
#7 Old greengrocer |
Garlic cloves in the foreground |
|
#8 Watermelons |
The iron chain, which can be seen on Ricochet 7. On ricochet 8, it is represented in very small just under the beam on the left, and who holds a rag |
