First image of tryptych..

This is the first is a series of three images called 'kokoro' or in kanji, 心. I am using Holbein 'Iridori' pigment for this image. Iridori is a type of Japanese painting and all the colours are sampled from the pallet used for this type of work. This is the first layer, which is yellow followed by gold.

Then the second layer which is light blue followed by dark blue whilst it was still wet. This starts to give the appearance of material. There are bokashi [gradient] layers on both the blue and yellow, to suggest a slightly ethereal mood.

I then put a bokashi with no nori on the bottom of the image. I used a Sumi baren [a baren for detailed lines; there is another baren called a be-ta, which is for more solid areas] with a horizontal movement instead of the usual circular motion, which gives a flat colour, to create the texture. On this layer in particular the grooves of the bamboo skin covering the baren can be seen. I deliberately rotated the skin so it would create this effect. This block also had the shadows cut on, to begin to give the hakama folds some depth.

Then, another bokashi on a seperate layer to build up the background. Again, two passes, one with light brown and then one with gold.

I then printed a solid colour onto the background to make the entire image pop forward. I then overprinted a white band to illuminate the image. I then printed the shadows underneath the feet on a separate layer, first with silver and then grey. I didn't like the way the background looked like an abstract shape, so the image was then cropped down to create the impression of space either side. This also focuses in on the hakama patterning and the movement of the feet, instead of the positioning on a stage.