The Vermilion Prints are 5 distinct, digitally created compositions that I composed in January '22.
Having built up a massive library of images from my cityscape paintings (hundreds of images over countless hours, weeks and months of work) - I embarked on creating digital compositions in Photoshop over a span of a few weeks. My goal was to create works in the digital space that authentically mirror my paintings. Needless to say, the defining element that drives these works is the human element of imperfection and the passage of time.
These reimagined cityscapes are ways to bridge the gap between the rare physical works that I’ve created in the studio with entry-level, affordable prints and reproductions. They're unique, one of a kind signature visuals that marry the digital and physical worlds.
Working in Photoshop, the Vermilion Prints are difficult, strenuous and time consuming tasks, building layer upon layer of imagery. While the mediums and context differ throughout time, the quest for beauty and honest expression remains.
I try to work on as many digital projects that I can. But these are highly skilled jobs that require patience, delayed gratification and fine motor skills. They are difficult, strenuous and time consuming tasks. It is my hope that collectors enjoy the fruits of these playful yet serious, purposeful - high intensity works in your offices and homes alike. For now,, I am proud to offer you 5 unique, digital only artworks.
Having built up a massive library of images from my cityscape paintings (hundreds of images over countless hours, weeks and months of work) - I embarked on creating digital compositions in Photoshop over a span of a few weeks. My goal was to create works in the digital space that authentically mirror my paintings. Needless to say, the defining element that drives these works is the human element of imperfection and the passage of time.
These reimagined cityscapes are ways to bridge the gap between the rare physical works that I’ve created in the studio with entry-level, affordable prints and reproductions. They're unique, one of a kind signature visuals that marry the digital and physical worlds.
Working in Photoshop, the Vermilion Prints are difficult, strenuous and time consuming tasks, building layer upon layer of imagery. While the mediums and context differ throughout time, the quest for beauty and honest expression remains.
I try to work on as many digital projects that I can. But these are highly skilled jobs that require patience, delayed gratification and fine motor skills. They are difficult, strenuous and time consuming tasks. It is my hope that collectors enjoy the fruits of these playful yet serious, purposeful - high intensity works in your offices and homes alike. For now,, I am proud to offer you 5 unique, digital only artworks.
'Amorphous Nocturne'
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x72 inches.
A landscape format digital cityscape that embodies the raw nature and a stage of the painting process that I've come to use as a foundational layer in my works. The marks are made hedonistically, grasping for form. It's intuitive and has an impression of being in fleeting control, embodying chaos and chance. This stage in my work is hardly ever seen by the public.
In 'Amorphous Nocturne', I am combining 2 separate works, compositionally. I discovered this composition by chance one day in the studio in 2021 when both paintings were hung on the painting wall, waiting to dry. It was at that moment I made a mental note to myself that if I ever tried to make digitally reconstructed paintings of my cityscapes, I would attempt this combination. So 'Amorphous Nocturne' became the catalyst and the first piece for this series of digital works. I'm quite happy with the outcome. It blends architectural elements from many different paintings I made in the past, while retaining a raw, intimate and vulnerable looking monochromatic painting - Staying true to its original form.
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x72 inches.
A landscape format digital cityscape that embodies the raw nature and a stage of the painting process that I've come to use as a foundational layer in my works. The marks are made hedonistically, grasping for form. It's intuitive and has an impression of being in fleeting control, embodying chaos and chance. This stage in my work is hardly ever seen by the public.
In 'Amorphous Nocturne', I am combining 2 separate works, compositionally. I discovered this composition by chance one day in the studio in 2021 when both paintings were hung on the painting wall, waiting to dry. It was at that moment I made a mental note to myself that if I ever tried to make digitally reconstructed paintings of my cityscapes, I would attempt this combination. So 'Amorphous Nocturne' became the catalyst and the first piece for this series of digital works. I'm quite happy with the outcome. It blends architectural elements from many different paintings I made in the past, while retaining a raw, intimate and vulnerable looking monochromatic painting - Staying true to its original form.
'Analogue'
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
The largest file of all the digital cityscapes, 'Analogue' is a whopping 1.5GB in size at 40x40 inches, 150DPI (but of course, when it goes to print, it will be much larger, at 300DPI). The base image that 'Analogue' was built upon is from a 2019 physical work called 'Implode'. It was one of those very raw, intuitive and chaotic, monochromatic works; subsequently sold to a local corporation. In making 'Analogue', I wanted to bring the original image up to date. Dispelling and conquering its failures and mistakes, giving new life to old things, and to make a more coherent and cogent artwork.
Working digitally gives me the chance to accomplish these things. Taking cues and being informed by the juxtaposition of large vs. small shapes, vanishing points vs. hard edges, warm vs. cool tones - This work aims to balance all these dichotomies, and the result is a remarkable monolith. The sense of scale and distance is extremely pronounced and exaggerated. The perspective seems to lead miles away into the distance. It's a great centerpiece and I'm constantly amazed by the depth that prevails in this work.
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
The largest file of all the digital cityscapes, 'Analogue' is a whopping 1.5GB in size at 40x40 inches, 150DPI (but of course, when it goes to print, it will be much larger, at 300DPI). The base image that 'Analogue' was built upon is from a 2019 physical work called 'Implode'. It was one of those very raw, intuitive and chaotic, monochromatic works; subsequently sold to a local corporation. In making 'Analogue', I wanted to bring the original image up to date. Dispelling and conquering its failures and mistakes, giving new life to old things, and to make a more coherent and cogent artwork.
Working digitally gives me the chance to accomplish these things. Taking cues and being informed by the juxtaposition of large vs. small shapes, vanishing points vs. hard edges, warm vs. cool tones - This work aims to balance all these dichotomies, and the result is a remarkable monolith. The sense of scale and distance is extremely pronounced and exaggerated. The perspective seems to lead miles away into the distance. It's a great centerpiece and I'm constantly amazed by the depth that prevails in this work.
'Tilt'
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
This is an almost perfect and proportionate work derived from an original painting called 'Revenant' (circa 2021). In this digital reconstruction, I added some nuances to create a tighter composition. A busier space. The work is a fictional scene that embodies many aspects of my cityscape techniques - Tone, perspective, leading lines, the interplay of it all, and how painterly techniques made in the studio creates an expression of what a city scene looks and more importantly, feels like to me.
Many parts of the painting are left loose, disjointed and fragmented - balanced well enough without the entire piece falling apart. Everything is painted deliberately, yet at the same time allows enough room for surprises and beautiful mistakes to arise. I think there is value in understatement.
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
This is an almost perfect and proportionate work derived from an original painting called 'Revenant' (circa 2021). In this digital reconstruction, I added some nuances to create a tighter composition. A busier space. The work is a fictional scene that embodies many aspects of my cityscape techniques - Tone, perspective, leading lines, the interplay of it all, and how painterly techniques made in the studio creates an expression of what a city scene looks and more importantly, feels like to me.
Many parts of the painting are left loose, disjointed and fragmented - balanced well enough without the entire piece falling apart. Everything is painted deliberately, yet at the same time allows enough room for surprises and beautiful mistakes to arise. I think there is value in understatement.
'Multi Pass'
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
'Multi Pass' is a work that I'm proud of on many levels. Reconstructed in a CYMK profile, the tone is sepia tinted and the lighting effects are loud, gregarious, forceful and confident. Originally based off a small painting called 'KL 44', I wanted to reimagine what it would be like in an artificially created world, a universe blown and expanded outwards to scale; if I were allowed to fully play, create and experiment. The composition is off center, making the horizon point shift and move. An interesting technique which I learnt to use in this work is the use of mirror imagery, akin to Rorschach inkblots. Something which I gravitate to again in the final work in the series, 'Cerebral Nocturne'.
The combination of images are culled from my extensive library of previous cityscapes: combining, blending, resizing, overlaying, stretching and fusing them all in the confines of Photoshop. There are inherent flaws and limitations of the software too that show up in these digital works. Rather than try to make things perfect, I chose to leave some blunt unfinished parts, some hard edges and to play the game of cat and mouse with my viewers. Which layer came first? What is on top and which are the bottom layers? How are the images cut, and stitched together? The work presents all its vulnerabilities and solutions in this singular image.
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
'Multi Pass' is a work that I'm proud of on many levels. Reconstructed in a CYMK profile, the tone is sepia tinted and the lighting effects are loud, gregarious, forceful and confident. Originally based off a small painting called 'KL 44', I wanted to reimagine what it would be like in an artificially created world, a universe blown and expanded outwards to scale; if I were allowed to fully play, create and experiment. The composition is off center, making the horizon point shift and move. An interesting technique which I learnt to use in this work is the use of mirror imagery, akin to Rorschach inkblots. Something which I gravitate to again in the final work in the series, 'Cerebral Nocturne'.
The combination of images are culled from my extensive library of previous cityscapes: combining, blending, resizing, overlaying, stretching and fusing them all in the confines of Photoshop. There are inherent flaws and limitations of the software too that show up in these digital works. Rather than try to make things perfect, I chose to leave some blunt unfinished parts, some hard edges and to play the game of cat and mouse with my viewers. Which layer came first? What is on top and which are the bottom layers? How are the images cut, and stitched together? The work presents all its vulnerabilities and solutions in this singular image.
'Cerebral Nocturne'
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
The final piece in the collection, 'Cerebral Nocturne' encapsulates the technical and digital skills I've learnt throughout the many weeks since the inception of the project. It's a play on all the strengths learnt, failures and fears vanquished and realizations that have come about through the work. It's an amalgamation of shapes, mirrors, lines, spaces both positive and negative, of color, tone and spatial depth and a boundless crafting of the impossible and making visible, the once invisible.
It's a success story. A story of both the powers and limitations of Photoshop in making interesting new configurations that are inherently digital. Art is inadvertently about this. About working through a problem and emerging on the flip side with a sense of beauty and order; having fought, toiled and laboured for it. And the results are often times worth it, both internally and externally. For one has successfully created and brought forth to the world, something beautiful which had never existed before.
Transformed, layered, slashed, combined, distorted, mirrored and graded in Photoshop.
Available as a print on canvas, sized 36x36 inches.
The final piece in the collection, 'Cerebral Nocturne' encapsulates the technical and digital skills I've learnt throughout the many weeks since the inception of the project. It's a play on all the strengths learnt, failures and fears vanquished and realizations that have come about through the work. It's an amalgamation of shapes, mirrors, lines, spaces both positive and negative, of color, tone and spatial depth and a boundless crafting of the impossible and making visible, the once invisible.
It's a success story. A story of both the powers and limitations of Photoshop in making interesting new configurations that are inherently digital. Art is inadvertently about this. About working through a problem and emerging on the flip side with a sense of beauty and order; having fought, toiled and laboured for it. And the results are often times worth it, both internally and externally. For one has successfully created and brought forth to the world, something beautiful which had never existed before.