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Challenge
Grand Prize is a four-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine
Rukiye Garip Balikesir, Turkey, Reflection, watercolor, 56 x 38 cm (22 x 15")
Emotional Links
Using classic watercolor techniques,
Rukiye Garip is able to translate the
elements of the natural world in a style
that is realistic but filled with emotion.
She takes photos in nature of scenes that
have strong observations of light, shadow,
texture, atmosphere and the details of the
subject matter. “What I feel about the
subject is effective in adding elements and
leavings out others,” she says. “Sometimes
I make the changes that I want when I see
a negative effect that does not meet my
feelings in the drawing or painting stages.”
Garip grew up in the small town of
Bartin, Turkey, and started painting around
the age of 4. As a child she was surrounded
by nature and all of those elements spark her
memories when she paints. “The positive
emotions, such as naturalness, peace and
calm, that I want to covey to my viewers
are completed with the psychological effects
of lines and color,” she explains. “There is
a longing for the clean nature I want to see
in the colors and forms that dominate all of
my works. I want to make people feel the
value of beauty that has gone unnoticed, the
happiness of our youth, our old age and all
of our memories.”
The techniques used for each watercolor
Garip paints depend specifically on the
subject and how she wants to translate the
emotional connection to the scene. “In
order to create an original work, it is best to
use the instruments as they come from our
inner-self,” Garip elaborates. “This makes
us free and original. What I mean by being
free is the freedom to create and apply our
own truths and our own techniques that are
unique to ourselves. Being free, original and
transparent is what I care about in terms of
watercolor technique and style. Transparent
is both the transparency of the technique
and the transparency of my emotions.”
My Inspiration
My inspiration is the stones and reflections
that appear underwater. The similar textures,
organic crowds and details I use in my work
represent natural living and connections
between creations of nature. The
transparency of water has the same meaning
as the principle of transparency, which
is a prerequisite for understanding each
other with all the assets we interact with.
Stones appearing through clear, clean water,
the remnants of plants, the sky and trees
reflected in the water remind me of the cycle
of life, perfect harmony, union, sharing and
love. I think there are hidden qualities to
every detail that makes each of them special,
helping them stand out in crowds. That’s
why one rock among hundreds of rocks and
one single leaf among thousands of them
can express their purpose of existence.
My Design Strategy
I think every detail counts when creating
art that doesn’t need to be explained. To
me, working realistically is way more than
painting the way things look. I want the
viewer to feel calmness, peace and happiness.
I am emotionally prepared by observing
nature to complement the energy of the
experiences. The stony river where I lived as
a childhood is the source of my inspiration.
Apart from the river and reflection, we can
imagine what we cannot see. When we look
at the transparent water, we first feel the
water, then we focus on what is underneath
and then we see what is reflected on it.
After this stage, all details become visible.
In the coloration stage, the excitement of
the subject for me and the contributions of
the imagination have caused spontaneous
changes in the course of the painting. That’s
what I like most about watercolors.
My Working Process
I drew the outline of the composition
I designed and started painting by wetting
the back and front of the paper. Using the
wet-in-wet technique, I washed the paper
with the color of the water except for some
colored stones. I created the color transitions
by preserving the light color on the very
light colored stones and in the areas of
cloud reflections. I painted the orange and
yellow tones of the stones when the paper’s
surface was wet to fuse it with the color of
the water. I sprinkled salt on some areas
of the wet surface to obtain stone textures
and small light field effects. I highlighted
the dark areas by painting the others tone
colors. After painting the water and stones,
I painted the tree reflections. Thin tree
branches were drawn with my brush.
Contact Details
» Email: [email protected]
All the Prize Winners in our International
Artist Magazine Challenge No. 111
SEASCAPES,
RIVERS & LAKES
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