International Artist – June-July 2019

Afternoon Sunlight, transparent watercolor,

16 x 12" (41 x 31 cm)

I was inspired by the sunset. The distant

skyscrapers are hazy in backlighting.

Buildings along the road are also hiding

behind the scenes. The roof of the running

cars glow. The contrast between light and

shadow is beautiful. To direct the power of

the space, I used a vertical composition, and

my goal was to express the perspective of the

faraway buildings and nearby cars. The light

and dark are clear, and I feel the composition

of backlight is relatively easy to draw.

M

y watercolor paintings focus

on the Japanese landscape,

cityscape, vehicles and waterways.

Light and shadow, seasons, texture,

transparency and dynamics are all

inspirations for my paintings, and

I want to paint a real representation.

Because of that, I believe drawing

precisely is the best way to convey

beauty and excitement. My

works depict a number of scenes,

including the grass swaying in the

wind, buildings in the middle of a

forest and the glow of water.

All of my artwork is painted

from photos that I have taken for

reference. For each piece, I keep the

size of the painting less than 12 by

16 inches (31 by 41 centimeters).

 is small scale allows the viewer

to grasp the entire image instantly.

It also allows me to understand the

composition and color tone, and

my arm can easily reach all four

corners of the picture while I paint,

so I can work with e ciency. My

concentration on the piece can also

be sustained. For collectors, the

small size is ideal for viewing on the

(^108) http://www.InternationalArtist.com
Masato Watanabe
Precise compositions
JAPAN
MASTER PAINTERS
WATERCOLOUR
OF THE WORLD