Studio Explorations :: The What and the Why

This journal page was inspired by the concept of friendship.
In Korean, friend is 친구 (pronounced "chingoo").

I started by putting down some acrylic paints onto a journal page.

Then I took my sumi ink and a thin paintbrush and started to write the first part of the word which is 친 (chin). You start first with the horizontal stroke, connected to the diagonal stroke, and the top vertical stroke.

Then it's the short diagonal stroke next to the first diagonal stroke, then the very long vertical stroke at the right.

Then you complete 친 by adding the lower down stroke connected to the vertical stroke. Then you start the first part of the word 구 (goo) with a horizontal stroke connected to the downstroke. (Stay with me.)

And then finally, you end with a horizontal stroke and a vertical stroke. All done.

Then I reached for some of my very favorite pens to add some doodles. I've realized that I like drawing this foliage. Not sure where it came from but I love it. Simple. Vine-like. Pretty.

Then splashes of color and more marks including the silhouette of a turtle to surround the word. I like turtles, as you may know.

As I was finishing up the page, I was thinking about the friends in my life. The ones who understand me. Who get me. Who understand the what and the why of me ... in good times and in bad. They are the ones who say "I know. I know. You're ok. You'll be ok." They will listen to the what and the why but they really don't need the gorey details to understand. They just do.

That's because friends understand the nuances of one another ... built over time ... with jeung ... with love ... with forgiveness ... with a deep, deep knowing ... with respect.

Comments

[jenellev@att.net]

I love the artwork--and your thoughts about friendship are beautiful and insightful.
I have never heard the Korean word jueng before--its meaning is exquisite.
Tks so much for sharing your process.
:)
Jenelle