Monday Afternoon in Tokyo

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Seiji I.

rollerball pen & paper

• Artist Statement

  During my first trip back to Japan after Covid to visit family, I came across a restaurant situated beneath a subway track. Captivated by the restaurant's brightness and the glowing rice paper lanterns, I took photos drawing later. Because I was traveling, my art materials were limited, and I only had my rollerball pen. Therefore, to show how the sign illuminated and contrasted the dark underpass, I utilized varying degrees of cross-hatching to deliver value. In addition, I changed the direction of the cross-hatching to show a change in texture, curvature, and perspective. In addition, because of the complexity of the real-life location, heavy cross-hatching helps emulate the busyness of the street and the restaurant's exterior. Lastly, I made sure to include pedestrians as they added to the interest and liveliness of the drawing.

• Creative Statement

  Being creative is taking what you experience, and observe, and then combining it into something new.