The Passion

“Passion” is the second piece in my collection, Dot by Dot. It’s a hand-painted piece inspired by a novel of the same title by the brilliant British writer, Jeanette Winterson.

The Process

As a creator with a background in literature & translation, works of fiction are my primary sources of inspiration. In this particular collection, I try to translate novels I love into the realm of images. Painting these images is a way for me to own the fictional worlds I cherish. So after re-reading a given novel, I make a list of images that resonate with me and are essential to the construction of the narrative. Then I begin illustrating every single item in my notebook.

I sometimes make these images from scratch and sometimes adopt the works of other artists. Then I begin putting them together, rearranging them over and over until I reach the right composition. The next step is the most satisfying and time-consuming of all. I color the drawings with a magic marker, DOT by DOT. I take it slow because if I rush it, the paint would not be as clean and unified.

I take pictures of the work as I advance and test-paint on Photoshop along the way.  I do this simply because if anything goes wrong at this stage, there would be no turning back. This is why doing each painting takes months. After coloring is over, I start stippling with black ink as the sole means of creating shades and bright spots.