Sustained Investigation #13

Sustained Investigation #14: “Hanguk Saram” / "한극 사람"

Oils on Canvas

12” x 12”

My painting depicts a man in traditional dress (Hanbok) of South Korea. This style of dress is particularly known for its use during the Joseon Dynasty, however, traces of Hanbok go as far back as before the Three Kingdoms- and it is still used today in some celebrations. The distinctiveness, history, and artistry of Hanbok make this simple piece of clothing an integral part of Korean culture- something that won't be lost with the crowing westernisation of the country. With recent American military influence and Hallyu, Korea has become a country balancing its rapid globalisation and westernisation with deep traditional values. The background of this piece displays the jagged mountain cliffs and forests that make up the beautiful natural scenery of the country outside of its massive cityscapes. I completed this piece using oils on canvas. For this piece, I continued the exploration with oils for portraiture. I worked from all around the painting this time, trying to start with the background first. Creating the illusion of distance and landscapes are still difficult for me but I hope to improve upon this. The Hanbok hat (Gat) is very fine and made of horse hair- almost see through, something that was quite difficult to emulate with my given materials. In the future, I'd like to focus more on facial proportions and light placement.