MAK Shuk Ping (Millie) talks on "Noble Paul's Palace" (1996)

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS
What is the title of the drawing?
The title of the drawing is "Noble Paul's Palace".

•What is the name of the artist?
The name of the artist is Paul Noble.


•What is the year the drawing was done?
The drawing was done at 1996.

•What is the medium? (ie the materials used to produce the picture, for example charcoal on paper, pen and ink etc)
The artist only use pencil to produce the picture.


•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work? (eg is it a figure drawing, a map, a portrait, an autobiographical work, a picture about nature, a drawing of the city etc?)
In the middle of the picture, there is a palace. Around the palace, there is a beach and some moutains.
The general theme of the work is that, the artist wants to show his dream palace.
As the constrution of the palace is quite unrealistic. It won't exist in reality. So, I believe the palace is artist's illusion.


•What is the purpose of the drawing? (eg Is it a diagram that explains how something works? Does it record accurately record the appearance of something? Does it express the artist's emotion or memory? )
The purpose of this drawing is to show Paul's dream palace. As I mentioned before, the construction of the palace is unrealistic which can't be found in the real life. It is unable for people to live in. Why Paul drew the palace out is because this is what Paul wants to have or live eagerly.  Since there is no a real object refer to, it is difficult to say whether the picture have recorded the appearence accurately.

Nonetheless, when we look at the picture, we can feel the carefulness of Paul. The palace was quite attentive. For example we can see railings, stairs and some doors are drew in detail. And there are a desk and a box inside the room which is in the middle of the palace.
I think it express artisit's emotion. Maybe this is a dream place where Paul want to have. And when I look at the picture, it gives me a sense of harmonious. Paul may want to express peacefulness through the picture.

2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL

•How is line used? What does it do/express?
Paul had fully utilised different forms of lines through out the whole picture.
When we first look at the picture, it seems that the palace was made by different size of rectangles and some curve lines. But actually, according to some informtation,
"each blocky construction is crafted out of a grouping of letters that identifies its owner or function." This means that every coners of the palace are designed with consideration which have its patterns and meanings.

Lines also play an important role to show linear perspective in this work.
This help the palace to look more 3-dimensional. The outlook of the palace
like a triangle which increase the stillness and concrete of the palace.



•How is tone used? What does it do/express?
There are three main tones through out the picture. The darkest part is the two mountains aside. And then the sky and the sea are lighter. The palace use the lightest color tone. I think the use of the color tone in this picture helps readers to concentrate on the palace (which is the lightest one).
The color of the mountains is darker then the sky and sea, they are in grey tone. Compared to the palace, obviously, Paul use white grey as the main color tone. This makes the palace stand out obviously.

I think Paul choose lighter color tone to create the main part of the work
has another reason. As the atmosphere of this work is quite peaceful and grand. Light color is preferable than dark color. Although dark color tone can also gives us a sense of peacefulness. Some negative feelings like loneliness
are always included in dark color tone drawing. Light color is different from dark color. It gives us a sense of tranquil. At the same time, positive feelings like comfortable, dream place.etc would appear.

I would regard this work as the happy or positive drawing. So, using light color for the palace is much more suitable.


•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? What is the effect?
The shape of the palace is like a triangle. Triangle gives us a sense of firm and solid. Paul use triangle form to create the constrution of the palace can let viewers feel the stillness of the palace. Although the design of the palace
unrealistic, we still think that living there would be safe.
Paul usess his dream design for the outlook of the palace, at the same time,
maintain the stillness of the palace.

Also, most castle we have seen from stories or movies are usually constructed in triangle form. Paul uses triangle form to "construct" the palace guiding viewers to think of some historical and grand castles. The grand face of the palace can be created.

•Is texture a feature of the drawing?
I think texture is one of the features of the drawing.
When we look at the picture, we can see that the texture of the palace is quite different from others subject.
The palace seems smoother than the mountains, the sky and the sea.
Especailly those curvy surface of the palace, it looks so smooth.
And the smooth gives me a sense of peacfulness. Maybe that is what Paul wants to express through the texture.


•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of composition on the overall drawing?
The picture can be separated into three main parts. They are : the mountains, the sky and sea, and the palace. According to the composition, the mountains was created aside, the sky and sea were the background, the palace was placed in the middle of the picture. The size of the three parts was obviously different. The palace occupied 1/3 of the picture.
With the above informtion, we can find that Paul wants to protrude the palace by composition.


•Is rhythm important in this picture? If so, say more about it...
Yes, it think the rhythm is crucial in the picture. Like the on the sea, we can see the artist used some
curvy lines to show the movement of the water. These lines makes me feel some rhythm from the sea, very natural.
Also, we can find that the palace is in a repeated irregular pattern.
When we first look at the picture, we may think that the palace is quite balanced, like some Lego.
Maybe because of the rhythm of pattern is repeated irrugularly.


•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-dimensional space has been created.
Yes, we can find linear perspective in the picture. It helps viewers to focus on the palace. Also, the exists of linear perspective can make the palace looks more three-dimensional. The top of the palace is the narrow point of the linear perspective. The whole palace is providing a vertical triangle form which help to raise the stillness of the palace.




•Is the picture harmonious? If so, in what way?
I think the picture is quite harmonious. First, the background is like a desert island. The sea looks quite calm without too much waves. The environment of the picture is tranquil.
The main part of the picture is the palace. The palace use crispy straight line and curvy surface to construct.
The smooth texture of the palace gives us a sense of peacfulness and harmonious.


•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? Say more...
Maybe the biggest contrast in the picture is the mountains and the palace.
The palace have very smooth texture. The structure of the palace are made of clear lines and  curve.
The lines are crispy and clear. For the mountains, it have uneven surface. The lines are relatively complicated compared with the palace.



3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION

The mood of the drawing is quite peacful and serene. The palace was situated at a tranquil island. The sea is calm.Paul uses lightest color tone to present the palace. The white grey color gives me a positive feeling. It looks different compared to the sea, the sky and the mountains. The texture of the palace is smooth and the lines are clear and crispy. A sense of tidiness was created.
Besides, as the texture of the palace and the mountains aside are different.
The palace gives me a feeling of stillness. The artist used straight lines to represent the form of the palace. The palace looks much tidier.

If I need to choose an adjective to describe the work, I would say "peaceful".
In describing this work, I use "tranquil", "stillness", "serene" many times.
Because the total feeling of the work is really peaceful to me.
I know it might be a dream design for Paul. I think that Paul might also
want every viewers has the same feeling as him after seeing his drawing.
The common characteristic of dream place is feeling comfortable and having peaceful environment around. "Noble Paul's Palace" can do this.

What Paul may want to say from this work is to show his dream palace
to everyone. It may like an utopia in some aspects. Utopia is so abstract that different people may have various feelings toward it. However, if we saw
something peaceful and comfortable, it might make us think of it (our utopia).
So, why Paul drew this peaceful work maybe because he wants everyone could find their utopia through his "palace". 

I like this picture. Although the palace is not in a realistic style.
It gives me a sense of peacefulness. Also, palace has a symbolism
of fairy tales to me. Paul situated his palace onto a tranquil island.
Providing a comfortable background of the picture.
He only use pencil as the tool to draw the picture.
The shadow of the palace looks very smooth and natural while
the rock mountains looks substantive.