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A Glitch in the System

Savvy Sunday Salutations: 

Dearest readers, I am late in posting this article today (I decided to have a few days off and now here I am Sunday morning trying to put together a post worth reading -hmmm; maybe I’m just pushing my luck a wee bit).  I have some (very little) news from Patrick Tulley; we have not discussed full reasons of his absence, but it seems he has a little too much going on at his end, I will keep you updated as and when I know more, until then you have to put up with me.    Last week I talked about JMW Turner; this week (due to the time-constraint I have restricted on myself) I will continue with Turner -well I just want to concentrate on that anecdote I had left you with; that story has stayed with me since A-Level Art & Design, I feel it’s only fair I give it some deserved dues.

My ROW80 Update will follow the article below –scroll down to the end if you do not want to read the next bit (I won’t take any offence –well, I’ll try not to ).

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

LESSONS FROM TURNER -PART DUEX:

There has been many things said about Turner -and no doubt, many more will be said.  -I know I said that last week, thought a bit of déjà vu was in order -you know the saying:

“A déjà vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix…”

-Trinity, The Matrix (1999)

-well that’s me all over; a permanent glitch hanging over my head this Sunday; this translates into two things:

1) I just have to put up with it; and most importantly,

2) You just have to deal with it. 

For those who are asking, yes I loved The Matrix; very clever -it paved the way for the preceding films we’ve seen since -another forerunner in its’ industry; but today we are not talking about The Matrix.  Today we go back to Turner; remember that little story I shared with you last week, here it is again for those who missed it:

“It has been said that, Turner would have himself tied to the mast of a sailing ship whilst at sea to experience the storms so he could relay it into his paintings.”

From this anecdote, it is easy to visualise Turner conjuring up these masterpieces:

Shipwreck by Joseph Mallord William Turner

Slave Ship by Joseph Mallord William Turner

Both very different -yet very similar; the dynamics vary ever so slightly; yet that change makes a remarked difference.  In the first painting, there’s movement with an uncanny stillness in the darkness of the night sky -you can feel the waves tossing, the ship battling against the torrents yet there is an odd calmness which I cannot place; almost as if despite the conditions the crew and passengers are safe.  Then the second painting, with its vague-blurred lines gives that sense of gusto, panic and drowning under the most beautiful of skies -an impression of a moment -possibly captured as the anecdote portrays, a man tied to a mast taking in the moment; being whole with its subject -whatever the conditions may be, ironic or otherwise…  When we feed this idea into writing, we can see a similarity, -our characters.  To get to know them, to really get into their skins we become them -in parts or as wholes (some through experience some through research); we feel their pain, their love, their angst’s, their drive.  -When we are so close to our characters as Turner was to his subject; does that not make you feel that you have something solid, believable and writeable?  To create a masterpiece one needs to be fully immersed into their work -they must believe what they create or else it will fall away like dust…

Finally, as I leave Turner here, I want to share with you the painting that made me fall in love with Turner and on the next ‘Lessons from Turner’ (this will not always be on a Sunday, so keep an extra eye out on Monday’s, Thursday’s and possibly Friday’s too), I will do my best to interpret the painting and add some insight on how a picture can tell a thousand words.  Until then why don’t you analyse the painting and come up with your own thoughts.

Rain, Steam & Speed - The Great Western Railway by JMW Turner

ROW80 UPDATE:

If you want to see my progress-at-a-glance (from the first week through to now with all my goals -amendments included) please head on over to my ROW80-Round 3 page.

Overview since Wednesday:  This week has been a bit bleh with regards to word counts for Becoming- Mystical Realisations, but it has been productive nonetheless as I have been thinking and plotting about how to devise the next chapter(s).  I have to do some outlining as parts of the story had to change; so no words but some development on the story -albeit brewing in my head; this is a good thing.

In brief, here’s what I have achieved since Wednesday:

WIP word count:  0 /1,000

DiRosaYikici word count: 0/1,000

Blog post word count:  2514 /1,000

Combined effort word count:  2514 /1,000

Progress up until 11th September 2011:

WIP word count:  7,268 /40,000

Blog post word count:  29,618 /40,000

DiRosaYikici word count:  597 /40,000

Combined effort word count:  37,483 /40,000 (See the ROW80 progress bar on the side menu.)

Blogs visited (ROW80′ers & Writecampaign’ers):  37 in total

Beta-reader project:  On Chapter Six (that’s page 26 of 204)

I guess it has not been a bad week per se; though I always hope my WIP would speed up more than my blog posts -I know I should not grumble.  What with a slow start to today’s post, we find ourselves at the end of it, which means this is ta-raaa from me, I’ll be back on Tuesday with a Flash Fiction Challenge I hope to see you then.

In the meantime, if you want to test yourself and the voices of the characters you come up with why don’t you take a gander at this game I have devised:  A Fun Game – In Your Head.  Have a fab Sunday and a great week following; till Tuesday adios amigos.

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word‘.

Pdf document:  A Glitch in the System

If there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page or email me at admin@yikici.co.uk

Care to join me for some collaborative work or want to be a guest blogger?  If so, email me at the above address.

Lessons from Turner & ROW80

Savvy Sunday Salutations: 

Dearest readers, I know some of you are looking forward to reading more insights from Patrick Tulley, unfortunately I have been unable to get in contact with him (he may have taken a holiday and failed to let me know *tut tut*), I’ll keep you updated when I know more.  In the meantime, I will open this Sunday slot to a few of my favourite bloggers and every now and again I will send some salutation love to people I admire in this lovely world we live in.  Last week my grandmother took centre stage and today, as promised, I will introduce you a pioneer in the Art world, my first choice Artist of all time is JMW Turner.  Those who know me will not be surprised with this decision of mine and for those who don’t, you shall soon learn muhaawaawaaaaah -or something to that effect.

My ROW80 Update will follow the article below –scroll down to the end if you do not want to read the next bit (I won’t take any offence –well, I’ll try not to ).

(As always, there is a pdf document at the bottom of the post for those who may find this a difficult read.)

LESSONS FROM TURNER:

Discussions from the past…

“Why Turner?  Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) was and is still one of the most important British Landscape painters.  My interest in his work began when I was doing my ‘A-levels’ at college.  Although I had looked at many other artists in the preceding years, I have always come back to Turner, each time examining a different aspect of his work.  Again, I am drawn back; this time taking Turner as a colourist, investigating how he used his colour and how Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) influenced him.  Turner was a master of innovations, especially in terms of colour.  I consider Turner to be the grandfather of the Impressionists.  I believe he was a colourist ahead of his time and this is the theme I based my study on.  I have investigated how Turner’s work progressed in relationship to colour and light.  I believe I have achieved this by comparing Turner to other artists who have influenced him such as Richard Wilson (1714-1782) and Claude Lorrain (1600-1682).  These comparisons have enabled me to show how Turner’s use of colour changed gradually from his early work to his later work.  I believe I have successfully achieved this in my study by arranging Turner’s artistic career -of about sixty years, into three periods:  Firstly, his ‘early-years’ as a topographical student (1788-1812).  Secondly, his ‘mid-years’ when he developed mastery skills in landscape compositions as well as developing his individual artistic style (1812-1835), and finally his ‘late-period’ consists of working with the ‘sublime’ in an abstract way, using colour as the focal point (1835-1851).

In my study, I have investigated how Turner managed to create atmosphere using only colour and paint.  I have discussed how Turner used mystical landscapes and why they were so full of light.  I also aimed to find out how important Turner’s subject matter was to him, and if this changed as he matured.  In conjunction to this, I have also attempted to answer the following questions: ‘was colour and light the only thing that mattered to him in his later years?  If so, ‘did it take over the subject-matter of his paintings?’ “

…so was my opening chapter of my dissertation (thesis)…  I know, I cheated *blushes* -I was going to write something new but as I was clearing through my boxed stuff, I came across my dissertation and thought it was rather ironic and apt that I stumbled across this whilst I was in preparations to write a piece on Turner.  I re-read it (as you do) and thought the introduction chapter would best explain why Turner is my favourite artist and also it gives you a taster of what he is about…  Don’t worry I will not be writing the remaining chapters of my thesis here -that would be taking liberties.

Dido Building Carthage The Rise of the Carthaginian Empire by JMW Turner

Today, I want to discuss another aspect of Turner that I find admirable -his work ethics.  Turner started off as an eager topographical student, he studied hard and this, with his status allowed him a place within the ranks of the Royal Academy elitists.  It is interesting to note that Turner did not care for this ‘pretentious’ gathering but he was shrewd and knew he needed to be part of them in order to excel and make a living out of his art.  Turner kept in with the ‘in-crowd’, produced the works that would ‘sell’ -he was one of the few lucky (or shall we say clever) artists’ who actually reaped the benefits of his talents whilst he was alive.  Turner was smart; he understood that in the society he lived in, his vision of light would be frowned upon, so he deliberately kept these out from the critics eyes (though some lesser shocking ones he did exhibit and in turn was criticized severely).

Turner had travelled a long distance where his career was concerned.  He was undoubtedly, a genius in the making; he always seemed to be one-step ahead.  He knew how to get the recognition he wanted and played along with the rest of the Art World to get where he wanted.  He studied and persevered when all the critics were against him.  His vision of light had opened up new possibilities of abstraction, which was evident in Crossing the Brook (one of this months flash fiction prompts) and Dido Carthage.  With these and the vast amount of paintings/studies he Bequest in his will to the nation, Turner paved the way for Modern Art and its artists -especially the Impressionists.

There’s much said about Turner and possibly more to discuss; amongst which are lessons to be learnt.  To get to where we want to be we must study; stretch our minds and abilities.  We must not allow the critics to break us; if we need to improve, that’s what we must do; if we fall down we must learn to pick ourselves up as they say ‘sticks and stones…’  If we are ahead of our time (wouldn’t that be nice) -let’s take a leaf out from Turner’s book, let us embody our work, develop it but at the same time, work  within the constraints’ of the industry; when there’s an opening in the market and our style is applauded then let all hell break-loose.

Before I move on, I want to leave you with one thought about Turner…  It has been said that, Turner would have himself tied to the mast of a sailing ship whilst at sea to experience the storms so he could relay it into his paintings.  Are you that committed?  How far would you go for your artistic drive?

ROW80 UPDATE:

I have some update on Becoming, I am getting some more feedback from my beta reader, which is constructive, this has put me in a better mood.  The additions I made to the story plot (I had to introduce some characters earlier than I initially planned to), seems to work better so that is good news.  I was also worrying I was telling more than showing, but it seems I am more of a harsh critic of my work; I’ve been told the balance is right -yay; note to myself *must not be so hard on myself*.  With this positivity and the reminder of Turner’s remarkable work ethics, I believe more work on Becoming will be in the pipeline.  I hope that on Wednesday my WIP word count will rise *prays*.

If you want to see my progress-at-a-glance please head on over to my ROW80-Round 3 page.

New Goals (Tweaked & Lessons Learnt):

In line with my positivity, I am moving the goal posts (as the current combined blog/WIP word count is shattered -see below).  My previous ROW80 goals will remain the same as they are working for me; I just want to add:

• Aimed combined word count for the last two weeks will be 40,000 (I’m sure I can manage another 10,000 within the remaining timeframe -what do you think?).
• Visiting and commenting on at least 5 ROW80′ers blogs per check-in -for huge cheers; lets cheer all together!
• Visiting and commenting on at least 5 Campaigners blogs too (daily -may need a rethink for this, watch this space) -let me hear you say ‘yeah’ *grins*

It seems I have been concentrating too much on my blog posts and not on my novel -and my ROW80-Round 3 page has highlighted this clearly in black and white so I took heed and amended my blog schedule so I can work in some time for my novel.  Yippieeeeeeeee!

Progress up until 4th September 2011:

WIP word count:  6,918 /28,000

Blog post word count:  24,850 /28,000

Combined effort word count:  31,768 /28,000 (See the ROW80 progress bar on the side menu.)

Well, that’s me done for today, I’ll be back on Monday with a muse or two I’ll see you then, stay inspired and if your down in the dumps, remember Turner’s fighting spirit and do not be afraid to explore your skills, you may be a pioneer like Turner one day. *Wishful thinking*

Copyright © Ozlem Yikici 2011 & Copyright © doodllz™ 2011. All Rights Reserved.

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As you already know, thoughts and comments are encouraged as always -even if it is just a word -as ‘all good discussions start with just one word‘.

Pdf document:   Lessons from Turner & ROW80

If there is a topic you would like me to look into and explore in my own yikici-kind-of-way then please feel free to leave a suggestion in the comment box below or for those of you who are a wee bit shy drop me a line via my contact page or email me at admin@yikici.co.uk

Care to join me for some collaborative work or want to be a guest blogger?  If so, email me at the above address.