Perfecting a Single Image by Rote
Here, I am showing an image. I learned to make this particular image through repetition. I made it by following my ideas of making such things from memory. Before making this one, I drew the same profile over and over in simple black and white line drawings, looking for the proper amount of calligraphic strokes to build the outlines of the figure. The idea came from how in certain comics, the drawings of characters depend on a formula that is repeated every time the character is drawn. I made about twenty of these, and as I was doing them, I also thought about how Chinese writing is learned by rote; the only way to remember such a complex language is by writing (or drawing) each character many times.
As simple as this acrylic drawing looks, it was carefully made with layers of colors and a few attempts at getting the outlines right. It was not easy, but it slowly arrived at the point where I felt it was finished. When it finally came together, I did the calligraphic outlines one more time and got it just right; because I had already executed this drawing so many times, the rhythm of placing the lines came naturally.
This representation of my dad in his later years is my favorite image of him, the one that – beyond any snapshot of him – closest resembles him, even if it is nothing more than a cartoon drawing from my imagination.