THE SHERLOCK AFFECT: A Study in Sentiment

I can't believe it has actually happened-- my graduating art show is done, up on display, and I had my opening reception on Tuesday!

A short explanation of my concept:

For 126 years, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s great detective Sherlock Holmes has been reinterpreted repeatedly for all sorts of media, but has recently come to a crescendo in film and TV versions. Though each of these versions have their merits, it’s becoming increasingly clear that many of them tend to leave out an important part of the great Sherlock’s character: emotion. They dance around it, letting the hungry audiences see just a sliver of soft interior to keep them coming back, or attributing his apparent lack of empathy to a psychological issue.

But this is definitely not Doyle’s Sherlock, who welcomes clients into his home “with the easy courtesy for which he was remarkable,” pats hands and forearms while reassuringly chatting with clients “in the easy soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ,” and who repeatedly apologized to Dr. John Watson when first sharing a flat with him for using their living room to meet with his clients. That Sherlock is most definitely not a psychopath or robot, and certainly has human emotions.

I argue that his bridled emotions are what make him the great detective. They’re his motive for trying his utmost in bringing criminals to justice as well as innocents away from false convictions and are what enables him to understand even the criminals’ points of view when investigating cases. Here I have showcased 6 instances in which Sherlock’s emotions are evident, showing that he does in fact have a heart."

Here are the illustrations in a test I did for order sequence and to make sure they fit well together.

And the flyer I used (kinda?) to promote the show... I probably should have printed some out, but I got really self-conscious about it and only put it on Facebook.

Pics from the show...

AJ my brother was a HUGE help in putting my show up.
It would have taken at least double the time if his awesome skills weren't present.

"I didn't know this would be happening today!"
Mom was an indispensable help as well.

All set up in the Gallery.

And no matter what other people may think of it (and of course I know it's not like it's the greatest thing ever), I really enjoyed making these illustrations. The backgrounds were so much fun that I was actually giggling while making them. I have studied and worked out Sherlock's character and face over months of study, both in the texts and in studying thin faces that resembled what I wanted him to look like. I made a Pinterest Board for collecting research pictures, websites and such, and almost reached 400 pins in my effort to nail down exactly what I wanted.

Anyway, my point is that I have loved working on this. I have very rarely felt good and comfortable before, during, and after making a piece of art, and these illustrations collectively are one of those rarities. I'm happy with how they turned out, and that, for me, is a big deal.

It's been a fun run! And now, for some other great news....

I found out yesterday that I was accepted into a study abroad program in JERUSALEM!! I am absolutely beside myself with excitement and gratitude for such a great (<-- understatement) opportunity!! Weirdly, one of the things I'm excited to do is sit on a balcony (I've seen pictures of some at the Center) and sketch the city in my sketchbook.

Wif a li'l bi' o' luck!

SO! I found a rather great Sherlock model! It just so happened to be the guy who came to model for my painting class, in a bizarre turn of events. So not only did I get to take some pictures of him, but I got to paint him for 12 hours of class time!

And here it is! Now, try to reserve judgment, I did my best, and these are just pictures I took with my phone-- the first picture is a bit truer to the actual colors.

I still need to finish the shirt and fix up the background. My oil painting skills are still not where I'd like them to be, but I feel like I've improved tremendously since I last tried. Or at the very least I enjoy it a LOT more. It could have something to do with listening to Harry Potter 7 while painting...

Also, even if I haven't been producing any new pieces for the Sherlock show, I sketch him ev-er-y-where! In my notes for other classes, on the church programs, and of course in my sketchbook. I feel like I'm getting to know him rather well, even though he varies slightly from sketch to sketch.

Refreshing Sherlock

Alright. I have a very long discourse about why I really dislike the versions of Sherlock characters that are upright jerks, even though they're generally entertaining to watch.
But dang.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman? Please, sir, I want some more!

Over the past couple of years, I've really been dissatisfied by most TV shows. So thank you, BBC's SHERLOCK. Yes, we've had the script you're using for over a century, but the craft and method used to portray it is stunning.
Even though Sherlock is still a jerk. And I'm probably going to use this show as evidence for my BFA show that nobody these days [or ever, really] seems to want to pay attention to Doyle's portrayal of Sherlock's heart, as shown in the stories by his high level of courtesy.

But anyway, the point is I wanted to share how I got a little carried away with my simple sketch while listening to scriptures the other night...

Pay no attention to the list in the corner....

So it's a bit off-- aha! I caught myself. I'm not going to tell you what I think is wrong with it.

You figure it out, Sherlock. ;)