Risshū (立秋) means ‘the beginning of autumn’ and marks the start of the traditional autumn season on the Japanese calendar. It usually falls around the 8th of August. Although the weather can still be hot, certain chirping insects, changing foliage and cooler morning/evening breezes show those early signs that autumn is approaching. My Risshū inspired colour study is of ‘Soleil Hill, Kanagawa’ a rather instagram friendly sunflower farm with a view of the iconic Mt Fuji.
This Risshū canvas was completed with acrylic paints and inked outlines (very much my go to materials for traditional artwork). It’s a thinner canvas, 30 x 30cm, but sits beautifully in this black floater frame. I’ve toyed with white frames (and that’s always an option if a clients wants a different style of framing) but I do feel like the black framing gives my line work something extra. The whole appearance feels more original to me and my work. Below you can see a quick time-lapse of the painting in progress…
These seasonal pieces are a personal project that I fit around larger commissions and commercial jobs. You can follow along with the Small Seasons series here. Or find me over on facebook, twitter or instagram. As always, I love to hear your suggestions, so please get in touch with those interesting places you have discovered! And of course, if you are interested in commissioning an original painting, please do check out my private commission guide.
