Monday, May 5, 2014

Astro Boy Wall Murals

When considering collaborative projects the Grade 8 students might undertake this year, our attention began to drift toward iconic contemporary images of Japan that may be relevant to our students. Here in Osaka, one of the most iconic artists is Osamu Tezuka who created the animated character of ‘Astro Boy’ during the 1950’s. This popular series introduced Japanese anime to the world and in doing so effectively opened the floodgates to the overwhelming range of manga-style characters that continue to emerge today.

With five class groups undertaking this particular collaborative project, it was decided that each team would work on a different classic Astro Boy pose by following a standard grid system to enlarge the selected illustration to an oversized format. Each student was responsible for two of the enlarged grids and begun by firstly outlining the line work with black paint. For a suitable decorative element, we began to investigate the more recent works of Chuck Close and were inspired to develop interesting coloured patterns that would completely fill the image.

The use of bright pastels allowed for some interesting colour combinations. By using cool colours for the outside and warm for the character itself, the students were able to achieve a striking impact through the use of contrast. As these five pieces were to be placed in the vast area of the largely grey Genkan (the entrance foyer to the school), it would eventually prove to be a wise decision. The completed final pieces were placed on their own separate wall, providing a bold introduction to the school and its visual art program, which effectively demonstrated the collaborative artistic efforts of our talented Grade 8 students with this project.





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