Detail of
Picnic in Early Spring
Picnic in Early Spring: artist's notes
SKU: 7
More than once, I unsuccessfully attempted to add color to Picnic in Early Spring. But it never looked right. This print just wants to be in black and white! But what finally gave me confidence in that decision was when two, different people picked this print out of my other prints and gave it unsolicited praise. It caused me to look at the picture differently–for what it had, as opposed to what it did not have.
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If you ask a Japanese, "What is your favorite color?" a fair number of people will choose black or choose white. But Americans rarely seem to choose one of those colors as their favorite.* In fact, Americans often think of black & white as non-color or the absence of color (monochrome)–as though something is missing. But in traditional, Japanese brush & ink drawings, or in woodblock prints, white paper often functions as a color. It isn't just blank paper in the background–it has the energy and character of color. For example, the white in a picture can appear to be in front of black (or other colors) in some places and in other places appear to be behind them–advancing forward or receding backward like any other color can do.
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​The white sky in Picnic in Early Spring is not blank, but the spaces between the trees have presence and visual energy.​ And in the remainder of the picture, the absence of color allows other elements of art to shine. For example, varied textures are prominent everywhere. These textures, and lines, actually become more prominent because they are in black and white and don't have to compete with color.
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Both sides of the creek are covered with various textures. And the graceful lines of the 3 trunks in the left foreground join the creek-bend to create a large D-shape that pushes your eye toward the family. This tree on the left, along with the dark tree on the right, bookend the open space where the family sits. And the details of the sod along the bottom of the picture draw you the viewer onto the edge of that space.
​* Fashion design, interior design and product design in America (in recent years) is an exception, often favoring monochrome color.
Detail of
Picnic in Early Spring
