Directing Colors on the Canvas
Movie scenes, music videos and telenovelas can evoke strong emotions. Depending largely on the director’s vision of a plot, a single scene from an ordinary television set can make audiences cry, laugh or even ponder from time to time.
In more ways than one, a single artwork does the same.
Perhaps, no one understands the similarities and contrast of the two worlds better than Louie Ignacio. Direk Louie, one of the most sought- after directors in the country, understands the language of colors and visuals, whether he’s working behind the camera or in front of a canvas as a visual artist.
“Ang camera ko, yun ‘yung brush. Kung pano ko dini-direct ‘yung camera, ganun din ako mag-pinta. Kamay ko lahat yan eh. Pag gumagawa ‘ko ng isang movie or show, ako ang humahawak ng camera. Pero sa canvass, it’s more of the mind that works. You make colors move as you see them in your mind and direct them to create a bigger picture,” reflected Ignacio.
An artist’s abode
His house in Sta. Ana, Manila houses a gallery of paintings from famous artists here and abroad. From old masters all the way to contemporary greats, Ignacio has them all and enjoys waking up and looking at them every morning.
“I love being surrounded by paintings when I wake up in the morning. Ang saya ko tuwing nakikita ko sila. Nakaka-high ‘yun when you wake up to the artworks of famous painters and artist, iba talaga ang feeling,” expressed Ignacio.
The famous director added: “Una kong nabiling artwork is a Welbart, which I bought when he wasn’t that famous yet. He’s my favorite artist until now and I bought that artwork for a relatively low price compared to its present value. When I collect paintings, I look at the artwork itself and not the artist. Mahilig ako sa clowns and masks, ayoko nung mga painting na may mukha because I’m more into the artwork’s figurative side.”
From the living room and dining room and all the way to his bedroom, colors and artworks dominate this artist’s abode, not to mention other masterpieces in his rest house in Pagsanjan.
“Yung mga kino-collect ko iba-ibang artists. I buy them to make me happy. Pag stressed ako, it helps me a lot. Usually it’s the artwork itself that attracts me. I used to collect mother and child themed artworks, tapos I collected masks, and now nahihilig ako sa nude paintings, then there was one time that I loved abstract,” he said.
The initial stroke
Ignacio’s first experience with art happened back in 1992 when he was still studying in college as a mass communications student. He saw a work by national artist HR Ocampo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines which was very similar to his work.
“Hindi ko pa kilala si HR Ocampo ‘nun. Pero we had the same painting. Exactly the same. Tapos, nung pagpasok ko sa CCP natulala ako, yung gawa ko hawig na hawig ng sa kanya, then dun na nag-start ang relationship ko with art,” recalled Ignacio.
“Initially I went into arts as an outlet from my work and the busy schedule from TV. Then I started painting seriously back in 2008, that was my first one man show. It was at Art Asia in SM Megamall entitled Outpouring. It was a sold out show. There were 43 pieces and all were sold,” he added.
But it wasn’t as easy as Ignacio made it appear. His struggle began when he put up his first one-man show and displayed his precious artworks to the public.
Ignacio recalled: “Nung una, walang gustong tumanggap sa akin na gallery. Tinatanong nila, sino ‘to? Direktor to pero pintor ba ‘to? So lumapit ako sa Art Asia. That’s when they asked if they could look at my artworks first. Hindi ko pa kilala si Benjie Cabangis who was a very good art professor. Ang lakas ng loob ko kasi hindi ko pa siya kilala, but he really liked my works and that’s the time when my exhibit turned into a reality.”
Outpouring of emotions in colors
Spontaneous colors and patterns, which result in vivid images or abstractions, was the initial theme of Ignacio’s first one-man show.
“My first exhibit was called Outpouring because of my style of painting. I pour the paint usually two or three colors and I let them flow in the canvass. From there, sinasayaw ko yung kulay niya sa music and I listen to classical music when I paint so based from there, ‘yung movements ng colors sa paintings ko until the combinations of the paints produce something that came out of a dream.
“Outpouring because it’s the colors that I see in my dreams and my imaginations which are mixed into one artwork. But ang nag-mimix talaga sa akin eh yung utak ko. Hindi ako nag-mi-mix ng colors as an art director, hindi scripted but based on my feeling as I try to produce different images and visualizations by spontaneously adding layers of colors on the canvass.”
Recently, the artist is into watercolor which is very different from the acrylic works of his first exhibit. The artist enjoys the pastel colors provided by the watercolor which he describes as “easy on the eye” and relishes the natural movement of colors in the water.
“I used to work heavily on acrylic, now I like watercolor. Kasi pag nakikita kong gumagapang ‘ yung colors sa tubig, pumapalakpak pa ako, para akong baliw, pero ang ganda kasi sobra. Water ‘yung nagbibigay ng movement sa painting ko di ko siya dina-drawing, yung flow ng water — dun nabubuo yung images and artworks ko,” explained Ignacio.
Commercials, canvass and colors
Ignacio, enjoys the similarity of his two passions. Both worlds try to relay emotions to the audience and need fine direction in able to work.
“Actually, pag nag-didirect ako for television and musical shows, nakikita sa mga works ko yung movement na masaya siya gumagalaw, ganon ang gusto ko, maingay. So there is a mutual relationship between my two passions, lumalabas siya sa parehas na medium unconsciously,” said Ignacio.
“Sa painting, you direct the paint kung san mo siya patutuluin, kung papaano mo siya papasabugin. Sa show, kailangan mo ding i-direct lahat ng movement at buong flow ng show, which is represented by the colors in painting. Pag nag-didirect ako, para din akong nagpipinta, kasi pag sa TV, pag pinanood ng tao, mag co-comment sila sa composition etc., so there’s art. Pag naman sa MTV, may magsasabi ‘uy parang painting, so parang nagpipinta ka na din.”
For Ignacio, it’s the physical property that sets the two worlds apart. “TV is moving, more physical, pero sa canvass, it’s more of the mind that works, and you make colors move as you see them in your mind.”
Direk Louie even admits that his passion for colors will outlive his career as a director. His penchant for fine arts and his appetite for colors are among the reasons why he maintains a positive outlook in life and keeps him grounded.
“When I retire, one TV show na lang siguro ako a year, pero yung painting ko nandyan pa din yan, kahit everyday gagawin ko ‘yan dahil gusto ko makakita ng colors araw-araw. Dahil nakagagamot ang happy colors eh. Makikita mo ang edad ng tao sa mga gamit niyang kulay. Kasi pag grey na ang nakikita mo sa mundo wala na, you’re hopeless. Pero pag araw-araw eh puro colors nakikita mo, yung imagination mo ok pa din, creativity mo andun pa din, at iba talaga nagagawa ng pagpipinta,” concluded Ignacio. – Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
