"Blue Period" is a Japanese manga that is about an ordinary high school student who gets immersed in the art world that is beyond answers.

The exhibition "Blue Period ～ Art is a Gift?～” started on 18 June 2022 in Tennoz Isle.

This time, PIGMENT TOKYO is going to collaborate with the exhibition through a special workshop.

［Limited Period Workshop］"YOUR BLUE" Special Workshop for the Blue Period Exhibition

Period: 9 July (Sat) - 24 September (Sat) 2022  ※10 workshops in total

Dates: 9 July (Sat), 17 July (Sun), 24 July (Sun), 

           7 August (Sun), 14 August (Sun), 21 August (Sun), 

           3 September (Sat), 10 September (Sat), 17 September (Sat), 24 September (Sat)

Time: 14:00-15:30

Venue: PIGMENT TOKYO

Course Fees: ¥8,800 (including tax, materials, and a ticket for the “Blue Period” exhibition)

Capacity: 10 people per session (100 people total)Age: No age restriction

Reservations: https://pigment.tokyo/ja/workshop/

The Reservation page opens at 15:00 on 16 June 2022 (Thurs)

※Please check the reservation page for more information.

※This workshop is already closed.

　Find the latest information about our workshops here.

https://pigment-store.myshopify.com/collections/workshop

The theme of this special workshop is blue and oil paint, which are the key elements in the manga’s story.

In this workshop, the participants will learn the history of blue color, art materials, a traditional method of making oil paint, and techniques of using it to create artwork. It also allows participants to deepen their knowledge through both the lecture and the practical skills.

One of PIGMENT TOKYO's art materials experts who is also an artist will be teaching the workshop.

Materials and tools will be all provided in the workshop, therefore, everyone is welcome to participate, whether you are new to oil paints or you want to try some new art materials.

Even for those who are familiar with oil paints, it may be an opportunity to extend your artistic expression by learning techniques for making your own paints from scratch.

This workshop comes with an admission ticket for the Blue Period exhibition, so you can spend all day exploring art and art materials.

The ticket can be used for a later visit, therefore, you may come back to the exhibition at a different time.

A marble plate and a muller are used for making oil paints.

There will be a demonstration by our instructor, and he will explain everything about the materials, tools, and the making process, so you don’t have to worry even if it is your first time!

Two types of basic blue pigments are used during paint-making.

Oil paint is made by mixing colorants and adhesives which are pigments and oil.

The following items are what we used in this workshop.

A marble plate and a muller are used for making oil paints.

There will be a demonstration by our instructor, and he will explain everything about the materials, tools, and the making process, so you don’t have to worry even if it is your first time! 

Look how vivid the cyanine blue is and the ultramarine blue reminds me of the ocean.

Although beautiful as they are, we can also create our own unique shade from here.

A new color is created by dropping a single grain of pigment such as white, red, or yellow.

You may use your senses to pick your favorite color while following the unexpected flow.

Perhaps you will end up with paint that has the depth and sheen that is unique to oil paints.

The next step is to apply the freshly made oil paints to a cotton canvas.

Applying plenty of oil paint to the white canvas with a stiff bristle brush made of pig hair.

From a deep blue like the night sky to a fresh bright blue as if illuminated by sunlight, various expressions can be seen by changing the way the same color is painted, such as varying the shading and brush strokes or partially leaving a white background.

Moreover, masking tape with several designs is already pasted on the canvas, so you can focus on coloring. 

I believe that those who normally use water-based paints or other color materials will be surprised by how much oil paint is different in terms of the touch with the brush, textures, richness, transparency, and absorbent to substrates.

As the masking tape was peeled off, the motifs that symbolize the "Blue Period" were revealed one by one.

With the shapes taken from the paint, you have now created your own blue. So what will you discover next in this blue world?

Here is the final result of the art piece!

You will be able to take it home with you in a wooden frame.

The oil paints made in the workshop will be installed by our staff in the exhibition space as "OUR BLUE," consisting of 100 colors of blue.

The silhouettes of the blues are tubes of paint, trimmed with masking tapes, just as in the workshop. The gradation of blue that spreads as the exhibition period continues will color the exhibition site.

The oil paint dries slowly as it touches the air and it changes its appearance over time. Therefore, our participants can enjoy a little more visual storytelling with the color after the workshop.

This may be an opportunity to change your perspective on the colors which fill your everyday life by learning the relationship between artistic expression and art materials!

Exhibit Information

【Information】

Exhibition Title: "Blue Period Exhibition ~ Art is a Gift? ~"

Date: 18 June (Sat) - 27 September (Tue) 2022

Venue: Terrada Warehouse G1 Building, Tennoz Isle, Tokyo (2-6-4 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo)

Sponsor: Blue Period Exhibition Production Committee

Official Website: https://blueperiod-ten.jp/

Copyright © Tsubasa Yamaguchi / Kodansha / Blue Period Exhibition Production Committee




Translated by Atsumi Okano and Nelson Hor Ee Herng
PIGMENT TOKYO Art Materials Experts