Blue Drea
William Platz
- Sitter: Andrea (Drea) Lam
- Medium: Ink & gouache on stained hosho (kozo) paper
- Dimensions: 108 x 156 cm
- Representation: The artist represents themselves
- Category: Performing Arts and Music Award
About the artwork
Originally, Platz had planned a portrait focused on Drea’s performances. However, at their first sitting Drea sat quietly, holding and stretching her left foot in her hands. A few quick sketches of this gesture and a rapid note to stain the paper blue to reflect her contemplative mood hatched this portrait.
About the sitter
Andrea (Drea) Lam is a dancer, choreographer, teacher and entrepreneur. She is founder and Director of Brisbane’s Dance Masala Bollywood Dance Company, Queensland’s largest Bollywood dance company. She is a hero and role model for the artists two daughters (who have studied with her since they were very small).
About the artist
William Platz immigrated to Australia over a decade ago, settling in Brisbane with his family. He is an artist, educator and researcher (QCA, Griffith University) with a specialisation in drawing. His work focuses on practices, histories and pedagogies of life drawing and portraiture.
“Based on small pencil sketches of the sitter, the drawing uses a method called oil-transfer or trace monotype drawing.”
Behind the scenes
This drawing of dancer and choreographer Drea Lam is done on mulberry fibre (kozo) Japanese paper (washi) sheets stained in a bath of cobalt blue ink and joined while damp with rice starch.
Based on small pencil sketches of the sitter, the drawing uses a method called oil-transfer or trace monotype drawing. The paper is placed face-down on a surface covered in semi-dry oil paint, oil pastel or oil-based ink.
The drawing is then done on the back in hard pencil and ink is transferred to the front surface. The pencil work remains visible on the reverse side (verso).
The drawing is then enhanced with an opaque white watercolour called body colour (or gouache) which flows around the oil-based line.
