Yann Martel has said that much of the artwork submitted in the global Life of Pi art competition complements (adds to) the reading/interpretation and doesn't replace conceptualizations. What Life of Pi artwork has stimulated your interests? Why? How? (This is a painting by Andrea Offermann, entitled "Screaming Match." You'll read/see it soon. Offermann earned second place, I think, in the contest for the illustrated version of the novel. Tomislav Torjanac of Croatia was the winner of the prestigious contest.)
77 comments:
This painting "Screaming Match" by Andrea Offermann is fantastic! Tiny Pi is in the background, just a bystander. Orange Juice and the hyena are roaring at each other over the bleeding body of the zebra (What's black and white and re[a]d all over?--a newspaper, or a zebra in peril.) We love Orange Juice; we hate the hyena. Both are just following their instinctual impulses. And where is Richard Parker for all this? The Tsimtsum has sunk, but...
Tomislav Torjanac is one of the premier artists in the world. He's painted wonderfully for this book and won the competition to have his paintings included in the illustrated edition. I cannot decide if I'm stimulated more by his work, or by Andrea Offermann's. Your thoughts?
Well, we cannot see Tomislav's art, because the site is blocked, thanks to the ingenius school firewall... And I believe this painting is just what every reader's thoughts were after reading this passage. Yann describes it so clearly that there is very little interpretation to the scene. This artist is just very skilled at pulling the mental picture and putting it on paper.
I love the picture that shows the ships sinking by Andrea Offermann. She has the touch when it comes to expressing a point with artwork. When I see the cover of a book with interesting artwork on the front it makes me want to read that book. I know this to be true with many different people. Artwork is a visual way of expressing a story. Some times it is easier to understand a book by a painting. I am visual person and it makes it easier for me to understand things when I can relate it to a picture.
The website wasn't blocked for me..
I think that Tomislav Torjanac's painting "I threw the lifebuoy mightily" is really intense and beautiful at the same time. The fact that it's painted from the narrator's perspective makes the painting all the better!
Out of the paintings illustrated on one of the links i could easily say the representation of the three religious figures from Christianity,Hinduism,and Muslim. It shows the slightest of excessive entanglement of religion within his life as a whole from the time of his childhood to where it is explained in him reciting the story as an adult, its a great illustration and will remind all of the differences not just in society but in culture and way of tradition.
The picture that is on the cover of the book made me realize how big a tiger would be compared to a boy and what it would be like on boat. Giving me a better understading of what Pi is going through. Also, the picture of the three different religious people also gives me an understanging of how Pi probably felt when they found out that he was trying to practice three different religions. He probably felt really small compared, exactly how the picture shows them. Big and looking down at Pi
All of the art work because when I see the amazing art work it brings the book alive to me because of how real the artist makes the pictures.
I really like the simplicity of the orangutan one, she is just trying to stay afloat on top of a bundle of bananas. The technique the artist used is also very unique and I like the way it was painted. I also like the fact that the painting has a orange red hue to it and the water/sky isnt blue but redish orange. It gives you something else to further read into the painting, to me it signifies the heat that is experienced upon the ocean. Its a very simple painting but there always lyes hidden meanings in art.
I think that art can tell a story all its own. It really gives more depth and interest to the story. I have looked at some of Andrea Offermann and she is really good. I really like her work and I think that it portrays the book well.
I'm confused by this book... it seems to me to be a child’s novel, but with extremely huge words that you have to spend half the time looking up. By adding illustrations it makes it seem more child-like to me and distorts what I’m picturing in my head. But that is just my opinion most people love pictures. Although I do like the fact that the pictures don’t show the boy because that is my biggest pet peeve, when they ruin your view of what the character should look like, or what it looks like to you.
I love this painting it totally adds a excitement of detail to the Life of Pi. It for sure had some time put into it and i wish that the movie was already out so we could watch it although it probly would suck compaired to the book.
This painting by Andrea Offermann is amazing. It shows all the conflict there would be in the wild but it's just on a lifeboat. The tiger isn't shown which could leave us wondering, is he still on the boat? I love the conflict between the three animals. I also like the fact that in the far front of the boat in the picture, Pi is laying down up there while all this conflict is going on. I believe this artwork will intrigue me to keep reading the book all the way through.
Andy's right--this book seems childish, but at the same time it includes so much mental stimulation that children cannot even approach. Hang in there: you'll see results.
Terrific, Kayla. Thanks for your intelligent words.
Andy's right--this book seems childish, but at the same time it includes so much mental stimulation that children cannot even approach. Hang in there: you'll see results.
Terrific, Kayla. Thanks for your intelligent words.
This piece of artwork is very interesting because it shows the competitiveness for life in the wild. These three animals are fighing to stay alive and the likely that they would all survive in the wild would be slim to none.
I think this painting really visualizes the emotion of the animals and their orignial habitats conflict when being put on a small life boat. Hyenas and Orangatangs are not friendly in the jungle, in the movies the zebra is always shown as weak, by being dead or eaten by lions or what not, and the humans are usually placing themselves at a safe distance as they do not want to interfear with mother nature and the wild.
I personally like Tomislav Torjanac's paintings because they are the most realistic, but still painted. I dont like the one on the right of the page by Tomer Hanuka because it doesnt look very realistic. It looks too computerish to me. I do like the fact that Tomislav Torjanac didnt include Pi in the pictures because it could possibly change the readers opinion of the boy.
The artwork we saw yesterday in the movie clip where we saw things from pi's point of view it think really complemented the book because the art leave what pi looks like up to the reader, and also puts the reader in pi's position.
This painting here also complements the book because it shows what the animals look like and it portrays the scene in the book well.
i think art can ruin a book for you. To me i like to make my own ideas on how everybody looks and sometimes thost pictures can ruin it. But sometimes when im haveing a tough time understanding it like in 1984 i watched some of the movie clips to help my better understand it it helped alot. So i think they can be good and bad.
Great comments, Jenny.
I like the point Yann made in the YouTube video we watched yesterday about how the artwork of the book doesn't attempt to outdo the book, but instead adds to it and makes it better. Many artists try to outdo each other in making artwork, but the best art seems to come from those who create for the love of it, or in order to enhance an experience (reading a book) rather than to overpower it.
"This is life." A great quote from Martel. This all artists need to say/do. The creative process is not about out-doing an author, an artist, a director... (though it didn't hurt Martel's feelings to be awarded the major Man Booker Prize, which demonstrated his "out-doing" other novelists). Aldon's right: enhancement instead of overpowerment.
Art does make stories better. Pictures can evoke thousands of thoughts, and unlike reading it can display all of these at exaclty one moment. The second you see an illistruation all sorts of thoughts come to your mind, but while reading i am ushually focused on one thing at a time. I am not saying that stories are bad without art or vice-versa because in mind stories are art.
i think that art can be bad and good. in my opinion it all comes down to you as an individual and what you picture in your head when you read a book. if the art work agrees with this mental picture than it can only make the book that much better for you. however, if your idea of the characters does not agree with that of the artwork, it may sort of tarnish the book. however, i will also say that most of the art you see these days go along well with the books they associate with. artists research that which they are making basing their art off of.
I love Andrea Offermann pantings. The one with Pi and Richard Parker in the boat, and there are flying fish everywhere. It makes me want to read head to see how acturate the picutre is to the reading. It shows how Richard Parker can be mean and feroctious, but yet can help Pi get food.
i don't know who created this picture, but I like it: http://www.amateurillustrator.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/pi.jpg
I like how the colors are all different shades of orange and green. The picture depicts the main part of the story and gets down to the point: the boy's struggle on a lifeboat with a tiger. The artist also included the fish that Pi catches. I think this picture is a great photo and helps me visualize exactly what is going on in the story.
I really enjoy Tomislav Torjanac's three religion picture, it really feels as if you are there in the argument and have to decide what religion to choice. It must have been difficult for Pi.
I really like the painting of the sinking "Tsimtsum" cargo ship and all of the animals and Pi struggling to survive. I like how she makes the ship "larger than life" and it gives the feeling that even these massive zoo animals are helpless to the wide open ocean.
I would have to say that Tomislav Trojanac's artwork is more stimulating to me because of the point of view he creates. In each picture you can see things as if you were Pi Patel yourself which makes it all the more interesting. The viewer can see how Richard Parker would look like and almost feel as if you were face to face with a 500 pound bengal tiger in a small life boat. Also I think that although Andrea Offermann's work is very well done, it seems as though things are out of perspective somehow. Torjanac's work doesn't give the reader a look at Pi's face which is something that I think is correct. By not showing what Pi looks like the reader can make him look however he or she wants to and in doing so doesn't ruin the first impression that Yann Martel imprints on the reader when he introduces Pi for the first time.
i think that art work is good for books but in a way i agree with 4dalyb that art work can ruin a book for you. sometimes you do need somethink visual to help you along to understand something. This book is full of imagry so it is no suprise that there is so much art work to go along with the book.
In this scene of the zebra and orangatang being killed by the hyenna, it is extremely sad. I felt so bad for the zebra that was being eaten alive. I really wanted the orangatang to survive, but I didn't have much hope for him. Andrea Offermann's artwork of this scene was done very good. It really helps me visualize what the scene looks like. I'm glad she didn't actually show the hyenna in the zebra with blood all over, but I'm sure some artist has made a picture of the hyenna in the action of eating the zebra.
What's black and white and re(a)d all over?
I think that art makes books and stories better because i can have an image in my head of the right thing instead of thinking of some thing that is far off from what the author is intending to put into your head.
I find the painting "screaming match" very interseting. This is a scene filled with imagery. I Like how Yann Martel keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat. WHen i was reading this section of the book i was cheering for 'Orange Juice'. I am impressed with the tense vibe that is given off in this painting. It shows the suffering of the zebra and the pride of Orange Juice. It also adds to my hatred to the Hyena. THe part of this painting that i find most intriguing is Pi laying on the boat off in hte distance. It shows how scared Pi is and how far away he actually is.
I don't necessarily think that art makes a book better. With a book such as "Life of Pi" in which there are so many literary devices, I think art work can take away from some of the effectiveness of those devices. Putting art work in a book that is more dry and has considerably less literary devices would be more helpful to the reader, in my opinion, because it is harder to paint a mental picture without literary devices
"I made an exceptional botanical discovery." the 7th out of the 11 in the illustrated Life of Pi
I think that this picture is amazing because it shows the beauty of the island. With the rolling green hills that seem to be just beyond his fingertips. Everything about the island seems to be perfect, the rolling hills, the floating clouds, and the green grass. This just seems to be the perfect place. But you can also see that Pi is very dirty and weak from the way that he seems to be laying lifeless in the fetal postition.
I think that "Screaming Match" shows how small Pi is compared to the animals and the boat. I think that art can help you understand a book better or it can ruin it because you have your idea of how Pi looks then an artist has a nother idea that could contradict.
I like the picture "Screaming Match" because it is abstract but at the same time you can see what is going on. It shows how all the animals are TRYING to survive.
I like the painting Tomislav Torjanac has done of the 3 religious men. It shows a specific part of Pi's life where society is already trying to force him to do things he doesn't want. Society is trying to tell him he can only be one religion and Pi just doesn't understand why. This painting is great because it shows the men from a worms eye view which makes them appear larger than they are and that is also a symbol of how society is larger than we think.
Excellent, Jenni! People do force a lot on others, don't we? These three men are looking down in a very stern, forceful manner on little Pi. Makes me feel sorry for him that he has to undergo their scrutiny. Does he say "yes" to all three because of the pressure, or because each offers a fascinating, beneficial viewpoint? Or...
Excellent, Jenni! People do force a lot on others, don't we? These three men are looking down in a very stern, forceful manner on little Pi. Makes me feel sorry for him that he has to undergo their scrutiny. Does he say "yes" to all three because of the pressure, or because each offers a fascinating, beneficial viewpoint? Or...
I agree with Jenni. It's my favorite picture too (that I've seen so far)! It says a lot about how Pi is feeling and about how the men, and the religions they have taught him, have impacted his life. I think it is possible to believe in all three of them but I think it would be very hard for me. Its hard enough to learn and believe in one religion fully for me and I don't know how he can understand and keep track of THREE!?! I think the three men are symbolic to the fact that with believing in three religions they can interact and overlap and even have some of the same beliefs. Like how the three men all agree that he should only follow one religion. I think there is more thought and knowledge put into artwork than some people give credit for.
http://image.guim.co.uk/Guardian/books/gallery/2007/sep/27/generalfiction/pi1-5126.jpg
this artwork of the book Life of Pi is really eye-catching. The dark colors show that this picture is depicting a depressing part of the novel. In the distance is Richard Parker, struggling to defeat the waves and harsh weather conditions in order to survive. Pi remains in the lifeboat and all we can see of him are his hands reaching out in hope of rescuing his beloved friend. It also shows a tube thing being thrown out in hope of saving Richard Parker. The weather helps set the tone for the picture. I think that the rain falling from the sky symoblizes the tears that may be falling from Pi's face as he sees his friend struggle in the water.
pd.1
I think that religion is a big part in Life of Pi so I am really into the painting of the three men representing the three different religions Pi wants to be. I agree with what Jenni Holle has to say about how society forces people to only choose on thing to be but Pi really just wants to be all three religions. In my eyes I really dont see how you can be three different religions I guess I really dont agree with that part of the story I think you should have one religion and devote your beliefs to that one.
Another painting I liked was the one with Richard Parker and the Mako fish. The look in the tigers eyes are fierce and show that he is very eager to eat the fish. I think it symbolizes how hungry Richard Parker is on the boat and how Pi finds him the food to eat.
Nicole Ahlers was right! "Screaming Match" is abstract, yet realistic. You can see it, but it also gets exaggerated when you look at it more. I like when art is not so rigidly realistic, I guess.
Concerning to your comments on the the you shoudl only have 3 religions. I feel that that is somewhat demanding of you, some people have open minds and want to see what religion really suits who they are instead of conforming into what every else wants you to be.
that last comment was responding to erica's thoughts
Erica, I disagree with you that people should only be one religion I myself am only a Christian but I can see how some people need more faith and reassurance in their life. Also Pi is in the middle of the ocean in a solitary lifeboat with an adult Bengal tiger! I feel that Pi needs as much religions as he can fathom at this point for hope and perseverance so with that being said I disagree with you Erica
pd 1st.
Erica - I disagree with your view on religion in Life of Pi. I think that people have the right to choose whatever religion they want. If people want to have three different religions then that's ok too. When Pi is on the lifeboat for so long maybe he needs all three religions to get by that hard time. Wouldn't you believe in all three religions if you were stranded with a bengal tiger on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean, Erica?
I disagree with Erica's post about only focusing on one religion.
Obviously, someone isn't going to practice Judaism AND Christianity equally, but I strongly believe that you can gather an infinite amount of wisdom/information from looking in to different relgions. I personally only practice Christianity, but i'm very open to learning about other relgions. I think this is a great way to understand our own religions much better.
It just challenges and fascinates me, every time I reconsider this book. I get frustrated, too, but that's the point, surely.
I think it is highly improbable for Pi, a skinny Indian boy to pick up one of the ocean's swiftest killers the Mako shark** and throw it into the mouth of a Bengal tiger. This shows the gravity of the situation and that how desperate Pi would have to be to risk his own life for such a feat just for the tiger to be fed for a little while..
Pi needs all the help he can get in the middle of the ocean Erica. Maybe 1 religion wont get him off the boat. Or its the fact Pi is just open-minded like Will said. Dougie is completely right when he says, Pi needs as much religions as he can fathom.
Erica, you are wrong..........
I agree that the art work creates a different perspective in my mind. The art work I've seen are the ideas that other artists see and create. I don't like it when Pi is in the painting or picture. I have a different view point of what Pi looks like so viewing the artwork is beneficial but also some what confusing the image that I have in my mind.
i agree with jake on my stand of where Erica is on her religion comment
Many people have different views on things and you should come to accept and respect on what they have to say. You should always try and see things from someone else's point of view.
"Screaming Match"
I really like this piece by Andrea Offermann. This picture shows the true intensity of the screamin match that took place. The zebra is frightened but is to wounded to fight back and is defenseless. The looks on Orange-juice and the hyena's faces are not pretty looks they show true emotion and the intense anger they feel. Pi cowered in the background, in a fetal position shows that he is very scared and just trying no to be killed. As much as we like Orange-juice we know that the terrible hyena kills her. She puts up a good fight but in the end loses. This picture shows true emotion of what is actually going on no b.s. just to make the animals look pretty because we want to think they would be. They are animals carrying on their natural animal instincts.
Right, Chase--
Pi must be using the shark's strength and momentum against itself to get it into the boat, where it fights Richard Parker to the death. What roars! What bites! What a scene!
Last year's students were/are pretty darn scholarly, eh?
pd. 3
I enjoy this painting called "Screaming Match", by Andrea Offerman. I did not see Pi crouched in the back of the picture until I read a comment and then looked harder to see him. This painting has a lot of emotion in it. Pi looks afraid and scared. The zebra is dying, while the hyena and orange-juice are fighting (screaming at eachother.) Paintings and art like this make the book come alive. We have to invision the events as we read the book. I think these paintings give tell us the artists' point of view on the book but the paintings also portray the book well.
I disagree with Bucknasty's comment regarding the potential of art to give thousands of descriptions all at once as opposed to the closed potential of a written novel. Art can only give a description based on the intelligence of the viewer. Without the novel Life of Pi, these artistic works would be rendered meaningless. The novel can exist by itself, but not vice versa. Had I not read Life of Pi, the artwork would be ambiguous and could only be interpreted on the simplest level. All symbolism and deeper meaning is removed.
p.1
This painting "Screaming Match" really hits the spot on visualizing what Pi is seeing when all the animals are just mad at eachother. It shows how personal space is not only important to animals, but also important to humans as well. If a person is constantly with a group of people or is always surrounded by people, sooner or later they will go "insane", just like Orange Juice and the hyena does. In life, one needs to dedicate sometime to themself for alone time so they can reflect. If you never are alone by yourself, then how can you form opinions and thoughts based on your own attitudes and self-being? If one is constanly in a group, they conform and never think for themself. So having the animals in the boat screaming at each other is just representing what will happen to humans if their space is constantly being invaded.
I think all art work can tell a story of its own. Art also can paint pictures in your mind that would not have been painted if the art had not been done. All the artwork i have seen have painted pictures in my mind, it helps me visualize the story more. I agree with rachel, i hate seeing Pi too in these paintings. The author never really describes how he is so i hate seeing him. It creates a different picture then what i am seeing in my head (in Hanuka's art you can see his back- he doesn't look like i imagined him). In Andrea Offremann's work Pi is laying in the far background scared, I think that was drawn nicely because you can't even tell what he looks like.
Why do you suppose these artists are willing to blog with a high school class in South Dakota?
I agree with Bucknasty. Art does make books better. A lot of the time people have a hard time reading a book because they cant get an image in their head about whats going on. Art is a great way to help stimulate the readers mind and allows them to enjoy the book.
The "Screaming Match" done by Andrea Offermann is perfect for the part in the book when Orange Juice and the hyena are roaring at each other. This is what i pictured in my head when this was going on in the book. She did a good job its perfect.
I relly like Tomislav Torjanac first person oil picture its really good. I think doing the whole first person was a very good idea. Because in the book we become very close with Pi so doing a first person picture made us connect even more with Tomislav Torjanac's pictures.
said by erin sudbeck
Art about a piece of art is of course art. Which makes art about itself. Visual art helps stimulate the mind with colors, objects, and using relateable scenes in the background. People like being able to relate to a piece of art. They like to see themselves in it.
Having artwork for a novel is great. It gives you something to base your imagination on. Also having artwork contests for a book gives feedback to an author as to how people of the world interpret their writing. Artwork such as Andrea Offermann's draws you in making you want to know what is with all these animals.
I believe that it it possible to believe in more then one religion at one time. but I dont believe that you can be in total commitment to more then one do to there conflictions. Pi wants to broaden his perspective on religion by practicing a little bit of all three. That probibly help him keep his sanity through the voyage on the little raft by himself and the tiger.
Many people can look at a painting and get many different opinions out of it. its what makes us different and stand out of the crowd. We all have different interest, want and needs, lifestyles, we act differently towards different things. why would we all have the same opinion on a painting. I like the realism in paintings, but I also like the creativity of anime and other paintings that distort the picture from reality.
i agree with lori, by seeing somthing else [as in different views of the novel] it adds to your own ideas of what you should be picturing. I also agree with lori because as an author its is intresting to see how other people view what you ment to say.
The picture "I threw the lifebuoy mightily" is my favorite artwork for Life of Pi. The entire scene reminds me of Titanic, when the boat is going down and everyone is terrified. The tiger looks small enough to be a kitten, which is what went across Pi's mind when he threw the buoy, even though it could actually eat a person it's so huge. It shows that in a life-and-death situation we want to save all forms of life, because if you were in that other animals situation you would want to be saved.
This scene could also be interpretted into a Noah's Ark tale. Pi and Richard Parker are a pair because they both are animals with feelings.
Post a Comment