7 Gaze into the Landscape: Can Sensory Immersion, Landscape Reading and . . .
101
by this stroll under the waters. Words are powerless to describe such wonders! When
even the painter’s brush cannot depict the effects unique to the liquid element, how
can the writer’s pen hope to reproduce them? [. . . ] Who could paint the effects of the
light through those transparent sheets of water?”
29 . Maxime Aubinet is a student at
the Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage de Versailles. As part of his course, and
under the supervision of Alain Freytet, he uses sketches drawn underwater as material
for a specific pictorial production. He dives alone and without breathing apparatus.
His dives can last up to 1 min 30 s, which is quite short for doing sketches. At a
depth of 5–7 m, he finds a spot worthy of reproduction and during several dives, he
makes a note of physical indications. He also uses video, filming with a very high
quality camera. Using a heavy camera stand, he can place the camera on the seabed
to take fixed shots and make optimal use of the short dive time. Using this material
and written notes describing the atmospheres he encounters, he then paints in very
large formats. The representation does not seek to be figuratively exact; it is more
impressionist in style (Fig. 7.2a and 7.2b).
So what possibilities does such a representation offer? Great attention is paid to
the shades of the submarine spectrum, producing works of unusual beauty. But his
ability to render every feature of the underwater landscape visible would appear to
be restricted by the very criteria of its authenticity, close to the ambiance in situ.
By being overly true to the shades of the aquatic spectrum perceived, paint reproduces the same perceptive blur as the water filter. By definition, it only plays on the
chromatism and contrasts, restricted by the cold, underwater range
30 . What about
the shapes, volumes, textures, planes and objects? From this perspective, painting,
like photographs, exploits sensory proximity, faithfully reproducing the specific underwater “blur” and blends. It appears, however, to be one of those representation
methods that prevent other features of the underwater landscape from emerging, thus
restricting the extent to which it can be read.
7.4.2 Drawing Underwater Landscape: Ignoring the
Misleading Colours of the Depths to Reveal Structures?
A line sketch drawn under water differs in nature from painting (Fig. 7.3). Far from
proceeding in swathes of solid colour and relying on their contrast to create relief,
it seeks to create depth through a series of planes distinguished solely by their outline. The simple, black-line drawing delimits, differentiates and accentuates while
retaining continuities. It sorts and selects by nature. It attempts to abstract without
misrepresenting. It can therefore transcend the poor visibility of the aquatic scene.
While less precise than a photograph, it is paradoxically less misleading. By disposing of sensory confusion, a sketch serves as an investigative tool: the landscape
designer must decide, on the spot, how to interpret the shapes and nature of objects
29 Jules Vernes, Twenty thousand leagues under the sea, Chap. 16 “Strolling the plains”.
30 By virtue of the optical law of Chevreul’s simultaneous contrast of colour.
101
by this stroll under the waters. Words are powerless to describe such wonders! When
even the painter’s brush cannot depict the effects unique to the liquid element, how
can the writer’s pen hope to reproduce them? [. . . ] Who could paint the effects of the
light through those transparent sheets of water?”
29 . Maxime Aubinet is a student at
the Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage de Versailles. As part of his course, and
under the supervision of Alain Freytet, he uses sketches drawn underwater as material
for a specific pictorial production. He dives alone and without breathing apparatus.
His dives can last up to 1 min 30 s, which is quite short for doing sketches. At a
depth of 5–7 m, he finds a spot worthy of reproduction and during several dives, he
makes a note of physical indications. He also uses video, filming with a very high
quality camera. Using a heavy camera stand, he can place the camera on the seabed
to take fixed shots and make optimal use of the short dive time. Using this material
and written notes describing the atmospheres he encounters, he then paints in very
large formats. The representation does not seek to be figuratively exact; it is more
impressionist in style (Fig. 7.2a and 7.2b).
So what possibilities does such a representation offer? Great attention is paid to
the shades of the submarine spectrum, producing works of unusual beauty. But his
ability to render every feature of the underwater landscape visible would appear to
be restricted by the very criteria of its authenticity, close to the ambiance in situ.
By being overly true to the shades of the aquatic spectrum perceived, paint reproduces the same perceptive blur as the water filter. By definition, it only plays on the
chromatism and contrasts, restricted by the cold, underwater range
30 . What about
the shapes, volumes, textures, planes and objects? From this perspective, painting,
like photographs, exploits sensory proximity, faithfully reproducing the specific underwater “blur” and blends. It appears, however, to be one of those representation
methods that prevent other features of the underwater landscape from emerging, thus
restricting the extent to which it can be read.
7.4.2 Drawing Underwater Landscape: Ignoring the
Misleading Colours of the Depths to Reveal Structures?
A line sketch drawn under water differs in nature from painting (Fig. 7.3). Far from
proceeding in swathes of solid colour and relying on their contrast to create relief,
it seeks to create depth through a series of planes distinguished solely by their outline. The simple, black-line drawing delimits, differentiates and accentuates while
retaining continuities. It sorts and selects by nature. It attempts to abstract without
misrepresenting. It can therefore transcend the poor visibility of the aquatic scene.
While less precise than a photograph, it is paradoxically less misleading. By disposing of sensory confusion, a sketch serves as an investigative tool: the landscape
designer must decide, on the spot, how to interpret the shapes and nature of objects
29 Jules Vernes, Twenty thousand leagues under the sea, Chap. 16 “Strolling the plains”.
30 By virtue of the optical law of Chevreul’s simultaneous contrast of colour.