SUNRISE

Sunrise

Lim Xin Ying

Pencil Drawing

2010

The artwork depicts a view of the sun rising over the horizon at a serene beach, with a girl at the right side of the picture.

The horizon is distinguished by a line, separating the sky and the sea. The artwork is created using different values of a monochromatic colour - black. The composition of the artwork is asymmetrical as the right side seems to be 'heavier' as the girl is standing on the right, dominating much space and although the rising sun is situated at the left, it does not balance out the composition of the drawing. The background, which is the sky, is created by blending pencil strokes, creating a misty effect, except for the sun and its rays, which are white, making a very clear contrast between the misty sky and the shining radiance of the sun. The sea is created using short and choppy strokes but it is not blended as well as the sky to differentiate between the sky and the sea. Some pencil strokes on the sea are still visible, representing the gentle waves.

This piece of artwork symbolizes hope. The dawn of a new day is suggesting a new beginning, which means that hope is arriving. Light is often associated with hope and happiness, unlike darkness, which is often associated with depression and sadness. The girl, with her back facing the viewer, may be wishing as her hands are in front of her, hoping to have a bright future ahead, or hoping that she will be able to overcome her problems as a new day arrives. The calmness of the sea may be suggesting that she will lead a peaceful life in times to come. The sun rising symbolize night fading away and being illuminated by the sunrays, which may in turn reflect the girl's troubles are going to fade away as hope is coming.