Notes on the film
Inks are traditionally applied to materials that can partly absorb them, such as paper or fabric. The bond between the ink and its surface assures a lasting hold that can transmit information across space and time. In animation, however, frames are scanned or photographed during the filmmaking process, allowing artists to use less reliable surfaces like celluloid. Sofia El Khiyari’s L’Ombre Des Papillons (Shadow of the Butterflies) finds middle ground between paper and plastic with non-absorbent paper.
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fine lines and textural strokes embrace the many qualities of ink
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Painted ink washes converge and intermingle on the film’s surface, but the water evaporates to leave uneven pigment deposits. The ink clumps and crackles unpredictably, and the resulting image appears eroded by time. These sedimented washes are paired with direct impressions of the artist’s fingers and lips, endowing the animated figure with a weathered skin. As the animator notes in a video about the production of this film, “the dreamlike and tactile effect of watery paintings evokes a nostalgic feeling of trying to catch old memories.” (text from Alla Gadassik’s curatorial essay “Dots, Lines, Washes: Animating Ink”)
Behind the Scenes
Watch director Sofia El Khiyari expand on the process of making this film in an interview and behind the scenes video uploaded to her YouTube channel.
check it out
“Dots, Lines, Washes: Animating Ink”
Shadow of the Butterflies, as well as a number of other ink-based films, are discussed in Alla Gadassik’s curatorial essay, Dots, Lines, Washes: Animating Ink, written for the 2023 Ottawa International Animation Festival.
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