Sketching the Silk Road | D3 Media Group

60-Minute Documentary (2006)

Follow two American painters as they trace an ancient trade route to China’s most famous Buddhist artwork grottoes. Armed with only their sketchbooks and their creativity, they are… Sketching the Silk Road.

At the end of their two-week journey, the artists must come up with their own original paintings inspired by the grottoes. How will they capture one of the world’s most remarkable collections of ancient artwork? What will their final paintings look like when they are hanging in a gallery back home?

About The Silk Road

Step back in time 1,000 years to the heyday of China’s prosperous Silk Road. The first trade route to bring precious silk to the outside world, it threads its way through vast deserts and over mountains to India, Persia, and Europe. By the same route, treasures from faraway lands make their way into China, like exotic peppers, ivory, perfumes, and the ways of Buddhism.

About the Caves of One Thousand Buddhas, or Mogao Grottoes

By the 4th century C.E., Dunhuang, China becomes a major trading post on the Silk Road and a hub of fervent Buddhism. It is here that a monk has a vision of a thousand Buddhas. He voyages to Echoing Sand Mountain and carves a grotto of his vision as an offering to Buddha. For the next thousand years, scores of pilgrims follow the monk’s lead, carving a honeycomb of grottoes and filling them with resplendent murals and sculptures. Their artwork captures Buddhist images and stories of the many ethnic groups, religions, and cultures that thrive along the Silk Road. These are the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas.

Press Coverage
“Capturing China on camera…and on canvas,” Off Camera, September 2005 (page 8.)
“Sketching the Silk Road premieres,” Off Camera, July 2006 (page 8.)
“Nor Cal Producer Going National,” Off Camera, October 2006 (page 7.)
“Sketching the Silk Road wins an Emmy award,” D3 Press Release, May 2007.

Art Opening & Reception / November 2005

: Nan Hai’s gallery is ready for its first visitors to the Sketching the Silk Road Exhibit

: Todd’s 36 x 48″ oil on canvas, called “Afternoon Stroll”

: Rachel does her last shooting for the final footage of Sketching the Silk Road

: The crowd gets up-close, as the film crew documents their reactions

: Rachel’s sister next to her 31 x 22″ oil on canvas, called “Diptych, Cave 011 and Card” (painting one of a two piece set)

: Rachel describes her on-location paintings to these observers

: Rachel and Todd answer questions after the 10-minute sneak-peek video of Sketching the Silk Road

: Long-time Inside China and Land of the Dragon fans –Ralph, Carmen and Herman– enjoy Chinese snacks during the reception

: Rachel and Todd share their travel experiences with Shixun Yan and Jubao Pu, of the Chinese Consulate

On-the-Road in Dunhuang / July 2005

: Touch down! Rachel and Todd arrive at Dunhuang airport

: Rachel chooses to go solo on this paragliding adventure

: Todd’s view of the oasis is spectacular from up there

: Rachel sketches this ancient pagoda near Crescent Moon Spring

: Todd chooses to focus on the landscape to capture the beauty of the rolling dunes

: Rachel gets ready for her first camel trek

: Camel riders travel along the dunes

: He Ke Feng shares her techniques as she cuts a red flower for window art

: Visiting the famous local paper cutting artist, He Ke Feng

: Everyone gets to enjoy a special banquet in honor of these two artists

: Todd and Rachel take a lesson from these famous Dancing Mural performers

: Todd is ready to join the troupe

: Todd’s first go at Chinese calligraphy

: Rachel and Todd are buried somewhere in this group of eager students

: A calligraphy master presents Rachel and Todd with their names in Chinese

: Rachel and Todd have a go at teaching English in this elementary school

: Here is the father of the vineyard owner receiving the gift of a portrait from Rachel

: Todd sketches this ancient stockade used by soldiers to store supplies

: Browsing through this local art supply shop is like being in a candy store

: Hanging out of the bus as they return from the famous Buddha grottoes

: Rachel sketches this well-known Dunhuang cave

: Inside Dunhuang’s Cave #96, this 116 foot Buddha towers above Rachel and Todd

: Look up close and see the straw layers on one of the oldest sections of the Great Wall

: Rachel is happy to see this statue only days after she found her lucky Monkey King charm buried in the desert

: A sample of the Dunhuang murals, filmed by a foreign crew for the first time

: A brilliant ceiling in one of the grottoes

: Rachel mimics a replica of a Buddha statue in this Dunhuang art studio

: The D3 film crew gathers together one last time before journeying back to the U.S.

Viewers
To request Sketching the Silk Road, contact the TV Programmer at your local PBS station.

TV Programmers
Visit APT Program Catalog for the online Press Kit.

There are no current airing dates.

Title: Sketching the Silk Road Length: 90 minutes Format: DVD  Production Year: 2005

Price for home use: $25.00 plus shipping and handling.

(The DVD price is for home-use. If you are ordering for a library, college, business, government agency or other institution, the price is $75.00 per DVD plus shipping and handling fees.)

 Availability: In stock.

SHIPPING & HANDLING Usually ships in 3-4 business days.

Shipping and handling in the U.S. is $5.00 for the first DVD and $2.00 for each additional DVD. For international shipments, prices will vary.

PAYMENT METHODS

Cashier’s Check / Money Order  Send a Cashier’s Check or Money Order for the correct amount (including shipping and handling) to the address below. Make the check payable to “D3 Productions, Inc.” Please indicate the title of the DVD(s) and the number of copies in your order. We do not accept personal checks.

Mail to: 
D3 Productions, Inc.
7700 Edgewater Drive, Suite 248
Oakland, CA 94621

Description

60-Minute Documentary (2006)

Follow two American painters as they trace an ancient trade route to China’s most famous Buddhist artwork grottoes. Armed with only their sketchbooks and their creativity, they are… Sketching the Silk Road.

At the end of their two-week journey, the artists must come up with their own original paintings inspired by the grottoes. How will they capture one of the world’s most remarkable collections of ancient artwork? What will their final paintings look like when they are hanging in a gallery back home?

About The Silk Road

Step back in time 1,000 years to the heyday of China’s prosperous Silk Road. The first trade route to bring precious silk to the outside world, it threads its way through vast deserts and over mountains to India, Persia, and Europe. By the same route, treasures from faraway lands make their way into China, like exotic peppers, ivory, perfumes, and the ways of Buddhism.

About the Caves of One Thousand Buddhas, or Mogao Grottoes

By the 4th century C.E., Dunhuang, China becomes a major trading post on the Silk Road and a hub of fervent Buddhism. It is here that a monk has a vision of a thousand Buddhas. He voyages to Echoing Sand Mountain and carves a grotto of his vision as an offering to Buddha. For the next thousand years, scores of pilgrims follow the monk’s lead, carving a honeycomb of grottoes and filling them with resplendent murals and sculptures. Their artwork captures Buddhist images and stories of the many ethnic groups, religions, and cultures that thrive along the Silk Road. These are the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas.

Press Coverage
“Capturing China on camera…and on canvas,” Off Camera, September 2005 (page 8.)
“Sketching the Silk Road premieres,” Off Camera, July 2006 (page 8.)
“Nor Cal Producer Going National,” Off Camera, October 2006 (page 7.)
“Sketching the Silk Road wins an Emmy award,” D3 Press Release, May 2007.

Gallery

Art Opening & Reception / November 2005

: Nan Hai’s gallery is ready for its first visitors to the Sketching the Silk Road Exhibit

: Todd’s 36 x 48″ oil on canvas, called “Afternoon Stroll”

: Rachel does her last shooting for the final footage of Sketching the Silk Road

: The crowd gets up-close, as the film crew documents their reactions

: Rachel’s sister next to her 31 x 22″ oil on canvas, called “Diptych, Cave 011 and Card” (painting one of a two piece set)

: Rachel describes her on-location paintings to these observers

: Rachel and Todd answer questions after the 10-minute sneak-peek video of Sketching the Silk Road

: Long-time Inside China and Land of the Dragon fans –Ralph, Carmen and Herman– enjoy Chinese snacks during the reception

: Rachel and Todd share their travel experiences with Shixun Yan and Jubao Pu, of the Chinese Consulate

On-the-Road in Dunhuang / July 2005

: Touch down! Rachel and Todd arrive at Dunhuang airport

: Rachel chooses to go solo on this paragliding adventure

: Todd’s view of the oasis is spectacular from up there

: Rachel sketches this ancient pagoda near Crescent Moon Spring

: Todd chooses to focus on the landscape to capture the beauty of the rolling dunes

: Rachel gets ready for her first camel trek

: Camel riders travel along the dunes

: He Ke Feng shares her techniques as she cuts a red flower for window art

: Visiting the famous local paper cutting artist, He Ke Feng

: Everyone gets to enjoy a special banquet in honor of these two artists

: Todd and Rachel take a lesson from these famous Dancing Mural performers

: Todd is ready to join the troupe

: Todd’s first go at Chinese calligraphy

: Rachel and Todd are buried somewhere in this group of eager students

: A calligraphy master presents Rachel and Todd with their names in Chinese

: Rachel and Todd have a go at teaching English in this elementary school

: Here is the father of the vineyard owner receiving the gift of a portrait from Rachel

: Todd sketches this ancient stockade used by soldiers to store supplies

: Browsing through this local art supply shop is like being in a candy store

: Hanging out of the bus as they return from the famous Buddha grottoes

: Rachel sketches this well-known Dunhuang cave

: Inside Dunhuang’s Cave #96, this 116 foot Buddha towers above Rachel and Todd

: Look up close and see the straw layers on one of the oldest sections of the Great Wall

: Rachel is happy to see this statue only days after she found her lucky Monkey King charm buried in the desert

: A sample of the Dunhuang murals, filmed by a foreign crew for the first time

: A brilliant ceiling in one of the grottoes

: Rachel mimics a replica of a Buddha statue in this Dunhuang art studio

: The D3 film crew gathers together one last time before journeying back to the U.S.

TV Airing Schedule

Viewers
To request Sketching the Silk Road, contact the TV Programmer at your local PBS station.

TV Programmers
Visit APT Program Catalog for the online Press Kit.

There are no current airing dates.

Purchase DVD

Title: Sketching the Silk Road Length: 90 minutes Format: DVD  Production Year: 2005

Price for home use: $25.00 plus shipping and handling.

(The DVD price is for home-use. If you are ordering for a library, college, business, government agency or other institution, the price is $75.00 per DVD plus shipping and handling fees.)

 Availability: In stock.

SHIPPING & HANDLING Usually ships in 3-4 business days.

Shipping and handling in the U.S. is $5.00 for the first DVD and $2.00 for each additional DVD. For international shipments, prices will vary.

PAYMENT METHODS

Cashier’s Check / Money Order  Send a Cashier’s Check or Money Order for the correct amount (including shipping and handling) to the address below. Make the check payable to “D3 Productions, Inc.” Please indicate the title of the DVD(s) and the number of copies in your order. We do not accept personal checks.

Mail to: 
D3 Productions, Inc.
7700 Edgewater Drive, Suite 248
Oakland, CA 94621