Last evening's Art Battle was a good experience. Even though I was a nervous wreck, my planning process paid off with a piece of art that was completed within the competition's time limit.
For the competition artists were required to use their medium of choice to create a scene of Stockton's Waterfront area that included 2 characters from a preconceived list. I chose Michael Jackson and Ozzy Osbourne because drawing people is one of my strengths. Of course, since I was drawing Mike I couldn't resist including his pet chimp Bubbles! I read that Michael and Bubbles once had tea with a Japanese mayor (he must have been very hospitable). So I thought a scene of all three having Starbucks together would be humorous.
I used Bristol board paper, watercolors, red ink with brush, and Micron pens to create the piece.
This first pic is a simple color study that utilized the same materials that were used for the competition piece. Using the study for preparation, I drew it outside to make sure the watercolor would dry fast enough to go over it with ink afterwards. I usually create pictures in a bit of a backwards way compared to many artists. I lay down the paint first, and then apply crosshatching and line. I find this approach keeps things loose and more natural looking. Obviously, this study is not meant to be an accurate depiction of the final design.
Here are the tools that I used to create the final design. I had recently made an Altoid tin into a watercolor palette (an idea that I got from EDM members), and I have been dying to use it. It worked really well. I have had this particular paint box for over 20 years. I acquired it (and a bunch of other art supplies) from a fellow art student. I guess I rarely throw things away.
Here I am working hard to complete my piece. I think at this point of the competition I was feeling a lot of pressure to do well and wondering why I had even entered the competition. I had the hardest time getting the watercolor to do what I wanted. Bristol board doesn't accept watercolor like watercolor paper. Unfortunately I couldn't really afford to buy watercolor paper in the size that I was working so I had to scrounge around in the studio for supplies.
Me with the finished piece. I was told that I was one of the few artists who actually used the entire time to work on my picture. I guess it worked for me because the crowd of spectators voted for my picture and I won the competition. Wow! I was really surprised!
Here is a closer view of the finished piece. It is a little distorted because it was taken at Cold Stone where some friends took me and my family out after the event for ice cream. I am blessed to have such good friends and that we got to share this experience together.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
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5 comments:
This is totally cool. It's always nice to have your work appreciated. Well done!
Nice going! You challenged yourself and you won.
Congrats on winning first prize! I admire you for being able to bang that piece out, with spectators!
Congratulations...who would have thunk it...art battles? I like your planning and the challenge. Fun composition too!
That sounds like fun. Congratulations on winning. The drawing is awesome!
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