Showcase Project
To give you an insight as to the step by step processes each painting goes through, this A3 sized painting completed in December 2020 has been selected.
This artwork was to be a 60th birthday present for Suzy's husband Kev. As the ideas flowed, it was quickly decided the artwork would need to be A3 in size rather than a smaller A4 piece of work to capture all the detail. The whole idea evolved around a number of things, (a) Kev's passion for his rock guitar heros; Michael Schenker, Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth and Ozzy, (b) his own amazing guitar collection, (c) their beloved Border Terrier - Bobby, (d) their garden friends, (e) favoured branded booze and (f) their summer house. Armed with all this information about Kev including photos, the customer had a similar vision with regards to the whimsical shenanigans their garden friends could get up to and how to address Bobby and his guitarist doggy friends.
Always good to start with an initial sketch to ensure the intended characters and the concept all fits into place. This started out as an A4 sketch, but it was soon realised that lack of space would restrict detail; the crazy wildlife, the rock logo banners in the background and in particular the rock legend guitarists, their faces, their jackets and detail inside the summer house.
< So, we now have an A3 sheet allowing more detail on the guitarists, the bandanas, sun glasses on Michael Schenker's beanie hat, moustaches and hair on the doggy look-alike guitarists, necklaces, wrist bands, the guitars themselves.
> The final outline made permanent with ink incorporating all the desired detail including a mouse peaking out of Ritchie Blackmore's boots.
< Next to apply colour using watercolour pencils.
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You really can now see the similarity between the doggy guitar heros and the real thing. Here you can see Michael Schenker and Uli Jon Roth look alike Border Terriers.
< Richie Blackmore look-alike Border terrier.
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> Ozzy wearing his crazy big cross and pin stripped jacket singing away.
< Slowly the scene comes to life.
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> The wildlife get crazy, drunk on beer and whisky.
> Once finished, water is added to the artwork with good quality light paint brushes. This brings out the brilliance of the colours and completes the masterpiece.
< Once everyone is happy, the final artwork is then framed, a little note is added onto the back and it is then ready to go.
