mv artsALIVE

DAY ONE  / 05 may 2o12

artsALIVE . . . my first year here . . . once again i wasn't quite sure what i was going to do . . . knew it was the 50s so a hulahooping meerkat sounded good.   definitely something that could interact a conversation with the kids . . .  so upon my arrival i saw my sponsor's name.   and the day begins . . . lay down some tape and meditate a minute.

'marine adoption' . . . coastal orange county so i automatically thought water . . .  so thought i'd need to add some water animals to my illustration.  (yes i was totally wrong about my sponsor but that tale comes later !!







so to bring in the water for a beach scene that includes a wave as well as underwater action  . . . i chose a diagonal composition and i needed to shrink down the meerkat . . .  thinking marine adoption was a rescue of marine life i also though a seal would be appropriate and since california doesn't have walrus's it would make a rational choice for a character . . . but not having a seal character and making it small and rather boring i used a walrus . . . little more personality to the story . . . but still not my best.  so i was able to continue my surfing puffin theme though this time on an unpainted board (it has oranges / blues /purples added for shadows and details which do not show up via my camera . . . it is very small ).  thought i'd add the body surfing turtle too . . . as well as a whale.
  

 AND SO I BEGIN . . . 

my neighbor charlotte had already begun . . . her pop up tent would save my back later in the day from sun but we had tree and lamp post shade happening most of the day . . . as well as tree droppings of all kinds through out the weekend.  started with the smallest part of my square first  knowing i would have to get close to the eyes of the characters on the beach because they were sooooo small . . . a lot of similar tones between the meerkat and the sand . . .  this would later lend itself to a quick fix of using a black outline . . . stylizing a bit more . . ..  much faster though . . . oh and no helpers this time around !!!  i did take time and moved slower / shifted body positions (mine) / hydrated and all that !!!  it does take it's toll on you and since artsplash last september it feels like i've aged 5 years already !!!

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

charlotte at work  DAY ONE

the square was back in the corner and shade  . . . i felt a little hidden . . . not too many conversations  . . . but some did come over and see the meerkat . . . there was only about a 12" path to walk between squares . . . once i was working on the water more came by and day two i saw a lot more activity as well as conversations with the kids !!! . . . but heard a lot of the performers and it felt more like we were part of an entire event instead of just being part of a chalk fest . . . there were great activities for the kids to experience . . . and our snacks were inside the beautiful mission viejo senior center (air conditioned and real bathrooms !!!) . . .

 this was my neighbors', charlotte, 2nd year at artsALIVE . . . she is a talented mission viejo mom.  next month she will be recreating an alice in wonderland scene with the jabberwocky with her dad in utah . . . next to us were 4 squares being done by students from laguna hills high school.  i made sure to take a walk about and catch all the work in progress . . . the joys of a small square:  finish on time and i can experience more !!!

behind me through the planter 

             

laguna hills gang

oh yes the mystery van was also a neighbor of mine !!!  and who else but scooby himself was driving !!

i am so baaaad i have pics of the mystery van but not the other art around me  . . . 

THE ARTWORK continues

so started to add the undercoat for the water and  shape the waves . . .step 2 adding the whale !!

hadn't drawn a whale in my illustrations till now.  only in my school notebooks ever since high school.  oh and for projects like, my daughter, laurens' play forgirl scouts !!!  lots of fun !  love whales . . .

opted out of realistic lighting for spots of color, lavenders and blues . . .  and adding shadows black . . it was about then i decided to add the sea turtle nuzzling the whale instead of surfing the wave . . . 

next addition was the decision to start adding a black outline to the illustration . . . it definitely feels like an illustration . . 

pre-black outline

blacks added

next started adding the lines to follow for the waves then the puffin . . . added the palm tree after the black outlines . . . then last was the blues to the waves.

wanted to finish (and did) all the colors so they would settle overnight  . . . plans were in the morning to touch up if needed . . . add the bright fresh colors to water, beach, sky . . . highlights and white . . . as well as my details with a pastel pencil . . . photos to the right were the end of  Day ONE.