My choice of subject for 2009? You guessed it, the “usual”. I can never get enough of lighthouses, and Minot is no exception. I went with a photo that I shot from mid-Sandy beach at low tide in early spring. My square (sponsored by Geek Housecalls) was on some side street with a pretty coarse surface, so not nearly as finger-friendly as last year’s smooth concrete ice-rink surface. On the other hand, the coarser surface worked really well at the finish when I was working in the salt spray and was able to accomplish it easily by skimming the pebbly surface. Below is a sequence of photos showing the progression of the artwork:
First things first, a grid on the ground helps with transfer from the original image
with the basic layout in place, you get an idea of how coarse the sidewalk is as a media. All the chalk lines will be blurred and blended. Some use paintbrushes or sponges. I prefer the fingertips although it is a little hard on the prints...
You can see how it starts to come together as the colors are blended. Soon it becomes difficult to see just how coarse the surface is.
With the bulk of the lighthouse itself complete, it's time to focus on the rocks and foreground ocean.
Midway through. Took a break and walked around with James, Jay, and Jules to check out other artwork
Foreground rocks and water in place, time to move on to details
tweaking the sky, adding more seagulls, and spray on the rocks...
As the sun dips low in the afternoon sky, the finished artwork is dappled. How long did it take? About 6 hours. How long will it last? Only until the next rain...
The artist's signature...
Through the Lens of a Geek 