12 color theory final project

My idea all started with this photo that was given to me by my friend Brandon last year at my graduation party. I love it so much because it captures me and him at Pullen Park in Raleigh, NC. We were best buds at this age! Anybody who grew up in Raleigh knows that this was the hot spot for toddlers back in the eighties. The candidness of the photo and the muted colors made it a perfect candidate for my final project.

So, my project goal was to replicate this photo twice using colored pencils. First, imitating the colors as closely to the photo as possible, and then with a different colorway. Notice the grid over the photo? I used that to help "blow up" the small photo to a larger drawing.

1st drawing: 50% done

1st drawing: 75% done

I spent around 15 hours total doing the first drawing before I started on the second. In order to get the colors that I wanted for the second drawing, I used my computer to manipulate the colors. I was inspired by the Pop Art movement, particularly the work of Frank Stella and, of course, Andy Warhol. I loved the way Pop Artists would inject completely artificial color into otherwise ordinary subject matter. At first, I was going to change ALL the colors kind of like Andy Warhol's "Marilyn", but something about that painting seems so sterile to me and I wanted to preserve the innocence and fun of the children in this photo. I felt like in order to do that, the skin colors needed to stay natural. So, this is what I came up with. I really rushed through the second drawing... I only spent about 9 hours on it as opposed to 15 on the first, but I think it turned out ok! I really don't like Brandon's face in the 2nd drawing... but, its done! Here it is...

Beginning the 2nd drawing

2nd drawing: 50% done

2nd drawing: 75% done



2nd drawing completed!

1st drawing completed!

The finished drawings!

Hope you love them!
Ciao! ^_^