Number 20 is about to be installed in Frankfort, IL
This one is another tribute to the Boy Scouts and their installation of 3,300 LH markers along the entire length of the road back in 1925 . . . as a tribute to Abraham Lincoln.
This story was about the Eagle Scouts (and their escorts) that went on a public service safety trip - and touting the LH marker project - across the country.
This one freaked me out as painting portraits is a bit advanced for me at this stage of my newfound 'talent' with pictorial painting . . . and there were 6 of them on here (and one of the guys is still alive at age 99 so I had to make his protrait solid!!).
But a portraiture lesson with Bill Hueg when he was back here in October de-mystified the process . . . he's amazing. His continued stressing of recognizing values has helped immensely - or so he said. I'm quite proud of it - but I was the others!! (Looking back, I have improved...)
As always, mural panel engineering and border work by the stellar Joe Marshall . . . my design and paint.
Number 21 ahead . . .
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
Anything is possible, once you make your mind up. Look at all the experience you are getting, you have gone a long way. Bill
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
Beautiful Jay - the step-by-step gives us a sense of the sequencing. Pat on the back for Joey as well.....
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
Great job Jay. I proudly hold the first portrait... of Phoebe.
Thanks for posting!
-grampa dan
Posted by Dennis Kiernan (Member # 12202) on :
Nice mural, Jay. I'm going to send this one to my brother who was an Eagle Scout and then Scout director in Boston.
From your wording, "Boy Scouts and their installation of 3,300 LH markers . . ." I got the idea at first that they actually installed them. A lot of work for four guys. And carrying them all in that car, good lord.
Posted by Bob Sauls (Member # 11321) on :
One of my favorites so far, Jay. I particularly like the bit of the pictorial that extends beyond that inset border. It just sets things for me. As always stellar work.
[ December 13, 2011, 07:00 AM: Message edited by: Bob Sauls ]
Posted by Catharine C. Kennedy (Member # 4459) on :
You are certainly GOOD! Well done (love the shot with you and the brushes!)
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
Nice pictorial work Jay!
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Sonny . . . Thanks for making the comment about Joe . . . It's easy to be called a great chef . . . but we all eat off plates, right? Somebody had to make that plate . . .
The importance of the engineering and efficiency in getting the border work completed is not to be underestimated, in my opinion. Joe's my main man . . . and he has increased efficiencies in amazingly small ways that add up to huge gains.
I added the shot with me painting at the request of the ILHC. I needed to supply them with an action photo . . . as I stood motionless waiting for the timer to click the shutter . . . lol.
Thanks for being nice on the past murals as I struggled to find my 'values' . . . heehee. People are inherently kind . . .
But this one I feel really good about. The people look just like the people in the design - except for 2 guys I thought needed to be 'prettied up' some . . . so I'm very pleased. Always means more when your peers tell you something looks nice!!!
And to Dan Sawatzky . . .
Danny, I suspect you know this already - and I may have told you - but I did my firt portrait (of your Phoebe) to illustrate your points about pushing your talents and trying to do something challenging ALL the time. That was a posterized portrait . . .
Now look at what I can do.
You can send my 'inspiration donation' in support of your public service message to my shop address. Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
That is a beauty for sure, did you mask off the images, or is that just pencil marks directly on the board.. I really loved watching it come to "Life"! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
Jay, Killer work man!! Absolutely Awesome...
Posted by Craig Sjoquist (Member # 4684) on :
Amazed here wow outstanding, been really enjoying your posts about these murals thank you
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Great work, Jay. And a testimony to what you can do when you set your mind to it (as taught by Grandpa Dan) and when forced to learn something new by the circumstances.
A good lesson for us all. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Pat Welter (Member # 785) on :
Great work Jay, super instruction from Bill...They've all been great.
Posted by Doug Haffner (Member # 12445) on :
Looks fantastic. The slide show really shows what's going on..lots to learn from..design to paint to completion.
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Very impressive & inspirational-thanks, Jay!
Posted by Brad Ferguson (Member # 33) on :
Nice values, Jay!
Brad
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Brad!! Thanks - and thanks to the other truly kind remarks.
One more thing I shared with the Handlettering forum as a reply to a question asked of me about what I learned from Bill . . . it's a step-by-step slideshow of Bill doing a portrait exercise with me - each value with a photo taken in progression . . . 'de-mystifies' the process and why it made it easier for me. It shows his version - the boy painted - and my version (which wasn't blended out as much since the paint was gettin' sticky since we weren't using base - and Bill felt I didn't nneed to work it any more):
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)