Day Four: Go! Rhino, Done!

Final finishing touches and varnish. Tomorrow, one very colourful rhino will be delivered to Southampton Central Library / Southampton City Art Gallery.

I hope the young artists who created the designs are happy with my interpretation.

Taking advantage of the bank holiday sun. Drying in the garden 1

Drying in the garden 2

The Secret Garden complete with varnish.

Water Lillies complete with varnish.
 

I am looking forward to seeing lots of rhinos popping up all over Southampton this summer. Go! Rhinos.

Go! Rhinos: Day three

The rhino is starting to take shape .

Water Lillies 1 - unfinished

Water Lillies 2 - unfinished
 

The Secret Garden - underpainting

Go! Rhinos: day two

Sunday was a sunny day, and while I imagine, the world and his wife were out enjoying the sunshine. I stayed in to tackle the rhino.

It still was a very pleasant day for me. I kept the patio doors open, the cool breeze helped speed up the drying time.

I have finished the underpainting and have just started to put in detail.

Underpainting started



Underpainting - three coats later... it actually had a final fourth coat just to make it look smooth and glossy.

Towards the end of the day I started to map out some of the detail on the waterlillies side.

Magenta for the waterlillies.

Go! Rhinos

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Marwell Wildlife is bringing Go! Rhinos, a world class mass public art event, to the streets and parks of Southampton.

For 10 weeks throughout this summer (13th July – 22nd September), rhino sculptures will inhabit the streets of Southampton, showcasing the wealth of artistic talent in the area, while highlighting the significant conservation threat facing wild rhinos and how the Southampton business community can make a difference.

For more infomation and pictures visit the website Here

I have been given the task of translating the brilliant artwork of two talented young artists - Sarah-Jay Williams (aged 14) and Carys Newman (aged 8), both from Southampton. The girls' colourful designs jointly won the Go! Rhinos competition to design a rhino for the Southampton Art Gallery and Southampton Central Library.

Carys Newman's colourful design, inspired by the children's literary classic 'The Secret Garden'.

Sara-Jay Williams' bold design inspired by Monet's waterlillies.

I took delivery of the rhino today, it only just fitted into the back of my car.

Only just got the rhino in the back of my car

Before painting

Over the next few days , I will put up pictures of the progression of the rhino painting. Watch this space!

Mummified orange

In preparation for my family workshop exploring all things Ancient Egyptian at Sea City Museum in Southampton, I have mummified an orange. Oh the things we do in the name of education.

 

Mummified orange

If you want to mummify your own orange here is a PDF with the instructions.

Mummify Orange by