Ruins by Jardley Jean-Louis
This is by no means a new piece. I’m just taking the current theme: Forward very literally. You can see the shots of the drawing to see how it looked before color and my opinion right after finishing it.
My opinion of it now has changed a bit in that I like the vibrant sharp colors that I ended up with. But, it’s not like I really remember my original vision for the piece anyhow. Has that ever happened to you? Where you really can’t even remember what it is you were originally going for in a piece long after it’s finished? I only know that I have the privilege of having written it down in another post that this wasn’t it.
But, here’s a bit of background to the piece: Before I applied color to it and made it my own personal work, it was originally a competition spec piece for Komen’s Run Breast Cancer Out of Town competition sometime ago. I was pretty damn excited about it too. Here’s this chance for me to participate in helping humanity. That is until I really read the competition rules and it basically stated if I won I’d be stripped of my rights to the piece and receive little compensation for it. I really felt very protective after that not only because each piece is almost like your child and you labor intensively over it, but because here’s this large organization that’s basically shitting on all the time you put into it for $500 and all claims to your work. So, I decided not to enter it at all. The piece was actually left halfway sketched for months where it was just two pairs of legs, until I thought to just finish it and add it to my portfolio. I’m glad I finished it in that I really feel a relief when I don’t see halfway finished pieces lying around me anymore.
Finished with ballpoint pen, diluted acrylic, some colored pencil and watercolor.
Do you have any pieces that were originally for one thing but circumstances caused you to add it to your personal portfolio instead? If so I’d love to hear it and please send images too.
Happy Wednesday.
