Betty and Flathead

Here's day one with the Painter 11 version of Betty Page on a 1952 Flathead Ford motor. The final piece is a period cover of Hot Rod Magazine (Comp Sketch Here), with two of my surfing Tiki gods in the background. The master's class assignment is to do a period cover, with a period celebrity by a period illustrator. I've chosen to work as closely as I can to the style of Gil Elvgren - obviously the king of Pinup from the 40s-70s. The fact that I'm attempting this digitally has it's own challenges. Elvgren worked in a lush impasto, fluid lines and vibrant color. I'm also struggling with the desire to make the engine an accurate portrayal of a pivotal piece of engineering. Many Rat-Rodders will scrutinize every bolt. I have quite a way to go, but it's a good "Day One"

I spent some time on Saturday colorizing the Shrunken Head Tiki Surfer from August. Every one of these digital projects presents its own challenges, and pleasant surprises. I'm getting quicker and more fluid in my execution. Time is a great teacher.

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