white paint

determining silhouette and basic shapes and placement.

understanding chunks of color

Here, I needed to determine where main chunks of color needed to be placed, creating less work.

Finished and ready for Cannibal flower!

Started with the white paint to develop some sort of shape.

Trashed Coachella mini bin

So, we all know what Coachella is, right? Well, they have an organization called Global Inheritance (http://www.globalinheritance.org/coachella)that sets up an event called Trashed Coachella where artists submit their artwork for a free Coachella ticket. In return, artists have to paint 2 things, a recycle bin and a mini mock version. They don't have to be the same design. After the event, the bins get donated to schools around the area, promoting recycling. the mini bin will verify if you get VIP passes.

1: The Drawing

I have a friend that turned me on to paint markers. I found that I like using them. I'm even going to start incorporating them into finished pieces. They go on solid and smooth.

2: white paint

Once I had a good idea of the shape of the decor within the gun, I went on and put a thin application of white paint over the whole section I was working on to maintain the other colors to follow.

3: color

This shows how the white paint has helped the other colors. Color will always have a level of transparency depending on the amount of white used.

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12: realizations

While I was in the process of creating the handle, it came to me that I really didn't like the way the detail to the left of the painting was going so, I covered it. There's no such thing as a mistake in painting, just realizations.

13: handle decor

14: handle decor

15: finished gun

16: mask

This will help protect what you've already done.

17: decor

To be honest, I'd much rather have the background all figured out first, then paint the gun on there but, sometimes, certain ideas come before others. I had no clue what I wanted this to look like. This is why having the drawing figured out first, helps. But hey, there's always a way behind everything in painting.

18: splat

...just a few sprays, close to the edge of the gun.

19: clear coat

I use this stuff where you have to mix 2 different substances. It goes on thick. Love it!

20: "smoke"

As the absolute last layer, smoke is added. The idea of smoke is made with white acrylic paint on top of the clear coat. I found it most difficult to paint when using too much water. I also found that achieving levels of transparency was used kind of like you would use watercolor with the deepness of the color. The more of it you add, the richer the color.... the more solid the color.