Just as with the real painting, I'm not sure where to start with this post. For me, an artist that is far too impatient to draw, let alone measure, before I start coloring, a subject full of perspective and precision was going to be a challenge. But I live for a challenge, so of course I said yes to this commission!
Art is about appreciation and beauty, and if your love is Wrigley Field, then dammit you're going to get Wrigley Field, or my version of it....
Understanding which of Wrigley Field's many famous attributes my client felt most attached to, and most strongly about, was my first priority. Honestly I was a bit gun-shy, so we went back and forth longer than usual. Luckily, he's a very amiable guy, so we came to consensus.
For those of you who don't know, the ivy wall is the treasure of Wrigley Field. From the (very much public domain) photo above, I wanted the ivy to be an even bigger part - so I brought it forward on an angle. This is called artistic license, deal with it - but it also meant I had to build in even more perspective, crap. I had to get it right, and I spent a lot of time here. I started with the ivy, I middled with the ivy, and I ended with the ivy. At one point, my very supportive husband walked over and said "you know you have to get the ivy right, right?" so that was helpful.
Between my green periods, I started in on the stands. As soon as I knew there would be people in stands involved, I knew I wanted to abstract them. They're only tiny dots from that far away anyway, but they needed a color upgrade. I went a bit wild.
I really started leaning into the human dots, maybe a bit too much. I had to pull back a bit and -- on the very sage advise of Heather Nunan -- I added some highlights and shadows to the stadium. Of course!
I was all over the place color-wise on this thing. I loved the blue sky, I hated the blue sky. I couldn't draw a straight line to save my life. I didn't bother measuring anything (probably should have to make my life easier). I said "fuck it" to proper perspective. The typical trial and tribulations of a painting - in the middle I usually hate them all.
I flirted with the idea of (with the obvious exception of the stands) leaving the painting a bit more straightforward color-wise. But then I said "yeah, no" and added purple where there was none (in the ivy?!?!?!?!!!!!) and made the canvas edges hot pink. Sorry Cory. But I'm not sorry, because it's exactly what you knew you were going to get from me.
Go Cubs! #cubnation
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