I’ve been wanting to do a #whatisonmywood project incorporating Kyle Steed’s illustrations for a while. This last weekend just so happen to be the time to do it.
Normally I’ll take an idea or illustration and draw it out from my perspective, then cut, sand, paint; but with this particular project I really wanted to do Kyle’s illustration as much justice as I could and keep it as accurate as possible.
I don’t always work with PC’s, but when I do… it’s normally because I don’t have the right cable to connect my computer. In order to keep this project as accurate as possible, I borrowed a projector.
Some people might say this makes the illustration brought to wood project easier (which is what I thought at first), but really it creates a level of pressure I’ve yet to feel with my other #whatisonmywood projects. The pressure comes from doing your best to be as accurate (copy) as possible. There isn’t room for personal interpretation or outside the box creative insight.
Ok, so projecting/tracing complete. Time to cut. This is the easy yet time consuming part. When it gets down to the tight corners, I do my best not to lose any phalanges.
BOOM, two days later, it be cut up. Now, this is where I jacked it up. So in my “don’t play safe” mindset I thought, man… wouldn’t this be rad with a Rasta color way. What I didn’t have beside me was someone to say HELL NO! So I proceeded to buy the paint and implement some JAH vibes that ended up looking horrible (not even gonna show that). It was just wrong for this piece. I’m sure I’ll revisit a Rasta theme soon.
After whiting out the Rasta vibes, I had to do my best to realign the piece to match back up with the projected image, then retrace the best I could and finish in the detail of the black outlining.
As always, I try to push my limits with something as simple as an iPhone. Set up a black backdrop at Blevins Bicycle Co. (beer always at the ready) and shot, then edited to show this very similar likeness of the original illustration.
FEWWW!! That was a lot.
I guess my point in sharing all of this with you is to never stop riding, never stop creating! Push you limits in something this week/weekend. It’s ok if you aren’t the best at whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. Although the “Don’t Play Safe” piece turned out ok… I’m still not 100% happy with it. “What’s that supposed to mean?”… It means I want to do better, create more, ride more and continue to be consistent x progressive; developing a teachable mentality through patience and practice. As good ol’ Sean Wes would say “Learn and never quit.” Hopefully this will be passed to folk around me, and from them to someone else.
CHEERS to the Ride x Create Vibe. Happy Wednesday Folly folks! I hope your miles/creations dominated are epic!
