The Drawings

I don't just draw these out, I start with a picture or image I think best represents the subject. I tool around with it until I am satisfied and then transfer that to the canvas (I use an old technique I learned a long time ago without much help, just a pencil and ruler).

I transfer the images to the canvas as pencil, then I go back and draw the lines with a Sharpie pen. I erase all pencil lines, since the lead will get mixed with the medium and get all greyish and dirty.

If I feel like it, I will fill in some of the shading so that its easier to distinguish what wrapper goes where, like my next subject, James Brown.


You can see the next two subjects I will be doing below: Can you guess who they are?

The Wrappers

On a fairly regular basis, I need to unwrap the Tootsie Pops and rewrap them so I can have a good supply for all the paintings I create. This evening I knocked out four bags in about an hour and replenished my supply since I created two paintings today (Belushi and Cobain).

I usually will try to do this and take stock of the colors (wrappers) on hand so I can determine what is available. For instance, I have only come across two wrappers that were special (strawberry), so I was picky about how I could incorporate those into a painting. I ended up using them as the rose colored glasses on the Janis Joplin Painting. The shadows of the glasses were raspberry.

Here are a few pictures of all the wrappers and another of the wrappers after I put them into neat stacks according to their color.

By the way, if you want to send me your wrappers, please feel free to do so. Email me for my address (goodyear dot john at gmail dot com).