Well, a mere three months later and I've finally got around to completing my painting and uploading photographs of the work-in-progress, which you can view below.
I've tried to convey the shapes, colours and movement of the athletes, and the contrast between the tangle of limbs and the straight lines in the structure of the arena. I like the way the ball appears to hover in mid-air, almost like a full moon suspended in a night sky.
Starting point. A pencil drawing on paper, my trusty watercolour set (which I've had since art school days), and a selection of brushes. I find this stage absolutely terrifying.
How will it turn out...
Starting the background colours first. I used paper which is fairly thick, but not proper watercolour paper, as I wanted the paper to curl slightly when wet - I find this results in interesting patterns in the paint instead of a uniformly flat finish, which is the effect I wanted for the background here.
When using watercolours, it's important to allow each section to dry before applying a new colour next to it, otherwise the paints will bleed into each other (unless this is the effect you're after). I'm incredibly impatient though, which is why I use acrylics for my mural paintings - they dry very quickly.
It was at this stage, nearing the end of the painting, that I realised I'd painted the orange background over the net - which should have been white. And I have no white watercolour paint (traditionally with watercolours, for any white areas you simply leave the white of the paper to show through.)
So I cheated and used some white acrylic paint. Sshhh, no-one will ever know...
Photograph of final painting.
Scan of final painting.
Me outside the basketball arena at the 2012 Olympic Park.
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