Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 10

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 10

After more than a working week away, I continued work on my Zebra, now named Rio, for the Zany Zebras campaign as run by Marwell Zoo, Hampshire. This project will see up to 47 painted sculptures of Zebras on the streets of Southampton during the summer of 2016. The Brazilian themed artwork now shows details placed on top of the initial green and yellow base colours (stripes). I will not be doing any more masking now. From here on it is all painted with quite a fine brush but still using emulsion paint.

 

Front of the Brazilian 'Rio' Zebra under WIP.

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 09

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 09

Brazilian Zebra with all the body covered in paint

Today was spent filling the white areas with yellow, up to three coats and then repairing the damage caused by the masking tape on the green sections. Fortunately the repairs do not take too long and can't really be seen. The aim is to get the large areas of blue, green and yellow done so that they look tidy and have dense colour. It was good to see the whole 'Zany Zebra' now covered with paint. The next stage after this is to apply some detail in the form of pattern, squiggles and the Olympic torch for example. I did some detail on the rear end and leg to get a feel of how it is going to be practical to do. The details turned out quite well and were done freehand. As the details are quite organic they did not have to be 'mechanically perfect' which would have been difficult. A cheap 1/2 inch sable hair brush was used and I found it worked well by loading it with paint and having the confidence to work quickly. Being slow would have made the end result more shaky than it is!

Some painted detail to leg

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 08

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 08

This entry shows the Brazilian Zebra a few days on from the previous post. All of the blue and green base sections have been painted, using 3 layers of emulsion paint. The yellow areas are still mostly bear white though some progress has been made. The yellow areas near to the feet have a number of coats applied. The stars that had been masked off and covered in blue paint have now had the masking removed to reveal white stars. 
Some work was needed, as with all the masking, to repair damage to the paint when removing the masking tape, but there appears no way around that and it still gives a better finish. The areas have to be masked off a few times on either side of the edge, depending on what part is to be painted so there is a lot of work involved in masking but the painting is quite quick to compensate.
As can be seen there are a few stars on the muzzle and 'spirals have been painted in to the ear area and some eyelashes put around the eyes.

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 07

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra update 07

From the beginning of April I started work on my second Zebra painted sculpture. The campaign is run by Marwell Zoo and will see up to 47 of these Zebras on the streets of Southampton forming a street trail for the summer season. This 'Brazilian' Zebra of my design is sponsored by 'Casa Brazil' and as can be seen on the photographs some of the base layers of colours have been applied. The areas have masking tape around then to help keep the edges sharp and easy to paint, as these areas, using household emulsion paint, often need to be painted up to 3 times to get a solid colour on the white base of the Zebra. The back, large blue area also has a number of stars that will need to remain white so these have been masked off to keep them white while applying the blue paint with a large brush.

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 Brazilian Zebra

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign (Brazilian Zebra)

This is the design for one of the Zebras (Brazilian Zebra) I will be creating for the 'Zany Zebras' campaign, which will feature a large number of full size Zebras sculptures occupying the City of Southampton, in the UK. It has been masterminded by Marwell Zoo, located outside of the city with the aim of creating awareness and the need for protection of Zebra. Each Zebra sculpture will be painted by local artists and sponsored by local or national companies. They are in place on the streets for the summer term after which a glamorous auction is held for their sale, the proceeds of which go toward the protection of the animal.

I will be creating two Zebras for the campaign. The first one was sponsored by ABP (Associated British Ports) one of the largest employers in the town in people and physical area and completed in March. This second Zebra is sponsored by 'Casa Brazil', a chain of Brazilian themed restaurants to be found in Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton. This Zebra will be created during April.

It will be turned in to reality from early April at the Marlands Shopping Center, using an empty shop unit as a base where this one and others can be seen to be created. This design was created/ drawn in Photoshop. The design celebrates Brazil and its important role in the 2016 Olympics, and used the colours of their nation flag.

Martin Davey 'Brazilian Zebra' design for zany zebras

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 05

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 05

The miniature version of the 'Seafaring Zebra'

 On Saturday I worked on this small version of my 1st sculpture, that had been finished as far as painting went a few days previously. The original one was a full size 1:1 model that was painted. This one is about 220mm long and 150mm high and appears to be made of clay. It was painted in the same paint as used on the full size one and now awaits to be varnished as does its full sized friend.

The model will be sold at auction as per the the full size one to raise funds for the protection of Zebras. The initiative is run by Marwell Zoo and is called 'Zany Zebras' and will see 47 full size sculptures on the streets of Southampton during the summer making up a free 'trail' through the city.

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 04

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 04

The Seafaring Zany Zebra with painting complete

On Saturday I completed the painting of the 'Seafaring Zebra', my contribution to the 'Zany Zebra' campaign, run by Marwell Zoo, Hampshire. The photos show some of the details not shown previously, including the plimsoll line, as featured on ships around the world used to indicate water density. Also the finishing touch., after completing all the ships was to paint small zebras standing on the decks of some of them. The intention was to paint them in a light colour which would not draw away from the black and white stripes. The remaining job to do on it now is to apply a coat of varnish.

The ears with the plimsoll ship markings

One of the small blue Zebras

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 03

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 03

The other side of the Zebra

This update shows work continuing on the  'Seafaring Zebra', my contribution to the Zany Zebra campaign/ trail to be in the streets of Southampton during the Summer and early autumn. During Wednesday and Thursday work was placing more ships of different designs on to the zebra and gradually the gaps are now getting filled as per the original plan. The smallest new addition is a fishing boat on the cheek, placed on both sides. Although the design looks the same on both sides there are minor differences. Some ship shapes which cross over from one side to another on the Zebra, may have a bow at one end on one side and end with the stern on the other, so as to represent a whole ship, which in turn creates a difference on each side. Some boat/ ship shapes may start as a bow on one side but end with a bow on the other. A similar pattern happens with shapes that begin with a stern. Also the zebra sculpture itself is not a mirror image each side. The legs are in a different position each side which then dictates what the body does, in this case the torso is compressed on one side and stretched on the other, again affecting the design subtly.

Further pictures of the Zany Zebra under construction

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 02

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 02

Seafaring zebra progress on Tuesday

This update on the 'Seafaring Zebra' covers the Monday and Tuesday on the project of painting a full size Zebra for the Marwell Zoo 'Zany Zebra' trail of street art. This Zebra's design and painting is being sponsored by Associated British Ports, in the city of Southampton. As can be seen in the pictures more ships have been added/ painted to the full size plaster cast since the last update. The ships are painted at various positions across the body rather than work left to right. The reason being it is better to space a few key ones around the body to act as guides, as I am working to my own plan, and am trying to keep as close as possible to it. By establishing key positions I am then able to drop the 'in between' ships, as per plan, easily. 

Front view by end of Tuesday

The ships themselves, and also the small floating vessels, are not based on actual ships but just taking popular design elements from different eras of shipping, for instance Edwardian and mid 20th century passenger ones and modern container ships. There is one ship that bears some resemblance to the Titanic. The smallest vessel are some sailing boats. A few other designs will appear over the course of production. 

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 01

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016 update 01

My blank Zebra sculpture

I have so far spent two days on the project, a Friday and a Saturday. Friday was spent applying two coats of white emulsion paint to the Zebra and then later in the day making a start on the sections of the design in the nose/ head area. A week before I had created a plan with the design broken up in to sections as shown.

This allowed me to home in on sections of the actual sculpture and from there I could make a good judgement on where the ships and other elements should be placed. I made a few rough pencil marks and used a long tape measure to help find the spot on the Zebra. Then I sketched the part I was to work on lightly and roughly. The next stage was to draw the 'ship' shape or whatever using masking tape with the intention of then painting the masked shape in black.
I also painted the hooves and tail hair black. 
On the Saturday I refined what had been painted and added further details. Sometimes the masking does not work because the surface of the Zebra casting is rough so one has to go in and paint the error carefully by hand.

Saturday morning

Saturday evening

 

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign 2016

Marwell Zoo Zany Zebra campaign

This is the design for one of the Zebras (Seafaring Zebra) I will be creating for the 'Zany Zebras'  campaign, which will feature a large number of full size Zebras sculptures occupying the City of Southampton, in the UK. It has been masterminded by Marwell Zoo, located outside of the city with the aim of creating awareness and the need for protection of Zebra. Each Zebra sculpture will be painted by local artists and sponsored by local or national companies. They are in place on the streets for the summer term after which a glamorous auction is held for their sale, the proceeds of which go toward the protection of the animal. 
I will be creating two Zebras for the campaign. The first one was designed in December 2015 and sponsored by ABP, one of the largest employers in the town in people and physical area, in early January. It will be turned in to reality from the 4th March at the Marlands Shopping Center, using an empty shop unit as a base where this one and others can be seen to be created. This design was created/ drawn in Photoshop.

Martin Davey Zany Zebra design 2016 (Seafaring Zebra)