A Residency in Green Park

I've been an illustrator for no more than a few years, so the fact that Harapan has made it to Green Park is completely thrilling for me. I initially volunteered to work for SOS just to get a bit of experience, and at the time the charity were just asking about for someone to do some images for a workbook aimed at Sumatran school children - a project which turned out to be The Orangutan Book. Two years down the line and I was asked if I'd be interested in painting an elephant. Yes, definitely! was my response, and six months later my work is on display in London!

Harapan on May 3rd - On cloud 9 (representing the safe herd)

In front of Nanook and Piccadilly, facing Buckingham Palace

Acrylic painting on canvas 25cmx35cm

The acrylic painting on canvas shown here is a prize for a free photo competition run by SOS. 
I really hope Harapan raises a lot of money for the cause.

The Elephant Parade 2010

I first blogged about the life-sized fibreglass baby elephant I was about to paint here, back in January. Basically, I've offered my services to help raise funds for The Sumatran Orangutan Society(SOS) who are taking part in a huge art event called The Elephant Parade this summer. 

Harapan the SOS elephant

So now, after what turned out to be a very cold start and several weeks, he is finally finished. And tomorrow he is being collected. I won't see him again until he appears in some (as yet unknown) location in London.  

We have named him Harapan, which means 'hope' in Sumatran. He is 1.48m in height and he carries all our hopes for an end to illegal deforestation and pet trade poaching, which are currently the main causes of the orangutan's rapid decline.
So here is Harapan in all his glory! If you click on the images they will enlarge.

 

I must mention The Elephant Family, as it is their hard work and ingenuity that organised the event. They work tirelessly to help asian elephants in developing countries through great fundraising events such as The Elephant Parade 2010.
For more pictures and how I painted Harapan look here.

All 250 elephants taking part in the parade will inhabit the capital soon, then they will be auctioned off to the highest bidder in the Summer.

The Elephant Parade

I'm very excited to have been asked to design and paint a life-sized baby elephant for The Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS). When it's finished the fibre glass model will take part in an event called The Elephant Parade that's being held this Summer. Afterwards the total of 260 elephants will be displayed in various sites around London. More details about the parade can be found here; http://www.elephantparade.com/home/ 

For my elephant I've gone back to an Orient Express Magazine cover I was commissioned to do a couple of years ago.

The Orient Express Magazine 2008

The style of collage makes the elephants appear to blend with their habitat. Two other nature pieces;

Snake in the Grass 2003

Autumn leaves 2003

These images were all done in the paper mosaic style, which consists of cutting an insane amount of tiny pieces of paper out, then sticking them down in a kind of paper marquetry. I will be attempting to create the same effect using acrylic paint for the elephant.

My sketch of a multicoloured rain forest for the elephant

So here is what I came up with. I wanted to link the plight of the elephants with that of the orangutans in my design, and felt the rain forest was a perfect backdrop for both. Sadly, if we carry on the course of destruction we are on, we will eventually have none of it. I wanted the rain forest shine out like a jewel, with a mother and baby orangutan riding on the front of our SOS elephant.

Life-sized fibre glass baby elephant

This is one I did earlier too. Mother and baby orangutan, taken from the SOS Orangutan Book which you can find here; http://bit.ly/7kn6Fy

Side view sketch of elephant

Both of my sketches have been rendered in felt tip pen. When the elephant arrives I plan to have the acrylic colours all mixed and ready - and I realise there will be lots. I'll also be filming the progress on Gawker and posting it in various places.

For more information about the Sumatran Orangutan Society take a look here; http://www.orangutans-sos.org/




The Elephant Parade Maquette
Whilst anticipating the arrival of the actual elephant, I'm still slightly nervous about the size of what's coming as well as the three-dimensionality of it. So with this in mind I've decided to make a maquette, so I can have a little practice. 
I began with wooden kebab sticks and sellotape.