Big Tex
11x14 watercolor by Liana Yarckin
If you have been with me for more than a year, than you know how much my Yankee husband has embraced the southern event, the Texas State Fair and it is our family's tradition to always go on opening night. Shhhh - don't tell anyone, but, it's not crowded on the first night. We never have to wait in lines for rides, food or games and can always find plenty of tables to sit at to eat the Fair's corn dogs, corn on the cob or giant turkey legs and this year, my kids tried the fried oreos for dessert. I have posted a photo of Big Tex in the past for my friends around the world to see. Last year he burned down. Right before Halloween so that was the clever costume for many adults - a burning Big Tex. In honor of the new Big Tex being revealed and the opening of the Texas State Fair, I wanted to paint him. Big Tex is the icon of the State Fair. He is on everything from Cotton Candy to the height measuring signs at the rides. You should have seen the look on my husband's face when I told him I had to go take photos of Big Tex (on the other side of the fair grounds) before the sun went down. Big Tex is 52' tall. I took several photos so that I would have enough info when I got back to the studio. After studying the photos, I zoomed into this one. I wanted to show the height without painting the whole body because that would be just a bad composition. I broke the rules and Big Tex is staring right off the page, but, I really wanted to get his waving hand which is Big Tex's recognizable pose, plus the cast shadows on his face for the painting. The sun was setting so there was a nice sunset glow on him, too. Below are some of the photos of Big Tex. By the way, he talks, too.
OMG! I just checked my Liana Yarckin Watercolors facebook page, you need to check out the comments from my post yesterday on how to paint Big Tex. I had no idea that the question would get so many different opinions and ideas!
Oh my goodness! That's pretty cool. I have never heard of Big Tex before. You sure did an awesome job capturing him via your photos! I bet a lot of people who do know of Big Tex think this painting is extra cool, for sure!!
ReplyDeleteJoan, thank you. It is so bazaar to me that I just asked a simple question of how to paint Big Tex and gave 3 multiple choice options. This would be the first question that got sooooo many opinions and reasons for their opinions. Had no idea.
DeleteYou did a fabulous job on Big Tex, Liana! I can't imagine the poor thing in flames, how terrible that must be!
ReplyDeleteCelia, Big Tex in flames last year was sad. But, apparently, he is so loved that they made another. Thanks for the comment. He is a strange looking thing in person and normally I would never chose to paint something like this, but, the timing was appropriate.
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