How to grow a Greenman...

Had the deep honor of making a very-very special piece for friends of ours... 

A Greenman Altar

This is the finished piece up on their wall.

The 'model' for this piece was the male head of house.

Started with a charcoal trace-copy of his face from an actual photo (not showing those photos for privacy) and then created his new leaf-y look free-hand over the trace in pencil. That way some of the little face quirks, especially around the eyes and mouth were HIS. 

This step was a bit difficult being that he smiles all-the-time... like seriously ALL-the-time!

 ...and even when he wasn't smiling (like in the picture provided) his eyes still crinkle and it looked like he was going to burst into a big grin any second. 

  The final plan was to mount it on this wonderful little shelf...

It was pick-up curb-side 4 years ago during one of the City of Ottawa FREE-Cycle days.

Been traveling with me ...waiting for just the 'right' project!

Once the free hand leaf-ing was done in pencil, it was then traced out in ink

 ...and the guidelines erased.

 Then the adding of a base-coat of color to all surfaces started...

 Then the adding of layers and layers... and TEXTURE began...

All surfaces have at -least- 5 layers of paint on them... quite a few have more. 

The eyes for example are 8.

 Finally... a little over two weeks later... he is DONE!

 ...and ready to be mounted on the shelf!

 After taking him to be scanned...
With the blessing and permission of the new owners: 
Prints WILL be available in the Future!

 I  trimmed him to fit and used Gel-Medium to attach him to the unit.

A little hanging Greenman Altar with a shelf and storage drawers...

Ta-Da!!!

He was made just in time to head off to his new home AND be up on the wall, and in use, for the Summer Solstice. 

YEAH!!!

Very pleased with his progress, almost made himself... 

and super pleased he will be loved and cherished in his new home. 

BLESSED SOLSTICE!!!!