"Panda and the Tiki's Emerald" 8" x 10" Acrylic, 2014. By Sandra Fremgen
For the month of February, I completed two paintings that explore more of the Panda universe. Since Panda is a dashing super spy, he crosses paths with many enemies and allies around the globe.
STORY:
The first of these two paintings is "Panda and the Tiki's Emerald." Panda and Skunk Boy are on a chase to find Fez Monkey, the master jewel thief who wants to steal all of the Tikis' sacred gems. Skunk Boy is the unpaid intern at the CIA who idolizes Panda and wants to follow in his footsteps. Fez Monkey has stolen millions of dollars worth of gems all over the world. He never leaves his house without his signature fez and hipster beard.
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THIS PAINTING:
I've been itching to introduce Panda's allies and enemies for a long time! As with any good action flick, the hero always has to have a completely devoted side kick. Hence the invention of Skunk Boy. For his enemies, I wanted to invent some twisted villains with a sense of humor. I've been watching a lot of Dr. Who lately and love the idea of a strange man traveling the world and wearing a fez. That's how Fez MOnkey came about.. I love the Tiki culture (whether it's hula dancing, knife dancing or the art of Tikis!) and wanted to explore that more! A Polynesian setting is a great backdrop for stories. I can't wait to work the Girl Back into these story lines.
Also, I am in LOVE with the color scheme of this painting. I used Phthalo Blue to capture a luminous green blue glow throughout the painting. Since Phthalo blue is such a transparent color, it works well as a glaze. The yellow was expressed through Cadmium Yellow Light. That mixed with white provided the brightest spots on Panda, Skunk Boy, the emerald and the moon.
Overall, I love painting spark. I want to find excuses to put more sparkling diamonds in my work because I love painting the gradations of light.