Five years ago today, celebrated American writer Hunter S. Thompson, best-known as the originator of Gonzo journalism and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” took his own life by way of self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head, under the strain of numerous painful medical conditions. Five years later, his legacy continues to thrive in film like “The Rum Diary,” television like “The Venture Brothers,” journalism like “Rolling Stone,” and modern art like (among others) my own tribute piece titled “Bat Country.”
Bat Country (Hunter S. Thompson) - Front
Taking a cue from my splatter-paint background in “Box Company Prophet,” I repeated the process this time primarily with India Ink (a nod to Hunter’s friend and artist, Ralph Steadman, whom is responsible for much of the iconic visual style associated with Hunter’s published works). Black and white engine enamel (not merely spray paint, another intentional nod to Hunter’s appreciation for fine automobiles) were also used to create the background space for this piece. I spent about an hour and a half just layering up these materials.
Bat Country (Hunter S. Thompson) - Edges
Using the more fluid media for the background meant having to adapt my masking methods, as well. Up till now I cut my masks from newsprint or recycled paper (as they’d just be thrown out when I was done), but the India Ink would have soaked right through. This time, I made my paper mask (a silhouette of the foreground space), used spray adhesive to affix it to two parallel sheets of plastic cling-wrap, then trimmed the excess. The result was a disposable and fully water-proof mask, made from common household materials.
Bat Country (Hunter S. Thompson) - Close-Up
The color pallet for this painting, the monochromatic gray-scale, was derived both from newsprint (being the original platform for Hunter’s sports journalism) and the source photograph for this image (a black and white photo by the Associated Press that I cannot otherwise identify).
Bat Country (Hunter S. Thompson) - Frame
As is the case with all my portrait paintings thus far, the original piece is available for purchase via my store on Etsy.
Bat Country (Hunter S. Thompson) - In-Situ