Outlet Authentic and original illustration titled, “The Barefoot Mailman.”

This is an authentic and original illustration titled, “The Barefoot Mailman.” You are viewing a colorful textured, and detailed painting of a motel located in Ocean City, Maryland. While on vacation, the artist (myself) enjoys walks along coastal highway observing beachside and bayside attractions including other hotels, the Boardwalk, OC outlet rides, restaurants, marine sporting and fishing sites. While passing by the motel in pursuit of interesting subjects to recreate via illustrated art, I took a few photographs. If you carefully study this painting, you will notice there is a lot of detail infused throughout. With intent to portray the location closest to how it is seen in “real time,” I stood a several feet away from the elevated motel sign that shows a neon vacancy sign on the left side of the hotel name with an emblem of a barefoot mailman carrying a backpack. Underneath the motel emblem sign there is wording that reads “Pet Friendly, King Beds and Free WiFi. Additionally, another detail is the light lamppost that appears below the sign most likely helping light up the sign upon sundown. I was very impressed with the healthy lush greenery surrounding ground level in front of the wooden white fence on top of the ground mulch, soils, protruding grasses and wild flowers. The day was sunny, clear skies with modest amounts of white clouds. The cement pathway has a few features that make it very natural in appearance such as the grates, a few embedded small stones and caked in dirt along the edges. Toward the left, you will see the street reading “Bus Lane,” with painted street markers. Phase one was the initial graphite sketch. On quality mixed media and graphite, I sketched the dominant feature first and foremost, the walking pedestrian path, helping focus sketching the other elements within. This initial phase was important paying attention to the complex perspective and depth perception. The original photograph inspiring this work validates this important technicality when transitioning from phase one to two. Phase two was the implementation of colored pencil. With greens, brown, beige, gray, blue, white, pink, gray, and traces of rust, I blended and colored in over the initial graphite sketch. The infusion of color helped define and distinguish the varied features. Phase three was the application of acrylic paint. With a fine brush and the same colors as in phase two, I focused on the details and textured making the painting more life like and animated. Upon completion I sprayed it with clear acrylic sealant to prevent any damage or “bleeding of the colors.” The authentic and original illustration is available for purchase in print. This would make for an ideal housewarming gift or simply be a nice addition to an existing collection. Please enjoy. Jessica Ahmadi