Kickstarter

I am going to do a colossal 8 foot by 12 foot oil on canvass painting of the Crucifixion of Christ.  Painted in classical realism this piece will be stunning when I am finished.  

There comes a time in our lives when we all have to "pay back" and now is that time for me.  I am doing this project without compensation as I will not receive anything for my time for creating and painting this fantastic work of art.

Upon completion I will donate the painting to a church, one yet to be determined.  I welcome church recommendations from those who donate to my project.

This painting could change a lot of people's lives.  I don't want fame or fortune as a result of this painting but only want to be remembered as a talented artist, a good man and a child of God.

This painting will be an impressive and original recreation of Christ on the cross.  Not only will it be a phenomenal work of art but it will also serve as a great learning tool for others to learn more about the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth.  

The painting shown herein is for illustration purposes only just to give you an idea of the size of painting to be done.

The setting will depict a small hill outside of Jerusalem, Israel. Christ on the cross will be the focal point at the middle top of the painting.  It will be replete with various religious numbers and symbolisms. The Biblical numbers 1, 3, 7, 12 and 40 will be symbolized repeatedly throughout the piece.

It will have a cast of 40 people in the scene including  Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene and five other women followers of Jesus all at the foot of the cross.  The scene will include the first 12 apostles and various other people all performing specific actions relating to the life of Jesus. 

A total of twelve animals will be mixed in with the people, each animal having a direct connection with Christ. 

Colors will be symbolic also, The purity of white will only be on the loin cloth of Jesus, the white tunic of Mother Mary and the white dove in the sky. Red will represent the blood of Christ and black will represent evil.  Purple will represent authority.  The Roman soldiers will be wearing uniforms of red and black while the Roman dignitaries will be wearing black and purple.  All other characters, props and animals will have their own corresponding symbolic colors.

I paint from photographs I take. Thus, I have to photograph a scene of the Crucifixion in order for me to paint it. Once I have the photo in hand, painting it will be relatively easy for me to do, even tho' it will be a monster sized work of art. 

I will be setting up a photo shooting scene in the area of Mt Charleston,Nevada.

A total of nearly 90 people will be involved with the creation of this painting from start to finish, including models, prop masters, costume designers and handlers, animal handlers, drivers, hair and make up artists and assistants.

I have been working with the state operated Nevada Film Office for location as well as several premier, established production companies in Nevada for casting, props, animals, etc.

Upon returning from the photo shoot in Nevada I will use the photograph to immediately begin the painting.  Using assistants to expedite the process, I anticipate painting time to take about 6 months to complete.

During the painting process I will begin looking for a church to donate the finished piece to. I will NOT be donating it to my church but instead open to suggestions as to what church I can donate it to.

I will encounter huge out-of pocket expenses in painting this piece of art and I can not possibly do this without your help.

l have prepared an extensive budget for this work. A detailed breakdown is on my website http://www.edwardpatterson.com/58923.html   Below are the major groupings for my "out of pocket, direct expenses"