Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase Twelve

How did this art project come about?

Bruce Diamond and I met playing around town together in various bands.  Bruce is not only a versatile musician, but he also makes a living as an instrument dealer for his business Diamond Strings.

He discovered I was an artist.  I mentioned to him that I could paint artwork on guitars.  He said he had the perfect project for me and asked if I would be interested in painting a replica of Eric Clapton's famous Cream Fool SG, circa 1967.

Beth Brown and Bruce Diamond

How could I refuse such an interesting and challenging commission?  It was right up my alley artistically and musically.  So that's how it all started, folks!
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Now that the painted psychedelic artwork on the guitar is finished, I'll feel better if I put a clearcoat on it before it leaves my studio.  Don't want any accidental scratches on all the hard work I've done!!!  Bruce will apply more coats to further protect it when he gets the guitar home.

I'll start with the pickguard.

I'm brushing it on rather than spraying it.  I do not like to breathe fine spray vapor, thanks very much.

I'm using a product I'm familiar with, Zar fast-drying polyurethane Clear Antique Flat.  I've used it before on many other painting projects.  It has a slight yellow tint to it.  This will help to make the guitar appear a bit yellow with age.

I've carefully taped blue painter's tape around the headstock and under the guitar body to prevent the polyurethane from dripping over the edges of the painted artwork.  The tape can be peeled off after the poly dries for a nice clean edge.

The flat polyurethane may look glossy when it goes on, but when it dries it will not have much of a sheen.  Bruce will apply a heavy duty gloss finish later on.

 Okay, the guitar has dried overnight.  

 I contacted Bruce to come and pick up his guitar.  Here he is pictured with the finished product!

Bruce Diamond with his very own Fool SG

He will take it home and spray numerous coats of gloss polyurethane on it, then attach the hardware, strings, etc.  I hope he will bring it back so I can get more photos of the completed piece.  

I am so glad to have played a starring role in Bruce Diamond's long awaited Fool Guitar dream-come-true!!!  It's been an arduous journey, but a great learning experience and an artistic notch in my belt.

Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase Seven

Yellow is the colour of my true love's.....

 ......halo.

Adding yellow to the rainbow.

Painting yellow flames.

 

Coming together.....

Adding yellow to the headstock.

 

Painting the triangle.

Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase Five

 

  Starting the angel.

 

It didn't occur to me while I was painting the angel, but afterward upon reviewing these photos I remembered a terrible tragedy in Clapton's life.  The image of the angel takes on an entirely new meaning..... 

 

 Painting the cloud.

Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase Four

Further adventures with my rendition of the Fool guitar.
Painting Clapton's blues.....

Pictured is a little description of the 60s artist group "The Fool" found on page 49 of "Classic Guitars of the 60s" edited by Tony Bacon.  Dutch artists Marijke Koger and Simon Posthuma were hired to paint an artistic Gibson SG for Eric Clapton when he was in the band Cream.  He made good use of the guitar on Cream's first American tour in 1967 and in subsequent studio sessions.

 

  Starting the rainbow with purple....

Making progress...

Trying to get the colors right.  I can only be so accurate looking at a photo from a book and another from the internet.

  Almost forgot to paint this plastic guard thingamabobber!

Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase Three

The ice is broken.  I am now applying paint to guitar.

Starting with the gradation of the blue sky.

Long way to go!

Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase Two

Okay, some more of the drawing phase.  Fine tuning the loose sketch......

The flames would be more fun if I could render them freestyle, but I'm trying to stay close to the original so it's a bit painstaking.

The locations of the holes for the volume and tone controls, and the locations of the pickups seem to be a bit different on this guitar than the original.  I think I better ask Bruce for the hardware to trace it properly.  I need to know more precisely where the painting will be covered up.

My client, Bruce Diamond, supplied me with a great book for reference.  Classic Guitars of the 60s edited by Tony Bacon has a picture of The Fool guitar on the front cover and a nice larger photo on the inside.  Many other really unique guitars are in this book.  Fun to read.

"Classic Guitars of the 60s" edited by Tony Bacon

The angel is holding a triangle. 

 

 Bruce doesn't like how the psychedelic rainbow doesn't end at the point of the guitar so I'm extending it to the point. The rainbow on the original follows a weird, irregular pattern that kind of bugs me so I'm making the rainbow flow more symmetrically.  Artistic license.

 Okay, this time I promise I will start painting.  All the mapping out of the drawing is done.  (Except for the pickguard which I will paint last.  I still need to fine tune the drawing of the landscape.) 

Painting Eric Clapton's Fool Guitar - Phase One

Photo of original guitar by John Peden. Source www.vintageguitar.com

 
 

 Join me as I embark upon my artistic journey to paint a copy of Eric Clapton's "The Fool" Gibson SG, made famous in 1967.  My multi-talented musician friend Bruce Diamond of Diamond Strings has commissioned me to create a replica of this historic art guitar.  Pictured below is the front and back of the original piece.  I have been entrusted to paint a  copy of the front only.
 

Photo of original guitar by John Peden. Source www.vintageguitar.com

When Bruce approached me to do this project I was delighted to get a lesson in art history and music history as I was not aware of this guitar.  This famous decorated instrument accompanied Eric Clapton and his band Cream on their first American tour.  The two artists responsible for painting it soon after became part of a popular art group called "The Fool" (hence the naming of the guitar).   

The Fool collective created an abundance of pop culture art during the 60's including clothing, posters, paintings, and murals.  They worked for many British bands, among them The Beatles.  For further reading, here is an interesting article:  http://www.vintageguitar.com/12684/claptons-fool/

Drawing the psychedelic angel

Bruce supplied me with his sacrificial Gibson SG, primed, sanded, and ready to go.  The first step in my journey is to roughly sketch the design onto the body of the guitar.

I'm happy.

On to the pickguard.

Pickguard landscape.

Finally, the headstock.

That's all for now, folks.  I will return with more news when I start to do the actual painting.