Wild in Art is delighted to be working with About the Place on the development of Woa! Rhino. Building on the success of our other events, Woa! Rhino is sure to capture the public’s imagination while driving economic benefits and ultimately benefiting two very worthy causes.

Charlie Langhorne, Wild in Art

An artist’s tips and hints

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Oliver

“I have to start this off by saying that painting a full size rhino, in public, has had to be one of the most engaging , challenging and *fun* art projects I’ve been lucky enough to work on. I hope these painting hints and tips I’ve learned along the way prove useful to the next rhino painters out there, whether you are 6 or 60!
First of all, the rhino arrives ready-primed, but it’s worth putting an extra coat of emulsion on to get a smoother finish. One of the ears got a bit chipped on Newton, but some outdoor quick drying filler sorted that out and you can use fine sandpaper to smooth out any bumps.

Before you start painting, be sure of your design, in particular the background since once that’s done, its difficult to change. I chose spray (aerosol) acrylics to use as a base. These give great coverage, but be aware they are quite toxic so you will need protective goggles, face mask (make sure you use one that blocks paint fumes) and latex gloves as well as protecting your clothing. For this reason, it’s probably wise not to use spray acrylic if you are going to be painting the background with children, and use a household emulsion or acrylic paint instead.

The most forgiving way of drawing the design onto the rhino (and make changes) is to use chalk since this wipes off with a damp cloth. I used artist acrylic paint to fill in the design and you can expect to have to paint 2 or 3 coats.

Finally, the rhino will need to be varnished (to fix the paint and protect it from scuffing and the elements). I would recommend the Bristol 780 gloss varnish which is water based (and therefore easy to clean up afterwards) and a little goes a long way. You should be able to give 2 coats of varnish with about half a litre.
Of course you may be considering covering your rhino in rhinestones or turning it into a ballerina complete with tutu instead, in which case – good luck, and have fun!

Sue Cook http://www.picturedreams.co.uk painted Newton at Oxford Castle during Artweeks with children from John Blandy School in Southmoor. What she does not mention above is the constant barrage of questions from the public and life stories from regular visitors. The rhino attracts attention from everybody and is a great spectacle. A fantastic opportunity for the sponsor and for you as a commercial artists. Just be prepared, if you are being creative in public, to be scrutinised, to entertain and to be a sympathetic ear!