The UpperDeck Presidential Project

UpperDeck commission series, acrylic, 2.5x3.5", 2011 - In stores July 5, 2011

The UpperDeck Trading Card Company contacted me last August about doing a series of hand painted trading cards featuring all 43 presidents. I received the cards in late November and began painting at the first of this year. Each president had to be painted 10 times for the limited edition, which is part of the selling point. That was a total of 430 individual portraits! Due to rigid deadlines I was not able to do all 430 myself and sent UpperDeck 220 finished president cards on April 20th. That was 220 portraits in a four ½ month period! Each card took approximately 4 hours from start to finish, with the layout having to be hand drawn first, then several series of glazes and layers before it was completed. I have posted images of all 220 paintings on my FB page - Works by J.Evan Kelley - check it out and leave a note. I hope to start back on the regular blog postings here now that the burden of micro-painting is out from over me. Enjoy - J