Tom from No One Underground ministries, whom I had been trying to get ahold of for the last few days, walked into camp. We decided to do the Tag-Team painting. Let's do it at 2pm. It was 10am. After he left, I went to work to set up today's big event. I shoved two easels together where you couldn't see one canvas when standing at the other. I unloaded all of my paint bottles in the middle between both canvases. I had enough water to drown a grown man too. We were setup and ready to go. There would even be live music played by Joel Jupp of Cymbolic.

The previous year at Cstone, I painted with Tom's cousin, Eric Timm, the owner and artist of No One Underground. Neither one of us had ever done this before but we wanted to paint together in some shape or fashion. I came up with the idea of turning the easels away from each other. When came time to decide what to paint, we decided to go with a vague concept and work out an idea at the easel while painting. I took the narrow path that leads to heaven and he took the wide path that leads to destruction.

What a trip! First of all, we both had very different styles. He works with oils and acrylics for me. Because I am used to painting pictables, I paint big and fats whereas he paints slower and more methodical. I lay in my subjects quickly and he goes after the background first. After the first switch, my mouth dropped. I came from my painting where I had already begun the main visuals. He had a very nicely blended background. Nothing more and nothing to work with. We originally said that we would switch 3 times but he pushed it to 5. And did he ever push me. I did a little pushing too though. In the end, it was a great experience. One that I want to duplicate many more times with different artists.

Back to this year. As we discussed the concepts, Tom wanted to take the Evil concept and I went with Good. We went crazy with the paint. Just nuts! Then the switch came and I felt some deja vu! Tom had a very nicely blended background and nothing to work with. So I started into him. We started the banter and were conversing as we painted. I even tried to get the crowd into it. We ended up going 5 times before tagging our paintings.

Whoooohooo! That was awesome! Just what I needed. I wanted a reason to stay and He gave it to me through Tom and the Tag Team. The pieces looked great and we had a blast. As we were winding down, we went and grabbed some lunch and chatted. I really didn't know Tom that well and I enjoyed talking with him. We then decided to do something more. I was planning on doing a triptych (three canvases put together) on Sunday. I shot off the idea to do a mural painting together. So we started with the ideas...

Cooperative Mural Painting>>

Tag Team Painting
Specs

Two easels are set up against each other at a 90 degree angle so that neither artist can see the other's work. Before they begin, a general concept is decided upon for each canvas, usually complimentary themes.

Then it begins. Each artist starts painting on their own canvas, developing their concept. After 10 minutes, they switch or tag over.

This is the tough part. Depending on what painting style and thought process, continuing on your opponents painting can be quite difficult, especially for those who have never done this before or have never painted with the other person. You have to get into their head and try to keep the story going but still add your own touch.

You will then switch again back to your canvas. This switching happens every 10 minutes and will end after the 3rd or 5th time with you finishing your piece.

The purpose of Tag Team painting is to push each artist by making them work with another artist to create two original paintings within certain time constraints. It is an exciting process and even fun to watch because even the artist doesn't even know what will happen.