Leffe Art

I'm pretty sure with that many of us have heard of Leffe? One of the famous brand of Belgian beer, created by monks in monastries using their very own ingredients.

Well, I got to know this brand of beer after getting together with hubby as he is one lover of the beer. And when he got a nice Belgian as his boss, now former boss, he was introduced to none other than Leffe. The rest is history, as they say it.

They usual frequent a pub here which promotes various kinds of beers, especially those from Belgium. Leffe naturally took the centerstage. Now, what I like it about this fact is that the decor in this place has a stain glass art work, quite big, though not humongous. I am not sure if that is a focal point of attraction apart from the bar, but it really push forth Leffe, the abbey beer, for the stain glass artwork is none other than the iconic picture of a monk holding a glass of Leffe blond.

When I googled Leffe, this image is one of the many associated with this beer. So powerful that most the artwork is almost similar is not the same. Made me think that the art work is another branding of sorts for the Leffe brand. The monk holding the brew he created with his knowledge, sharing with the world.

Now, like I said before, I don't really drink beer, nor do I know how to enjoy and appreciate the taste of beer. What smoothness, what richness, what bitterness, let me try them all but still I cannot fathom the slightest of what those terms mean in world of beer. But what I like is this artwork. Definitely.

It's one of those things which I cannot forget. Which I find so pretty and beautiful and creative and peaceful all the together. Which lead me to do something about it, now that I am too free. Recreate the artwork, or the style of it, on paper using pencil colours and marker pens. Well, they are the only few art stuff that I have with me right now.

I was very pleased with myself when I came up with the idea of doing that and inserting my own twist in it, all for the special dedication to my hubby, the abbey beer lover. In the same style of the composition of the stained glass monk with beer, I redrew it, substituting the monk with my version, a polar bear. I crowned the polar and made him wear the robe and hold the Leffe glass, all in the spirit of the Leffe.

Why polar bear you might ask? Well, I know polar bear is associated with my hubby, but why is it polar bear and not other animals is beyond me. I didn't come up with that, merely borrowing the label. The whole construction of the art work was  not difficult when you have a reference and no time limit. The only challenge would be my talent, or the lack of it. I did try my best to make it as realistic as I can, though.

Colouring was that easy as I found out the art paper that I used, had some texture on it that if you coloured lightly, the texture became too apparent, making the colours a little uneven. I had to colour a few layers, especially using the white to blend the colours into the texture. But all in all, it was a good work done. Finished when the black lines were drawn to mimic stain glass.

And I named my art work, Polar Monk with Leffe. Leffe Art, especially for my hubby!