1xRUN Thru Interview
Link’s Journey by Jordan Mendenhall
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this original painting.
Jordan Mendenhall: I’ve always loved Zelda games and other video game classics. Even watching people play video games was magical to me when I was growing up. My older brothers did most of the playing because I was no good, but the games were magical. You could live, adventure, race, fight, and make friends in these alternate worlds. I guess that’s why I love video games and art so much till this day. You get to create worlds and live in them and escape from reality. Real life is stressful and sometimes is too much. I love to escape through my art and video games.
1xRUN: What materials did you use to create this piece? Is it still for sale?
Jordan Mendenhall: Acrylic on canvas. Yes, the original is very big, 32 x 40 inches and it is for sale here along with some other original artwork and sketches.
1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Jordan Mendenhall: I started the idea with a very vague image in my head. I sketched out the overall composition of the piece in my sketchbook no bigger than a fingernail. Once I had the piece visualized in my head, I started to sketch in Photoshop roughly. I would make new layers cleaning up the previous layer, adding and changing existing details. Once I had a more finished sketch, I created a color layer and made a quick study of how I wanted it to look. I cut, sanded, and assembled a panel then stretched canvas over the panel. Techniques I learned from apprenticing under Greg “Craola” Simkins. I then prepped the canvas and transferred the drawing to the canvas and started painting. Many many months later, I finally finished the painting.
1xRun: How long did this painting take from start to finish?
Jordan Mendenhall: 1 year and 5 months on and off.
1xRun: What is unique about this piece compared to some of your other work?
Jordan Mendenhall: This is by far the largest single piece of art that I have ever made!
1xRun: Did you run into any issues creating this piece?
Jordan Mendenhall: I always struggle with anything that I do. This painting created some issues for me. It contains certain things that I am not used to painting. I also am very self critical where I constantly doubt everything that I do. So after seeing the painting almost every day for a long long time, I had to go back and revisit many different parts of the painting and improve them.
1xRun: Why should people buy these prints?
Jordan Mendenhall: They are awesome! At least I think so. If you like the art and are a fan of the Zelda series you should collect one. Also if they want to support me and my art and want to continue seeing new works from me on a regular basis. Also so that I can prove to everyone that if you follow your dreams you can make them a reality.
1xRun: Describe this image in one gut reaction word.
Jordan Mendenhall: Childhood.
1xRun: For each of your releases you paid homage to some classic Nintendo games. Tell us about your fascination with the original Nintendo and why you find yourself returning to this imagery.
Jordan Mendenhall: I am a huge fan of video games and want to pay my respect to the classics. Also I think you should paint what you know and I know video games very well. They tend to be more than just a game to me. They are different worlds I have lived in and learned from them. I learned what person I want to be and what I want to do with my life.
1xRun: Bring us up to speed what you’ve been up to since your last Megaman themed RUN?
Jordan Mendenhall: I was in a Pokemon art show, released some T-shirts, created new drawings and paintings, apprenticed under Dabs Myla, and worked some horrible side jobs.
1xRun: Any artists new or old that have been inspiring you as of late?
Jordan Mendenhall: Dabs Myla as of late are super inspiring since I have been apprenticing under them.
1xRun: Where can we find you?
Jordan Mendenhall: Instagram @jordanmendenhall
-1xRUN