My piece: "The Match" is both in my Singularity series and made with the intent of sharing it in @juliakponsford wonderful #artexplosion contest.

The linework sketch layout before adding colour and detail:

At this final sketch stage I was considering having the subject's gaze at the viewer. I thought it pulled one in. I also toyed with it looking up to the butterfly bot. I finally decided to make it as shown in the final piece, with the human eye looking in wonder whilst the android eye penetrates the viewer.

I came to this by accident, as when painting out the robot eye, it simply became more colourful and by thus the iris sat a bit lower in the white of the eye, giving it this gaze out of the painting. It wasn't until I really stood back and saw it the next day that I realized what I had done.

It gave me a bit of a chill and I thought, "Yes, happy accident! It's staying!"

I also liked the ambiguity that might occur in the story of this piece. One might consider the character is simply discovering the little butterfly bot because of the light. Whilst one could also easily argue the light is the creation of the butterfly bot by the figure.

Who can say? Well YOU can say, as the viewer.

That's what I love about Story and Art: You make a scenario, it might change whilst you yourself create it and then other's will see their own in viewing it.

I might include this character in a larger more involved Singularity piece, but chose a close up more consice subject specifically so I could work on it over the 2 weeks alloted for @juliakponsford contest.

The truth is I'm not entering to win, but in a way as an homage to the wonderful work that @juliakponsford does do for the artist community here on steemit.

Her #artexplosion contest as well as her wonderful curated posts sharing the amazing work of other artist/musicians/writers on here is exemplary.

I only really began my Steemit journey January of this year, though I joined the previous Summer. It wasn't until my New Year's resolution to join as many art contests as I could each week that I really considered what Steemit really was. It was by joining these types of contests and challenges that not only had me interacting with other artists, but began to show me what this platform was really capable of: A sort of salon of online creatives sharing their passion and then actually interacting about it. It's why I'm still here today.

In fact, it was such contests as #artexplosion that led me to my own renewed love of my own artwork.

My passion for the figure has been rekindled, as I find new ways to express my own joy in painting and creating the figure and animals and a new found surreal world. Seeing so many amazing artists and other artistic talents in writing, music, and so on really spurs on one's imagination.

Being an introvert by nature and by choice, isolation can stagnate one a bit.

Steemit has opened up more views into other's studios to me within the joy of my own seclusion and even has me itching to get out and find meetups myself.

And that's why I really wanted to make a work for this weeks (well 2 week) #artexplosion challenge. And as the theme was open I was able to still work on my own current body of work in my series and also feel I am also paying homage to a great steemit challenge and a wonderfully talented fellow steemian in our #steemitvillage: @juliakponsford.

It is too late to join this contest this week, but check out @juliakponsford on the daily and you'll see the next contest as well as her own amazing creation.

I hope you have a creative day and if you find the time enter at least one contest or challenge on Steemit; be it for photography, music, art, craft, food, you name it there are challenges and contests. You won't regret it as it will open you up to so many other's who share your passion and meet some great people along the way.

If you like my posts please upvote, resteem, and by all means comment, I love comments!

Check out my other posts:

My Singularity piece for Art Explosion Week 42: No Theme.