Fun Day Sunday: Richard Armitage Wallpaper Artwork Magic by Ann Boudreau, November 23, 2014 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #661)

Winter weather has hit our middle of the US city with freezing temps and ice portending snow very soon. So bundling up when going outside or snuggling at home is a must. And there is no better way to keep warm then to spend some time with the film works and pictures of the exquisitely talented British actor Richard Armitage.

Richard Armitage is a masterful storyteller famous for his searing character portrayals of: John Thornton in North & South (2004); Sir Guy of Gisborne (2006-2009); Lucas North in Spooks 7, 8, & 9 (2008-2010); John Porter in Strike Back (2010); Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit trilogy of films (2012, 2013, 2014); in action adventure fare as Gary Fuller in Into the Storm (2014)–and with Mr. Armitage most recently on stage winning raves and critical acclaim (left) as the penultimate John Proctor in The Crucible (2014) (stunning fan art below, by Ann Boudreau).   Sighhh! Mr. Armitage also has several films in post production, including portraying Chop in Urban and the Shed Crew (2015?) and as Dr. Scott in Sleepwalker (2015?).

With Ann Boudreau’s lovely The Crucible wallpaper (above) as one of my earliest introductions to her RA artwork, I began noticing her artwork when it would pop up in my newsfeed. And I have recently enjoyed more of the lovely Richard Armitage artwork of the very talented Ann Boudreau, that she shares on Twitter. So I am featuring a few of my recent favorites of Ann Boudreau’s plethora of Richard Armitage artwork below:

 

Exhibit RA1: Employing some 2012-2013 Ashcroft portraits of Richard Armitage, Ann Boudreau definitely stops us in our tracks with a double dose of RA’s smouldering presence (below). I especially love the closeup! Ann captured Richard’s quiet dignity and allure quite breathtakingly. You’ll also note that this Ashcroft portrait series–some of which appeared in an article (translation) of Richard Armitage in the Korean magazine Movie Week in January 2013 (right) — was where Mr. Armitage drew his own Twitter cover and icon from. Thanks to Isabelle W. for reminding me of this lovely Ann Boudreau wallpaper (below)! And as I also gushed to Kitty and Isabelle about the closeup in Ann’s wallpaper: Love the finely trimmed stubble, framing the contours of RA’s chiseled jaw! Sighhh! *THUD*

http://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/534449864172929026

 

And I also love Ann’s whimsical pairing of a funny trope with a similar RA portrait below:

http://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/525798236880388096

Grati: I am definitely afraid of spiders–and Richard Armitage. Ha!

 

Exhibit RA2: Staying in RA’s blue period–a flattering color palette for Richard Armitage–Ann Boudreau chose this brooding portrait below of Richard Armitage from the July 2011 Project Magazine photo shoot to set the stage for Winter, RA style. RA fits beautifully in this invitingly wintery scene of snow dusted trees, with a park bench in the background.   And I certainly want to purchase a long blue cashmere scarf now. Sighh!

http://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/533409104707194881

 

Exhibit RA3: Another Summer 2011 Richard Armitage Recognise Magazine portrait is the focus of this next Ann Boudreau Richard Armitage Wallpaper (below) with a double dose of RA set amidst a snowy bridge at night scene. For me, the image conjures up the possibility of a romantic moonlit stroll–with you know who. Sighhh!   Alas Richard, I’m already taken. Ha!

http://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/532149548282806273

Exhibit RA4: In Ann Boudreau’s RA wallpaper scene below, she features a bundled up Richard Armitage taking a brisk walk in a charming residential neighborhood as the snow gently falls around him.   After a large holiday meal, people often like to stretch their legs. And it is a delight that Ann chose to compose this wallpaper with a full length Richard Armitage portrait. We rarely get full poses of Mr. Armitage–partially because we love close-ups of his expressive and handsome face. Yet, to see him at his full height is magnificent!

https://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/535167213536555009

The artistic rendering that Ann Boudreau created in the wallpaper above, is actually more complex than you might think at first glance.  My knowing that the original Richard Armitage image had a Moscow city background as he walked in character as Lucas North in Spooks (series 7) and no scarf makes me appreciate the fine eye and artistic skills of Ann. Seamlessly masking people out of their original backgrounds–as Ann has done here–is tough and time consuming. And the new background winter scene she chose for the wallpaper–probably also composed of multiple elements that she blended together–is perfection!  Finally, Ann has scaled and layered everything just right, such that this image looks like an original portrait shot. Brava, Ann!

Exhibit RA5: We close with another lovely and inviting Wintery scene in Ann Boudreau’s wallpaper below that features a Richard Armitage portrait from 2008 as he portrays Lucas North in Spooks series 7 epi 5. It is a promo portrait of Richard/Lucas gazing intensely at something. The future, perhaps?

https://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/535786181829865475

This particular wallpaper prompted my good friend and frequent blog commenter, Kitty, to declare that  it inspired in her thoughts of being: “Snowed in w/ Lucas! THAT would be some winter magic!” To which I/Grati replied: “Definitely! Snuggling in our jammies under a soft blanket with Lucas while lying on a plush rug by a warm fireplace with real logs crackling with dancing firelight in the hearth, hot mulled cider in mugs near by (rum optional), and no lights on in the room but for the twinkling strands of lights on the Christmas tree that you just finished decorating, would be purrrrfect!”

So who is the talented artistic lady–Ann Boudreau–who creates such wonderful Richard Armitage artwork? Ann is known as @AnnBoudreauArt   on Twitter (right) and she is delightfully varied and voluminous in her designs–as evidenced by her commemorating her 100^th RA wallpaper as noted below. Wow! I have many more wallpapers yet to save from her collection!

http://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt/status/532370014679355392

Ann Boudreau  also kindly shared with me some info about herself to share with you:

“I’m an artwork artist for the Henry Cavill Fanpage on Facebook. I have done over 600 artworks of him so far. About a year ago, a very sweet lady sent me a private message to congratulate me on my work and asked me if I ever made any of Richard Armitage, however at the time, I didn’t knew who he was so I googled him and then made 2 of him that I sent her. Her and I became very good friends so on and off, I would make one and send it to her.

Then slowly, I started to make some more and more often … ツ However what really did it for me, it’s when this series of pictures of Richard in rehearsal [for The Crucible, right courtesy of Ann] came out … after that, I was on a roll and still am ! ツ

You are going to think that I’m weird but when I make an artwork of someone, I need to have this click that relates me to the person, something inside me that goes on which I can’t really explain. In each of my artworks, there’s always a story, sometimes easy to see, sometimes not. And when I say a story, I don’t mean like a story book but more like something that makes each person relate to when they see them. I have a true passion for making artworks, I always give it all I’ve got in each one and Richard inspires me because he’s a genuine man, he has a beautiful soul and making artworks of him is a real charm. I’m so happy that this lady made me discover him.”

 

Thanks, Ann!. We don’t think you’re weird at all. Thank you again for sharing your lovely Richard Armitage artwork with us. So be sure to check out this talented and prolific RA Artwork Designer Ann Boudreau at her social media sites on http://twitter.com/AnnBoudreauArt and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ann.boudreau.9

 

In closing, with the December holidays coming upon us soon–and Thanksgiving in the US coming this week–our thoughts turn to the festive gatherings that we might participate in this Winter.   And though Mr. Armitage appears alone in each of Ann Boudreau’s lovely wallpapers above, he does not appear to be lonely. That is a fine distinction, I know, but one to keep in mind as we all make plans to celebrate the holidays.

Just remember, that even if you are alone at home on a holiday–or any regular day–you have your friends across the miles just a click away. And we also have lovely Richard Armitage artistic projects to enjoy–his films, and fan fics that he has inspired, etc.–as well as, the lovely Richard Armitage artwork by talented artists such as Ann Boudreau.