I recently began painting football players, using a dry brush water color technique. One of my more favorite paintings was completed a few months ago. Titled "1,646 Yards", the painting depicts former Michigan TE Jake Butt, commemorating his record setting career at Michigan.
"1,646 Yards" | Dry Brush Watercolor
Not only did Butt choose to return for a fifth year, but he chose to play in the Orange Bowl, just prior to the NFL Draft. Despite his high projected draft spot, Butt played, and unfortunately suffered a torn ACL during the game. He didn't let this deter him, though, and he was taken by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round. Butt recently penned an inspiring piece for The Players' Tribune on his injury that is a highly recommended read.
Butt's Twitter post.
After posting the painting to Instagram, Jake Butt found it and requested a print. For me, the actual process of painting the picture was all that mattered - not the finished result. So, I decided to gift the original to Butt. After receiving the painting, Butt posted it on Twitter which was insane. It now sits on his wall in his Denver condo. Hopefully, Butt will return to the field very soon.
