The King of Rock n Roll: Elvis Presley

by Aidan Bradshaw

One of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century. Elvis Presley is painted in all his glory with bold and vibrant colors to perfectly depict his colorful life. Oranges, greens and yellows are generously used throughout as they were popular colors in his era of the 1950s. Not only is Elvis the King of Rock n Roll he is also one of the world most recognizable entertainers and movie stars. But most importantly, he put peanut butter and banana sandwiches on the map!

About the Artist: Blend Cota
During Elvis week in August 2017, Blend Cota travelled to Graceland to show off his handcrafted artwork of the King of Rock n Roll. This was to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death at his residence at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Blend Cota, the colorful artist, achieves detailed expressions and brush strokes through his collection of Colorism artwork. He is heavily inspired by the artwork of Picasso and other expressionists who express their emotions through their color schemes. Cota believes that the painting can talk for itself much better than he can with his words. Find out more about Blend Cota here...

Elvis and his beloved Motorbike
Elvis Presley was a motorbike fanatic. He had an exceptional collection of motorbikes, with many of them now at his Graceland residence in Memphis. His first motorbike was a 1956 Harley Davidson KH. Blend Cota wanted to incorporate his passions and used the bright colors to represent the electrifying freedom Elvis felt every time he roared down the highway on his bike. Cota subtly inscribed into the gas tank is the ‘King of Rock n Roll’ in neon orange, an ode to the biggest names in history.

The combination of colors enhances the detailing of Elvis Presley and his beloved motorbike.

The spokes on the wheels are highlighted using multicolored UV paints to contrast against the dark blue color to create the wheel and Elvis himself. To really make the motorbike and Elvis pop, the background is a colorful sea of bright neons that were commonly used in the 1950s.


Colorism effects used by Blend Cota
What makes the painting so exquisite, is the way in which the bright colors are used to contour the face of Elvis Presley and add depth to his eye and features, making such a color pop-art like painting also a detailed colorful piece of artwork. The subtle aqua blue detailing is a perfect hint of color to contrast the dark blue pants. These beautiful artistic techniques capture the qualities of Elvis and truly bring him to life. 

The darker features help to create a contour between the colorful background and Elvis and his motorbike. Choosing bold colors to represent his music and his power. The blurred yet colorful background signifies Presley’s vibrant life he led, but also the dark silhouette like colors used to depict Elvis could also have been used by Blend Cota to suggest the dark life of addiction he had to prescription drugs.

The smooth and suave singer is brought to life through the vibrant colors used by Cota. Also, shading techniques using contrasting colors help to truly animate Elvis and breathe life into the persona Blend Cota created.

Elvis Presley at The Art of Entertainment
The 1950s heartthrob is one of the most recognizable musicians of all time. Like all good music artists, their reign must come to an end, but his legacy will live on forever! A colorful, yet symbolic piece of artwork - Elvis has left the building!
To find out more about the artwork at the Art of Entertainment and Blend Cota’s King of Rock n Roll depiction - contact (888) 624-5455 today!