GOAT Speed Skating Eric Heiden
SPEED SKATING
Eric Arthur Heiden (June 14, 1958) Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin
Considered the best in Sprint and long-distance history, a Dutch newspaper “greatest skater ever”.
5 individual gold medals, and 4 Olympic records 1 world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games also delivering the Athlete’s Oath
Eric and his sister Beth were the driving forces behind the creation of the Heiden Haus, a small outpost where local children can warm up after skating or playing hockey on the ice rink (complete with underground clay platform).
Heiden ranked No. 46 in ESPN‘s SportsCentury 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century in 1999, the only speed skater to make the list.
Stanford University in California, B.S. 1984 – M.D. 1991.
World Junior Speed Skating Championships in 1977- 1978.
3 World Allround Championships
4 World Sprint Championships, youngest athlete to do so.
Set world record 3 times 1000 meters, twice 3000 meters, including the 1500 meters and 10000 meters.
Top of the Adelskalender, a ranking system for long-track speed skating, for a record 1,495 days,
Oscar Mathisen Award 4 times 1977 until 1980 still is the only skater who has won the award four times. 2024
1980 James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S.
1983, inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.
On Ice Speed Matters! w2
Copyright: Willis Whiteside 2023 All Rights Reserved.
REFERENCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Heiden
Artistic Perspective
The Greatest of All Time art is a passion of bringing historical sports or public figures to full color. The art starts with research into the personality and reviewing available images or photographs to reference. The research includes the historical location and fan fills bleacher seats for those who witness the moments. The 18” x 24 inch canvas is laid out with the contrasting color pencil of the primary figures or elements outlines. These lines become boundaries of colors, with distinguishing edges or sfumato blended or smoky edges or color – light shading or blending. The foreground is usually in focus with the subject figure in dynamic action. Careful attention is given to these autonomist positions as sometimes these are the most recognized images or captured photo moments of the subject. Crossing the finish line or hurling a fastball, the intent is the subject is flowing with eye movement so you don’t want to stop looking in on the details.
Applying color
Applying the mixed acrylic squeezed out of a tube with a 10- 20 minute dry time. Applying or blending the colors is a matter of color and water saturation. Appling the base colors from dark to light is usually the process. The base color layers then absorb the new wet layer to blend the 2-3 color mixtures to achieve the desired color or blends. The multi layers affect of adding more color achieves more intense color saturation or white or pure color to dark blending. The blank canvas to final brush stoke is normally 2-3 weeks. Working in 2-4 hours sessions usually in the early mornings. We hope you enjoy the art as intended to bring back the best of the sport! If you have a suggestion for a new GOAT please contact us.