Jersey Mural Journal
Mural Techniques, Materials and Tutorials
This is my Jersey Mural Journal Blog where I write about my work as a muralist, my mural and decorative painting techniques, my materials and my experiences.
Mural to Celebrate African Birthplace
Ange, presented with her mural.
This mural, 6 foot high by 8 foot wide, is custom designed for a very special little girl named Ange to celebrate her African birthplace. Born in Rwanda during peacetime and now living in the US, Ang’s parents wanted a mural to evoke her earliest memories of her birthplace halfway around the globe.
To help me get a feel for the environment, I was given photos taken during their stay in Rwanda. We talked about the elements that were important to them, including the blue car they traveled in and a large blue gateway to the entrance where they stayed and the cityscape of Rwanda, set in the background hills.
I produced pencil sketches to start the dialogue about images and juxtapositions that would work best.
My clients agreed that the sketch was very close to what that had envisioned but they wanted to see the continent of Africa with a heart in the center, as seen in the approved sketch, below.
We always prepare a color sample and in this case, because there were so many different elements involved, I decided to produce a full color painting of the whole mural (below, right.)
Full color rendering to scale for Ange's Mural.
When we painted the actual mural on the wall, we decided to paint Africa higher up and also to use Ange’s actual hand print to indicate the placement of Rwanda. Look closely and you can see a little heart painted in her palm. Ange has recently learned the letter “A”, the first letter of her name and of her birthplace. The butterfly has special meaning for Ange, and so we painted one at about her height.
Revised and approved sketch.
The Fig Tree Restaurant
Sneak peek at the Private Dining Room.
The Fig Tree Restaurant in Hoboken, New Jersey is scheduled to open in April 2012.
We were asked to design and apply the finishes to the three Dining Rooms, in a sophisticated palette of tones of grey.
The Private Dining Room at left boasts an impressive carved wood banquet, originally from the Stork Club in Harlem. The walls above the white beadboard are glazed in grey then hand-painted with boughs of leaves that fall in a graceful sweep around the room
Mantle piece flanked with crystal lights on grey glazed walls.
The grey theme is continued into the Main Dining Room with richly glazed walls to simulate the look of natural stone formations. The room is appointed with crisp white woodwork, large black framed mirrors and delicate crystal lights on the wall.
Grey walls glazed to look like natural stone.
Tomato Red Dining Room
Our signature "paint-on-paint" finish in a rich tomato red.
Red is taken to a new level when it is applied as our signature “paint-on-paint” finish on the walls and ceiling border in this Dining Room.
Our client wanted a rich red palette without a hint of pink. We created a palette based on Benjamin Moore Spiced Pumpkin. To create subtle depths and highlights, we mixed in Iron Ore and Golden Gate.
No matter how saturated the paint that you choose for your wall, a paint-on-paint finish will work to heighten the depth and richness of the color.
Below is the sample that was approved for the Tomato Red wall finish. Every wall finish we design is unique and site specific. No two of our clients have exactly the same wall finish, as everyone has different situations that require their own decorative solutions.
We recommend a “paint-on-paint” finish for it’s subtle texture, resilience and great price. Because there is no transparent glaze used in the application, it’s super easy to repair. The trick is all in the color chemistry, which we accomplish with trial and error in our studio. Once we have your colors customized and mixed, the application is a breeze.
Sample board created for Tomato Red Dining Room.
Mural Artists Visit Grounds for Sculpture
Sara channeling a Degas ballerina.
We packed a picnic lunch and visited the wonderful Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey.
Sara posing head to head with handing sculpture
The Sculpture Gardens offers a nice change from our usual visit to NYC or Philly and all the long lines that usually go with it.
The peacocks that roam freely on the grounds may find a place in our next garden mural.
A peacock finds a home in a Conservatory Mural we painted in a Foyer.
A Forest Mural in a Children’s Playroom
Their parent’s thought: wouldn’t it be nice to bring the kid’s favorite place into their playroom?
We all got together to take a look at the room and talk about their ideas for a forest mural.
They envisioned the three children playing in the forest. Ben loves to go fishing so the mural will need to have a pond to fish in!
Mia and Olivia will be playing together as fairies.
Sample board created for the "Fairies in the Forest" mural.
Mia as a fairy playing in the forest.
through the trees. The painting of Mia as a fairy at left is taken from a photograph of her on a family vacation.
The inspiration for the forest is drawn from the book “Lost In The Woods”, a photographic journal by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick. I love the way the photographs in this book segue into painterly vignettes. I like to see that contrast in my murals, as well, between what is painterly and sharply realistic.
Black and white sketch for Fairies in the Forest Mural on a 20 foot wall.
We have drawn a layout of the entire mural, to scale, in black and white. The mural wall is 20 feet wide and will be painted to create an overall feeling of being in the depths of the forest. The fairies will be playing in the foreground under the trees. The tree on the right will be painted right over the door to a crawl space that is the children’s playhouse
The Fairies in the Forest Mural, complete
Finished portrait of Ben, fishing in the coy pond.
Finished portrait of Mia and Olivia as fairies.
Close up shots of finished mural, featuring portraits of Ben, Mia and Olivia playing around the coy pond. To see the mural painted in day to day progress and the photos we took of the children for their mural portraits, read on!
Another Magical Forest Springs Up!
The sample board we painted for a Magical Forest Mural
A little girl named Alexandra will have her room transformed into a Magical Forest on Thursday! The room is now painted a nice, neutral Benjamin Moore# 964. When Alexandra wakes up Friday morning she will see fanciful trees dripping with sugarplums, curly-cue wild flowers tickling up the wall and fairies hovering all about. We’ll share the completed room with you next weekend. Can’t wait!
It is always helpful to “plant the trees” and create a sketch to the scale of the room, as pictured below.
First we layout the trees in the room. With a piece of chalk and a rag handy to wipe off any errors, we draw the trees with our scale layout to guide us.
By lunch time, we have all of our bare trees and wildflowers painted in Bavarian Cream Benjamin Moore flat paint.
Next, we paint in all the leaves and sugarplums. Because we’ve mixed and labeled all of our paints in the studio we can really fly!
All the bare trees and foliage are painted in first.
Leaves and sugarplums have sprouted on our trees!
Chevron Wall In A Day
A chevron wall pattern painted in a day.
There’s nothing like being prepared.
We painted the chevron pattern on this wall in one day.
It looks simple but it can be a disaster if you don’t think it through.
it’s worth the time to first do a layout on paper to the scale of your wall.
sketch of wall drawn to scale
The Lenape Mural Project: evolution of a supergraphic
Lenape Mural Project in Frenchtown, New Jersey: Full Color Preliminary by Murals & Moldings
Paddle Creek Kayaks, Frenchtown
Me, painting the Secret Garden.
The Beginning: A Blank Wall
This concrete building at 26 Race Street in Frenchtown, has inspired me to paint a mural. A.k.a the Paddle Creek Kayak building, it stands at the gateway to my little town on the Nishisakawick Creek. Across the street is the landmark National Hotel. The wall is 16 feet high, with a 12 foot span to the left of the window.
This empty canvas has beckoned to me for several years. This year I am responding. It will be my second mural in Frenchtown. I painted the Secret Garden, a 10 foot high mural on Harrison Street, when I moved here in 1999. It marked a home coming for me, finding my heart in Frenchtown. (more…)
Before and After: bare walls and moldings brought to life
Coffered Ceiling: Ater Finishing Work by Murals & Moldings of New Jersey
It is always very satisfying to see the before and after shots of the work we’ve done. When we are finished with a project, it looks as if it was meant to be. Though we were present every step of the way, we forget how cold and bare it looked before we started. Below is the Dining Room after wall panels and ceiling coffers were installed. (more…)
Jumping Dolphins Mural: How to Paint a Mural, step by step
to-scale sketch for "Jumping Dolphins"
The first step in creating a mural is an idea. Marisol is a young girl who loves dolphins. Her room is painted blue above a chair rail and lavender on the bead board below. She also specified that she’d like to see a sunset. As this is not an under water mural, the dolphins must be jumping. We found several images of dolphins jumping in the air. We added splashes and stars to express delight and exuberance. Next step will be a full color sample board. (more…)