Friday, November 26, 2010

Progress


Underpainting continues. Typically, images are underpainted in contrasting colors such as oranges, reds, or greens depending on the final color. These colors are then painted over with opaque colors. The trompe l'oeil panels at the bottom of each quadrant are painted using a direct technique.












Work Starts

Sky painted in opaque colors.
Underpainting in transparent orange.

Gridded off and sketching in the design.







Panels Arrive

The mural is being painted on fiberglass reinforced concrete panels. The panels arrived in May 2010 and were placed in a warehouse on the campus of the University of South Alabama. Each quadrant is made of two panels which are joined together along a central seam. The mural will be painted, the panels separated, installed in the bell tower, and I will touch-up the seam on site. Because of the substrate and the exterior location, I am using Keim mineral paint. It's longevity is estimated at 80 - 100 years with direct exposure.