Painted Planters

Here is an interesting project :paint up these terracotta planter pots to give them a little pizazz. I used paint for painting cement, which should offer some extra adhering qualities.I also used some cool metalic in the recessed areas of the pots, to add to the sense that these are now objects of great antiquity, made of fantastic enamels, glazes and precious metals(!) You can see many of these pictures larger by clicking on them.

It was a lot of fun working with the bas-relief areas, layering a lot of paint, and making it look like mineral build-up, and drips.

These pots will be outside, most of them under cover, on patios, but even the ones out in the weather should hold up fairly well...and as they endure the elements, further weathering will probably only make them look more interesting.

I was particularly pleased with this sideways leaning pot. It was more of a challenge, since it didn't have any raised areas, so I had to do much more to make it interesting. And it now has a lot of character.

Some of the pots had cement screed dropped on them, from construction on the site where they where kept before I got them to paint. I was able to knock some of it off, but the cement that would not knock off, I painted brilliant gold, and then "aged" it, so that it looks like real gold was carelessly dropped on them.

Mural Completed

I am very happy with the final result, the style change was a great moment, and the resulting mural has a lot of depth and movement in it. It's much more interesting that the flatter effect I had begun with....

The final touch is a simple swirl/wave design in the molding of the door frames.

It adds a nice touch of delicacy to separate the blues of the mural from the blue of the wall finish.

Stylistic Changes

This mural just wasn't looking enough like the sketches I had made. I needed to make it much looser and more stylized.
After a little thought and a new mind set, I changed the look of this mural considerably. The elements stay the same, but the way the paint is applied is way different!


The mural becomes more playful, very gestural and full of movement.

Elevator Lobby Mural

Time for another visit to the Beach, via mural!
Later, these two areas will have flying pelicans, some beach side vegetation, a turtle, maybe some dolphins in the water, that sort of thing.
If I am allowed to, I really want to paint out/disguise some of the elevator paraphenalia: the buttons, the emergency access panel, and the light switch!




Elevators are interesting to work with. They lend themselves to a dramatic depiction of "Entering". Perhaps it's because they open for you; they don't seem as static as regular doors. Another technicality with painting elevators is the different edges have to match up, and the inside of the door has to be thought of. IE the parts, edges mainly, you see as you step OUT of the elevator. The ''Rude Mechanicals''. Almost literally.

This elevator lobby also has a side door.
The door will have the edge of a dock along the bottom, and a pelican sitting on a post stretching or looking up, or something. It will disguise the door handle.
Check back soon to see how this beach mural evolves!