From the monthly archives: June 2011
Our team of Imago Dei designers and artists recently completed an intricately detailed mosaic mural for an Austin, Texas client. While we’ll be keeping many of our techniques and treatments used for the mosaic closely guarded we wanted to give our readers a bit of insight into its creation. So we went straight to the artist who is partially responsible for its amazing beauty, Amanda Sisk. Following is a short interview with Amanda and images of the completed work of art.
How long did it take you to complete the mosaic?
“The design of the mosaic mural was a first for Imago Dei. Many hours of hard work went into developing the technique that would give us the amazing end result of a crisp, luminous mosaic. As with any new venture on this scope, it was a definite learning experience. The design team deserves the lion’s share of credit because the three or four days I spent painting actually comprised the easy part of the project!”
What materials did you work with?
“We often paint murals in-house on stretched and primed canvas rather than directly on the walls or ceiling of a space. Then they are installed on-site with an adhesive. Not only is this approach easier on the artist’s body – I would not wish the Sistine Chapel approach on anyone – if the client moves or experiences any damage to the work, the mural can be relocated or repaired.
“We often paint murals in-house on stretched and primed canvas rather than directly on the walls or ceiling of a space. Then they are installed on-site with an adhesive. Not only is this approach easier on the artist’s body – I would not wish the Sistine Chapel approach on anyone – if the client moves or experiences any damage to the work, the mural can be relocated or repaired.
Imago Dei strives to use materials that are non-toxic/green, high in longevity, and time-efficient; as with the majority of our murals, we used acrylic paint. Vinyl was employed to mask the grout areas in-between the tiles. Interestingly, I did less painting with a brush and more rubbing in of the paint with my fingers and rags to achieve both the uniformity of and variation in texture that we were seeking within the mosaic “tiles.”
How would you describe the colors you mixed for the mural?
“Fabric swatches were used to match our palette to existing colour themes in the client’s home, thereby ensuring harmony between the mural and its final destination. The bold red, blue, ochre, etc. referenced mosaics from antiquity quite well.
I spent some time working in Pompeii and Naples, where I studied wall paintings and viewed many mosaics, and I was pleased with the warmth of the bright colours. We do not always remember that ancient Greece and Rome were intensely colourful because very few marble sculptures and wall paintings retain the vividness of the paint once applied to them. My favourite part of painting this mural was adding a final layer of “dirt” to bring the brightness down a notch for the antiquated look. Secret recipe!”
Johnny Cash 1969
Music touches us all in very different and very personal ways. What images does the name Johnny Cash evoke for you? Do you have vivid memories of the man himself or do the sounds of his music echo through your mind? Those of a certain age may hear ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ or think ’Man in Black’, while younger fans may hear the haunting lyrics of ’Ain’t No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down.)’
‘Ain’t No Grave’ is Johnny’s posthumously released, final studio recording, the song that provides the musical background for the Johnny Cash Project—A “Living Portrait” of the Man in Black. This art project evolves and grows online each day through the participation of fans around the globe who remember the singer and want to help keep his memory alive.
The creators of the project say, “Through this website, we invite you to share your vision of Johnny Cash, as he lives on in your mind’s eye. Working with a single image as a template, and using a custom drawing tool, you’ll create a unique and personal portrait of Johnny. Your work will then be combined with art from participants around the world, and integrated into a collective whole: a music video for ‘Ain’t No Grave’, rising from a sea of one-of-a-kind portraits.”
To contribute to this amazing collaborative effort, visit The Johnny Cash project online.
Uploaded to YouTube by Chris Milk, one of its creators, this is what the video looked like on September 29, 2010 after the participation of 250,000 contributors.
Photo Credit: By Joel Baldwin (LOOK Magazine, April 29, 1969. p.74) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
