Paint with Personality

This mural is so simplistic in its design, yet its sharpness of form and theme made this home theatre mural an instant classic.

At the client’s request, the logo was painted on canvas…. in the event of an untimely relocation!

Once hung in place, the canvas painting was the center point for the wall. Corresponding numbers and letters were then mapped out.

The result is a bold and engaging statement telling the viewer, you are in Star Trek territory now!…

Most of the time when I paint a scene, I start with painting the background first. But not the case with this skater dude themed mural!… because the skaters were the main focus, I wanted to make sure that I captured their action and gave them an almost lifelike size. So I began this mural by sketching in the figures first.

Next, I began filling in the background- the sky blue.

And then the trees. Notice how the contrast already makes the figures pop off the wall?!…

Next, I began adding details to the skateboarders. In case you’re wondering- I use actual pictures to help me in painting the characters as lifelike as possible. That’s why you see the sheets of paper taped to the wall. Often times, several different pictures are combined to creat the final image.

Lastly, the ramps and railings of the skateboard park were finished up.

The only thing better than a story about surfing Penguins is watching the painting unfold before your eyes.

OK, so it started out as a bit of a joke, but this hilariously quirky piece of furniture is one of my recent favorite projects!… this entire project was completed on the tailgate of my truck. If you’ve ever seen my work truck, you’ll understand!….

It started out as an old bar table- about 24 inches in diameter. It needed to be primed first.

Next, the pizza ‘crust’ was painted on:

Then the sauce was added:

Next, just like a REAL pizza, after the sauce, comes the cheese:

And more cheese:

Next, ‘toppings’ such as pepperoni, mushrooms, and green peppers added more color and depth to the pizza.

Finally, a protective coating of polyurethane was applied to make the Pizza Table both fun and functional!

This past March I had the pleasure of participating in the 2008 Washington Home & Garden Show hosted at the new DC Convention Center. My overall goal for the show was to paint a spring-themed mural throughout the 4-day expo. I chose the theme of butterflies because I wanted to do something colorful and somewhat unexpected in its arrangement. The result is something I was really proud of- and quite the show stopper!

It began with a blank wall:

One by one, I added butterflies. I used actual pictures of butterflies I found online to help me paint them accurately.

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Despite working on the butterfly mural tirelessly throughout the show, I was amazed at the number of questions I got asking: A) 'Did you do that freehand?' or B) 'Did you use stencils?'...

The Butterfly mural at the end of Day 4:

See how this classic rural landscape is transformed from a sketch to the ‘real deal.’

The new owner of this Alexandria home was lucky to inherit some beautiful faux finishing. Only problem was, the color scheme didn’t match her decor!… so, without a complete do-over, I simply recolored some of the stripes while leaving the gold tones in tact. The result was elegant, yet bold, and that complimented her furniture.

Last week I finished this library mural for the Community Academy Public in NW Washington. This mural gift was donated by a Silent Auction winner for the Arlington Free Clinic. I love the idea that 2 wonderful organizations benefited from the Silent Auction- the money going to the free clinic and the mural going to the school. I met with the Director of Community Development to come up with ideas about this project. After some discussion, we decided on the theme “Reading Takes You Places” and I created a world of imagination that can be easily traveled to by reading. I am excited about attending the Grand Opening Ceremony some time in September.

The purpose of this blog is to share with you my most recent projects hopefully as they unfold. Unlike my gallery, this blog will give you an opportunity to view works in many stages of the painting process from beginning to end.