I am trying to come up with a mural design that displays twelve different scenes, from 1905 to 2005, a poem and a little bit of extra text. The format is 6'x40'. The committee in charge has "designed" something, where every scene sort of flows into the next one. I would love to propose something different.
I thought of painting "photos", loosely arranged; maybe a vertical fade in the background, leading from decade to decade. I can't post it here, it's only in my head so far, and I'm still trying to think of other ideas.
I feel more confident with lettering than this type of art, and any ideas/inspiration would be helpful.
This should probably be on the "Design" page, but no one ever seems to go there.
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Sounds like an opportunity to either have some real fun or get into major trouble.
These are street scenes? I like the committees idea to paint one continuous scene in 12 sections. I think it could be really cool to have the colors, clothing styles of the pedestrians, models of cars and even the signs on the buildings morph from frame to frame.
Posted by Rick Chavez (Member # 2146) on :
I wouldn't do a fade, I would have building, cars and people on the mural change with the times in sections, the poem would change typestye as it goes throught the different part of the mural.
Rick
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
You could check to see if they have period photos of the streetscape they wish to include. This may help with your historical accuracy. You could even finish with the building your mural is on and show the mural on the building so people will be looking at a picture within a picture within a picture.
You can also add little whimsical, subliminal details for people to try to discover–things like an armadillo with a cell phone off in the distance, a 1905 cowboy with a laptop, a dinosaur peeking around a corner or a sailboat in the clouds. The Dallas phone book covers used to have similar frivolity and people would spend hours trying to find all the hidden extras.
A friend of mine and I tried to get the contract to do a 1300' wall section along a covered sidewalk at an airport here. We had planned a journey through Texas time and geography with much carved relief work and humorous touches. We wanted the people using that sidewalk to find something new every time they traveled it. Alas, the committee making the decision went with something more staid, however, we sure had a good time brainstorming the concept.
Your project sounds like a lot of fun but keep in mind that you can get so “into” one of these that you completely forget about the time involved and end up working hundreds of hours for half of minimum wage.
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
i think of figures standing on a tilted grid in perspective from modern times to past or vise versa.. fadign into the past or into the future, either way,,
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
Lotti
Can I make a suggestion..
You talked about different pictures,How about a Film cel strip with the time eras in each one of them? Posted by Lotti Prokott (Member # 2684) on :
Great ideas, guys, thank you! I specially like the one were clothes and vehicles morph over time. The way it is though, they have a particular set of photographs that have to go on there and it is not all street scenes. So I have a collection of unrelated pictures to join. I have seen collages like that and did one myself at one time, but find it harder to do if I can't choose the images myself. Stephens idea might work; basically I am looking for a way to keep those pictures separate. Now I just thought of something: What if I would paint that street scene simpler and in subdued colors, like all browns (think old photograph), to basically build a background for the pictures who could sit in the window frames in full color. Like the farming scene in the John Deere dealer window,etc. David is right though, I have to watch the hours I will be putting into this...
Posted by Ken Henry (Member # 598) on :
Hello Lottie. After hearing what you've described, the thought that struck me was that this mural covers the span of time which includes several "generations". Perhaps, as a divider element, you might consider incorporating some "significant indicators" which could distinguish what was really significant in your area, during a particular "generation". A montage of things, like a newspaper headline, an old stock sale flyer, the price of a loaf of bread, or the introduction of a new product or service, for example. Local servicemen/women who returned from overseas duty...or a memorial for those who didn't, the opening of a new grain elevator, fire hall, city hall, visits by dignitaries etc. Anything of significance or interest that is "unique" to your locality or community. You could even set such a montage against a "toned down" set of calendar pages which might be faintly visible as the backdrop. Those are my suggestions. I hope that you might find something among them that's useful, and that helps you out.
Good luck, and I'm sure that many of us will be interested in seeing whatever you come up with as your proposal. Posted by Danny Busselle (Member # 3746) on :
Layout everything on Mouslin roll vanno Starch on it and paint everything in poster flats ver thin lots of pastels after completion have a pro Camera guy Shoot it in a Loop. while useing color cel lites to change peroids then put it in a loop and project it saving the ORIGINAL for your self Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
Lotti
Something I might add.
I was thinking of a grainy (scratched picture) of the 20's working up to a full colour cel of todays time.
This might work for your project Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
My idea might really be out there. But I love the idea of what a family can go through in that span of time. Maybe the continueing theme could be a family, birth, childhood, life, death and rebirth. But the main charater stays in the same town throughtout their life. It would be alot of work. The poety could be, well, loving family type stuff.
Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :
Hello girl It sounds as though there is too much information to go on that wall - if they are expecting 12 different photographs it is going to be very labour intesive - make sure you don't underestimate the time it will take. You basically have about three feet in width per picture if you put them side by side. What about making the background like a photo album and having the pictures anchored with those old black and gold photo corners - you cou7ld make some of the older photos sepia and gradually work into full color - you could have some hand colored black and whites and then some faded colored pics to maker the transition. That way you can deal with different sizes and shapes. Perhaps the poem could be hand written on fine note paper with a pen laying beside it. That would provide an opportunity for some cool 3D effects. Good luck and charge accordingly!
Posted by Glenn S. Harris (Member # 2190) on :
I'd charge by the hour on this one.
Look at some of Dan Sawatsky's stuff. (sorry if I mispelled Dan)
He does those historical murals.
There's one in town with a brick archway painted on the wall, you could make windows or archways or something.
Posted by Lotti Prokott (Member # 2684) on :
Thank you all. Ok, here's the idea now, switch on your imagination: I am going to go with the photo idea, from old to new, sepia to full clor, from left to right, not all lined up, some overlapping, but probably all level. Set against a maroon background with large, darker semi-silhouettes of people, a native dancer, an ukrainian immigrant, a farm couple, a service man or woman, a family. Also part of the background in a lighter tone: years (1905, 1915, etc.)showing everywhere between the pictures, corrisponding to the time frame of the pictures (again from left to right). In the top center the text "100 YEARS....KAMSACK AND SASKATCHEWAN", in a light gold color and shadow. On the left hand side the poem on a backdrop like an old, yellowed sheet of paper, bent corners, shadow, fountain pen. Finally, in the foreground, a few stalks of wheat, a couple tiger lilies (the symbols of the province). Basically one big collage. I think all colors would work together really good. Not sure yet if I want to add a whimsical feature like colorful pins (painted to look 3D), holding the pictures in place.
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