I have made a few murals, but nothing compares to doing them outside. It’s a whole new game for me. I’ve been lucky these past few days – no rain, nice weather, shade. I can’t complain. This mural is being completed in a beautiful backyard in Washington, D.C. Of course it features the water bodies that surround DC and run through it – the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, as well as Rock Creek. This mural will also feature many landmarks and symbols that are important to the people who live here. Here’s a little bit of my process, I can’t wait to show you the finished piece!
A blank wall, not for long.I first laid out a grid. Each square is 12×12 inches (one square foot).Sketches, drawings, references, and water. (Gotta stay hydrated out there!)In some places I wanted to do a little under painting. This helped me to see how the proportions looked and also allowed me to see how the wall accepted my paint.Started to lay in some water and color variations using different shades of blue. Painting on this kind of a surface is a real challenge. I use a lot of paint, and tough bristled brushes.Some land going in around the water. Lots of mixing colors right on the surface to create the different values.I started drawing and under painting the different symbols and landmarks.These will eventually all have color and lots of detail.
Kate Fitzpatrick 