(Fig. 11)   Bare walls. View from the cellar hallway into the wine room.

           I moved in and mentioned how much better the effect would be is the entire hallway was included. There were a few moments of silence in which I felt all eyes on me. Then the designer, who seemed to be looking at him, and then at me with some apprehension, broke the spell with a quick introduction, pointing out that I was the muralist. I nodded. Then the gentleman with Mr. Wolstein picked up on my idea and really did a great job of noticing and further elaborating on the obvious benefits to the space. Mr. Wolstein though for a moment, nodded, seemed pleased to hear about it, and moved on. And that was that.

           Before leaving the site, I promised the designer that I would e-mail my mural designs for consideration. I had come to recognize that simply describing what I intended to do (as I do in most of my jobs) simply would not do since they were not familiar with my work. In addition, the firm needed to show something to the client –a step I usually do without. Once the designs were made and approved I could then provide her with a price quote for the job. I left the site with the understanding that the room should be finished (or at least the mural wall) by the beginning of spring, in March or April. I thought this was doable, after all, how long does it take to install a few sheets of drywall?

(Fig. 12)    My painting method: the town (and all man-made objects) is drawn in detail; the surrounding landscape (organic nature) is loosely built in a fluid series of coloured layers using thin semi-opaque colours.

The conceptual designs

           Back home I made conceptual design paintings for the wine room using Adobe Photoshop (see figs. 1-4). After studying my notes and reviewing the reference photos taken during the sight visit, I sat back, coffee cup in hand, and let things flow. Visually I kept going back to my own experiences in Italy and the south of France. I remembered the pleasure of enjoying a nice aperitif while sitting at a small outdoor table, feeling the warm country breeze and drinking up the scenery in the company of my lovely traveling companion, miss Nancy Lewis (see 'Lewis Apartment' in the 'Design' page). I wanted to somehow express that sentiment of being there in the mural.

           It is important that one understands what is at heart when creating art. This is why I like to pick the client’s brain and take as much of the site as possible. One never knows what will spark that special something. I kept stirring things around. People drink wine not because they are thirsty or because they want to get drunk. People drink wine because they like to enjoy life. It’s a celebration of living to be shared with family and friends in an intimate and comfortable setting, close to nature’s beauty and the soil that gives it birth. This is a sentiment very close to my heart.

(Fig. 13)   Working the underpainting. Lighting was always a problem; dust was ever-present. I was boxed in and could not avoid harsh reflections.

(Fig. 14)   Painting vineyard in the middle ground while avoiding foreground outlines. I always work from the "farthest to the nearest".

           In my mind I saw the wall of the wine room at the Château opened up to reveal through arched windows scenery of beautifully cultivated vineyards in a valley protected by hills and distant mountains. I felt myself walking through a wide arched opening into an outdoor patio that was enclosed by a balustrade, with steps that led to the fields below. And what better place to admire the view than sitting by the patio while enjoying a bottle of wine? That was the picture inside my head (see fig. 1).

           Now that I had a picture, I broke things into elements: vineyards, a wall with arched windows, an arched passageway, distant hills, a patio, small table and chair and a bottle of wine. Note that the art in a conception is more than just the addition of elements. The art is in the way one “combines” these elements to create a perceived illusion, not simply to incorporate the function of the wine room into the thought process, but to increase the pleasure and the sensations of the experience.

           With this in mind I reached for my computer’s keyboard, checked my image files for references in search of my list of elements, and then proceed to create the visual rendering in Photoshop. I painted the image to the scale of the actual wall, saved the file, and then e-mailed a copy to the designer. The toughest part of the job was done –coming up with the design; painting a mural is the easy part. The designer’s response came a few days later, with the additional request to do the design for the wine cellar hallway and to include corresponding price quotes. I still did not know if we were going with the idea of doing all the walls in the hallway or just one wall so I asked for clarification. I also requested a list of the client’s favourite wines thinking of ways to personalise the piece. She confirmed that we were going with the surround-wall murals in the hallway and, a few days later, sent me the list of wines I requested.

           The procedure for the other mural designs was the same. After drawing the wine cellar walls to scale, I proceeded to design an overlaid of the mural in Photoshop. I had researched wine barrels before for several of my set designs so this feature of the mural was much easier to conceive. I did three rows of wine barrels using actual photo references from wine cellars in European châteaus, making sure to use the correct size since the wine industry has a standard for barrels (see fig. 2). Next I placed the brands of the client’s favourite wines on a row of barrels, which I felt was a nice touch.

           For the opposite wall I designed two huge tavern barrels placed in their own niche, one at each side of the wine cellar door (see fig. 4). Above these I positioned iron wall brackets (iron candle holders) based on a picture provided by the designer. There is a lot of guesswork when you create conceptual designs. When you do not have all the facts you simply fill in the holes. The purpose of a conceptual rendering is to give visual form to an idea. At this stage you can make changes and revisions until the plan is approved.

(Fig. 15)   John necessities: a coffee maker, a CD player for music and audio books, a small microwave and plenty of snacks.

(Fig. 16)   Detail of wine bottle and glass in progress. Notice middle-ground vineyard.

           Naturally, I waited for approval before pricing the job. I can not do otherwise because of my pricing method. This is how I do it: after the designer or client sends me confirmation (we communicated through e-mail in this particular case), I then proceed to estimate the cost of equipment, travel, and supplies –this is a set cost. On out of town jobs I add the cost of travel, room and board to this figure. Next I estimate how long it would take me to do the job. I set the price of my labour based on a daily fee. So to arrive at my final estimate I multiply the number of days by my daily fee, add the cost of materials, travel and supplies, and total the numbers. The resulting figure is the cost of doing the job.

           A frequently asked question is: -How do I know how long it will take to paint a mural? This is based on experience. Every artist paints at a different rate. Therefore, my rates do not necessary fit another artist. Twenty years ago it took me four times longer to do badly what now I do well in one day. I’m a fast painter, I’m very experienced, and I charge the same regardless of whose paying. Some murals are more complex than others, but since I charge by the day, it doesn’t matter what the subject is.

           Sometimes I get additional benefits. Potential clients pay for my fare, time and expenses for out of town visits to a job site or to discuss a potential project. A few clients have spent hundreds of dollars in food and entertainment simply to convince me to take a job (it doesn’t always work). Also, I have had clients so happy with the results of my painting that they have added bonuses upon completion. However, these kinds of benefits are the exception. In my experience, people outside the United States have been more gracious. Perhaps this is so because money, wealth and the value of art are perceived differently.

           But I can say without reservation that I think the greatest benefit of being an artist is getting to know really interesting people. In essence, it is almost like becoming a trusted family friend. Clients allow me to enter their private space. For them commissioning my services is considered a mark of prestige; a qualifier of having been served by one of the top muralists in the business. I am "their artist"; there is a bond and a mutual exchange of trust –and there is great value in this.

(Fig. 17)   Landscape is completed in a soft, blurred, and impressionistic manner.

(Fig. 18)   French town painted in a sharp, focussed, and exacting manner.

           By now you may have realized that my conceptual designs are crucial in estimating my work schedule. Any deviation from this -such as adding, taking away or altering the drawing, will affect my timing. To make a living as a painter you need to line up work as far in advance as possible. If I get stuck on a job and take longer than anticipated, this means I may loose the next one in line. I should also make clear that at this point that a conceptual design is a simplified version of a mural, an approximation of the final piece; just the general idea. Unless one is precisely copying a picture, like for example –making a reproduction of one of Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, conceptual designs are exactly that -conceptual. Generally the finished art is better than a few inches of sketch!

Setting up shop

           The cost proposal was approved and I was anxious to start the paintings (the sooner I begin the sooner I will be available to take another commission). I figured the area walls must have been surfaced by now. During the waiting period the designer had asked about the placement of electrical boxes for the lighting and I sent her a schematic. That’s the advantage of working from scale drawings –you can place things with precision by simply using a ruler. I also requested a sample of the lamps before I began painting. This way you can make alterations to the composition; take into account the placement of shadows cast from these practical lightning sources, and in doing so make the painting and the fixture blend nicely into the overall design. Unfortunately, all I got to was a picture to go by (I finished the murals before the lamps were installed).

           It was already the middle of March and I was still waiting. I figured by now the room walls had to be surfaced. During another visit to the site I was disappointed to see that while the walls had been covered with sheets of plywood and drywall, they were not finished and the hallway walls were the same as I had seen them last. In a meeting with the decorator and other contractors I told them that all I needed was one finished primed wall to do the mural. As long as I had access to electricity and running water, I could begin the job. What’s more, I would work at night thus avoiding getting in the way of the daytime crew. This would also allow me to work in peace without the noise of power tools going on at all times.

           And so, it was then agreed to have the wall ready in a couple of weeks for me to begin painting. Finally, in April, the wall was ready for me (though the hallway walls remained unfinished). Beginning the commission later than I had anticipated meant that I had to reschedule the beginning of another job for later in the summer and begin work on other commissions while I was waiting for the Wolstein site to be ready. During this time I also did some out of state traveling to see potential clients.

(Fig. 19)   Background scenery with French town, surrounding landscape and sky.

(Fig. 20)   Base colour on foreground architecture is applied after scenery is completed.

           My first move at the site was to make friends with the security guards. The worksite was guarded around the clock and there was only one way in and out. The first person you greeted each day was one of the guards. During all the long nights you could always take comfort that someone was nearby in case of an emergency. Pretty soon the guards were making the rounds to check out my work progress and I got to know them well. In fact, I'm still good friends with one of them: Mr. Jerry Smith, an ex-navy man and steel worker with a life as interesting as a John Le Carré novel (see fig. 45).

           With the help of my brother Ricky and his pick-up truck, I brought in my lock-box -a steel metal box on casters where I store most of my equipment, supplies, a mini-scaffolding, and my personal kit. The paints and brushes I kept in sealed plastic containers which I would stack on top of the lock box at the end of the work day. My paints are separated by hues. All the reds are stored in a container, the blues in another, and so on. I like to keep things organised and tidy at the work site (see fig. 15).

           My personal kit includes everything I need to be comfortable at a job site. A CD player for my music compilation of favourites and for listening to audio books, a coffee maker and a small microwave, a change of clothes, toiletries, a box of canned soups, snacks and fruits, and a plastic container with drinking water. I also have a miniature battery-operated TV to catch the news. Another very important item in my kit is a jumping rope, which I use to relieve stress or get rid of excess energy. Keep in mind that it is not unusual for me to work 12 or 14 hours in one spot and to be on site for weeks.

           The rest of my set-up was made up of an image projector –with its own stand, an electric torch (flashlight) with extra batteries, a dense-foam pad –for kneeling or sitting when painting close to floor, a lighting kit made up of a light strip and "Cindy and Mindy" –two spotlights, and my digital camera. At the end of each day’s session, everything would be put away or placed on top of the mini-scaffolding and the lock box and covered with a plastic dust cover. This kept everything out of the way of the day crew and had the convenience of being on wheels just in case it needed to be moved without much effort.

(Fig. 21)   Homemade spotlight made from a paint can.

(Fig. 22)   Image projector with homemade lense extension.

           Finally, to complete the set-up, I constructed a dust cover for the wall using plastic ‘table cloth’, made by joining several length of material with clear tape, creating a pocket at one end, sliding a length of wood through the pocket, and hanging it to the ceiling using hooks and small pieces of chain (see fig. 9). Everyday I would unhook one end of the cover with a long pole I brought in for that purpose, next I proceeded to pivot the curtain on the other end away from wall, and then I attached the loose end on another hook. After a painting session was completed I reversed the process and protect the painting with the dust-cover. It was simple, efficient, and very economical.

           My daily routine varied little from job to job. It would consist in starting the coffee maker, uncovering the painting, positioning the lights, filling a 5-gallon plastic bucket with fresh water (for cleaning brushes), setting up my paints mixes for the day, starting a music CD, and then clearing my mind of all thoughts while singing along the music and sipping my first cup of coffee. Then, after reaching a proper state of relaxation, I would begin painting. Every 20 minutes or so, I reach out for a cracker, a piece of fruit, or my water bottle, and half-a-cup of coffee (just milk, not sugar) every other hour. After about a four-hour session, I usually have a cup of homemade soup (which I bring frozen in a plastic container) or, if I'm out of homemade, I'll have a canned soup (Healthy Choice® Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle is my favourite).

Preparing the wall

           The first step in painting a mural is preparing the surface of the wall (or "muro" from which we get the word "mural"). “Prep work” is the most important factor in a mural's longevity. The finished mural will only be as strong as the weakest primer. Considerable time must be devoted to inspecting and preparing the wall for painting. Surface imperfections such as bumps, cracks, nicks and roughness must be corrected before a suitable primer or basecoat is applied.

           The new wall for the wine room mural had been treated with two coats of commercial-grade primer (as per my request to the builders). I began by inspecting the wall for imperfections. New drywall can be very absorbent and porous necessitating several layers of primer to stabilize and seal the surface. I noticed patches of roughness and some areas of greater porosity, most likely due to uneven application or absorption of the primer. This needed to be corrected.

           My ideal surface for painting must be smooth, non-porous, non absorbent, and with a certain amount of “tooth” for better pigment adhesion. I began by ‘skimming’ a fine coating of spackling compound to cover a few indentations and then I smoothed the entire surface with fine-grade sandpaper. Next I proceeded to ‘clean the entire room’ to remove surface dust. Dust is a painter’s worse enemy; paint will not adhere properly to a dusty surface. After sweeping and vacuuming the area I mopped that section of the floor. Then I cleaned the mural wall with an industrial sponge (a large cleaning sponge would do to) and a solution of lukewarm water with a cap-full of dish detergent.

(Fig. 23)   Detail of wine bottle, glass and plate of tapas.

(Fig. 24)   Foreground painting before adding texture and shadows.

           After the wall dried, I applied a thin coat of good quality water-base primer which I had tinted with a touch of red. I tint the primer because it is slightly less reflective than just white and because it makes it easy to notice miss-spots. I applied the primer with a large brush instead of a roller because I prefer the uneven surface-tooth left by the brush's bristtles when applying the primer in strokes going in several directions. Next I added a second layer of a thinner solution of primer and allowed at least 24 hours of drying time. During the following session I went over the entire wall with a scrub pad to smooth away any remaining imperfections and finished the prep stage by wiping the surface clean with a moist cloth. Satisfied with the final result, I was now ready to begin the layout or transfer of the design unto the wall.

Transferring the drawing

           There are several methods for transfering a design to a wall surface. You can draw the design by "freehand", or “trace” a projection of the design, or “square” the wall for an accurate transfer. I used all of the above. However, each one of these techniques has advantages and limitations. The trick is to know how to combine them to bring the best result.

           Traditional mural painting relies on the squaring technique, especially for large scale murals. This is also known as "the grid" method. It consists in dividing the original scaled design into squares (thus creating a grid), then dividing the wall into the exact same number of squares as the design, and them proceeding to carefully reproduce the markings contained in each square in the design to its corresponding square on the wall. Eventually, square by square, the drawing is transferred with a high degree of accuracy.

(Fig. 25)   Foreground underpaint completed.

(Fig. 26)   Tone and shadows added in glazings.

           For certain features in the mural, such as the outline of the French village (see fig. 12), I used a projector. ‘Opaque projectors’ have been produced and marketed under a variety of trade names as artists’ enlargement tools to allow images to be transferred to surfaces such as prepared canvas, or for lectures and discourses. The projector (see fig. 22) –also known as an epidioscope, epidiascope or episcope is a device which displays opaque materials such as drawings, images of book pages and the like, by shining a bright lamp unto the object. A system of mirrors, prisms and/or imaging lenses is used to focus the reflected image of the material onto a viewing screen or wall.

           For me the projector is mostly a time-saving device. But it also helps greatly when deciding on compositional changes. For example: by projecting an object on the wall, such as a wine bottle (see fig. 23), one can move the object around to improve its placement on the composition before tracing the drawing. One can also reduce and enlarge the size of the projected object by simply adjusting the distance of the projector from the wall and making adjustments to the lenses. However, projection works better when the size of the projection is small because the lenses distort the projected image as it grows in size (you get a “fisheye” effect). For this reason I limited the use of the projector for the tracing of small objects, such as the Grossbeak (see fig. 28) or the lettering on the banner (see fig. 30) for which the tool is ideal.

           One word of caution about using projectors: they get really hot! Their internal cooling fan does an adequate job of keeping the heat generated by two 100-watt lamps under control. But over an extended period of use, the temperature builds up. The intense heat also affects the material being projected. Paper enlarges and contracts under the radiation and the projected rendering gets distorted. So ideally, one should use the projector for short period of time -and work fast!

(Fig. 27)   My indispensable kneeling foam pad.

(Fig. 28)   Detail of rose-breasted grosbeak.

           After transferring the architectural elements of the design by squaring, I drew other elements by freehand, such as trees and landscapes (see fig. 12). I used a charcoal stick instead of a lead pencil because the marking can be easily wiped clean with a dry cloth. Once the entire design was transferred unto the wall, I proceeded to “correct” all my perspective lines. No matter what transferring method you use, the perspective in each design has to conform to the way it will be viewed in the actual space. A common feature of inexperienced artists is not making perspective adjustments to their layouts after making the design transfer.

           For the main mural I used a “one-point perspective” where parallel lines converge to one point somewhere in the distance. This point is called the vanishing point (VP). This gives objects an impression of depth and three-dimensionality. I established the position of the horizon line by determining the most likely spot where people would first see the mural (their "eye level"). Then I tacked a string line to the VP on the horizon line and pulled out the string around the layout to make sure all my converging lines extended correctly to this common point (see fig. 7).

           The last step of the process is to “fix” or “ink” the drawing permanently to the wall by going over the outlines with a marker or fluid paint or both (see fig. 12). However, I do not ink the drawing until I’m completely satisfied with the composition. It is easier to erase outlines done in charcoal than lines fixed with a permanent marker. I learned by experience that the only effective way to erase marker lines is to sand lightly and cover with a fresh coat or two of primer. Finally, after transferring the design to the wall, adjusting the perspective and inking the drawing, I washed the charcoal dust from the wall with a moist cloth. Now I was ready to begin painting.

Making changes

           I was looking forward to painting the mural –and anticipating its completion. People often ask me how I stay motivated during long hours of tedious work. Well, I have a simple method: a countdown! If, for example, I estimate a job will take thirty days of work, I begin my countdown at thirty and work my way down to zero. Getting there is my motivation. This is not the artistically minded answer that people expect to hear, but it works for me.

           The painting stage begins by a simple act: covering as much of the wall as possible with flat tones of colour. This is called the “washing” stage. You simply apply "underpaint" without concern for details –pretty much like filling areas in a colouring book. The next painting stage is to go back and methodically rework areas in detail. This is the part of painting that takes time. But the washing stage is fast, rather sloppy, but you can cover a lot of wall area. I began by applying a light blue tone to the landscape area, covering the approximate area where the sky, distant mountains and middle ground would be. I took care to stay within the contours of the centre archway and windows, wiping away with a moist cloth any paint that may wander into the outlines. Keeping the drawing outline intact is very important. Notice in fig. 13 how the blue-colour wash goes down halfway the arch.

(Fig. 29)   Banner added to counter-balance cabinet.

(Fig. 30)   Banner with gold-letter inscription.

           The rest of the day (my actual working time was from 4 pm to midnight) was spent mixing colours and storing them in sealed plastic containers. While doing this simple task I worked the painting stages in my mind and began to make the wall “my own”. It is like a religious act of “taking possession” of the power to impose my will of creation on that surface. Many times I have walked into a room, looked at the wall I've been working on, and said aloud: -“You are mine” (on the fencing strip my habit was to point my weapon at my opponent and with a smile word softly: -"Your ass is mine!"). When I finish the painting, I tend to ceremoniously throw my brush into the water bucket declaring –“You’re done!” Then I turn away, releasing ownership of the wall, moving on to the next job… and forgetting about it. At that point I could care less if the wall burned down or if someone “erased” the mural with a covering coat of paint. Once I’m paid, in my mind, the mural does not belong to me, and, since I already conquered that wall, I can do it again.

           The next day at the site something happened. As soon as I uncovered the wall I noticed pencil markings on the left side of the wall. On close inspection I realized that a counter cabinet with upper storage had been outlined. The outlines cut into the window arch on that side of the layout. I have a very sick feeling about this. I immediately understood that cabinets would be installed on that side of the wall. I uttered on single expression: -“Fu@%!” For the rest of that day I kept saying to myself: -“Why didn’t ANYONE tell me about this?” This was a serious development. First of all it meant that my drawing had to be changed; I would need to start from scratch. Second, the addition of the cabinets destroyed the symmetry of the design; the mural as seen on Fig. 1 would not work anymore. It would look completely wrong if I were to proceed as planned. Furthermore, the position of all the electrical boxes and ceiling lights were also affected.

           I had not seen the architectural print elevations for that side of the room and no one had made any mentioned of the cabinets. Much later I found out that the electricians had not known about it, and even the carpenters working on the ceiling wood panels were not aware of the details either. They had not seen the elevations for that wall either (that page was missing from the site prints and later on a copy was requested from the architectural firm). In large construction projects such as this craftmen only know about their little piece of the pie is. It was assumed that cabinets would be installed in the room but there seem to be an oversight as to their location; that was someone else' affair. Even after my scaled design was approved by the designers –weeks in advance -and specifications for the placement of electrical boxes requested and submitted, no one made any comments or brought the issue to my attention. I was not happy.

           The next morning I got a call from the site contractor. I was barely awake since I had gone to be only a few hours earlier. He asked me if I had noticed the cabinet markings. I told him I did. The question was what to do about it. In order for me to continue with the design as planned, I would have to start over. This meant the wall needed to be torn so that the electrical boxes could be repositioned. The electrician was not too keen on redoing the work, and neither was I. If the wall was torn this would meant more delays and a greater expense. Electricians, plasterers and painters got union wages; I was cheaper.

(Fig. 31)  Left side detail.

(Fig. 32)  Center detail after the addition of shadows.

(Fig. 33)  Right side detail; notice completed banner.

           At this point I assumed everyone new about the problem, that is, the designers and the contractor. But since I was the mural expert, I was being asked what to do about it. It never occured to me that there were communication gaps. Someone should have thought of this. When I plan my own projects, I make sure everyone is on the same page. And so, rapidly pondering the ramifications of this issue, I answered –“Don’t redo the wall; I’ll just play it by ear.” The contractor replied: -“That’s what we are doing too.” And that was that. I hung up the phone and went back to sleep. First things first: I listen to my body; nothing is impossible after a warm meal and a goodnight’s rest. Later on I would think about the problem.

           “Playing it by ear” meant I would have to come up with a creative solution that would not entail ripping the wall. The cabinets disrupted the compositional balance of a symmetrical design. In this type of scheme, if one were to divide the mural at the center, both sides would look pretty much the same -like mirror images or two balance sides on a plate scale (see fig. 34, image on the left). But now, because of having cabinets on one side, the symmetry was lost. I could think of only one viable option. And so, to restore balance, I decided to change the composition into an "asymmetrical" design. I will explain this further in detail later on. Back then what weighted heavily in my mind was that redoing the design would require more work and thus more time on my schedule. I felt this was not my fault or anyone else’s fault. It was an oversight. But I should be compensated for the additional time required to fix the problem.

A new design

           In my original design two arched windows were positioned on either side of an arched entrance. Two small pilasters flanked the arched opening and, above the capital of each pilaster a bracket lamp would be placed. But now the placement of the cabinets on the left side of the mural unbalanced the composition. Since I wanted to avoid the considerable trouble of moving the entire design (and electrical boxes) further to the right, I opted to maintain the arches in their exact position.

           However, I made my first compositional change by reducing the width of the windows to accommodate the top cabinet (see fig. 34, image on the right). Then, on the right side of the mural I added a design element to counter-balance the cabinet on the left: a hanging banner. Notice that the banner positioned on the top right is the exact size as the cabinet at the top left. This brought back a certain balance to the upper half of the composition. At this time I knew I would paint a banner but I had no idea what that banner would be. That was a thought for another time.

           The bottom cabinet extended further into the mural wall than the top cabinet. To make this feature less disturbing I “raised” a wood panel on each window to the level of the counter top. Since I knew in advance that a large table would be placed at the centre of the room, I was less concerned with the lower half of the mural since this section would only be seen in part and not as a whole. So the important thing was to maintain a “horizontal” level line (more pleasant to the eye) from the counter top all the way across the composition. This visual line was later reinforced by the edged of the “tiled floor” as it receded into the landing.