Interior and Exterior Mural Projects
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in designing and creating visual experiences for numerous retail and public facilities. Like all interior or exterior environment design projects, the goal is to engage and surround the individual with beautiful imagery and a unique visual experience. Depending on the nature of the brand and story you’re trying to tell, but the solution always hinges on the beauty and impact of the art.
I’ve always had a fascination with old vintage murals plastered on the walls of historical townships like the one right here in Van Alstyne, Texas. This old Dr. Pepper ad (even though it was created in 1997), has a certain nostalgic quality about it that fashions the nature of our little town. An artist (of which I don’t know personally) by the name of Patterson seems to have painted directly over another old ad sign, which seems to provide even more authenticity.
That said, there are some incredible examples of art that when executed in the right medium and scale, can create a huge presence. The key is to grasp a complete and thorough understanding of what the owner has in mind and the general scope of the project. Everything from restaurants to outdoor parks, and corporate facilities provide wonderful opportunities to create a lasting memorial as a tribute to historical events or unique people that might share a legacy with the location or business. Sometimes these projects take on a more whimsical approach while others are blazoned in the halls of history. Typically, an exterior mural project should use strong contrasting colors, while interior, controlled lighting provides a little more freedom.
These works of art are often created and preserved when using the correct exterior or interior paints in the first place. Latex and acrylic are typically the mediums that I use on projects of this nature, and there are also a number of sealers. When applied correctly, a sealer will maintain the long-lasting beauty the art deserves. My process always starts with a concept and preliminary design that I present in rendered fashion. Dependent on the complexity of the color palette and drawing, I often create a small scale color composition to avoid there being any surprises. However, I always tell the customer that I will likely exercise some creative license as the mural or panel painting evolves. I think it’s the right of the artist to express and create the piece with passion while technically executing the final product in a professional manner.
Many local businesses have created interesting signage and POS displays to add a little quirkiness to their eateries, offices and retail storefronts. Chalk drawings offer an organic way to personalize and express more flavor than the traditional printed signage materials. They can actually become works of art with a permanent finish or temporary. One of my all-time favorite restaurant chains back in the mid 80’s was a sandwich shop down in the Addison, Texas area (again, a suburb of Dallas). I loved the chalk board art that they used to describe the wide-range of sandwiches they sold–my favorite, “The Invention”!
Chalk provides an interesting combination of creative typography with iconic drawings. And depending on the nature of the business’s theme, you can have a lot fun exploring designs. So if you’re new business venture involves creating a unique, one-of-a-kind experience, lets sit down and discuss your vision. Get out the chalk and start experimenting today!