Fixing a box #3.

Today was the first day of color underpainting.  I’m happy that I got through it all without running out of Cobalt, but I did have to run out for Cobalt and Cadmium Yellow later as I don’t have enough for the next coat.

Starting to look like a mural.

I was thinking when I was painting that I should have a few business cards in my pocket, just in case.  Indeed that was true as someone did ask me for one when he was stopped at the lights.  He just pulled round the corner and we exchanged info.  Tomorrow, business cards!  (Although the conversation was useful and might end up in something further.)

Distant admirer.

Fixing a Box #2.

After third undercoat

Put the third and final (I hope) layer of undercoat on the box this morning. I’ve had quite a few people stop by and comment – mostly asking that what they think they’re seeing – box mural repair – is what’s actually going on; but there have been several that have asked how to get into these projects.

It looks a little sharper after having washed the back part too.

After I was done, and took this photo, I set to washing out the brush and gathering up my things.  You can’t see them in this photo because they’re directly behind the box from there, sitting up on the grass.  There’s a 5-gallon bucket of water and a bag containing soaps, paint, brushes, sandpaper and paper towels.  On the grass.  As I started washing the brush, the sprinklers went off!  Blissfully the part of the box I’d just painted is shielded from the sprinklers, but it’s good to know the timing so I’ll be sure to miss them on subsequent days.

Sprinkle sprinkle little rain. Now the grass is green again.

Afterwards, I went and set up the show for this weekend in Palm Springs. That will allow me to have all three mornings of the show with about an hour’s good work before it gets too warm, which is what I am mostly fighting with at the moment. Global warming, folks!  Stay with me though, you’ll start seeing some color next.

 

Fixing a box.

A few years ago I painted a mural on a traffic signal box for the City of Indio.  It’s on Monroe Avenue so I name it Marilyn’s Morning.

Marilyn’s Morning, traffic signal box painting for Indio, CA

I guess something in there needed a bit of an upgrade, and there was an addition to the box.  Monday and this morning I spent time working on bringing the addition up to match with the rest of the box.  My phone omitted to save the ‘before’ and ‘after first coat of undercoat’, but here it is after the second coat.  I’ll be putting the last undercoat layer on tomorrow morning when I’m on my way to set up for the art fair in Palm Springs.  The weather is still to warm to paint much beyond 10am, so I’ll be making the best use of passing not too far from the box each day.