Mockups and Murals
What is a mural?
Related to the French word “mur”, meaning “wall”, the term “mural” is derived from the Latin mūrālis, which means “of a wall”, derived from the Latin mūrus, or…you guessed it, WALL!
Not surprisingly, the most literal meaning of the word “mural” is a painting on a wall. However, the term has expanded to encompass a wide range of both interior and exterior applications to the built environment and a variety of architectural surfaces
Murals can be painted on panels or canvas, and then affixed to a wall, fence, ceiling, floor, room divider, or roof! They can be graphical, patterned, or design-oriented in nature, or depict intricate scenes so real that we might find ourselves stooping to pick up what we thought was a feather on the floor, only to find that our hand brushes against its painted surface…
But, how does the artist get from the concept, or idea for a mural, of whatever sort, to the finished, often very large image you might enjoy in your living room, local restaurant, non-profit organization, mall, or neighbor’s fence?
Well, through the mockup process, namely, creation of a to scale, model, version, or prototype of the intended mural. It is a great way to present ideas for approval, and catch potential aesthetic, functional or structural problems before they become actual ones! Please see below a gallery of assorted mockups, and the murals they spawned. From canvas to walls, to doors to exterior fences seen through a second story window, murals can happen anywhere their makers can wield a brush, adhere a tile, (shh, bad for the environment) press a spray can button. The following images give a sense of scale from mockup to mural, and the various environments murals can exist in. Future posts will explore this subject in greater depth, so hold on to your ladder (or scaffold), and enjoy the ride!
Mockup for “The Land of Oshun”
“The Land of Oshun”, Turk and Taylor Street, San Francisco
Sketches and mockup for “The Donor Tree”
“The Donor Tree”, Planning for Elders in the Central City, San Francisco
Mockup for “Window Mural”
“Window Mural” seen through kitchen window
“Window Mural” seen from below, San Francisco
Mockup of “Garden Mural”, seen with full-scale mural in process
“Garden Mural”, patio level, San Francisco
Mockup for “Life Journey”, seen with full-scale mural in process
“Life Journey”, living room wall, Burlingame, CA
Mockup for “Obi-Cat”
Lower part of “Obi-Cat” on door
“Obi-Cat” on music room door, Palo Alto, CA
Stay tuned for more on murals….
What intriguing murals have YOU seen, or created recently??
If you feel so moved, please share them with us here.
We love to hear from you.
Remember, we are all mocking up this thing called Life, together.
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