ANATOMY OF A MURAL – George Fishman
OVERVIEW – How the workshop will run.
INTRO: The workshop is designed to take us on a journey that’s both practical and visionary – with emphasis on the practical. There’s no blueprint for your professional success. Each project is different in terms of the players’ temperaments and practical needs, the theme, logistics. But many of the issues will be the same. The concerns we discuss here will likely be similar to those you will encounter. Some of the documents I will provide following the workshop can be adapted for your use. I invite you to let me know which of these topics are of greatest interest.
TOPICS covered:
• Client communications/documentation
• Contract/Pricing
• Design process/presentation/revision
• Materials selection/ordering
• Enlargement of design for reverse method
• Layout considerations: Color mixing and transitions, perspective, andamento, cutting, gluing
• Creating seams
• Transfer from face mount to panels – substrates and adhesives
• Grout/no-grout considerations
• Edge treatment
• “Processing” of finished studio work – lessons learned, completion, letting go
• Preparation for crating
• Installation
Documentation
Handouts - everything’s available via email
WHO’S IN THE ROOM? COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE
Q&A FORMAT
Samples
CRONOLOGY
ORIGIN OF PROJECT - Where does the job come from? References, Ads, Web site.
Establishing qualifications; show sample of design and mosaic
Referring artist made the connection to dealer in exchange for 10% referral fee
Provide references, pics, samples, pricing guidelines MAY ’05 JULY ’06 still negotiating design & schedule of production
PLAYERS
Client had seen mosaics during trip to Italy at ideal time
Dealer gave prominence to the mosaic artwork within total art component.
Architect provided location within lobby and niche to inset and spec’d lights
Interior designer responsible for palette of surfaces: woods, stones, fabrics, counter finishes natural stone fountain
Contractor built plywood-lined niche
The DEAL
Discussion of general parameters of project
Scale, possible imagery, schedule, team
Review of past work and pricing
Produced package of images for client
Presented price range keyed to comparable work
Contract terms & revisions
DESIGN PROCESS - always through intermediary
Shift of design from historical to pictorial. Show first sequence of layouts* with intervention of Dealer interpretation during “big meeting.”
Client provided book and CD of historical imagery
Later sent set of commissioned photos when theme shifted.
Evolution of imagery & back-and-forth (indirectly) with client
Placement of oak tree, relative prominence of seagrass
Inclusion of sailboat (first shrimper) and plane to represent people/commerce, but no figures on beach
Importance of color of water
Inclusion of both sunrise and sunset
Statement of artistic goals –
Compression of time and space
Include both sunrise and sunset
Include ocean, beach, prairie and wetlands
Poetic, rather than realistic representation; like memory, rather than immediate photo capture.
Design elements scale, density, color, andamento, continuity of design
Layering
Shifting tone and color balance and saturation
Final design approval and transition to fabrication
Plan lighting with architect
Division of design into panels
Consideration of size/weight
Consideration of straight vs interlocking edges
Printing process
Design enlargement and division into strips
Printing on banner cloth, proofing and reprinting
Materials order
(trial withTileCreater software)
. Coordination of different manufacturer’s palettes
FABRICATION
Setup of doors on tilt table (remember to describe process and samples of shifting from panel to panel).
Adhesive method.
Started with pure wallpaper paste, then shifted to paste, mixed with marble powder to give more body.
Layout considerations
Andamento – general flow considerations (horizontal water, swirling clouds, outlining, color transitions, whole tiles at outer edges
Panel Beginning
Show photos and vid
Panel Transitions
Show sample of fabric and glued edge
PANEL MOUNTING – SHOW SLIDE ANIMATION
Cleaning for panel-mounting
Solvent and water
Application of sand to fill joints
Considerations grout/ no grout
Brush off grout and damp sponge
Two-layer thinset strategy
Primary thinset consolidates mosaic*
Gives safety margin, in case tesserae come loose
Allows panel mounting to be done without concern for pulling loose edges or other possible mishaps while making adjustments of fit
Mix slightly wetter thinset and apply carefully to back of mosaic
Allow to cure one week, then grind flat and smooth; clean up edges
Set angle bracket stops for panel to assure alignment*
Secondary thinset bonds mosaic to panel
Prepare normal consistency thinset and apply with 3/16” notched trowel to panel and skim coat to mosaic*
Set panel onto mosaic, placing the top end against stop and allowing air to be pushed toward back.
Assure alignment all around
Beat in with rubber mallet, then apply bars and weights*
Wait 24 hours and remove weights
SURFACE CLEANING – SHOW SLIDE ANIMATION
Move outdoors and prepare for messy work
Wet down the cover cloth (if windy, use towels to hold moisture
Pull cloth and remove glue and sand with rubber spatula and stiff bristle brushes
Hose and brush out grout joints
EDGE CLEANING
Grind or hone edges to make flat and square
Straightness of edges will assure minimal joints
Trial Fit show vid in yard
Set guidelines, place panels and check for fit
Mark and hone until best fit is achieved
CRATING AND SHIPPING
competitive bids, including insurance
documents*
coordinate payment with shipping
Payment of balance before shipment
Transfer of title or bill of sale
INSTALLATION PREPARATION
Tools
Measuring tools, mud mixing, hammers, cutting tools for cement & wood; screw drivers & drill, prybars, mini-jack
Supplies: masonry, fastening, shims & wedges, drop cloths, buckets & mixing containers, duct & masking tape
Jigs* “jack”
Logistics – talk to client, contractor to assure access, power, water, waste disposal, non-conflict with other tradespeople
INSTALLATION PROCESS – SHOW SLIDE ANIMATION
Staging –
Talk through process with assistants; place tools and materials where they’ll be accessible
Clean as you go; don’t create unnecessarily messy environment – avoid problems with others
Dry fit before mixing glues, drilling holes.
Use cover cloths and tape to protect other surfaces
Measure twice, cut and drill once
Secure shims
Drill, then set screws loosely
“Nudge” to final fit
side-to-side, up-down & in-out
Tighten screws
Cover screw heads with putty and tesserae
DOCUMENTATION
Maintain file of notes, emails, photos, so lessons are retained.
Mount overhead camera to shoot at intervals
PROCESSING of finished work – lessons learned, completion, letting go.
Mosaic goes from being a fantasy to a malleable vision to a rug in the bazaar (pricing) to a daily companion (fabrication phase) to a brick wall (cleaning phase) to a box of china (crating/shipping) to a mirror (installation) to an art object (installation photos) to a memory
HANDOUTS - WHAT WOULD BE OF GREATEST VALUE?
Contract
Crating Bids
Insurance
Bill of Sale
Processing Artwork
Crating Quotation/ Bill of lading
Architectural Drawing
Installation Diagram
Q&A