Collaborative Mural Sketch

I just completed unit 2 which examined the significance and uses of materials/techniques in murals by studying murals from both the 20th and 21st centuries. The murals we examined provided me with a stronger understanding of the materials used to create murals and how they act to enhance the message and or story of a piece. For this action project, we were put in small groups and asked to create a sketch. The purpose of this project was to take visual and conceptual elements from our proposed murals in unit 1 and create one group mural. We collaboratively worked and took the essential components of each of our individual murals to form our new group mural. I'm a worker who prefers to go at a project solo so working amongst others provided some difficulties for me. I really enjoyed being able to experiment with a medium of my choosing. I enjoyed the freedom we had when making our medium/technique decision. I am looking forward to continuing my exploration of history through murals as well as expanding my knowledge of the materials and techniques utilized to create murals.

MS
“Chicago’s Reality”
12/14/2015
3.5” X 11”
Coarse Pumice Gel and Acrylic Paint

The sketch my group created depicts the realities of Chicago. The sketch shows Chicago’s skyline and lakefront and includes interspersed cracks which contain imagery portraying both positive and negative realities of Chicago. The skyline and lakefront were common symbols that my group associated with Chicago’s positive characteristics and qualities. The cracks and rips found throughout the sketch symbolize different realities and truths of Chicago. Some cracks symbolize positive realities of Chicago, such as the culture and art, while other cracks represent and symbolize the negative realities of Chicago such as governmental and political corruption. The cracks in the sketch were inspired by Trompe L’oeil, a French artistic technique which utilizes optical illusions to alter visual perception. Additionally, my group drew inspiration from realism in the sense that we wanted to create a realistic depiction of Chicago’s skyline and lakefront. My group came to our final sketch through a series of collaborative conversations regarding both the conceptual and visual components of each of our proposed murals from unit 1. We examined in detail each group members mural and determined the elements that we wanted to carry over into our groups mural. We collectively agreed upon including Chicago’s skyline and lakefront because we felt that they were a good representation of the City, its overall beauty, and positive qualities. The completion of the sketch came after we determined to include the Trompe L’oeil used by a group member in their unit 1 mural. We decided to included it because of its visual stimulating qualities and ability to carry a powerful message.

Group, "Chicago's Realities". (2015) 

MS,"Swatches".(2015) 

Following the completion of the sketch, we divided it into five sections/swatches. Each group member was to select two sections to recreate using a medium of their choosing. The medium I chose was Coarse Pumice Gel and Acrylic Paint. I was immediately interested in coarse pumice gel following its introduction in class. Its rough textured appearance as well as its ability to create an earthy look interested me and initiated a desire to further experiment with it. The medium would enhance the sketch by providing the skyline with a bold and textured appearance as well as the water with a texture that resembled waves and movement. The process of using the coarse pumice gel and acrylic paint to complete the swatches was difficult due to the gels inability to produce fine details and easily make clean looking lines. The final look of the swatches resulted in a skyline comprised of black textured buildings that lacked detail past their silhouette. Dark blue swirly brush strokes filled the area around and above the buildings to represent the sky and clouds. A lighter shade of blue is found below the buildings to represent the water. The final swatch confirmed my previous ideas regarding the medium. It created a textured look, it was bold, but it lacked the ability to effectively create detail. The coarse pumice gel and acrylic paint wasn’t selected by my group for use in the final mural. We chose to not include the medium because of its difficulty to be manipulated and its inability to produce detailing and fine lines.

JM, "Swatch". (2015) 

AJ, "Swatch".(2015) 

Following each member's presentation of their final swatches, we discussed what materials and techniques would be most effective in carrying out the final mural and collectivity decided on using wheat paste and stencil with spray paint. Wheat pasting is the process of using a laser ink image and a natural adhesive made from boiling water and starch to paste images on surfaces. We felt that wheat pasting helped to tell the story of our piece because of its ability to transfer any image to any surface. Our intention was to create a realistic depiction of Chicago and by using wheat pasting we are able to take the photograph that originally inspired us and transfer it to the surface where the final mural will be executed. Stenciling and spray paint was the medium and technique used by the street artists that inspired the trompe l'oeil portion of our piece. We felt the use of stenciling and spray paint would help to make the cracks pop out from the wheat pasted background. The combination of stenciling and spray paint allows for vivid and bright colors with extreme precision and detailing. We intend for the final mural to be a wheat pasted image of Chicago’s skyline and lakefront that appears as real as possible and includes scattered spraypainted cracks throughout which depict various realities of Chicago.