After all this time and the big announcement that the mural we've dubbed as the GODZILLA PROJECT is coming up, we finally and officially started laying the design out today. I began by taking measurements and making a few marks in charcoal on the wall at certain important intervals. Then we began drawing in the mountain shapes from Timpanogos to Rock Canyon. After a days work, we managed to cover most of the mountain areas. The mural will span twenty-two feet high and run the full length of the north wall to two hundred feet. By Friday morning, the paint for the sky colors should be mixed and ready for me to start it blocking it in with an acrylic latex base coat. If the colors are mixed accurately, meaning they match the colors in the scaled sketch well enough, the base colors could easily become the final coat for the sky. If this is the case, it would save me a lot of time.
A few temporary employees who are on site working with other sub-contractors, wanted to be involved in the mural project and asked me today if I needed help. I guess my project looked like it would be more exciting to them than laying tile, plumbing or some other type of construction skill. I tried hiring good help before, but unfortunately, it always turns out to be more of a baby-sitting job than saving time. If you don't know anything about mixing colors eye-ball, go find something else to do. This is not the kind of job you would enjoy. If you're constantly asking me what to do next, I wouldn't get any work done myself. I would have to always hold your hand. No time for that. What I do might look easy to some, yet it takes years of training to scale up a design from small to gigantic and lots and lots of painting experience (I've been painting professionally for 30+ years). My skill set includes years of fine art training sign painting. I use a combination of both skills to paint my murals. I owe a lot to my late father who taught me the sign trade, then in his early forties, started a nationally advertised plein-air painting school he called Painting Vacations. Dad hired nationally acclaimed art instructors to guide and train artists from the beginner to the professional in painting from life or out in the open country side. This is where I learned my skill set and I was well trained before college age. Both Ricks College and Brigham Young University art colleges awarded me several studio credits because of the foundation my father provided. I will always be grateful to him for this upbringing.
When I painted the Inteliserv mural for Novatek in 2006, it took about four months to complete. I estimate the GODZILLA PROJECT will take five to six months to finish. It is sixteen hundred square feet larger than the Inteliserv mural. The two previous mural project I painted from January to June 7th of this year were painted in this six month period. Both of these combined is less than sixteen hundred square feet. One of those months set me back four weeks... I had contracted pneumonia. Realistically, I might be painting on the mural to Thanksgiving or into the month of December 2011.
I also have been plein-air painting in the afternoon. I am getting my portfolio ready for an opportunity in Scottsdale, Arizona next year. See you tomorrow.
Novatek South Addition Mural
This mural measures 22 feet high by 200 feet long
FINISHED MURAL WITH NEW FAUX MARBLE FLOOR
Here is a section of the mural finished with the new floor.
REFLECTIONS
more floor, less mural
FINISHED FIRST SECTION
The mural is now finished. This is the first section.
FINISHED SECOND SECTION
All the highlights and shadows are now finished on the snow and all over the rest of the mural.
FINAL THIRD SECTION
We tried to capture the twilight time of day. I think we were successful.
FINISHED FOURTH SECTION
Even the tops of the trees indicate the last few moments early evening light.
FINISHED FIFTH SECTION
I like the way the shadow and light plays on the rocky Timpanogos slopes.
FINISHED SIXTH SECTION
Provo Canyon.
FINISHED SEVENTH SECTION
I love the way the shadows and light bring out the rock forms on Cascade Peak.
ELK CLOSE UP
I'm not really a wildlife painter, yet I feel pretty good about how this bull elk turned out.
EIGHTH SECTION
Squaw Peak (the one with the red scrub oak trees on it's slopes) is mosly in shadow, but with a sliver of light at the top.
FINISHED NINTH SECTION
The middle section of Squaw Peak.
SQUAW PEAK
THis looks so real, it's like you can walk right through it! Pick any door.
LAST SECTION
This shows Rock Canyon during the last few moments of evening light.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
INTERIOR MURALS, AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
After a professional mural painting career of thirty-three plus years, we have heard much positive feed-back from many satisfied customers in a variety of interior settings. Unfortunately we did not take the time to document our customers reactions to our art work. Looking back over the years, we now realize that had we followed up each mural project with a control study, asking the clients employees specific questions regarding the value of art in the workplace, this would have been a valuable resource for us. Some studies are available and this year, we intend to conduct such a follow up study after each mural we produce. One example is found at the following internet address; http://www.nhbca.com/news_031208_workart.php (ART IN THE WORKPLACE, Survey Reveals Workplace Art Collections Are Valuable for Business).
The above mentioned study revealed that art helps businesses address some key challenges, for example;
Reducing stress (78% agree, 8% disagree and 14% neither agree nor disagree).
Increasing creativity and productivity (64% agree, 11% disagree, and 25% neither agree nor disagree).
Enhancing morale (67% agree, 13% disagree, and 20% neither agree nor disagree).
Broadening employee appreciation of diversity and encouraging discussions, and expression of opinions (77% agree, 11% disagree, and 12% neither agree nor disagree).
“The workplace art collection is often an underutilized, sometimes overlooked, business asset,” said Judith A. Jedlicka, President, BCA. “The results of this survey point to the fact that art in the work environment fosters creativity, boosts employee morale and sparks dialogues – all of which are essential to a company’s success.”
This survey also revealed that art in the workplace:
Enhances the work environment (94% agree, 3% disagree, and 3% neither agree nor disagree).
Evidences the company’s interest in improving the quality of life in and out of the workplace (84% agree, 6% disagree, and 10% neither agree nor disagree).
Helps to build customer (65% yes and 34% no) and community relations (73% yes and 27% no).
Leads to networking opportunities (52% yes and 47% no).
Another interesting article relating to this subject can be found at the following web address; http://www.allbusiness.com/services/amusement-recreation-services/4568089-1.html
This year, we have enough work lined up with our Novatek customer to keep us busy for twelve plus months. Thus, conducting a control study would be very valuable and it would be a shame to pass this opportunity up. Although we did not take the time to gather information in the past, I recently discovered a very interesting coincidence. First, I must note that we have been producing murals for Novatek since the year 2001. Upon looking at Novatek's website, I discovered a chart which illustrates the number of patents awarded Novatek for inventions, since it's founding in the 1950's and up through 2010. As you analyze this chart, you will observe a slow but steady increase in patents awarded Novatek, from the fifties decade to the year 2000. And interestingly, in the most recent decade, you will notice a drastic increase in this number. In other words, the largest percentage of patents awarded for inventions to the companies credit, were in the past ten years, as compared to previous decades. Pretty impressive. To date, Novatek has a company total of over five hundred patents since their founding and to their credit. It has been said that the company CEO makes more trips to the patent office than the average person goes grocery shopping. In observing the companies productivity first hand, I can tell you that it is hardly an exaggeration. In making this observation, an individual might ask himself, "What is it then, that has caused such an increase in productivity and company success?"
In the past decade and through my own personal observation, Novatek has done several things to improve the work environment for there employees. First I would like to add that I have never heard a Novatek employee say anything negative about the company. I get the impression that morale and productivity has always been high, even in previous decades. Even though the work environment is already top notch, Novatek continues to look for ways to improve their environment. Why? Because all these "extras" improves productivity. Do the math. An increase in productivity increases profits.
After we painted our first mural for Novatek, beginning August 2001 and added framed paintings in their conference rooms and offices, The employees observed that is seemed to add a whole new energizing dimension to the workplace. One of Novatek's customers from Texas once told me, "When I come to Novatek for business, the first thing I usually do is go to the wall where a mural is painted and soak in a little inspiration. It helps me relax and prepare myself for the business at hand."
Since 2001, the company also began to add dozens of sky lights to their rooftops, flooding the interiors with natural light. Their shops are always as clean as a hospital, even their machine shops. Their HVAC system is state-of-the-art, all adding to the employees comfort. Novatek is kind of like a state-of-the-art business incubator. They are continuously developing new technologies from the ground up and creating working prototypes. Everything is provided for them in house for their convenience, from mechanical tools and equipment, marketing research tools, intellectual properties and legal professionals, etc. All these "extra" conveniences, including our murals, seem to have weaved a decade of more successful productivity and profits. Coincidence? We like to think that Ricks Fine Art Murals has now become an important part of the companies productive fabric.
When you think about it, why do corporate officials wear business attire, drive expensive-looking cars, polish their shoes, press their shirts and pants and groom themselves nicely when meeting important customers or making presentations? Is it not because they have learned the right business attire creates a very professional first impression? It has also been shown to improve sales, because it creates an image of success. If spending the money to "dress up" the corporate building with the above described improvements will increase profits, then does it not make sense to do it? In this respect, high quality murals and artwork is the business attire and grooming standard of the corporate professional.
Our mural product is unique. It is more like a gargantuan easel painting than the typical large-scale postery, commercial-looking wall graphic. During my professional career as an artist, seventeen of those years were in the sign industry, supplementing my fine art career for a while. Our real passion is museum quality mural art with heart-felt expression. Anything less than that would seem to us like just another commercial sign job and we don't want to do another sign. We strive to reach beyond that. When we finish a mural project, it is only after we have done everything we can to give the customer our very best. Judging by the data in this article, our "very best" appears to contribute to a companies success.
The above mentioned study revealed that art helps businesses address some key challenges, for example;
Reducing stress (78% agree, 8% disagree and 14% neither agree nor disagree).
Increasing creativity and productivity (64% agree, 11% disagree, and 25% neither agree nor disagree).
Enhancing morale (67% agree, 13% disagree, and 20% neither agree nor disagree).
Broadening employee appreciation of diversity and encouraging discussions, and expression of opinions (77% agree, 11% disagree, and 12% neither agree nor disagree).
“The workplace art collection is often an underutilized, sometimes overlooked, business asset,” said Judith A. Jedlicka, President, BCA. “The results of this survey point to the fact that art in the work environment fosters creativity, boosts employee morale and sparks dialogues – all of which are essential to a company’s success.”
This survey also revealed that art in the workplace:
Enhances the work environment (94% agree, 3% disagree, and 3% neither agree nor disagree).
Evidences the company’s interest in improving the quality of life in and out of the workplace (84% agree, 6% disagree, and 10% neither agree nor disagree).
Helps to build customer (65% yes and 34% no) and community relations (73% yes and 27% no).
Leads to networking opportunities (52% yes and 47% no).
Another interesting article relating to this subject can be found at the following web address; http://www.allbusiness.com/services/amusement-recreation-services/4568089-1.html
This year, we have enough work lined up with our Novatek customer to keep us busy for twelve plus months. Thus, conducting a control study would be very valuable and it would be a shame to pass this opportunity up. Although we did not take the time to gather information in the past, I recently discovered a very interesting coincidence. First, I must note that we have been producing murals for Novatek since the year 2001. Upon looking at Novatek's website, I discovered a chart which illustrates the number of patents awarded Novatek for inventions, since it's founding in the 1950's and up through 2010. As you analyze this chart, you will observe a slow but steady increase in patents awarded Novatek, from the fifties decade to the year 2000. And interestingly, in the most recent decade, you will notice a drastic increase in this number. In other words, the largest percentage of patents awarded for inventions to the companies credit, were in the past ten years, as compared to previous decades. Pretty impressive. To date, Novatek has a company total of over five hundred patents since their founding and to their credit. It has been said that the company CEO makes more trips to the patent office than the average person goes grocery shopping. In observing the companies productivity first hand, I can tell you that it is hardly an exaggeration. In making this observation, an individual might ask himself, "What is it then, that has caused such an increase in productivity and company success?"
In the past decade and through my own personal observation, Novatek has done several things to improve the work environment for there employees. First I would like to add that I have never heard a Novatek employee say anything negative about the company. I get the impression that morale and productivity has always been high, even in previous decades. Even though the work environment is already top notch, Novatek continues to look for ways to improve their environment. Why? Because all these "extras" improves productivity. Do the math. An increase in productivity increases profits.
After we painted our first mural for Novatek, beginning August 2001 and added framed paintings in their conference rooms and offices, The employees observed that is seemed to add a whole new energizing dimension to the workplace. One of Novatek's customers from Texas once told me, "When I come to Novatek for business, the first thing I usually do is go to the wall where a mural is painted and soak in a little inspiration. It helps me relax and prepare myself for the business at hand."
Since 2001, the company also began to add dozens of sky lights to their rooftops, flooding the interiors with natural light. Their shops are always as clean as a hospital, even their machine shops. Their HVAC system is state-of-the-art, all adding to the employees comfort. Novatek is kind of like a state-of-the-art business incubator. They are continuously developing new technologies from the ground up and creating working prototypes. Everything is provided for them in house for their convenience, from mechanical tools and equipment, marketing research tools, intellectual properties and legal professionals, etc. All these "extra" conveniences, including our murals, seem to have weaved a decade of more successful productivity and profits. Coincidence? We like to think that Ricks Fine Art Murals has now become an important part of the companies productive fabric.
When you think about it, why do corporate officials wear business attire, drive expensive-looking cars, polish their shoes, press their shirts and pants and groom themselves nicely when meeting important customers or making presentations? Is it not because they have learned the right business attire creates a very professional first impression? It has also been shown to improve sales, because it creates an image of success. If spending the money to "dress up" the corporate building with the above described improvements will increase profits, then does it not make sense to do it? In this respect, high quality murals and artwork is the business attire and grooming standard of the corporate professional.
Our mural product is unique. It is more like a gargantuan easel painting than the typical large-scale postery, commercial-looking wall graphic. During my professional career as an artist, seventeen of those years were in the sign industry, supplementing my fine art career for a while. Our real passion is museum quality mural art with heart-felt expression. Anything less than that would seem to us like just another commercial sign job and we don't want to do another sign. We strive to reach beyond that. When we finish a mural project, it is only after we have done everything we can to give the customer our very best. Judging by the data in this article, our "very best" appears to contribute to a companies success.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)