| Author | Content |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 02, 2008
06:27 PM Post #4613664
| Hey guys. I started on the Jungle mural yesterday and did a bit more work on it today. Thought I would share some work in progress photos. I was thinking I could post the progress as I make it - if you guys want to see it that is.
First pic is hard to tell anything. Just has light pencil drawings on the first wall. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 02, 2008
06:28 PM Post #4613665
| This second pic shows how I use a very thinned down paint to start drawing in the major elements. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 02, 2008
06:29 PM Post #4613672
| Final pic for today shows the start of the background. You can see where I am painting around a leopard.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Kathleen
Panama, NY
(Zone 5a)
March 03, 2008
08:02 AM Post #4615872
| Definitely want to see it. Speaking as a non-painter (although I always thought I'd like to do watercolors), it is very interesting to see how you progress. |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 03, 2008
10:11 AM Post #4616247
| Thanks Kathleen. I'm heading off to work on it some more. Hopefully, I'll have lots of progress to share this afternoon. :) |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 03, 2008
06:18 PM Post #4618121
| Well, not as much progress as I had hoped, but here is what I accomplished today. I'm about 3 or 4 hours behind now. Hopefully, I can make up for it tomorrow.
Started filling in the middle ground, painted out the leopard just so I could feel like I was making progress. lol.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 04, 2008
06:19 PM Post #4622652
| Today's update. I lightened the background, blocked in the fore ground, starting putting in some details on the branches and plants etc. Didn't get quite as caught up as I would like, but I think tomorrow will be the day for major progress. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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merigold
Sioux City, IA
(Zone 4b)
March 04, 2008
06:53 PM Post #4622771
| Wow, not an artist here but I am amazed at the amount of work done in such a SHORT amount of time. COOL! |
picabo
Nashville, TN
(Zone 6b)
March 04, 2008
07:54 PM Post #4622995
| Beautiful. Can't wait to see more.
Late getting in here. Where is the Mural?
Betty |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 04, 2008
08:00 PM Post #4623029
| Thank you merigold. It sure doesn't seem like a short amount of time. I have been working on it now for 4 days, and seeing how I still have 3 more walls to do after this one... I try to keep the pressure on myself or I'll spend a whole week just playing with minor details.
Hi Betty, This is the playroom for a home daycare center. It is going to be all 4 walls. After this one, I have to move to the bathroom to do an underwater scene on all 4 walls and the ceiling!
In case anyone is wondering, the stick looking things on the walls are shelf brackets. Unfortunately, once I'm finished there will be shelves mounted all along 3 walls. |
picabo
Nashville, TN
(Zone 6b)
March 04, 2008
08:32 PM Post #4623209
| Don't you know the kids will love that???
Can you paint the shelves to go with your scene? |
merigold
Sioux City, IA
(Zone 4b)
March 04, 2008
09:59 PM Post #4623563
| The children are going to love it! They will feel like they are IN the jungle. :) |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 06, 2008
11:07 PM Post #4632018
| I really am enjoying this thread and seeing the mural progress. I hope you will share the bathroom with us also.
I was wondering about the things sticking out, Too bad they have to put shelves across your painting! |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 08, 2008
05:48 PM Post #4639118
| Hey picabo, I do plan on painting the shelves. But unfortunately all the toys are still going back up on them.
Thank merigold, that's the plan hopefully.
Zany, I'd be happy to share the bathroom. I'm really looking forward to that one. I bought a new paint sprayer just to get the effects that I want in there.
Here is a pic of what I was able to do on Wednesday. Today I just painted in the background on the rest of the walls and started drawing out the trees and plants etc. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 08, 2008
08:35 PM Post #4639752
| It is looking great. I love the way the moss looks dimensional and soft! Too bad they don't have a heavy duty canvas roller shade on that window so you could have carried the mural right on to it as well!
But that bathroom really has me intrigued. I am really looking forward to seeing your posts on it. |
roybird
Santa Fe, NM
March 08, 2008
08:44 PM Post #4639787
| This is coming along very quickly! Lucky kids. |
2vernes
Blytheville, AR
(Zone 7a)
March 08, 2008
09:13 PM Post #4639892
| This is so much fun watching the progress of the murals. It's going to be beautiful and like Roybird says "lucky kids". Looking forward to seeing the bathroom progress, too. Laverne |
scutler
Charleston, SC
(Zone 8b)
March 08, 2008
09:26 PM Post #4639943
| Very, very impressive! Truly quite professional. Can't wait to see more. |
haighr
Hagerstown, MD
(Zone 6a)
March 10, 2008
01:20 PM Post #4646489
| Exceptional artistic ability. I am in awe watching the progress. |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 10, 2008
04:05 PM Post #4647190
| Zany! You really want the work to be more than it is? lol. In the bathroom the lady asked if I would continue the murals over the doors and moldings. I promptly said no it wouldn't look right. The walls are big enough for me. haha.
Thanks Laverne, scutler, and haighr. I would have had some more pics for you guys today, but like a dum dum I left my memory stick in the computer this morning so when I pulled the camera out this afternoon it had no brain. (Kinda like me today)
I did get a lot done though. I have all the background in and painted in the dark basecoat for the foreground. Tomorrow I get to start painting in the rest of the animals and start putting in detail on the rest of the room. I changed my strategy a little bit and now I'm doing the remaining 3 walls at the same time instead of one wall at a time. It's making the process much much faster than I expected. I may be done in a week or less.
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Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 10, 2008
08:16 PM Post #4648278
| LOL at least I didn't say you should paint over the mini blind! I have seen it done but that is a whole job by itself!
Done in a week! I would need 6 months and even then someone would have to come in with a wallpaper mural to make it look good! |
scutler
Charleston, SC
(Zone 8b)
March 12, 2008
03:06 AM Post #4653652
| Wow, all 4 walls done in a manner similar to the one you show above! Must be awesome! I used to paint (oils) - mostly wildlife scenes. Took me about a week more or less full time to finish a canvas - but I didn't have to climb up and down on a ladder! I'm quite impressed. I have never been able to work on such a large scale as what you are doing. That alone takes special skill - to 'see' things larger than life and keep the scale and perspective right.
Still waiting to see more. |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 12, 2008
09:01 PM Post #4656316
| Zany. I can only imagine how much more work I could get if they hadn't invented wallpaper murals. They'll never match the creativity of a custom mural though.
Ok, a week might have been an under estimate. I always forget how long the little details take.
Scutler, I paint in oils too. My first passion is wildlife. In fact, I'm working on a couple paintings in the studio right now. One is a cougar laying on some rocks, another is the most famous spanish mission, the Alamo. I'm not really into architectural paintings, but I can make an exception for a series like this.
Well here is how far I got on the 2nd wall today. The other 2 walls already have their backgrounds in and the basecoats for the trees. The big black area on the right side of the wall is going to be a stand of bamboo. This wall still needs a lot of work, but it's coming together slowly but surely.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 12, 2008
09:03 PM Post #4656326
| Closer view of the Tiger 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 12, 2008
10:13 PM Post #4656687
| Wallpaper murals are nowhere close in appeal to a well painted mural. But for some of us with no talent and no money to pay for talent they are an option of sorts. . . personally I prefer blah white walls to the paper murals that lack feeling and depth. But I could sure enjoy a wall mural painting like these! |
roybird
Santa Fe, NM
March 13, 2008
09:43 PM Post #4660696
| I like that the animals are not too cutesy nor too fierce. It's coming along! |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
March 14, 2008
09:47 AM Post #4662432
| Outstanding! Those are some lucky kids to have such a cool room. Pipe in some jungle music and the kids will think they are on a safari!
Janet |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 14, 2008
12:10 PM Post #4663024
| Thanks guys. I'll post some more pics tomorrow afternoon when I get home. I'm starting to get a little jungled out.
I also realized I don't like it when the clients pay me in advance. Usually I have a paycheck to look forward to and that motivates me to move it along. |
Eufaula
Eatonton, GA
(Zone 8b)
March 14, 2008
12:18 PM Post #4663063
| Wow!!! Your Mural is taking my breath away! Beautiful , just beautiful!
What medium are you using ? Acrylics , acrylic wall paint, ..the color is amazing.! |
ByndeweedBeth
scio, oregon, OR
(Zone 8a)
March 14, 2008
12:20 PM Post #4663070
| That's great! I should do something like that in my grow room! |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 14, 2008
12:25 PM Post #4663087
| Eufala, I am using a combo of acrylic paints, and latex house paints.
Beth! One of my best friends lives in Scio. Super small world. Do you know Raven Okeefe? Has a sheep farm, does the graphic design for Our Town. |
ByndeweedBeth
scio, oregon, OR
(Zone 8a)
March 14, 2008
12:41 PM Post #4663166
| Yes, I've seen some of Raven's work. I have her card somewhere...she paints awesome animals! |
Seedtosser1
Glenview, IL
March 14, 2008
02:55 PM Post #4663707
| Wow!! What a fantastic piece of art.
I can't wait to see the bathroom.
Would love to hear what the kids say...They are just going to love it. |
confident_realm
Houston, TX
March 15, 2008
04:21 PM Post #4667985
| I just stumbled on this discussion... I just have to say it is simply wonderful, probably the finest mural I have seen in quite some time. I would really like to have the time to attempt a mural but haven't had either time or opportunity for a very very long time. Have you been painting murals for a long time? How did you get started? I am looking for more opportunities for making a living as an artist. Any suggestions? |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 15, 2008
04:57 PM Post #4668133
| Beth, yep that' the one. Small world.
Thanks Seedtosser1, the kids are really small. But the one that lives there sneaks into the room a few times a day to see what part I'm working on. He's pretty shy but he is loving it so far.
confident_realm,
That's exactly what murals are for me. A way to make a living as an artist. I would much rather hole up in my studio and work on fine art, but until that happens, I'm happy as long as I am painting.
I have been painting murals off and on for about 10 years. I started by painting some friends kids rooms and then they showed people and word spread. After I had done work for all the friends, I ran out of word of mouth so I did a postcard mailer and got a couple jobs out of it. I ended up taking a job offer and stopped for a couple years but got really tired of not having time to paint. So now I made the leap, posted some ads online and booked a couple jobs. Word of mouth is the best, but you have to get people in the rooms to see them before they will hire you. I'm getting to a point now, where I have a decent portfolio and that really helps. So, if you haven't done any murals, you should try one. Get at least one or two small ones under your belt and see if you like it. You never know.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 16, 2008
07:46 PM Post #4672136
| Here is where I got on the second wall. I'll put a closer image of the parrots next 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 16, 2008
07:47 PM Post #4672139
| Parrots :) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 16, 2008
07:47 PM Post #4672144
| Starting to work on the 3rd wall now. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
March 16, 2008
07:48 PM Post #4672147
| That is simply amazing! Thank you so much for sharing with us! |
scutler
Charleston, SC
(Zone 8b)
March 17, 2008
07:28 AM Post #4673705
| Positively breathtaking! One can only imagine the delight of the child who will inhabit that extraordinary room. |
2vernes
Blytheville, AR
(Zone 7a)
March 17, 2008
10:11 AM Post #4674157
| Great job, James. The murals are beautiful but it is upsetting to me that the tacky shelves will be covering up so much of the beauty. The parrots especially. Tell them that they need nets hanging in the corner for toys or toy boxes. I am so impressed with the parrots, they are so colorful and pretty. The statue head is cool looking, too. Bravo, good job. Now, keep showing us more pictures. Laverne |
confident_realm
Houston, TX
March 17, 2008
11:30 AM Post #4674456
| Thank you for sharing. I can only dream of painting murals right now. My "day job" interferes with everything. I hope to paint something in my own home this summer sometime and hopefully show some people who might be interested in letting me experiment in their homes. It would be wonderful to get commissions. Right now I must just continue with my "fine art" and be confined to canvas, which I love!
This message was edited Mar 18, 2008 11:31 AM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 17, 2008
07:07 PM Post #4676031
| Today, I painted in the chimpanzee and a snake and did some background work. Tomorrow I will be able to start the 4th wall. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 17, 2008
07:08 PM Post #4676036
| And the snake 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 17, 2008
07:23 PM Post #4676095
| LOL the location of that snake should keep little hands from wanting to play with the light switch and the Chimp looks like it is watching them like a nanny!
There is so much to see the kids should have a blast checking it all out. |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 17, 2008
07:40 PM Post #4676162
| Ha! I was hoping that maybe some unsuspecting parent would go in and reach for the light switch and be startled. That would be great!
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2vernes
Blytheville, AR
(Zone 7a)
March 18, 2008
01:18 AM Post #4677392
| That is one cool snake and the chimp looks great, too. Have you thought about putting some bugs or maybe small lizards hidden among the foliage for the kids to look for? They would have fun searching for the little critters. Laverne |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 24, 2008
05:48 PM Post #4704388
| I thought about adding some stuff like that Laverne, but then I would spend forever in that room. I may add a few more things here and there, but the room is officially done now. I don't have the completed pics yet, but I will take them tomorrow.
In the meantime, here are a couple more pics from the room. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 24, 2008
05:49 PM Post #4704391
| Creepy little monkey 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 24, 2008
05:50 PM Post #4704393
| This is the third wall, more or less finished now. You can see what the room will look like with the shelves back up. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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tetleytuna
Columbia, MO
(Zone 5b)
March 24, 2008
10:28 PM Post #4705820
| That is just amazing! I want to live at your house. |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 25, 2008
05:29 PM Post #4708901
| Ok. After today it is finished. Here are the final pics. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 25, 2008
05:30 PM Post #4708903
| Wall 2 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 25, 2008
05:30 PM Post #4708906
| Wall 3 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
March 25, 2008
05:31 PM Post #4708909
| And last but not least - Wall 4. Too bad I can't get a virtual tour type thing going. Might have to look into that for my website.
Thanks everyone for watching this progress. Keep your eyes peeled for the next one. :)
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Kathleen
Panama, NY
(Zone 5a)
March 25, 2008
06:14 PM Post #4709007
| James, what fun. I bet the kids love it. |
scutler
Charleston, SC
(Zone 8b)
March 25, 2008
06:51 PM Post #4709110
| That is just...well...so positively awesome as to defy words! I really am speechless - and that doesn't happen very often. I love it. (The little boy who will live in that room is lucky indeed.) Thank you so much for allowing us to tag along and look over your shoulder during this process. I can't wait to see the next one. And, BTW, I think you really should consider that virtual tour for your website. I predict that you will soon have more rooms to paint than time to paint them. |
UniQueTreasures
Beaumont, TX
(Zone 8b)
March 25, 2008
09:44 PM Post #4709865
| James, you've really captured the jungle there! My Goodness! It's awesome!!! All they need now is one of those jungly music type CD's for nap time. Those kids will enjoy your work so much. They have parents tht will want murals for their own houses. Word of mouth is going to keep you busy for a long time.
Thanks so much for keeping us all posted on this fantastic project. I am in awe of your talent!!!
Janet |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
March 25, 2008
09:47 PM Post #4709876
| Too bad you can't put in a hidden camera to catch the childrens first reactions to the room! That would be a show to see!
So is the bathroom next? |
Seedtosser1
Glenview, IL
March 25, 2008
10:19 PM Post #4710048
| I am so ecited to see your work of art!! my gosh, the little ones will be so excited.
Well, I am!! Thank you for sharing your on going works. ..Can't wait to see bathroom eighther!
Just so Happy for you.
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katiebear
mulege
Mexico
March 28, 2008
01:48 AM Post #4720287
| Great work, Jim. Thanks so much for posting all the wonderful pictures.
katiebear |
ge1836
Pittsford, NY
(Zone 6a)
March 28, 2008
02:20 PM Post #4722149
| I'm new to this forum and others,as well as chatting.
Great job on the mural,won't you be scared to sleep at night? Pretty great cat. |
2vernes
Blytheville, AR
(Zone 7a)
March 28, 2008
05:52 PM Post #4722982
| WOW-----you did good. Laverne |
Bhavana34
Medford, NJ
June 04, 2008
11:52 AM Post #5052088
| absolutely beautiful! I have done murals on and off as well, for the money, as you said it is much more preferable to be painting fine art - but we do what we must!
Not sure how you price things, but a mural of this size and detail and quality would be extremely expensive in my neck of the woods. |
SoCal
Huntington Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)
July 10, 2008
01:06 PM Post #5235964
| These are spectacular murals!! I enjoyed viewing the process and the finished product.
So, where is the underwater bathroom pictures? lol
Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
Donna |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
July 11, 2008
07:20 PM Post #5243451
| Thanks guys.
Donna, I had posted the bathroom pics here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/827230/
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SoCal
Huntington Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)
July 12, 2008
01:15 AM Post #5245152
| Thanks for the link Jim. That bathroom is awesome, even though it was a low budget mural. lol
Your creativity is amazing.
Donna |
