Florida Mural Artist

The Mural

I consider murals as simply being large-scale works of fine art. I'm primarially a Florida mural artist, but I have traveled internationally to create and install murals.

Traditionally painted on walls or ceilings... large scale paintings that are painted on most any hard surface is considered a mural.

As materials have improved and become more available to the artist... murals can also be painted on a more moveable surface such as muslin,canvas,masonite or any other paintable susbtraite which can then be mounted to a permanent surface.

Dating back to prehistoric cave paintings,...murals have always had their place. The most famous and well perserved of these early murals are the Lascaux caves in southern France.

Flourishing during the renaissance period, murals were popular adornments in churches. Many artists such as Rafael,Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were able to sustain a living from comissions from the church. As a result ... the elite and wealthy of Europe adorned their own palaces with commissioned mural works.

Fresco was the traditional method of painting murals. The fresco method uses pigment that is embedded into a green lime wash plaster. This is a very permanent style of painting as the pigment actually works into the plaster rather than simply sitting ontop of it. as I said earlier ....

Murals can be painted onsite, .. directly on the wall or painted on canvas then applied to the wall in a similiar manner as wallpaper would be.

Each of these two mural applications have their place.

When a mural is in a situation that makes it hard to paint onsite... be it a ceiling, high-traffic construction site or it could an issue to time management, a canvas application would be appropriate. Putting a mural on canvas also makes sense if you're viewing the mural as an investment. Should you want to move the mural you can now pull it from the wall and take it with you.

Painting on a canvas also puts the artist in a more comfortable position. They can paint in their studio and also not worry about dealing with a susbtraite that they are not accustomed to.

Painting a canvas mural also keeps the artist from having to travel to the jobsite should it be accross the globe. I spent much of my time as an artist on the road painting murals across the nation. I've no complaints there ... I enjoy traveling. but the client could save money on a canvas if they're not charged for the travel expenses of the artist.

Painting murals onsite has benefits of its own too. I've had situations when canvas murals are simply ot of the question. Most exterior applications would not bode well for a canvas mural. Not saying that it's impossible, there are now substraites that can be painted on and will hold up to the elements pretty well.

...but, when you're asked to paint the exterior hull of a casino boat (yes ... been there, done that), then you're hanging off the side of the boat and painting.

ok.. ok, maybe it doesn't have to be that extreme. It could be a commercial restraunt that needs to be painted with wrapped window sills and all. I'd probably paint that onsite too.

There is no need for the added performance of a wallpaper hanger to install the mural. The artist can also get a better feel of the enviroment of where the mural is being painted .. be it the lighting, focus points of the room ... etc.

My mural gallery

Being a South Florida mural artist ... much of my work includes tropical murals, underwater murals .... murals of sunsets and other themes appropriate for my clients. If you take the time and look through my paintings you'll find that I've got a pretty wide range as far as what I can and have painted. I enjoy the challenge of creating something new. Challenge me and you'll be rewarded with some of my best work.

Trompe loeil murals

Quite simply trompe loeil means "false depth". Its referring to the kind of painting that seems like you can just walk right through it. Many times the mural uses architectural elements to create this illusion.

Creating this illusion also incorporates forced perspective. What this means is that the mural is painted from a specific point of view ... if you leave this point of view, the mural may look a bit off because of its forced nature.

I try and use as little forced perspective as possible in confined areas. On exterior murals or in other more open venues ... forced perspective seems to work best.

Itching for a creation?

Seems you're interested in murals or might be looking to have a mural created. Please feel free to contact me for a free consultation.

I look forward to creating a large mural masterpiece with you.

Thank you,

Henry J

Mural installations.

Coral Springs,Florida ... murals in Coral Springs are located publicly in Big Bear Brewery, Miami Subs and the cafeteria murals at Maplewood Elementary. Soon to be murals located in Coral Springs High School. Numerous private residences.

Parkland,Florida ... many murals in private residences have been painted. Pioneer park mural.

Boca Raton,Florida ... public murals include Miami subs,paradise bank,sals pizzaria,broadstreet subs. Numerous private residences.

Weston,Florida ... public murals include Miami Subs,Bonaventure clubhouse,Baby Boomers. Numerous private residences.

Davie,Florida ... numerous private residences

Fort Lauderdale,Florida ... public murals include Miami subs,Roadhouse grille,street mural on Sunrise. ... numerous private murals.

Stuart,Florida ... public murals include Stuart fine foods,pops seafood.

Wellington,Florida ... public murals include a pediatric dentist office,soverign bank. many private residences.

Light house Point,Florida ... no public murals. Many private residences.

pembroke pines,Florida ... Public mural - Miami Subs. Private residences.

Marathon,Florida ... Public mural - Hyde Park supermarket.

Miami,Florida ... public murals - Days Inn (14th st.),many Miami Subs. Private residences.

Deerfield beach,Florida ... public murals - Miami Subs,Monteros,divas dayspa. Many private murals.

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