An ocean mural

[cherilyn]

Hello! I am also a new member. I recently did a mural for a friend's bathroom. She wanted an ocean theme. I just thought I'd post the results.

Thanks for looking!

[cherilyn]

another picture from the bathroom mural (I can't figure out how to add the attachments to my first post)

[cherilyn]

and another...

[cherilyn]

and another (NOTE: the pictures are a lot 'fuzzier' than the painting actually is. I took the pictures with my digital camera and reduced the file size in order to post)

[cherilyn]

and another...

[cherilyn]

and another...

[cherilyn]

In the entrance area (sink and dressing area) to the bathroom, I painted a beach type of scene. Here is a small portion of that...

[paintfool]

Oh Cherilyn! That is so adorable! You did a great job!!! I'll bet your friend is very proud of that bathroom. :) I can't decide which parts i like best! Welcome to WC! Hope to see more of your work.
Cheryl

[arlene]

Welcome, and what a great job you did.

[Ruth]

Wow! Do you do a lot of these? Hoping to see more!

Ruth

[cherilyn]

Thank you very much for your replies! This was only the second time I've ever attempted a mural. I had done one before (for one of my mother's friends). That one didn't turn out as well. This one turned out a little better. I think it's because I gave it a little more thought before I painted. Still though, the picture in my head is a lot more photo-realistic. As hard as I might try to paint more realistically, it always ends up looking like cartoons! Oh well, they said they really liked it. I don't mind the 'cartoon' look. But, I wonder what I might be missing to give it that 'realism' that is missing??? Does anybody have any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!
~Cherilyn

[paintfool]

For more realism in this particular scene you'd probably have to tone down the color of the background, for starters. But honestly i don't think it would be nearly as pretty! Tropical fish ARE rather cartoonish in nature due to thier amazing colors and the sharpness of the contrasts in those colors. Your sand scenes, including the beach ball etc DO have a fairly realistic look to them. This subject matter would probably not be where you'd want to start going for super realism. I'd leave that for landscapes etc. Just my opinion of course.
Cheryl

[gnu]

WOW!WOW!WOW! This is absouloutely great, so impressed had to show my family!!! I want one too!!:D :clap: :clap: :clap:

[ptantono]

If I have such a beautiful mural in my bathroom, I could stay there for hours in a day.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[Caron]

That was a lot of work and also congratulations on working in such tight places!! I like all the detail you included and the depth that you have created by ghosting some images..:) Hope to see more!!
And welcome!!!

[DuncanBerenice]

wow that looks really great, I wouldn't mind having my bathroom done like that.

thanks for sharing and looking forward to seeing more and welcome to wetcanvas

Duncan

[TeAnne]

Originally posted by ptantono
If I have such a beautiful mural in my bathroom, I could stay there for hours in a day.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
I have to agree with this. :clap: :clap:

[kansas artist]

This mural is fantastic! What kinds of paint did you use? I think you did a terrific job creating in such a tight space, and you have so much going on. The colors are uplifting. Hope to see photos of your next mural project. -Lisa S

[cherilyn]

Hello! Thanks for all the wonderful comments! I used some inexpensive acrylic paints for this mural. Then, I had my friend spray several coats of Krylon clear sealer over top. I'm not sure what the best way would've been to do it. I had asked a lady who worked in an art store what her suggestion was and that was what she recommended. If anybody has any other recommendations/suggestions or methods they've used, I'd love to hear about them as I'm relatively new to this field (creating murals).

Thanks again!
~Cherilyn

[deebee]

WOW - your friend must be delighted - this it great. How did you paint behind the toliet - that must have be tough! I would have had paint all over me doing this! How long did it take??

[artbabe21]

Really a nice job here! Wow, all the detail!!How long did it actually take you to complete it?
Cathleen~;)

[artchic]

WOW Cherilyn,
I won't even ask how long that took you!....I just finished a mural above a soffit in a kitchen and that took me a week!!!

But you do beautiful work.....I don't think it looked "cartoon like" at all..Keep it up!
From the Shore,
Carole

[cherilyn]

Hello! Thanks again for all your comments! I just got back from maternity leave so I wanted to post my replies...

(How long did it take to complete?)
FOREVER! I wasn't incredibly prepared and had a hard time finding good reference pictures. My biggest fault when I'm working on these kinds of projects is not tracking my time. I too would love to know how long it actually took me! I can only remember that it took a few months but I only worked on the weekends. And, sometimes I'd only work for an hour and sometimes I'd work for 10!

Also, I did find it difficult to paint behind and around the toilet! It was a very tight space! And, I definately got paint all over me! I'm a rather messy painter!:)