FROM DAN.
The design process for this mural was a blast. We needed to represent Coke and specifically the different Coke Flavors, but this is Indy during March madness; so we gave a nod to the city as well as the tournament. Having drawn and painted the Indianapolis skyline countless times, I’m always looking for a new perspective. This time around I have to for something a little more cartoonish. Once I drew the player mid-dunk, I dropped in the Coke wave to accentuate his forward motion. As a tip of the hat to the Tournament Of Champions, I outlined letters along the skyline that simply read “Champions”; with the player’s head landing roughly where the O would be.
Anytime you’re painting live for an audience, there are logistics involved. We settled on an 8’ x 16‘ wall of wooden panels so that they would be inexpensive and easy to build, as well as to install permanently afterwards. I relied on the expertise of Ross Gardner to build something strong, sturdy and smooth. Once the wall was sufficiently weighted to the street and the brick pavement was protected from drips and overspray, I had to make sure fumes were not a part of the guests’ experience. When working indoors or in close proximity to other people, I rely on Montana water-based spray paint. There are no fumes, effectively no odor and the smaller cans mean the paint is under less pressure and easier to contain. In the case of large areas of color, such as the red skyline in this piece, I roll or brush it out with latex. Water-based paint also cleans up easily with soap and water, should there be a drip or spill.
