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in 2009 I painted a mural on the water tank at the South Fork fire station. This is Tulare County Station 14 in Three Rivers.

I mixed the colors using red, yellow and blue, plus white. About 2 years ago, the mural company stopped recommending that particular yellow for outdoor use. 

See why?

The yellow faded, turning everything that used to be green into varying shades of blue.
Oops, I think this green is too dark.
This is lighter, but I’ll have to try more areas first to know how things need to be.
Couldn’t resist trying that brilliant spring green. It really emphasizes the fadedness. (I know that isn’t a word, but I can’t think of the right one.)
I just started slapping various greens on in a somewhat random fashion so that I could compare the darknesses.
Now there is more to work with, so I can start making adjustments.
The blue ridge behind the farthest green needs to be a bit darker, but first I’ll finish the greens.

There – see the darker blue now? Colors are supposed to fade as they recede into the distance. That is part of what helps us know what we are seeing.

Now the sun is too high to continue.

When the sun shines directly on a mural, the paint dries too quickly on my palette and in my brushes and I can’t do my best work. So, this shall be continued. The grasses and flowers will take quite a bit of time, and the lake might need another coat. Then I’ll probably start drawing with my paintbrush, making up ridiculously detailed areas because that is the most fun part to me.

 

4 Comments

  1. Yay! I really missed the green (my favorite color)! I can’t wait to see it when I drive by there…someday. I’m delighted to see you are doing this.

    • Nikki, someday, soon I hope, you will be heading up canyon toward your church again, in daylight hours, not before making one of your dark-thirty Winco runs!

  2. Are you feeling a bit frustrated because all the murals you painted pre-yellow-color-fix probably will have to be redone? Or do you consider it as challenge and joy to make blue stuff green again?

    And did you pick up your *Reflective* Address Signs, Available There?

    • I have repainted most of the faded murals now, with the exception of one in Exeter. Job security in some cases, a chance to improve my earlier work in others. It is a relief to repair something that has turned weird.

      I thought about getting a sign, but we do have a clearly marked address at our driveway.

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