Instagram: @thebaltic_social twitter: @thebalticsocial
I was asked to create an autumnal wall piece for The Baltic Social bar in Liverpool. The Baltic Social is a creative, quirky bar that sells amazing food, does unique food offers like 'punk afternoon tea' and has arguably the best Guinness in Liverpool (Honestly, go try it!)
The bar's aesthetic is full of reds, yellows and greens, so it was straight forward enough to come up with a 'fallen leaves' design that matched the interior.
The wall I would be painting on was a good enough size to create a busy, full image that could have a lot of detail, yet still remain simple enough to be an interesting backdrop that could potentially appeal to those seeking group photos and selfies.
I started by drawing out a rough idea of what I wanted to achieve on photoshop. I mapped out the colours, leaf shapes and how I felt the design would fit, taking into account that a couch would cover part of the wall. A bluster of leaves blowing over the top of the couch was what we had in mind. I knew that the final painting would have a lot more detail, this mock up was just a very simplified version of what I was going to create.
When I was ready to paint, I gave the wall a once over with some black paint to ensure the image started off strong. I then mixed a very dark green and painted some large leaf shapes to create another element to the background of the piece. I painted some large dark blue flower shapes too, before I decided to move onto brighter colours. The brighter colours took a couple of coats before they stood out enough against the black.
I began adding different colours and built the image up in sections
Once I felt I had painted enough leaves and used enough variety of colour, I went over the leaves again with the paint to ensure they stood out enough.
After the paint had fully dried I began to add in detail with Posca Pens
After an hour or so of adding in dots and details, I added small features to the leaves and flowers, as well as drawing in some 'skeleton flowers' to make the piece look fuller.
Once everything had all dried we added some text, put the furniture back and VOILA! A comfortable, cozy corner worthy of a few selfies.
I have created work for The Baltic Social in the past. I designed their hanging signs and A-board that they have displayed outside. For this they wanted a very flowery bright border but with simple messages displayed in black and white. The intention of this was to be noticed, as the outside of the building is plain brick.
If you're in the Liverpool area and you haven't visited, do yourself a favour and check it out! I's just across the road from the Baltic Market. Head down for the best staff, 'boss scrans' and a quirky yet chilled atmosphere.
Instagram: @thebaltic_social twitter: @thebalticsocial