There is a famously disputed mural which graced the wall of the Ogdens, in Coronation Street. Stan thought it was the Canadian Rockies whereas Hilda thought it was the Alps. And here’s a question for true Corrie  afficienados – who named it a “muriel’ Hilda or Eddie?

Whatever it was it was a very modern mural in that it was created from printed image strips. It was not true to the origins of murals which were painted on wet or dry plaster. Although some may say that the cave paintings, from 30,000 BC, discovered in France were the first.  Many lost in the mists of time as wallpaper was introduced, churches were destroyed and the moisture in the British weather cycles took its toll.

When I was commissioned to do a mural, it was with great relief, that I was given a very open brief. The space is 20.5 m x 4.5 m at it’s highest point, and already 2.5 m off of the ground. There are no architectural features to incorporate (as was often the case in the old days when working in churches and vaulted ceilinged houses).

So the design has been bound only by a general subject area to tie in with the clients business. The method, medium and style being left to me which is lovely on the one hand and quite daunting on the other! Worse case scenario … the client does not like it and the white emulsion roller comes out …

In the process of drawing out and tacking to the wall to make sure it all works, before gridding it out and loosely transferring the design to the wall.

I’d like to have the colourful spontaneity of my usual style, but need to reduce the detail as this will be lost in the space, so a return to my more graphical colour block routes is on the cards.

Having just spent some time in Canada admiring the deco /beaux arts buildings it seems timely to be looking at poster designs and style of that age.

it’s going to keep me busy, together with a number of planned trackside visits from the end of June onwards to capture some more wheels in motion both digitally and on paper.

In the next blog I talk about another of the key elements included the Audi R10.