Such a nice simple project. Two lines of Psalm 23, seemingly casually placed on a wall. However you want to do it, the homeowner says, then I’ll hang some art next to it. Now this could be my favorite kind of client, but it’s also the kind that makes me a bit nervous and insecure. Sure, I can do whatever I want, but it also has to please the client, and fit with their vision for what they want for their home. What if they don’t like it when it’s done? What if I completely misinterpret what they wanted me to do?

I like lettering- it’s a challenge. It takes a tremendous amount of planning, measuring, visualization and consideration of the whole composition, then set up on the computer to get the right size, the right font, and finally, the right paintbrushes colors and strokes to achieve that effortless hand painted look.

Once on site with my computer print-outs, I spend the time to tape the lettering on the wall  just right, checking that it is all level before tracing it all lightly onto the wall.

Following the tracing lines, I stroke on the paint, allowing the brushes to do the work, laying on the colors I selected to coordinate with the room color scheme. One of them was easy- it’s simply the paint from three other walls in the room- a very grey green/blue. The drop shadow is a soft taupe shade pulled from the fabrics and other furnishings in the room.