Ghosts of Christmas Windows Past:
For the most part I try to work around the edges, on the door(s), in corners, and across the generally-unused upper reaches of large panes. This is especially so for muralistic pieces, such as the full Santa, Sleigh and Reindeer-train, racing across the Moon, although a Nativity with the full entourage (the star & manger at one side, the wise men at the other but headed their way, with the little town of Bethlehem and a short expanse of desert between) can work very well if done narrowly across the bottom of a large window, scaling the corner elements to suit.
"The Wishbook" shown in these photos measures approximately 17-1/2 by 22 inches (the centerspread opening to 51 inches) and within it I've produced samplings of my general window painting technique all rendered at approximately 1/6 to 1/8 scale. My flurry* technique is demonstrated at closer to 1/4 scale, so that the flakes are represented 1-1/2 to 2 times larger than what I intend. Anyhow I've made snowflake stamps from miniature sponges, diligently cutting them out with fine x-acto blades; when I go full-scale on the windows the sponge stamps will be larger, and cut with scissors.
Here's one, at The Bead Merchant: This is mostly a lettering job, and thus more of a sign than a traditional yuletide window painting, per se, but I gave it a seasonal touch, with just a bit of holly (which could conceivably be expanded into a wreath once the sale is over and the lettering scraped off...) Whatever
else happens, don't miss the event! It's The Bead Merchant's
annual 1 DAY ONLY HOLIDAY SALE, December 8, the 2nd Saturday of the
month (it all starts on First
Friday Art Night's morning-after!)
Snow
on the 'shoppe' lettering (or similar) ~ $15, or as little as $5 during a flurry*,
with snowflakes thrown in for FREE! |
*Flurry! Ah yes, snow is another matter altogether, and if you're a merchant in the core of downtown Grants Pass, then minimally I'd like your permission to put an artistic touch of frost to your windows when my next scheduled flurry blows through! Thats right! I can do snow for FREE, because when I come through your block on a flurry session I'll have my paints handy—most importantly, my snow palette will be at hand, along with all of my sponges and brushes and such, and once I get a flow going it's hard to stop—one shop window leads naturally to the next! Of course I can do quite a bit more for just a few dollars more—typically $10 to $20, depending on the size of the storefront—highlighting your window display(s) by lining your sills with ledges of virtual snow, while illuminating your merchandise from above with a flurry of snowflakes and flourishes, whirling about in a manner dynamically arranged to focus attention and subliminally direct movement toward and through your store's entrance! Silver Bells w/ ribbon, ~ $20! Rudolf the Red-nosed
Reindeer, in your front window looking out!
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Surfing Santa's
are priced more creatively!
A full nativity scene—complete with a giant star, the little town of Bethlehem, and Three Wise Men—is typically a $100 job, but with work it can run up to a few hundred depending on the size and intensity desired. After all, it's a very serious theme—so much so that Botticelli painted not one but two Adoration of the Magi masterpieces! Okay, so I'm no Botticelli, but I too regard the subject matter as serious if not sacred—but I'm no Michelangelo either and I need to get paid! Keep this in mind if you start thinking about adding extra angels, a few more shepherds, a whole flock of sheep, a roman soldier or two, a larger caravan of camels, and just how fancily attired you like your Magi—but remember that every extra dollar will be wisely spent!
A nice set of Viziers from the East bearing gifts, along with a couple of packed camels, trodding across the sifting desert sands. Include a great Star to guide them among an astral background high in the opposite corner. $50 & up
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Mistletoe special ~ $15
Holly, Red Ribbon, and
Jingle Bells on eight-panel French door ~ $30! Pine boughs with cone clusters ~ $20 ea., 3 for $35! Door-sized wreaths of
Holly, with berries and big red bows, from $30!
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Holly clusters with red ribbons at the Kitchen
Connection, on 6th near G in Grants Pass
Cheaper by the dozen,
but individually they go for $30 to $50, complete with carrot nose, top
hat, scarf, mittens and cane, or appropriate substitutions. I'm serious
about volume discounts--it's kind of like painting snow flurries, taking
two or three times the effort to produce ten times the results, so if
you need a dance floor full of snow-couples, a snowman football team, or
some such nonsense, then you should know that nonsense is my specialty!
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HA! I'll bet that when you saw the reindeer pulling Santa and his sleigh across the Moon you thought I was going to say $100, but not so! If we keep the whole shebang under 8 feet long (about four times as large as was done here) I can paint it across the top of your front window for only $75! For $100 I'll include (in a shallow band across the bottom of the window) a snow-banked Rogue River by moonlight in the center, with snow bedecked trees on one side and an otherwise cozy cabin half-buried in a snow-drift on the other!
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Virtually Visit First Friday Art Night in downtown Grants Pass, Oregon!
The Artist is also available
for murals!
click to see >> more
examples and details regarding mural, fine art, & portrait painting services in Southern
Oregon.
I painted this wall at The Blue Pine Brew Pub
in Grants Pass!
(...but that was years ago, and I'm much
better now!)
John Granacki 541-787-9007
check out the John Granacki Dotcom
Art Collection,
which includes links to galleries where genuine art may actually be
purchased!!!