Kenya Mural

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11">   <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11">       <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11">   <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11"></div> <div> Quite recently I painted a mural, in a private house near Oxford. This is the first for a few years and I really enjoyed it. The brief was to create an image of Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance with open plains, waterholes and as many animals and birds as feasibly possible. All the images were based on photographs taken by the clients.</div> <div> The wall is twelve feet long by eight feet high.</div> <div> I used 'Liquitex ' acrylic paint throughout, over three coats of  'Golden' gesso primer. The mural was sealed with 'Golden' polymer matt varnish.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e4b67f0.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="127" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>    The only natural light, at this end of the long room, comes from a roof-light on the right. This was not a problem until I came to photograph the mural; in normal viewing, the uneven illumination is hardly noticeable.</div> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Alan Mynall</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alan Mynall">home</A></div> <div> <B>The Kenya Mural</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="1cc588d0.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="397" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >Two wall-mounted light fittings were removed by the clients before I started but unfortunately it was felt the radiator could not be moved. Perhaps that's why Africa is so hot. I incorporated the light switches onto the vertical pole rather than have them floating above the herd of elephants approaching the waterhole. </FONT></div> <div> The roll-call of creatures includes a genet, a leopard, a lion and lioness, some hyeenas, elephants, buffalo, a hippopotamus, giraffes, african hunting dogs,  jackals, zebras, rhinoceroses, warthogs, flamingoes and a verraux's eagle owl. There is also an anthill and an unidentified snake.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e5f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >On the left is the genet, perched under the roof and looking to see who is coming through the doors into the room. I have flown in hot air balloons but not in such an exotic location; the views must have been amazing.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d1f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >Below are the some of the animals in somewhat improbable groupings. However with a small suspension of disbelief . . .</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d3f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >. erm . . . maybe the rhinos aren't entirely convinced . . .</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d5f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >The zebras have their own concerns . . .</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d6f4400.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="320" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" > . . . as do the warthogs . . .</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d7f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >. . . as a cheetah attempts to drag its prey to somewhere with a little more privacy.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1daf44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" > On the other side of the wall, a Verraux's Eagle Owl, with its distinctive pink eyelids, presides over the scene.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d9f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" > Below him a leopard climbs carefully down his tree to see what's going on.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1dbf44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >A hyeena looks like he is about to walk into the room as his mates watch.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1ddf44f0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="335" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >A pair of silver-backed jackals have found something intersting to them but of no concern to the passing elephants.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1def44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >Above them a squadron of flamingoes cruises by.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e0f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >Some of the animals are very small in the distance and definitely require binoculars.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e1f44c0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="332" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333366" FACE="Times New Roman" >Overall, I found it a very enjoyable commission and I think I can safely say the clients are very pleased with the result.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e2f41a0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="282" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#333300" FACE="Times New Roman" >. . . oh, and there's always a snake in the grass somewhere.</FONT></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>