Christmas Window painting #2

Colleran's Pharmacy Ltd- Charlestown, Co. Mayo (Dec 2012)

For the last two weeks I was busy painting a windows in town. I started with the windows in front of the school. The principle of the school mentioned my work to the owner of one of the Pharmacies in town (who is also his father in-law) and that is how I ended up getting the job of painting the Pharmacy window...

I started with a rough sketch in my drawing pad. I used this to show the owner my idea and get approval. 

Template design. (Actual size: 2.5ft x 6ft).

I hung this outside on the window while I traced the image inside using a non-permanent marker. A window marker does the same job.

The finished window.

The pharmacy actually has two windows, but because it was coming so close to the Christmas rush and the staff were still arranging displays inside, I was only commissioned to do the one window. I hadn't done a big scene before on a large scale such as a window, so it took me longer than expected.

This is the rough sketch of what would have been the other window.

Painting on glass comes with its challenges. Thankfully condensation (moisture on windows or forming on the windows due to cold weather) wasn't a problem. However, I didn't have the right tool for defining outlines like I would when drawing on paper. I used a non-permanent marker to outline everything  and that was very handy. The problem was I didn't have anything for making line-work stand out as part of the image. Working on the windows and researching how others do it has opened my eyes to new materials. 

The paint that I used was nothing out of the ordinary. I used cheap paint that schools use, on this occasion Reeves Ready-mix (€2 a bottle). I wanted the paint to be super easy for the owners to wash off after Christmas. Using the cheap paint runs the risk dripping if there is any moisture on the glass at any stage (usually over-night). But like I said, I was lucky not to have that problem on this occasion. 

While planning how I was going to do the job, I discovered through the magic of the internet that there are markers I could have used. Unfortunately I don't know if there are shops in Ireland that actually supply them. But I can simply order them online from the UK if needs must. I will be investing in Paint Markers for future use (markers that either use acrylic-based or can be refilled with any kind of paint).

Other concept designs: 

"The brightest Christmas tree in the forest"

"The Snowman" - You know, from the movie.