In the Culture and Design course (GDD 320), visual design students study Celtic and Irish iconography from The Book of Kells to the present day. The brief, or project proposed was to create a mural for the Mac Lab at Champlain Abroad Dublin’s Academic Centre based on this course. I, Justine Gerns, a 3rd year Creative Media student, along with two fellow students, Laura Hackeny and Ellen Voorheis, 3rd year Graphic Design students, began to get the project under way. Our theme seemed simple enough to come up with knowing our overarching topic source, Celtic culture and the Book of Kells. Celtic history can be filled with magical and mystical stories detailing a fantastical past. Thus our theme: Celtic Myths and Legends. The three of us each chose a legend to research and represent for the project: The Children of Lir, Cu Chulainn, and Tir Na Nog.
My topic to become knowledgeable of was Tir Na Nog, and while a well known myth doesn’t seem like something that would be all that hard to find information on, it was rather interesting just how many versions and renditions of each story are out there in the world. The three of us then came together to present our various tales and begin brainstorming ideas for symbols or imagery that would clearly represent the main parts of each story. We also needed to choose a second style aside from just the Book of Kells. In our search for reference imagery, we found it. There is one particular digital artist, “breathing2004” (Jian Guo) on DeviantArt.com, whose works were online and who had taken various fantasy tales and translated them into posters, utilizing a very unique approach resembling stained glass.
With theme number two acquired and our visual symbols selected sketches began being produced. It became clear to us pretty quickly that we all preferred the sketches that Laura was drawing the most, and promptly nominated her as lead sketch artist.
Whilst she pioneered sketch after sketch, Ellen and myself began work on titles and script. We had decided that while to us, the images rather clearly referenced each tale, and outsider, especially an American never before exposed to Celtic mythology, would probably be rather stumped without some text to help them along.
With the script quickly selected, reference images gathered, and many sketches completed we felt it was time to present to our clients, Stephen and Lilly, the Director and Assistant Director of Champlain College Dublin.
With the presentation a success and our final sketch composition approved, work began to transfer the hard sketch into a digital format. After many revisions we began adding colors and prepared another check-in with the clients to get the go-ahead to begin the final stages.
Again we got approval but again, more revisions were needed taking a bit more time. A few more revisions later and all text, typography, and colors were decided on. I researched about the materials we would need in order to paint the mural itself and scouted for supplies. We were ready. An hour or so in the art supply shop a few blocks away saw us out the door and back to the Academic Center, shopping bags filled with paint and brushes. A quick sand down and repainting of the wall to get it to smooth base white, step one of the prep work was complete. Borrowing a portable projector from our generous client (Thanks Lilly! Told you we wouldn’t break it!)
We projected the line art design onto the wall (without color) and began drawing it on, first with pencils, and then later with markers to refine the drawing.
At last we were ready to do the real painting and armed with brushes and paper plates palates, the second to last phase of the project began.
After several extended classes, and a few weekend days thrown in, we had all of the colors filled in with nothing but a final tracing of the linework left. Soon bold black lines filled the wall, polishing up each successive section, pushing the design out of our imaginations and finally into reality. At last, after several near death ladder experiences, and some up close and personal times with everyone’s elbows, the mural was completed. Just in the nick of time I might add, with only 5 days left in Dublin, the final lines of paint were drying. This entry marks the final, last, and whole completion. Please enjoy, “Celtic Myths & Legends” by Laura Hackeny, Ellen Voorheis, and yours truly, Justine Gerns.
-Justine Gerns
Champlain Abroad Dublin, Fall 2013
Champlain College, Creative Media, Class of 2015
