Tile Mural Part 5 Painted and first varnish

Finished Mural

I finished my abstract tile mural and I’m very happy with the out come.  I originally had sketched an egg in the nest but decided my message was best served without it.  The empty nest with bird in flight tells the story of a young bird that has been nurtured, loved and cared for and now ready to go on her own.  My daughter Katie getting ready to graduate from high school in May and on her way to college.

 

 

The colors I have chosen represent the fun personality and creativity of my daughter.  

Now that the weather has warmed up, I have started the process of varnishing. There are many kinds of varnish out there; again back to the Eco factor I use J.W. etc. Right Step Clear Varnish.  This varnish is certified Non-Toxic.  I love how it adheres to tile surfaces.  I use several coats and I'm very careful when applying the varnish you want to make sure you apply it in one direction and allow 30-45 minutes to dry before applying another coat.

I will be gluing and grouting this mural unto plywood and create a wall hanging.  If I were to install this mural to the wall I would make sure that at least 5 –6 coats of varnish with slight sanding in between  coats. This will protect your painting. You need to allow a cure time of at least two weeks depending on the humidity in your area, remember paint needs time to adhere as well as varnish to any surface; it needs time to harden unto your tile.

Whether you are installing the mural or having an installer do it for you, it is a good idea to apply at least another coat of water-acrylic based tile and grout sealer over the finished installation to protect from liquids being absorbed into tiles and grout you an find this at your local home improvement store.  Use non-grit grout and follow manufactures instructions. This will make your art incredibly durable and washable and give you years of enjoyment.  Wash your tile with mild soap and water no abrasives to avoid scratching or dulling your artwork as well.

While I'm going through the steps of varnishing my mural, I will prepare the plywood, give it a coat of sealer and paint and screw the hanger to the back.  When tiles are done with the varnishing process and cured I will glue and grout it into place let dry and it will be ready to hang.

 

I also have been working on a painted memory box for a charity event for the Muscular Dystrophy Association a wonderful cause I Will share that with you next week. 

Happy Painting!