Tlacolulokos The Murals of Jalatlaco Part II

 

Part II

The mural is designed with a motif in the center and one on each side. The images and symbols are Zapotec.

Fortunately little work had been done on the right hand side...early indigenous glyphs, and so I was able to photograph almost the whole process on this side.

There is a master color sketch of the work to be created. It has been squared and the wall has been squared at a scale relevant to the finished dimensions for each of the motifs. Following the squared drawing the design is then drawn by hand with red paint. In the passages with hard edged abstraction a simple 30 inch level is used to ascertain level and plumb. Lines are drawn with a pencil. All of this is exactly what is done when painting scenery in the theater.

What is innovative and interesting to me...being as I am an old timer now ...I have seen other artists using this as well...the master color drawing has been photographed and each of the artists refers to the photo on his cell phone for the details as the work progresses. The cell phones also provide music. In Mexico I think it is safe to say that Nothing is done without a musical accompaniment.

What thrilled me is that all of this painting is done with brushes. Following the pencil line and concentrating on the business at hand, the artists glide the paint on free hand seemingly with the greatest of ease….no masking tape, no straight edgers, no liner sticks. I love painting and I love watching people paint when they know what they are doing. A few weeks back I had the pleasure of watching Painter Moreno do his Banda Tierra Mojada mural with spray paint. (Scroll down for that entry.) It would be difficult to ascertain which method gets the better edge.