Perhaps I should refer to each installation of this indoor mural story as “chapters”. However, I might lose count doing it this way. (If you read the first installment, you can see that I don’t count all that accurately.)

Wow, the internet is so fast at Visalia Granite that I am able to actually listen to some podcasts while I paint. What fun! (I called the phone company from home to ask what speed I am paying for. It was 3 units of measurement. I tested the speed and learned that we are receiving about 1.1 units of measurement. I tested the speed at Visalia Granite and it is ELEVEN units of who-knows-what-measurement!! ELEVEN!!)

On Day 2 I began by taping the columns so I could paint around them. I thought I’d work on the uppermost thing (a pediment, perhaps?) for an hour or so, and then start on the background.

FOUR HOURS later, I was finally off the 2 ladders, temporarily finished with the pediment. “Temporarily”, because as other parts get painted in, I’ll find ways to improve what was first painted.

In anticipation of painting an indoor mural, I ordered some appropriate premixed colors without regard to their lightfastness. When I paint outdoor murals, I only work from the most lightfast primary colors available and then mix my own colors as I paint.

I’ve only opened one of those jars of new paint yet because all I’m able to achieve the colors I want using ones I mixed from previous jobs.

It turns out that Roman ruins in the late afternoon sunshine are quite similar to Sequoia trees. How convenient.

In case you are wondering, I opened yellow ochre out of curiosity. Turns out to be a perfect match for one of my painting rags. (What a thrill to my little color junkie heart.)