Artistic Murals By: Tamara Gerkin 

Welcome to the KOA Fiesta Key Exterior Pool Wall Archive Page...

 AKA: The Sunken Ship Wall 

The following photographs document each stage of the KOA Fiesta Key exterior swimming pool wall mural: Each wall begins by covering the entire wall with blue tinted Exterior Latex Wall Primer.  After the primer sufficiently dries for 24 hours, I use a #8 filbert brush to sketch in various compositional elements and shapes. From this point on only "Professional Quality" Fine Art Acrylic paints are used.  

All though I had anticipated painting the exterior pool wall facing the Harbor when I returned to Fiesta Key several days ago, Tom had other plans for my time...  And I'm so glad that he did because I'm having a blast painting the main exterior wall that faces the Marina, Campground and RV area.

(Please click on images to see larger picture)

Day One: Transformation from a brown wall to a blue primed wall.

Day Two:  Once the primer dried for 24 hours, I began laying out basic design elements including fish, coral and light/dark patterns.  This projected presents a special challenge due to numerous Palm Trees that are in front of the wall.   I am strategically placing key shapes that will enhance the landscape and create interest for the viewer regardless of where they are standing or from what distance.

Day Three: Continuation of drawing and refining shapes.  My goal is to make each fish have its own distinctive personality, even if it means that I must exaggerate their expressions and color.

     (Several of these first day images will not in-large, please accept my apology for this mishap. My laptop had a slight accident and is in the shop, which means I cannot access the file to fix these problems. However, the last group of thumbnail photographs are working correctly, so feel free to click on them to see a larger picture.)

Day Four: Painting and posing for photographs to give you an idea of scale.  

Day Five: Adding Fish and refining shapes.

Day Six: Creating movement in light and dark areas. (These shots were taken in the evening using flash.)

Day's ?:  I have lost track of the sequence from this point on. Nevertheless, the following photographs depict several phases of this mural at different stages of completion.  I hope to return to this amazing paradise to finish the "Sunken Ship Wall" mural sometime in July.  (This group of thumbnails is working properly...)

Day 19: I was not able to finish this wall due to a trip to Hawaii.  However, I am planning on returning to Fiesta Key in June.

Days 20-24:  My focus this trip is  to finish painting the exterior ship wall.  

Day 25-26:  Detailing the foreground with coral and smaller fish.