Decorations in the
Open
[Illustration]
COLOR AS OUTER ARCHITECTURAL DECORATION was much used on the buildings
of Egypt and Assyria. The winged sphere in gold and amber against a
background of dark blue was commonly used on the outer walls of Egyptian
buildings and the processions of warriors and ancient kings decorated
the walls of the Assyrian cities.
THE GRECIANS USED COLOR ALSO and the beautiful Parthenon was decorated
with color and the restored model in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York shows their use of color architecturally. The great Acropolis
was resplendent in bas-reliefs on the outer walls in color, gold and
silver.
THE ROMANS USED COLOR OUT OF DOORS on their buildings and the Etruscans
built in terra cotta coloring the outer walls with gorgeous decorations.
They recognized that architecture could be dignified and noble with
proper use of color decorations to enrich the building as a whole.
MURAL DECORATIONS IN THE OPEN were used by the Egyptians, examples of
which remain in our museums today, and so permanent were their colors
that the color schemes are apparent even at this day thousands of years
after their artists applied them.
Pompeians with their house-tops massed against their blue skies were
prompted to use orange-red largely in their decorations which were
lavishly applied in their gardens and other surroundings.
THE CHINESE USED COLORS SIMILAR TO THE POMPEIANS and their decorations
give brilliant notes to their buildings creating pleasing effects. The
Chinese medium has been one largely of lacquer which has been used over
their gold and painted color, producing transparent qualities making it
difficult to know where the actual surface begins.
COLOR ON OUTSIDE BUILDING SURFACES exists on many of the Italian
cathedrals and enriched color facades were used on many houses during
the Gothic period of which there remains examples at Heldesheim and
Nurenberg and other cities.
COLOR IN AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE IS POSSIBLE with the use of color cement
and with careful analysis of the colors used and methods of hardening,
the patient worker can accomplish much toward realizing this much sought
possibility.
THE FIRST STEP TOWARD SUCCESSFUL USE OF COLOR CEMENT in the open is to
realize that color used at all times must be protected from drying too
rapidly. If it does so, it will disintegrate and chalk away gradually.
The drying of color cement should be retarded as much as possible and
kept moist as long as the hardening process has not completed. It is
impossible, of course, to apply water to the face of a working surface
without destroying the glaze of the color, or the surface setting layer
once the surface commences to dry. Water applied at this time will cause
the surface to float in sections and ruin the entire surface. Therefore
the best way is to arrange for the water to be absorbed from the back
and this can be done easily where the panel or mural decoration is a
separate section to be applied to the building surface afterwards.
WHERE THE MURAL IS TO BE APPLIED TO THE WALL the surface must be first
roughened, next thoroughly dampened with water, then a layer of wet neat
cement placed upon it. The bed of cement or sand and cement is next
applied and the subject then applied onto this surface all at one
sitting. This is necessary to avoid any part drying, as it will be
impossible to dampen the surface for postponed work.
BETTER RESULT ON WALL DECORATION is possible where the color cement can
be applied before the wall mass has dried out. If the forms or board
walls can be removed before the cement has thoroughly set, whatever
color cement or cement underlayers necessary to the color surfacing are
placed upon it, will stand greater chances of remaining as a permanent
part of the whole structure.
TO PROCEED WITH A MURAL PANEL a pan of metal two inches larger each way
than the panel dimensions should be made from galvanized sheet metal.
This is to hold the mural cement slab onto which the subject is to be
painted.
THE CEMENT SLAB IS MADE by surrounding an oiled surface (wood or glass)
with wooden retaining walls similar to those used in making tiles. These
walls should be oiled and otherwise made proof against leakage of water
as it is necessary that all water in the cement be retained to perfect
the hardening. The mixture of sand and cement (one part cement and two
parts sand or gravel) is next poured into this space and permitted to
set for several hours. Over this surface a thin layer of neat cement may
be spread or dry neat cement sprinkled through a sieve and worked into
the moist surface with the flat side of a palette or other knife.
THE COLOR IS THEN APPLIED by mixing up the colors to be used into a
paste form and these can be applied with a brush or with a palette knife
shaping and forming the subject as if painting in ordinary colors.
If the color sinks in too rapidly and becomes lost, the under surface is
too wet and the painting should be delayed for several hours or until
the color applied lays upon the surface properly.
THE CEMENT SLAB IS TRANSFERRED TO THE METAL TRAY as soon as it is
removable from its surface. In fact, a good way is to move the wood or
glass under support with the cement slab upon it and place the whole
combination into the tray. If the sides are well set the retaining walls
can be removed, and as soon as the whole layer is set enough so as not
to be dissolved by water, water is poured in the tray until it comes
half-way up the side of the cement slab. This will prevent the whole
slab drying prematurely as the water will supply all that is needed. If
the water becomes absorbed more should be poured in. After it has
remained in the tray for a week, it may be withdrawn and permitted to
dry gradually. Wet cloths around it will prevent too rapid drying.
WHEN WORKING UPON THE SURFACE, the surface should be completed as the
space is covered, avoiding returning to work upon any part after it has
commenced to set. If the surface has formed a shell or thin layer and
reworking breaks this shell, the color in that section will not harden
properly. It requires direct, confident handling of the subject, and
reworking of the surface such as the painter in oils is accustomed to is
not possible with color cement.
A WHITE CEMENT SURFACE can be formed over a cement layer and when this
is nearly dry thin washes of color cement may be used onto the surface
similar to working with water color. The white cement will absorb the
color easily and parts of the design may be worked in opaque or solid
colors.
A DARK WORKING BACKGROUND may be used by mixing a layer of dark blue,
brown or green. A layer of black can also be used. Brilliant colors can
be brushed or dripped into this so that they sink and become a part of
the dark surface without being in relief. A slight shaking of the
surface or the tray will produce this amalgamation of colors.
WATER SHOULD NOT REACH THE COLOR SURFACE until after it is entirely dry.
To avoid water splashing onto the surface from the tray it is the best
policy not to pour water into the tray before the painting is completed
and only when the tray is to be left undisturbed.
TO CONNECT THE COLOR CEMENT MURAL with the building wall, the space to
receive it should be well moistened and covered with neat cement which
is well worked into the surface. The back of the cement mural is
similarly treated and the two cement surfaces are pressed together and
held in position by a brace or support until thoroughly dried. The space
or border edge around the panel should be filled in with cement at the
same time.
[Illustration: Decorations Painted with Color Cement]
[Illustration: Cement Color Painted Decorations Applied]
[Illustration]