"Bohemian Rhapsody" Studio Wall Mural

One fine Sunday afternoon, the kids and I were hanging in the studio. We started talking about some cool ideas that we could put on the 23-foot grey wall we were staring at. We threw around tons of ideas and finally realized that there were a few things we all loved. Those are rock and roll, pop art, sci-fi, colors, comics, and Queen.  So we got out our sketch pads and pencils and went to work on what would become "Bohemian Rhapsody." 

After all, I don't call myself a "painter of music" for nothing!

The kids and I started sketching out lyrics and panels. It took some time working through what we would need for each lyric. Our search was hilarious and we found so much amazing art for inspiration. Re-purposing retro comics has been one of our favorite projects so far. It was a really good exercise for the kids because it forced them to think differently. It was a good exercise for me too. As an artist, I love pushing boundaries and trying new things all the time. So, working with my kids to re-purpose a retro comic to create fan art honoring Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody on a wall mural was an amazing experience! 

When we decided how the wall mural should look, I worked up the final design in Photoshop. I'm notorious for my bad math so I had to check, double check, and triple check to make sure everything was going to fit. Of course, there were last minute adjustments, as always. Things never work out quite like you think. That's why you've just got to get it started and see what happens. 

I used sample wall paints from Lowes and they really do the trick. The great thing is that you don't need many colors since you can reuse the same colors across multiple panels. I was also able to reuse old paints from when I painted all the rooms in the house. In fact, my daughter's lavender color came in handy on a couple of panels! 

I accomplished a ton on the first day. First, I did the chalk lines, taped off the panels, and got everything drawn in with black paint. Then, I started filling in color on two of the panels. I also did a Dave Matthews commission painting since it was due the next day. I'm not sure how I pulled it all off, but it just kind of flowed. Still, it was a really busy day!

Filling in the next panels went along pretty quickly. I left sections of the last two panels blank so that the kids could each do one of their own. They were a big help in coming up with the concept, so I wanted them to be able to help out with the painting as well. They both take a lot of pride in showing off the work they did when visitors come around.

The wall mural has really brought the studio alive even more than it already was. It makes an amazing backdrop for the monthly concert I host here with my friends. What do you think of our Bohemian Rhapsody fan art wall mural? Tell me in the comments. And while you're at it, be sure to check out the short videos to learn a little about the process!