Mural by my friend, the artist known as GERMS...

[GReedDiamond]

This on a building in Pacoima, CA.

Here is a short video showing GERMS at work on the mural:

It took him less than a month to complete.

I helped out by creating the stencils and some foam printing implements used on the piece.

Click for GERMS' web site.

[gadzxcv]

1. Nice sharing

Nice sharing

[uppityperson]

2. Welcome to du

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

3. Like it!

[Menshunables]

4. Wow. That is quite fantastic. It looks 3D!

[GReedDiamond]

5. Yes, his work has a lot of depth...

...I have not seen it yet in person, but I understand that there will be an official "unveiling" which we will be attending, which I am looking forward to. Don't know when, though.

[NCarolinawoman]

6. Wow !!!!

[Baobab]

7. Love it - Suggestion ( program )

Its quite visceral. Does he have any background in medical illustration?

He could probably have a lot of fun with a generative art tool like Structure Synth ( http://structuresynth.sourceforge.net/ )

Structure synth will make germ-like looking pictures out of the box with no modification. It even comes with many presets. However its not so predictable what it generates. I have never really been so excited about it. However it is easy to use. Another similar program is Mandelbulb. Which makes 3D fractals and renders them.

A bit more is involved in learning and setting up the sverchok add-on for the 3D program Blender but it is much better for an artist, I think, in terms of predictability/controllability.

Sverchok is a tool to let Blender artists design shapes with various kinds of math-based morphology, similar to the way plants, microbes, etc. grow - based on manipulation of mathematical functions. It was originally meant for architects to design buildings.

But one doesn't need to know a lot of math to have a lot of fun with sverchok.

A little bit of basic math is good.

http://nikitron.cc.ua/sverchok_en.html

https://github.com/nortikin/sverchok

And of course there are programs like Apothesis for Windows which do amazing fractal flame imagery.

[GReedDiamond]

8. Germs does not use any graphics programs...

...in his work. In fact, if he does need anything like that, I do it for him.

One of the (to me) mind-boggling aspects of the work he did on this mural (or any of his other works), is that he works spontaneously, without any preliminary sketches - he just starts painting.

He also does not use any assistants, with the exception of the lift operator on this project.

I will check out your links, these programs sound interesting, to say the least.

Thanks, Baobab.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

9. Great stuff!

I gotta get into this forum more often..........

[GReedDiamond]

10. Yes it is...

...I am happy to say I have many originals and limited editions by Germs - probably a hundred pieces or more, which I have been acquiring for over 12 years.

Lately, the pace of buying has slowed up a lot, as his prices have gone up considerably.

I'm waiting for the right time to sell off the collection, but it will be a difficult thing to do - I hate the idea of parting with any of them.