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Object: NASCAR Theme Commission
Materials: Direct and Indirect (using clear tile tape)
Dimensions: two 14 x 2 foot panels
Design Notes: The driver numbers of NASCAR are the key elements of this design. These numbers are truly logos and are as recognizable to the fans as football helmet or a baseball cap. They are bold and bright, a perfect counterpoint to the classic black-white checkered flag waving them into the finish.
Past racing legends are represented as well as the current generation of NASCAR drivers. It was careful planning on my part to choose which numbers were to be closer to the finish line or which might be the largest!
This station serves pre-packaged items that are not prepared on-site.
Commission Notes: This commission entailed the design and execution of four themes to identify the various food stations at Lecanto High School cafeteria in Florida. It was an impressive remodeling project with longevity in mind: from mechanisms which can switch from hot to cold for evolving menus to access panels & wiring designed for easy maintenance. While all this planning was going into "function", "form" was by no means forgotten. Providing an inviting place to eat was certainly a big part of the mix.
Instead of permanent traditional signage, there are themed decorative mosaic panels running the length of the counters. The look of each of the four stations informs you of the type of food being served, leaving the exact menus flexible.
I congratulate the vision of the Citrus County School Board. All of the students and faculty of Lecanto High School will be able to benefit from this investment in their school for years to come. I was proud to be a part of this project.
Close Ups
Close Ups
01 The finished panels ( top & center ) and the approved sketch ( bottom ).
02 The Left panel.
03 It was fun that each number could be handled differently, depending on its shape and color.
04 Detail.
05 The transition of the checkerboard to a solid blue background.
06 The Right panel.
07 After looking in vain for the perfectly posed reference, I just drew up a flag myself to fit the space.
08 The famous number for Richard Petty.
09 Note the juxtaposition of the organic flow of the tiles in the number vs the static background. This helps to create a contrast between foreground and background elements.
10 A combination of 3 yellows gave me a nice bright but not garish look.
11 Installed panels.
12 It is interesting to note that at the NASCAR Hall of Fame the crosswalks are checkered, as is the floor in front of this station. A nice touch.
13 Left Side.
14 Right Side.
15 Detail.
16 In Situ.
Process
Process
17 The final drawing of the approved design.
18 Testing out some color combinations for the transition into a solid blue field.
19 While waiting for the shipment of all the tile colors to come in, I was able to start on the white section of the flag with what I already had on hand. The white is made up of 3 colors. Note to self: it's tough to lay white tiles against a white background!
20 Once the shipment of tiles was in, work to fill in the blanks proceeded.
21 The first flag (flipped over to reveal its proper side) on the framed panel. The top edge is left undone for precise fitting once mortared in.
22 The second flag is started. On the drawing, the white sections of the flag are colored in blue or green to make it easier to see the white tiles as these areas get filled in. Lesson learned from the first flag.
23 The first number done on tile tape, in reverse. The layers bottom to top are: drawing, tile tape (sticky side up) and then tiles (good side down).
24 The number 2 trimmed and ready to be mortared down, proper side up.
25 The staging area.
26 The work on the background was done very differently. The tiles were laid on a tool called a tile grid that spaces them perfectly. Tile tape is placed over them and trimmed. This creates sections, roughly 1 sq ft each to make up the majority of the background.
27 Detail.
28 Detail.
29 The square foot sections of the checkerboard background are trimmed down to allow for the numbers. Room is left next to the frame for a finishing border.
30 The tiles on the background remnants are pulled off and reused. One of many tasks for my invaluable assistant, Laurel.
31 After both the foreground elements and the background are mortared down, the wonderful reveal starts by pulling off the tape.
32 Using multiple colors to create black, white or many of the number colors ensures a more interesting final mosaic.
33 Any mortar squeezing between the tiles must be cleaned out before proceeding.
34 The gap for the border is filled in with a nice punchy red.
35 Ready to fill in the spaces around the numbers.
36 Payback for the modern look of the background: each edge tile now needs a nice clean cut where it touches a number. In order for the grid background to feel straight and true, no single background tile should call attention to itself.
37 Mark the tile, cut, grind for a perfect fit, butter the tile with mortar and then place. As I work I play with the order things are done. I am always striving for a more efficient workflow.
38 All the numbers are "seamed" into the background, ready to grout!
39 Detail.
40 Grouting left to right. All my grouting materials slide along on a caddy, resting on the taped frame edge.
41 Pulling the tape off the frame after the grout has set. I want to be a fly on the ceiling for a better look!
It is important to remember that in every step, attention to detail is the true recipe for lasting quality. I am grateful to my craftsman, carpenter Frank Cirasuola, who made these frames, 8, 13, 16 feet long, square & true, accurate to a 1/16" of an inch. His work makes my part shine and made installation flawless.
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