Phase 1 : Prep, sketch and transfer

Print. This phase took a lot of planning and tracing to come together. I created the initial drawing in Procreate with the background drawn as a seamless repeat. 2 large A0 printouts, one of the two birds and the other of the seamless repeat background tile, were used to transfer the drawing to the box.

Number. Back home, every color was given a number and those were marked onto the background A0 sheet to be traced onto the box as well, creating a paint by numbers experience.

Trace. These drawings were then transferred onto the prepared utility box before beginning the painting stage. The illustration needed to wrap around the box rather than behave like a single flat image, so the drawing had to work across the front and side panels, edges, handles and all the other practical features of the surface.

Logistics. For anyone curious about the logistical bits, I got my A0 black and white printouts from PlanPrint.ie and used carbon paper to transfer the drawing onto the box.

Last minute. Once the drawing had been transferred, a rain forecast got a frenzy of outlining with a POSCA marker going to ensure that all the hardwork and the sketch do not get washed out! Phew, made it just in time!

Phase 2 : Paint away!

With the full illustration transferred and secured, the next phase was bringing the design to life with color.

Working from the color plan, I gradually built up the composition, starting with the background flowers and other flora components. I then moved on to the larger areas of color with the birds. Finished off with the top and bottom panels. As the design progressed, I realized the front was visually quite full and the sides and top were then lightened in density to keep it light on the eyes.

And just like that, after a million touch ups, the piece was complete. An important part here I realized was knowing when to stop. Thankfully, the artist pack provided by Dublin Canvas is required to be returned and forces you to stop at some point :D

The unexpected part of the process

Some colors happily went on in one coat, while others demanded two, even three. For the trickier ones, my sable brushes were lifesavers, giving me better coverage and fewer streaks.

I also discovered that painting the left panel of a utility box is something of an advanced ergonomics challenge.

Working at this scale changed how I thought about the illustration too. The larger birds needed to hold the composition together from a distance, while the repeated leaves and smaller details could reward someone who stopped to look more closely.

The loveliest part of making the piece was something I hadn't really planned for, the people who stopped along their busy routes to chat, cheer me on and tell me that the artwork made them smile.

And because I was there long enough, the actual flora and fauna became part of the process too. Bugs appeared, spiders spun webs around the box and I painted around them as we temporarily shared the same little patch of Castleknock.

My favourite moment was realising how giving all those little plants, bugs and birds had been while I was spending time in their space. The spider was particularly special.

A little splash of color, a shared street and so many lovely smiles

As the painting developed, the original utility box gradually disappeared beneath the foliage, birds and colour. By the end it felt less like a separate object and more like a small part of the street itself, surrounded by real foliage, fallen leaves and all the everyday movement of the neighbourhood.

What began as a blank box had become something shared: a small moment of color on a familiar route and, unexpectedly, a reason for lots of lovely conversations along the way.