Description
From a plain facade to a sculpture full of life
Ria felt that the facade of her house looked a little ordinary. She wanted to enrich it with a special artwork that would give her home more character and warmth. After seeing an earlier sunflower sculpture I had made, she asked me for a new commissioned artwork: a design made especially for her facade. Together we developed this monumental stainless steel wall sculpture with stylised sunflowers.
The sculpture consists of nine flowers in different stages of growth. Some stand upright in full bloom, while others bend down gently or are already past their peak. The flowers, leaves and stems are not mounted flat against the wall. In several places they come slightly away from the facade, creating a playful effect of light, shadow and depth. From every angle, the sculpture looks a little different.
Design process
✓ First meeting
✓ Sketch designs
✓ Full-size prototype
✓ Stainless steel production
✓ Colour finish
✓ Installation on location
From first sketch to full-size model
As with every commissioned artwork, this project started with many sketches, which I made with great pleasure. I often find this one of the most enjoyable stages of the design process. On paper, you can freely explore shapes, lines and compositions. At this stage, you are not yet limited by the technical and material constraints that will come later. Each sketch has its own character.
From dozens of sketches, Ria selected four designs that appealed to her most. I developed these further until one design remained: the one that felt right and brought everything together.
To judge the proportions properly, I then made the complete sculpture at full size in my studio. On the large barn doors, I placed all the flowers, leaves and stems in paper, exactly as in the chosen design. This allowed us to see, before production started, how the sculpture would look and where small adjustments might still be needed.
I often make this kind of full-size prototype for larger and smaller pieces of bespoke sculpture. It gives both me and the client a clear idea of what the final artwork will look like. It also makes it easy to make improvements at this stage. In this design, for example, some of the leaves turned out to be too large. By reducing them and even removing a few, the sunflowers became much more prominent.
In the workshop
After technical drawings had been made for all the parts — petals, stems and leaves — the different elements were cut from stainless steel. From the beginning, we took into account that the various parts would be sprayed in colour separately. For that reason, we made the entire sculpture demountable. After the spraying process, the parts could be attached invisibly with screws.
If the whole sculpture had already been assembled, there would have been several places that the spray painter could not have reached properly.
Once the parts arrived, they still had to be shaped. In other words, they had to be made more three-dimensional.
It is always special to see how a pile of flat stainless steel parts slowly turns into a monumental sculpture . Step by step, each flower gains its own shape and character.
We then brought all the parts together. We drew the design on the workshop floor with chalk and placed the elements in the correct positions. After that, we could start making the connections that would hold everything in place.
Outdoor stainless steel wall art with depth and colour
The final wallsculpture was made entirely from stainless steel 316, a material very suitable for long-term outdoor use. After sandblasting, the stainless steel was carefully finished with several layers of paint. The colours were deliberately not powder coated, but built up with carefully sprayed layers. By spraying different colours over and through each other, sometimes wet-on-wet, subtle colour gradients were created. These give the flowers more depth and a more natural appearance. The result is playful, lively and cheerful.
In the video below, you can see how one of the sunflowers receives its colours in the spray booth.
Because several parts come away from the wall, the sculpture also has a more spatial effect. The shadows change throughout the day, giving the artwork a different appearance as the light changes.
From workshop to house facade
Once all the parts had been sprayed, the installation could begin. Because the flowers, leaves and stems are placed at different distances from the wall, each element had to be positioned very carefully. This creates the three-dimensional effect that allows the sculpture to change throughout the day through the play of light and shadow.
A unique commissioned artwork for a house facade
A sculpture that brought the neighbours outside
The installation is often one of the most rewarding moments. As we mounted the sunflowers on the facade, something happened that we see more often with large commissioned artworks. More and more curious neighbours came outside to see what was appearing on the wall. By the time we had finished, quite a crowd had gathered to watch the installation. Everyone was curious about the final result. The enthusiastic reactions made the installation extra special. Where there was once an ordinary facade, there is now a cheerful and striking artwork that gives not only the house, but also the street, much more colour.
What did the client think?
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dear Jeroen, I have just come inside. The neighbours all came out to admire the work. I found it very exciting. The result is beautiful. It is a wonderful whole, something that makes you happy. Thank you!
Ria – client
Commissioned artwork for your home or business
No situation and no facade is the same. That is why I design every facade sculpture specifically for the location where it will be placed. Perhaps you want to give a plain wall more character, make your home more personal or turn a business facade into a striking eye-catcher. The artwork is always designed to fit both the surroundings and your wishes.
It usually starts with a conversation. I am interested in your ideas, the location of the artwork and the atmosphere you want to create. After that, I make several sketches. Often, the most surprising ideas and designs arise during this first stage.
Once we have chosen a direction together, I develop the designs for outdoor wall art further through small models and drawings. The design you choose can then be made in a larger version and, where possible, as a full-size prototype. This allows us to judge the proportions and lets you see, before the final sculpture is made, how it will look against the facade. It also makes it easy to make improvements and adjustments.
Most of my wall sculptures are made from stainless steel 316, a material that is very suitable for long-term outdoor use. Depending on the design and the wishes of the client, the sculpture can be finished with subtle colour effects or other types of surface treatment. Because flowers, leaves or other elements can come partly away from the facade, a beautiful play of light, shadow and depth is created. As a result, the artwork interacts with the changing light throughout the day.
Do you have a facade, garden wall or business building where you think: something special could be made here? Do you have an idea for commissioned artwork, or are you looking for a unique custom sculpture for your home, garden or company? I would be happy to think along with you and design a wall sculpture that is fully tailored to your wishes and the location.
Every commissioned sculpture starts with a conversation and is designed especially for its location and the wishes of the client.
👉 Contact me to discuss your ideas. ++31(0)6 49351338
