Local artist Melanie Caple’s new Leongatha mural

LOCAL artist Melanie Caple continues work on her current project, a nature-inspired large mural in 

Leongatha, featuring a stunning female Magpie standing out from a background of Leucadendron plants. 

Elliot Davies, owner of Approved by ED, commissioned the work for one of the business’ external walls, which runs alongside a carpark.

Melanie said it is a generous gesture on his behalf, enabling the creation of an artwork that everyone will enjoy.

Elliot gave her freedom with the design, the art lover saying he is impressed by her depiction of native birds and different foliage.

Melanie decided to create a blend of native flowers and other varieties popular in 

Leongatha gardens in acknowledgement of the mural’s town setting.

She spoke of the reason for making the Magpie the design’s focal point.

“Magpies are instantly recognisable and once you’ve got something like that, people become engaged with the whole wall,” Melanie said, contrasting that with the blue-winged parrot she was working on, something many people couldn’t readily identify.

As well as being captured by the personality magpies display, Melanie loves painting them.

“Their structure is really good and the monochrome is beautiful,” she said.

Sentinel-Times asked the artist how she captured the appearance of the magpie’s eye in such realistic fashion.

She responded that it takes a lot of practice and observation.

“I look at a lot of reference images when I’m building my designs,” Melanie said, explaining she patiently searches for one that captures the look she is after.

Building up the magpie on the wall was achieved through a process of shading and toning.

Melanie’s blue-winged parrot contrasts with brass herons, blending nature with ornaments of the urban landscape.

The mural is being created with high-quality water-based paint that provides UV protection and guarantees durability.

Melanie has used a projection of her design to enable her to create basic lines on the wall that ensure she keeps the work to scale.

She has an assistant who helps prime sections of the wall in base colours upon which Melanie builds her 
designs.

The artist said on Monday that the mural will be completed in about eight more full days of work with South Gippsland’s tricky weather to determine when the project is finished.