Blackboard Jungle

A little while back we got the opportunity to create artwork that decorated walls and ceilings at the the Paramount Bar at the Paramount Hotel in New York (at the time part of Ian Schrager's hotel empire, and now joining the Hard Rock Hotel empire).

The concept was that the walls and ceilings were one giant chalkboard - and we set about writing random sayings, and drawing pictures over every surface.

The first step, like on all projects, was to figure out how we were going to get the look of blackboard on all walls without the client having to install slate everywhere.

It turns out that Benjamin Moore makes an excellent chalkboard paint - you just roll it onto any smooth surface like a normal latex paint and it creates a chalkboard-like surface that really works.  (Two coats for best results).

We tried a patch on our studio wall, and we decorated it with different color chalks, and also some oil sticks of different colors.

The goal was not so much to create a real blackboard, that can be erased and changed, but just to create the "look" of a spontaneously created blackboard.

The installation and our artwork was intended to be permanent - they didn't want patrons erasing anything or adding their own "artistic" sayings.  So, things like the oil stick worked well for creating a chalkboard "look" that could not be easily erased.

Further, we found an excellent "sealer" to apply over all the finished work to ensure it's durability and 'cleanability' - a necessity for art installed in high traffic/high spill locations such as bars or restaurants.

Once the process had been established, the designer, Suzanne Couture of Ian Shrager Hotels, provided us with a wealth of source materials that we could choose from in creating the artwork, which we mixed in with a pool of references we had provided.

The renovation of the bar was on a very fast pace.  While we were working with the designer to come up with enough usable material to cover all the surfaces with the density she was looking for, contractors were busy at the hotel painting all the surfaces with the chalkboard paint we had specified.

Ultimately, we only had about 4 working days at the jobsite to do the application.  David Newcomb, our art director, led the effort, and we had a crew of about 4-5 artists.

In addition to the crew we had applying artwork, the owners of the bar had their hipster / celebrity friends come and add even another layer to the mix.

The project was a big success - the place looked very cool when complete, and was definitely a unique and provocative addition to the pantheon of Manhattan hipster hangouts.

In fact, we like the idea so much that when we were renovating our new offices, we built a wall (which I discussed earlier here) that we decided to do a similar blackboard finish on. 

We use it more as a real chalkboard, and draw a giant calender on it so we can see just what's going on...

It's our little version of an idea that worked so well for the Paramount Bar!