An admiral blue mural of swimming fish and herons is covering a 7.5 million-gallon water tank near the South Water Treatment Plant in Decatur, Ill. The mural is part of the local community's public art movement. City officials reached out to Millikin Associate Professor Ed Walker to have graphic design students help with the project.
"I was contacted last March by Keith Alexander from the Decatur Water Department regarding an opportunity for my Illustration class to submit designs for the water reservoir exterior surface because they were planning to have the entire structure cleaned and repainted," Walker said.
The project was a perfect fit for the Illustration course where sophomore and junior graphic design majors are currently learning how to work with clients that need illustration.
"We scheduled a field trip for the class to go and see the reservoir to get a sense of scale and placement in relation to other structures as well as passing traffic patterns," Walker said.
After the visit in the spring, students were asked to work on preliminary design ideas for the structure. Thumbnail sketches were submitted to Walker for review. Walker then worked with each student to narrow their focus on one idea that was refined and ultimately submitted to Keith Alexander who then worked with his staff to make the final selection.
Walker noted, "Their needs for selection focused on the idea, the appropriateness for the structure, the ability to have the mural executed and installed on the structure and any other financial challenges as well."
A design created by Sarah Suits, a senior graphic design major from Loami, Ill., was chosen by a committee. Free Sky Studios, a subcontractor for DN Tanks, is working on the painting.
"I agreed with their selection of Sarah Suits' design and was very proud to engage my students in such a public venue and also proud of how the students approached the project in a professional way," Walker said. "I was also pleased with the opportunity to work with a community partner like the Water Department and appreciate them for having the confidence to work with our students."
The total cost to add the mural was just under $10,000, which was already built into the contingency for the project.
Click here to read more about the project in an article from the Herald & Review.