Test Pattern

Test Pattern is just what it sounds like: a test pattern. This was created in preparation for a much larger , but cancelled, mural and lighting project called The Underline developed in 2020. The Underline was a component of the Made You Look project led by MICA’s Center For Social Design and the North Avenue Rising.

The Underline is envisioned as a large public outdoor black-light mural. Here I am testing the effects of the harsh conditions found under the Interstate 83 bridge on pigments, hardware, and clear coats. In this unique environment The Underline may become the largest outdoor black-light mural in the world.

Black-light paint, aka fluorescent, paint is known to fade quickly in sunny and wet environments, but the unique 200ft wide bridge location should not see much sun, nor rain. This test wall will give us data over the next 10 months on just how much it fades in this environment. To test this I have created a pattern consisting of several different base coats, one to four fluorescent coats for each fluorescent paint color available, blends of base coats with fluorescent coats, layering order, and clear coats. There will be over 1500 different combinations tested in this small test mural.

While the Underline mural was approved and funded, due to problems with Baltimore City permitting, it was not implemented within the time frame required in the grant and the money was returned to the State of Maryland. The money spent by MICA on Test Pattern continues to provide real word evidence of how blacklight pigments hold up in the under-bridge environment. It also allowed FSC to purchase three blacklight fixtures which has seeded all of blacklight artwork on this site.