u/nbultmanArt

Sharing the process of how I made the painting that made it onto a whisky label. One of the coolest projects I've got to work on!

(Please try to reply thoughtfully, as I'm honestly a bit overwhelmed with all of the different perspectives on this I'm getting from neighbors, the nursery, and other YouTube videos. Thank you for your help)

Before: For the past 6 years, I have been simply keeping my 'figure 8 shaped' patch of grass alive while controlling weeds and grass that tends to grow outside of the perimeter (I know it looks like shit, trying my best lol.)

Current: This week, I finally decided to turn my backyard into a more lush, colorful yard and paid a landscaper to dig and place irrigation in 15 different locations. He planted a bunch of native, drought resistant plants since this wall is north facing (orange jubilee, hopseed, blackfoot daisy, rosemary, crossvine, some tropical hibiscus, and some other vines like snail vine and south african jasmine.

Goal: (chatgpt render) Tomorrow, he is adding light colored decoragive aggregate (1/2" screened, ;express gold;) in the dirt areas, and bark/mulch in the flowerbeds. But, as per my initial request to him, is planning to put weed liner down first, to help with weed growth and grass growing outside the perimeter.

Question: after doing lots of research, it sounds like weed liner is not worth the headache, since it hurts the drainage, hurts the soil, and keeps the ground hotter than necessary, putting all my new plants at risk especially as we have the summer heat approaching. While I would love to avoid extra weed pulling, am I making a mistake by having him install liner? Also, while I love the look of the white/tan gravel, will this also be hurting my plants' survival? I intentionally got full-sun plants and like the mulch flowerbed / gravel ground contrast and would ideally like to keep the gravel.

EDIT: very much starting to like the idea of ditching the gravel and putting some light colored native mulch down...

Also in general, I'm a total noob when it comes to caring for shrubs and whatnot and other than my grass, this is the first time I've ever had irrigation. My landscaper has the timer set to 10 minutes at 6am and 7pm every day, but from my research, while that might be good for the first few weeks of new plants' life, that will be too much and too frequent and can cause root rot / not allowing deep enough penetration for the plants over time. Since he doesn't speak english, I'm having a hard time communicating with him, so would love your guys' experience of how I can keep these babies alive now that summer is rapid approaching. Might have planted too late but whatever. Shade cloth?!

This has been one of the coolest projects I’ve done to date! The whisky is made by Subtle Spirits, a California-based private barrel maker who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They challenged me to create my visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle. It's not (technically) bourbon, but it was aged in fresh bourbon casks, and definitely has the sweetness that you would expect from bourbon. Anyway, I think they taste AMAZING. My friends and I did a blind taste test with big name brands (Buffalo Trace, Makers Mark, Jameson), and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️). Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share finally share this! note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol.

This has been one of the coolest collaborations I’ve done so far! The whiskey is made by Subtle Spirits, a California-based private barrel maker who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They challenged me to create my visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle. And luckily they taste AMAZING. My friends and I even did a blind taste test with big name brands, and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️). Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share finally share this! note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol.

This has been one of the coolest collaborations I’ve done so far! The whiskey is made by Subtle Spirits (I wonder if this sub has heard of them?), a California-based private barrel company who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They commissioned me to create my ow visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle.

I was worried at first but luckily they actually taste AMAZING. My friends and I even did a blind taste test with the standard brands (Angel's Envy, Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, Jameson), and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️, he hates smokey flavor).

Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share finally share this project!

note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol, I'm just the artist.

This has been one of the coolest projects I’ve ever been a part of! The whiskey is made by Subtle Spirits, a California-based private barrel maker who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They commissioned me to create my visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle. And luckily they taste AMAZING. My friends and I even did a blind taste test with big name brands, and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️). Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share finally share this! note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol, just excited to share <3

This has been one of the coolest projects I’ve ever been a part of! The whiskey is made by Subtle Spirits, a California-based private barrel maker who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They commissioned me to create my visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle. And luckily they taste AMAZING. My friends and I even did a blind taste test with big name brands, and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️). Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share finally share this! note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol, just excited to share <3

This has been one of the coolest collaborations I’ve done so far! The whiskey is made by Subtle Spirits, a California-based private barrel maker who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They challenged me to create my visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle. And luckily they taste AMAZING. My friends and I even did a blind taste test with big name brands, and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️). Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share finally share this! note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol.

This has been one of the coolest collaborations I’ve done so far! The whiskey is made by Subtle Spirits, a California-based private barrel maker who made this blend specifically for my artwork release. They challenged me to create my visual interpretation of sound, with both sides of the artwork splitting across each bottle. And luckily they taste AMAZING. My friends and I even did a blind taste test with big name brands, and my bottles were the unanimous favorites (except from my buddy Cody ☠️). Yield: 390 bottles of both bottles "Echo" and "Reverb". So stoked to share this finally! note: I'm not affiliated with any sales of the alcohol.