Blank wall space provides endless possibilities, but if you’re overwhelmed with the options, James Wells can help. His company, Wall Space Innovations (WSI), offers on demand vertical wall printing such as murals and graphics, to add pizazz to your empty space.
Wells, a 2006 BHS graduate, says, “I started the company back in January of this year but had to go back to work for a couple months and have finally taken the full-time leap as an entrepreneur. I’m a Journeyman lineman and certified welder out of IBEW Local 70 as well.”
Wells can create projects created by a graphic designer or your own Photoshop creation. You can also use a scanned image or one off your phone. Wells says, “Like always the better the resolution and image quality is it makes everything easier.”
WSI offers this unique painting service to everyone from homeowners to corporations and universities. “Depending on what we are doing dictates the space size, with that being said I can print on drywall, brick, cinderblock, smaller pieces such as glass, plexiglass, canvas, drop ceiling tiles, doors, tile, concrete, inside and outside.” When he comes on site, he prefers at least a 4 foot by 4-foot space or 2 or 3 prints equal to a 16 square foot size.
Wells is currently in the middle of his first “large” project at JMU’s Memorial Hall. One mural covers 32 feet of wall and is 6 ½ feet tall. The other is a timeline of the school’s history, a piece that is 7 feet tall and approximately 52 feet long.
Wells paints with a piece of equipment called a WallPen, and it uses a UV, vegan grade ink that is instantly dried and cured with every pass of the machine. The only way to remove the design is to paint over it or use abrasives or a razorblade to scrape it off.
Project length varies on the size. They simply design a logo, graphic or process the image you want and hit print. The typical 4×4 graphic takes around 90 minutes to print once the machine starts.
Wells painted a skull mural at Alley Cat Tattoo last week, and he’s currently working on a project with them that will be roughly 7 feet tall and 40 feet long. Wells says, “What’s so cool about that one is a friend of Alley Cat Tattoo painted it on a piece of scroll paper not much bigger than an iPhone. we were able to scan it and blow it up and it shows every detail and brush stroke. So, It’s really cool to work with artists and showcase their work as well, just on a larger scale.”
For more information on this unique art form, visit Wells’ website: https://www.wallspaceinnovations.com/
