Even Better Than the Real Thing
Looking at the finished result, no one would have a clue about the work that goes into creating the sumptuously detailed wallcoverings made by Iksel – Decorative Arts. While each design, based on an original historical document, may look pristine, it is often the results of months of retouching and filling in damaged and missing elements, and in some cases adding new areas from scratch that seamlessly blend in. It is extremely time-intensive: to make something print-ready can take a year to 18 months. ‘Eastern Eden’ (pictured) is a good example: it’s based on a Tree of Life wallpaper, painted in China in around 1800, and was scanned from the walls of a French chateau. The paper had significant water damage, but in its Iksel-restored digital state it’s as good as new, and able to be customised to fit any room. An improvement on perfection? Maybe.
