With every blow of a tin of spray, ARUTYUN Gozukuchikyan perfected the details of a Luka Doncic Mural: brought to life in colors he never imagined.
“I never thought I was going to get to (Os) Lakers,” Gozukuchikyan told ESPN, referring to the Blockbuster trade he sent Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks wing Lakers of Los Angeles This month.
As the purple slowly covered the Doncic T -shirt, someone behind Gozukuchikyan photographed the moment. Cotton cotton clouds painted the sky of Los Angeles.
In a city full of murals that honored Kobe Bryant, Gozukuchikyan added another piece, this time paying tribute to the great Lakers by welcoming fans to a player who believe it could be the next.
Located on Melrose Avenue, just 10 kilometers from Crypto.com Arena, the mural captures a moment of Lakers Bryant’s last game and his daughter Gianna attended in December 2019. He represents Doncic and Kobe sharing a postgate medium, both with a big smile, after Bryant famously Doncic in Doncic in Slovenian.
“I remember the exact moment that happened. It will always remain in my mind. It was an amazing moment,” Doncic said at the introductory press conference of his Lakers. “Just for Kobe to know that my name was amazing to me. I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment.”
As the sun set, the Gozukuchikyan mural was still joining, but the model was there. He was deeply in his work when a viewer showed him photos they captured. Later a Fast Airdrop and Gozukuchikyan’s quiet project had been viral.
“It was only Luka in this white background and the sky looked as crazy, as the vibrant colors,” he said. “Then it was like wow what epic image, I’m posting this. And yes, it just started from there.”
Gozukuchikyan posted us on your Instagram, @arton_artAnd he won steam. The page @Kobemuralthat documers public murals of Kobe and Gianna around the world, mourned The piece of the social media with a video of him before the end that quickly obtained thousands of visits.
42 -year -old Gozukuchikyan who moved to America when he was 5, has been painting from the middle school and remembers drawing in Armenia, his country of origin. He has been Fan of the Lakers since 1992.
After the Lakers had acquired Doncic, the artist was “coconut” to present the NBA’s five-time All-Star on a mural. He painted one of the first murals of Los Angeles of Kobe and Gianna after them died in 2020.
Carrera Cafe reached a potential mural and the Gozukuchikyan liked the space. He considered three images, but let the dimensions of the wall dictate his choice.
“Often, the wall chooses the images itself,” he said, noting that the neighborhood environment also plays a role.
In the original teaser, Doncic and Bryant appeared on a white background. Initially, Gozukuchikyan planned a design with Lakers themes with neutrals, but the final mural presents a multicolored context, echoing the original place sunset.
“I wanted to attract the crowd, the blue of the sky. And since the pink wall (Paul Smith) is on the other side of the street, I wanted to pull that rose too,” he said. “So, in a way, just the colors of the Lakers with the surrounding colors I see around me.”
Bryant’s suit on the mural also incorporates the colors of the Lakers, which differ from the original image. During the match, he wore an Orange Wnba sweatshirt with a midnight Green Philadelphia Eagles Beanie.
Gozukuchikyan made Bryant Purple’s sweatshirt and his Beanie gold, aligning with the iconic colored palette of the Lakers.
“I had to give the colors,” he said.
Gozukuchikyan couldn’t identify how many paint tins or cans used for the piece, but approached more than 100 of the latter. He said the mural was a “99.5 percent” spray with brushes used for smaller areas.
People were driving up to 50 kilometers to see their latest creation. A person ripped to see Doncic next to Bryant.
“I think Kobe brings more (from) the part of the emotion, but I don’t know,” Gozukuchikyan said. “Luka is very beloved.”
Usually, your work will viral after it is completed, similar to your mural honoring the Bryants. This time, the tide flipped. Gozukuchikyan explained that mural artists prefer to work quickly when their piece is going viral, as they are not finished yet.
However, he appreciated the people showing love.
While working on the mural, Gozukuchikyan estimated he spoke to people approaching him about his art “80 percent of the time.” From time to time, attention was so constant, he said, that he could hardly find time to paint.
The piece is located in front of Paul Smith’s pink wall, a tourist attraction in Los Angeles, which possibly contributed to the multitude of spectators.
Doncic shared a publication of the Gozukuchikyan mural in its Instagram history last Monday.
Gozukuchikyan expects the piece to make the 25 -year -old star feel well welcomed to play at its best, while marking its transition as potentially the next Lakers.
“Everyone walking is on the same page as me,” Gozukuchikyan said as the mural ends. “I have fallen with the Lakers in recent years, but now, Luka will make it fun to see again.”