​​AGAPE TILE LLC

Indoor Lap Pool before Renovation

View of the indoor swimming pool, lower third story. Private Residence, Santa Ana, California.

Artist and Painted Mermaid

Artist and the finished handpainted mermaid on the swimming pool floor.

Faded Paint in the Swimming Pool

After years of sunlight, the paint in the pool faded.

Closeup of Agape Mermaid Artwork

Agape Tile artists redrew the mermaid, seaweed, waterflowers and other swimming pool artwork elements.

Enlarging the Art via Projector

The new original artwork was enlarged onto a huge paper pattern in readiness for placing the paper pattern over porcelain tile to create the new ceramic artwork.

Tidying up the Paper Pattern

All art elements were carefully drawn so that the lines were perfect in readiness for transfer to tile.

26' Mermaid Finished

After the mermaid was created, all edges were handcut on a tile saw. Note that the background between the hair is glazed blue to match the future surrounding field tile.

Closeup of Finished Mermaid

View of the intricate handpainted glaze work on the mermaid headdress. Work of this type is now done by enlarging original color artwork and transferring the art onto the tile using a high fire photo tile method.

Drawing for a 5.5' Waterflower

One of the three 5.5 foot waterflowers in the pool. The surrounding coral was created by handcutting purple porcelain tile on a wetsaw.

Finished 5.5' Waterflower

One of the three large waterflowers, finished, and ready to be packed for shipment to the pool site.

Finished Cut Stem & Leaf Design

This design was created by tranferring the artwork onto the tile and handcutting all edges with a wetsaw.

Finished 6 foot Seaweed Pods

There are numerous 6 to 7 foot seaweed pods that line the swimming pool bottom.

Tracing the Pattern on the Floor

Transferring the pattern onto the swimming pool floor using printers carbon.

Mermaid installed on the Pool Floor

Initial installation showing the mermaid in her 'mud bed' on the swimming pool floor.

Adding the Surrounding Designs

The next step was to finish the mermaid tail and install the seaweed pods.

Installed Flowers on the South End

View of the installed 5.5' Waterflower and three 3 foot small waterflowers on the swimming pool floor.

Installed 5.5' Flower mid-pool

Installation of 2x2" Cobalt Tile

Installed mermaid and seaweed pods showing the 2x2 inch porcelain cobalt blue field tile. All tile was handcut to the edge of the artwork elements.

View of Installed Mermaid

View of the installed mermaid showing the drop in elevation from the entry level to the swimming pool floor.

Finished North End of Pool

View of the finished north end of the Mermaid Pool.

South View of Finished Pool

View of the finished Mermaid Pool looking south.

Pool South End Closeup

Finished south end of the swimming pool.

Cleaning up the Pool

Finished swimming pool looking north. Cleanup time in readiness for water.

Pool ready for Water

View of the pool ready for water.

View of Finished Entry Steps

Entry steps. Please note the craftmanship of the tile layer. The joints are perfect!

View of Finished Entry

Entry steps into the swimming pool.

Mermaid Pool with Water

Finished Browncoat of Spa

Gunited spa. The spa now has a new browncoat and is ready for tile.

One of the spa Starfish

One of the spa starfish showing the detail of the artwork.

Finished 8 foot Spa

Finished spa ready for water.

Spa showing Artwork Wrap

Finished spa showing the artwork wrap the encompasses the walls, flows onto the seat and down onto the lower retaining wall.