Murals can brighten virtually any space.
Mural painting is an ancient creative outlet that is still relevant in today's world. The practice brings art to unexpected places, surprising people and brightening spaces with panoramas big enough to transport viewers into new realities. These vast paintings have the potential to attract attention to businesses, promote imagination or allow for pure creative escapism just about anywhere. Mural painting is a virtually boundless art form flexible enough to be attempted by beginning and experienced artists alike.
Instructions
1. Create a preliminary sketch to represent the mural. Make sure the rough drawing is scaled to the wall you plan on painting (i.e. draw an 8-inch-by-10-inch sketch for a 8-foot-by-10-foot wall).
2. Choose your paint. If painting an indoor mural, use the same type of paint that is currently covering the wall (i.e. use semi-gloss on a semi-gloss wall). Indoor paint is usually latex-based and is compatible with acrylic paint, so it's okay to use a combination. If painting outdoors, use acrylic water emulsion paint. Purchase primary colors and use mixing sticks to mix various shades.
3. Cover your bases with a variety of brushes.
Choose your brushes. Select durable brushes capable of holding a lot of paint and withstanding repeated washings. A wide brush, flat brush, round brush, and a pointed brush (for details) are essential, and can be found in art supply stores. Avoid brushes made from natural hair if you have chosen acrylic paint, as these brushes are designed for oil paints. If painting a large one-color block (such as a background), consider buying a paint roller.
4. Assemble a workspace. Lay down an adequately sized drop cloth to protect the ground below the wall. Keep a jar of paint thinner (with a tight seal for storage) and a roll of paper towels handy for cleaning brushes and fixing small mistakes. Set up a stepladder for sitting on and reaching high areas.
5. Prepare the wall. It's important that the wall be free of moisture, oil, grease, and any loose particles. Sand the surface with sandpaper and clean it with warm water. Allow it to dry completely. Prep the wall with a coat or two of white primer.
6. Graph a grid on your preliminary sketch. To avoid damaging your original image, use transparency film (found at office supply stores). Place the film over the sketch and trace the outline of the sketch with a felt-tip marker. Using the marker, divide the sketch into one-inch squares drawn on the transparency film.
7. Transfer your grid to the wall to be painted. Using a yardstick and a soft lead pencil, measure and draw one-foot squares in the same arrangement as the one-inch squares drawn over your preliminary sketch.
8. Paint the mural. Begin by sketching out your preliminary image on the bigger space of the wall, square by square. Paint "back to front," filling in bigger blocks of color first and smaller blocks last, blending in shading and color variations while the paint is still wet. When drawing and painting, focus on one square at a time. When finished, allow the mural to dry completely.
9. Apply a clear water-based varnish and allow the varnish to dry completely. This will allow the mural to be cleaned and add longevity to the finished product.
