A mural is a large scale painting. A mural can be painted directly on a wall or on panels or on fabric (polytab) that can be attached to a wall. The first step in painting a mural is to develop a design. (See “Additional Considerations” for schools and community groups.) Murals can be painted in any style – hard-edge, impressionistic, realistic, abstract, or a mix of styles.There are various methods for turning a small design into a mural.
A design can be drawn on paper with a grid. Each square is enlarged to a corresponding square on the mural. For example, a 12”x12” design divided into 1” squares can be made into a 12’x12’ mural in which each 1” square is transferred to the corresponding 1’ area of the mural. The design can be projected onto the wall or panel with a slide projector or opaque projector and then traced.
The design can be sketched onto the wall, panel, or polytab “freehand” allowing you to make corrections and adjustments to your design as you sketch.Make sure your wall, panel or polytab is clean, dry and as even as possible. If painting on a wall, make sure the surface is not cracked or peeling. Repair the wall if necessary. If the wall is pealing, the mural will peal eventually, too. Prime the wall, panel or polytab with a high quality primer. This is an essential step, ensuring that the paint will stick to the wall, panel or polytab and that the mural will last.
Paint the mural using a good range of colors. Indoor/outdoor house paint is fine for murals, but get the most vivid colors possible. If possible, use colors mixed at the factory, not in the paint store. Get a good range of primary and secondary colors, and white and black, and then use these basic colors to mix your own additional colors.
Use a water-based paint if there will be any changes in temperature or humidity. Water-based paints allow more expansion and contraction than oil-based paints. If you can afford high quality acrylic paints, I recommend Golden Paints or those used by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.You can put a sealant on your mural, for protection from the elements, and a sacrificial (wax) anti-graffiti coating.