How murals are made in 5 easy steps
It could be an artistic painting on the wall or tiles inlaid on the floor. They are beauties to behold, unique for their artistic and dramatic impact . They are murals. Learn how these pieces of art are made in 5 basic steps. A good muralist would know that the first step in designing a mural is to conceptualize an idea. You can receive inspiration from the culture and aesthetics of the particular neighborhood the mural is to made. It is good to consider the community's political, historical, cultural perspective so that the art can be accepted and understood.
Now, if you got your mind blowing mural idea and your perfect tools and work materials. It's time to create the mural following these five easy steps.
1. Prepare the work surface.
If you're going to be working on a wall, you gotta clean that wall. Examine it for any structural issue, mold or cracks and then fix it. You can wash the wall using a mild soapy solution.
When the wall is dry apply a base to prime the area to be painted. This is known as "Gesso layer". On it is where a numbered grid is chalked out. it is used to translate the scaled down image design to the work area.
2. Magnify the design
After gridding, use a large chalk or pencil to carefully draw out the mural design on the wall. You can make the design bolder using an acrylic paint and paintbrush.
3. Apply an Undercoat.
An undercoat is a top layer of colour applied to the surface. It can be used as a background for your mural. It is always advisable to use a light colour like white or blue. You will have to paint large blocks of the work with a paint roller before going over the details. Mix your quality acrylic paints with a matte gel to give the mural a better shiny look.
4. Painting
Use an acrylic paint for your outdoor mural so it won't fade colours over time. You can opt for a latex paint for your indoor wall. Since it has less odour and it's easy to clean. You can start with painting the largest areas of the wall with a roller or sprayer and wait for at least 30 minutes before adding another layer of paint. Paint the edges and details with a suitable paintbrush.
5. Sealing
This is the last step and if you've gotten to this stage, you can give yourself a pat on the back; for you've finished designing your mural but now you need to protect it. By protecting it, I mean, sealing it. To do this, apply a clear isolation coat and a varnish on the design. it is advisable to use a removable varnish incase you need to touch the work later.
The technicality of applying a varnish is simple. Start at a corner and use a wide paintbrush to brush on the varnish in a cross hatching (x) manner.
When you're done with this , Congratulations. Your mural work is completed. Now you can take beautiful pictures, grab a drink and rest, knowing you've left the world a better place with your art.