Murals can brighten up drab, blank spaces.
Outside murals are popular because they brighten up blank walls in business districts and even help to deter graffiti. However, outside murals require certain considerations that inside murals don't--especially when it comes to weather. You don't want rain to wash away your artwork, nor do you want the sun to fade your mural's coloring. Unlike a small-scale canvas painting, a mural may require the use of scaffolding, ladders and other industrial painting tools.
Instructions
1. Use a hose to clean the wall of accumulated dirt and debris.
2. Measure your source image. Use painter's tape or chalk to mark off a proportional area where you intend to paint the mural. For example, if your source image is a 5-by-7 inch photograph, mark off an area on the wall measuring 5 feet by 7 feet.
3. Divide your source image into a grid pattern. The grid will help you scale the image to the mural's size. Draw a 1-inch grid over the original image and, using chalk, draw a 1-foot grid on the blank wall where you intend to paint the mural.
4. Apply the primer using a paint roller. Apply the primer in 3-foot segments, painting a "W" shape and filling in the gaps.
5. Let the base coat dry.
6. Using the grid pattern as a guide, roughly sketch the image onto the wall.
7. Use brushes or exterior spray paint to go over your chalk outlines. Fill in the painting appropriately with acrylic mural paint.
8. Wait for the mural to dry.
9. Apply a UV protectant clear coat, using a paint roller, to help keep the paint from fading. Varnish will also help protect the mural from rain and snow. Some varnishes are also designed with anti-graffiti properties.
