A good "gallery" painting used as a model for a mural painting will generally produce a bad mural. A good "mural" painting reproduced as a gallery size painting is definitely a bad painting. Scale models for murals are not pretty
"gallery" paintings from which you can evaluate the merits and value of a mural concept. A mural concept needs to be
elaborated and presented in its final environmental context.

When closing a deal with a client, ask yourself which two of the following three statements apply to your situation.
1) "You got your mural at a bargain price!"
2) "Your mural's going to be done fast!"
3) "Your mural is going to be done using the highest quality materials and workmanship!"

The one statement that doesn't apply to your situation will direct the course of your mural project.

For laying out your mural design and for guiding some of your brush strokes, the level ruler represents one of the most versatile and practical working tool a muralist can have. They are available in 2' to 6' lengths. Drag your hard bristle
brush along side the edge of your level ruler for painting in those straight lines. Wipe excess paint off your ruler in between strokes!

Let your "pinky" nail grow! It'll prove to be an excellent working tool for when you are painting your mural. Use it as a pivot while holding your brush against the wall for fine detailing. Just like guitar players, nails can be used as a stable connection point to the wall therefore easing the painting process.
Try it and be proud of your "pinky" nail over growth = sign of a busy busy muralist!

Indoor mural site preparatory work can be as demanding as painting the mural itself. Set aside two or three days of work to properly set up your work site and delimit its boundaries. The time spent on setting up your site will pay off when comes time for your client's final review and approval. You'll be happy to leave an impeccable site on to your next
project without having to look back.

Time is money and water is a precious resource = why wash those paint rollers!? Just wrap them tight in plastic to keep them fresh for use for the duration of your project. When done with your rollers, let them dry out and dispose! Dried out latex and acrylic paints have a lesser impact on the environment than paints released in their liquid form.

Muralists working outdoors and exposed to the harsh sun rays and prevailing winds can quickly suffer from dehydration. For our bodies to function properly, it is important to stay well hydrated every day. But is drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water the best solution to meet our daily requirements? Without a doubt, water is an excellent way to stay hydrated, but other liquids may be just as effective. Tea, natural mineral waters, herbal teas, sugar-free sparkling waters and milk
all represent interesting alternatives. Don’t wait to be thirsty to drink: thirst is a sign that your body is dehydrated.
Wear a hat! It'll keep those creative juices in for the longest time.

Muralists working outdoors know about the danger of sun exposure to the skin. That exposure to the sun can also have
a detrimental effect on your eyes. Excess exposure to intense sunlight reflected off your wall can burn the surface of the eye much like sunburn on the skin. Although our eyes provide some natural protection from the sun's harmful rays, overexposure to sunlight can seriously damage vision. The earth's diminishing ozone layer, which filters out less UV
light, makes humans more susceptible to ultraviolet rays. Those shades look great on you!

The American Standard Test Measure (ASTM) gives ratings from I to V for pigmentation stability under UV rays exposure.
I is excellent, II is very good, III is fair or non-permanent in artist's paints, IV and V pigments are rated poor and very poor, and are not to be used in artist's quality paints. (For details, read ASTM D4303-03.) When selecting paint systems for your mural, look for a Light fastness rating specification. If not clearly mentioned, chances are that the paint you intend to use was manufactured for a "consumers" market with no considerations for its long term durability.

Artistic merit, labor, materials, application methods and such represent just a few of the variables that will determine the final price tag for a mural project. A per diem rate is usually used for restoration work or short term artistic performance situations. A per square foot unit of measure is the norm for establishing the pricing of a project and the rate will be based upon a series of budget posts covered by the muralist within this project.

The use of typical scaffolding installations for accessing your work area can be time consuming and obstructive to your site. Scaffolding towers can be in the way of regular traffic and require frequent assessment procedures for security. Scissor lift and Reach boom machines represent a much better scaffolding system solution. You'll be able to view the progression of your work from different points of views without any obstructions, retrieve swiftly and securely from
your site at the end of the day, set up for work quickly and be able to reach work areas at the flick of a button.
"All Terrain" type machines are the better choice.

Walls facing North, North-East or due East are ideal mural painting sites as these walls will not suffer from prolong sun exposure and westerly driven winds and rain. Look for walls that are in the shade from noon on.
Your mural will love you for it!

Old brick walls construction are often not well ventilated. You might be using a "breathable" paint system, it's not a
good idea to cover the whole wall in layers of paint.
Humidity exchanges occurring through the brick wall will cause the paint coatings to peel off at pressure points. To prevent this from happening, simply leave a narrow horizontal strip of the wall exposed at the top and bottom
of your mural painting. Better yet, have brick vents installed at the bottom course of your wall.

Long handle brushes and rollers are preferable to short ones. Mural painting is physically demanding work. Using long handle painting tools will lessen physical stress and augment dexterity. The same applies to extended marking tools.
Use a 2' to 4' pole to extend your tools and see how effective this is.

Are you a seasoned muralist willing to share some of your experience and know how with your pears and mural friendly communities? eMail me your tips or tricks and I'll see that they get included in this section along with acknowledgement of your contribution. IE: A direct link to your web site and full credit mention. eMail your Tips 'n Tricks in confidence to info@hardyart.com !