The Process from Start to Finish on a School Mural
Pencil Sketch
I will talk with the school leadership to determine both the design and specifics such as size and location of where the mural will be located - I often ask for a picture or two of the wall space. I have a pricing sheet I send to all clients. On average I work at $25.00 per square foot and design costs are added into the project as well. I use it as a guide - I often work with a client to make it affordable to their budget. For this mural I had the subject matter already determined - a Titan. I purchased a Titan image online as a reference guide and then I augmented it by color and what the character is holding - I also added the lettering and created the open gap in wall to meet the clients needs accordingly with their space. I work off both original designs and purchased images as well as already established logos. In this situation the school was part of a recent merger and was open to a new design look.
Colored Sketch
Once the client is satisfied with the pencil sketch design I will then ink it and colorize it so they get a sense of what it will look like. Several changes can be made at this point with coloring if need be. The process of contacting me, finding an image, inking it and coloring it for approval usually takes around two to four weeks. That's why it is important to plan ahead for a mural. I design on the wall what you see on paper. It is too difficult to make changes when I arrive on site with the image and look. What you see on paper and agree to have done is what you get on the wall. There may be a few changes possible in coloring - but not much.
Tracing onto Wall
I arrive on location and begin the process on the wall. I ask for a lift of some sort to be made ready by the client. Most schools have lifts available because they need to change light bulbs. This one was ideal because it is a two person lift. I map out on the wall the size determination approved by the client, I do this by projecting the image onto the wall for them to eye it and give final approval on its size and location. Once approved by client, I then trace the image onto the wall using a permanent marker. Yup, permanent - so once it's up there, its up there for good. Notice also that besides the lift - they also have a nice blue tarp down on the floor, the little extra touches like this make the project go all the better. This client was on top of all my needs, including a top rate hotel - excellent.
Black Outline on Wall
I start with painting a one coat black so I get a nice sense of overall look and design. In this photo I have also added one coat of silver to the wall. Has a 1920 retro cartoon look. Painting this part is usually the longest paint process as you don't want to make a mistake with your template of black outline as it guides the rest of the work. I won't paint another coat of black until all the other colors are done. I begin with black and end in black.
Begin to Color
From here I begin to add color one at a time, usually working dark to light.
Layer the Paint on
More colors added to the process...
Final Touches
And so on... you get the picture. You basically keep layering the colors over one another. The amount of layers depends on the type of wall and color of paint. Reds and blues can take up to three coats depending on the surface. This wall surface was a bit tricky, though you can't see it. There were two different types of blocks, one very smooth and another more porous - tricky to keep the look consistent, especially lines.
Free Throw View
Completed
I think the best indicator of how a Mural looks when completed is to step back and look at it from the perspective of the person sitting in the stands cheering on the game. This angle provides a sense of what it looks like framed on the rest of the wall. No one is gazing at it directly below it or two feet away on a lift fifteen feet in the air. Also, people are seeing it from the side angles more often than straight on. The hoop will be in front of the image when it is down, but remember, the people watching the game see it from the sides - so the image below is a better angle on how it looks to 90% of the people walking into the gym looking for a place to sit. The only person seeing it straight on will be the person shooting the free-throw during the ballgame.
How long did this mural take from start to finish? That includes emailing, figuring out what the client wants, sketching, revisions, finding a right color pattern, driving there, work time... I would say this mural has about 40 hours of work involved for completion.
Cost wise, know that as a mural artist the general cost per hour of my time is right around $100.00. So if you are looking to do a mural like this in size and scope - you get the general sense of what my costs are. My pricing sheet has that all figured into the process.
Would enjoy working with you on a mural, please feel free to contact me if you would like a quote at
jasondfolkerts@gmail.com
