Mural Technique: The Quick Lowdown

Included among my artistic and muralistic blog-explorations will be the mechanics of mural-making. An awesome mural is often preceded by an involved and constructive case of pre-mural madness – from architectural considerations to artistic technique. For the first in this series, here is the gloss-over – a quick outline of steps as to how to get a mural on a wall:

• Assess the wall – determine its condition. What type of paint is on it? What is the history of paints used on it? Investigate. Is there mold and mildew? Where is that coming from? Address this issue before painting a mural on the wall.
• Clean the wall – remove dust and oils. The cleaning product you use depends on just how dirty your wall is – anything from water and dish soap to degreaser. Allow to dry completely before applying any paint.
• Apply a primer – This will allow paint to adhere to the wall. I use gesso, which allows for a white surface. If a different color background is necessary, there are plenty of color gessoes available.
• Paint! Best bet is to use good quality acrylic paints. Oils stay wet, and need ventilation to use to maintain a healthy environment. Cheap acrylics do not belnd well, don’t have the pith that good quality ones do. I’ve used Winsor Newton and Golden.
• Seal it up. Make that paint shiny, vibrant and able to stand the years looking polished and sweet. Considerations for type of sealant depend on location of the mural (indoor or outdoor? Moisture-rich area? Etc)

The details of assessing, cleaning, priming, painting and sealing will all be delved into in subsequent blog posts. Till then… happy muraling!

Breaking Waves Streetscape

While painting the Akridge Half St Mural last Friday, I ran into Jazirock, who showed me muralistic sweet spot not 5 blocks away from the milling baseball crowds.







Panels lined the fence at K and 1st SE, with artists were hard at work creating designs. It all comes to a head on July 11 (that’s tomorrow) for a Mural Jam starting at 5 pm. All the artists will be there together finishing up their panels. Seriously awesome work is going on here!

Akridge/Half Street Mural: The Final Product

What 2 days in the sweet sun among baseball crowds and hotdog vendors, buckets of paint and wall produced:

Half St Mural: Day 1

Here's a photo-log of Day One painting the Half St mural:

Bicycle is packed up with mural paintings supplies (which made for a rather wobbly ride to the mural site).


Mixing paints.


The beginnings are coming through. Caren is helping me!


Some details are charcoaled in.


Crowds passing by on their way to the baseball game.


pots of bright colors.


Here's where we stopped for the day. Just a few more details to put in yet...

Mural Scouting: Southwest DC

I glimpsed this swirling sun and tall sprouting sunflower scene while I was over in SW DC yesterday. The designs are painted upon the façade of a school on M St and Delaware Ave. (I believe this is Bowen Elementary School). What I love is the bright color, strong graphics, and empowering words without descending too much into cheesiness. This kind of public art extends respect for kids by giving them art for their world. Who knows… this art may garner subconscious attention that could make differences we will never be able to measure. What I can see just simply as a passerby is the visual flourish it adds to the neighborhood's identity and charm – taking a tall brick building and awakening it with fresh colors. Which is a cool thing.