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 Essential mural tips and techniques
 

What surface is best to paint on? How should the surfaces be prepped to receive the painted mural?

Murals can be produced in a number of different ways.

• You can paint directly on any previously painted wall surface.
• You can paint on canvas that has been stretched over the wall.
• You can apply a special texture to the wall surface (like plaster) to achieve different effects.

As a beginner, the best method might be to work directly on a regular painted wall surface. You should determine the base color depending on the type of mural you want to do. For example, if you want to do a sky and cloud mural then a pale blue will work nicely, if you want to do a landscape then an off white might be best, and so on. Using a Latex, Eggshell Sheen paint seems to work the best. It will allow your paint (and glazes if you choose to use some) move easily and the final mural won’t be too shiny.
Once you have completed your mural you will most likely want to protect it with a sealer. If you are using Acrylic paints then use water based varnish like Benjamin Moore ‘Stays Clear’ or similar commercial water-based varnish. An excellent product for murals is a water based varithane made by a company called ‘Flecto’. The product is called ‘Flecto’s Diamond Finish, Varathane sealer” It is not as common and a bit more expensive ($ 45.00 per gallon) but gives the best results. You should use a Satin sheen or Low Lustre sheen for most murals. When applying the sealer use a brush and starting in one corner. Use a ‘cross-hatched’ brush stroke to apply evenly and smoothly. Basically creating ‘x’ type brush movements to insure even distribution of the sealer and total coverage. Allow to dry over night.

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