My Mural Process: What it’s like to work with me on a mural
It’s normal to not know what to expect if you have never worked with a muralist.
Every artist has a different process, so I wanted to share a more in-depth look at mine!
Check out my testimonials to hear what clients think first-hand.
Here’s What to Expect in My Collaborative Mural Process:
From Inquiry to Deposit
I try to make it easy for you and for me to get started by having clarity in the project so I ask several questions up front in my intake form:
Describe your project in detail.
Is the wall indoor/outdoor?
What surface type is the wall, and is it raw(unpainted) or painted?
What are the dimensions?
What style and subjectare you looking for?
What is your budget?
What is your timeline?
After I get your inquiry if it sounds like we may be a good fit, let’s hop on a phone call or Zoom to chat and find out more details. I won’t make a site visit unless I feel it’s necessary for an accurate quote.
After that I will create a proposal for you that outlines the entire process of working with me and gives you pricing and style options for the mural walls we discussed. I like to include some images as inspiration and to align on general direction, but I do not do any design work (creating sketches or mockups) before I have a contract signed and deposit paid. This is vital for me as an artist to uphold, because the real value I bring to the mural process is my design skills, so those need to be compensated for properly.
Once you accept the proposal, I’ll send over a contract for you to sign and an invoice for a percent of the project fee, usually 50%. The final payment is not due until the mural project is complete. At this point if I haven’t seen the wall in person yet, I will try to so that I can take more photos and measurements.
From Idea to Design
I begin every project by creating a moodboard of visual images to align on the general direction and style of the mural. I source images and note what elements or inspiration I want to include in the design. I also include an initial color palette that I plan to explore for the mural. Then I send it to you for feedback.
Once the moodboard is approved I move onto the design phase and create two mural designs for you to choose from and revise if desired. I always create my designs digitally, mocking them up on a photo of the actual wall if possible. This really helps you to be able to envision what the mural will look like, and get any third party approvals as needed.
One design is chosen from the initial two and a typical project has two rounds of revisions included. Anything past two rounds is additional and may be subject to an hourly fee. Revisions usually include things like color changes, placement tweaks, or combining elements from the other option. It rarely means an entire redesign, which could add more fees.
Once you’re happy with the final result of your design, I ask for your approval so we can move onto the painting phase!
From Plan to Painted!
The third phase is the most fun, and of course is the painting phase! But first we have to plan out installation dates based on my schedule and the wall accessibility.
Then I line up everything I need to have a successful installation: ordering paint and materials, lining up mural assistants to help, reserving rental equipment if needed, and blocking off my schedule.
Once the fun day arrives I will come and begin the install, working either on my own, with a team, or coordinating other artists. I will communicate with you based on any hurdles we may encounter and give you an estimate of when we plan to finish. Outdoor murals can be much more volatile than indoor murals, because we have the weather to content with! Sometimes outdoor projects have to get delayed because of bad weather, which can be frustrating, but ultimately is the best for the project to wait.
Finally once we are finished, you can celebrate your new mural and we will take lots of photos to post online. At this time the final payment is due, and I will share with you a list of all the paints and colors used for your future reference in case repairs are ever needed. Voila!
Thanks for reading!
Are you ready to reach out to me about your mural project? Fill out my inquiry form below!