If you are planning to paint a mural, the first thing you need to do is figure out what to paint on the wall. When I know what I want to paint, I typically follow that up by finding different representations, photos, drawings to use as a reference, or by going to a location to take some photos that I can use as a model. For example, if I wanted to paint a seascape I might drive around the beach area where I look for objects or scenery I want to include in my painting. Most times I am piecing together a scene to create my mural. I will sketch the scene to scale so I know what the basic layout will be. Sometimes it is necessary to make changes as you go. If you are painting for a client, make sure they sign off on any changes.

The next step in this process is to prepare your area to be painted. This is the part of the process that takes time and can be tedious, but will save you time and headaches in the end. Have plenty of drop cloths to cover your floor. I always tape around the edge of the floor by the wall because your drop cloths will shift as you are working. I can guarantee you that is where the one drop of paint will fall if you dont make sure to cover it properly. Once that paint hits the carpet, your client will not be a happy camper. If you do manage to drip paint where it should not be (like on the carpet) it is best to let it dry to a blob. For small drips you can then use a pair of scissors to cut out the paint spot without it being noticable. But BE CAREFUL, keep a wet rag handy, wipe drips on walls immediately. Cover and tape areas where you don't want paint. If your walls are painted with flat paint, you may wish to paint one coat of clear glaze on the wall before you start painting in your scene. Let it dry, and your paint will easily glide on the nice smooth finished wall. If the walls are painted with a satin finish there is no need to paint the wall with glaze.

Once you have what you need to put together your scene, painting the background first is essential. I start at the top and work my way down. So I lay down the sky first, then the horizon, where I may have mountains, trees, water or land. After I have my background in I will place my other objects, such as people, cars, roads or whatever the subject may be. Sometimes I simply hand paint in these objects without drawing them in first and sometimes I may use a projector  to cast the image on the wall, trace it out and then hand paint it. A projector is very helpful to maintain the correct proportions and to help in placement of the object.

You may be wondering what medium to use on a wall. I use a mixture of acrylic paint that you can buy in any craft or art supply store and also latex paint that you would purchase by the gallon in a paint or hardware store. Both of these mediums dry quickly and clean up easily with water. Also, acrylic paint has no fumes so working with it will not bother you during the process. I typically purchase a gallon of extra bright white paint that I mix with the acrylic colors. This will stretch your dollar, because purchasing small tubes of acrylic paint alone can add up quickly especially if you are painting a large area.

Once you have finished your mural, I suggest painting a clear coat of polyeurothane over it to protect it. Look for a coating that will not yellow with age. The clear coating allows easy cleanup in case of dirt or fingerprints.