Since we work over the mural area in layers, it’s important that we have free access to the whole surface. When the mural extends high off the floor, scaffolding and ladders are slow and cumbersome, while lift trucks and booms are much more efficient.

For murals painted toward the end of new construction, scheduling is critical. It’s difficult to create good art when there’s dust, mud, excessive noise, toxic fumes, falling sparks, and competition for space, electricity and the use of the lifts. As a rule of thumb, if the parking lot is not paved, the port-a-potties not yet gone and hard hats not yet optional, it’s probably too soon to schedule the murals.

Any faux-rock work or tree trunks adjacent to the murals should be done and painted before we arrive so we can match to them, unless they would take up floor space needed for a lift truck. Plantings, deadfalls, and props should follow the mural painting if they’d be blocking access to the surface, but they should be available on-site for matching purposes.

Smooth surfaces are essential. If not drywall, a plaster skim coat without trowel marks is acceptable. There’s no way to disguise the shadows cast by grout lines in CMU and brick walls, so we don’t recommend painting on them. We ask that a primer coat of paint in a color specified by us be applied by regular painters beforehand, they’re cheaper. It’s also important that all metallic hardware such as knobs and hinges be primed with XIM or equivalent. If doors are to be included in the mural iamge, it’s important that they be installed and primed before we arrive.

Having permanent water and power hooked up eliminates endless trips to the breaker box and working out of buckets. Being able to work in the final lighting conditions under which the murals will be seen is very helpful. Building temperatures should be stable because cold walls (below 55 degrees Fahrenheit) cause the paint to run.

Finally, we’re pretty flexible and responsive to input, but conflicting directions from a committee that can’t agree is pretty tough. We need one voice to critique the work and provide a sign-off. Our goal is to leave every client with a broad smile of satisfaction.

For more information, email us at paul@googleplexmurals.com. [slideshow_deploy id=’2206′]