Pros & Cons of my recent Mural Painting Project

Hey everyone!

I recently dove into a fun mural painting project where we turned some interior doors into works of art! This awesome event was a fundraiser for our local Arts Advocacy Commission in the Stanwood Camano area, and of course, I wanted to add a little bit of pour painting since that's been my chose art form lately.

So, here’s the scoop: we got our doors about a week and a half before the live painting day. I jumped right in, excited to prep my door by cleaning it and giving it a nice spray paint background. Next came the pour painting part, which I was really looking forward to!

Now, let me tell you, pour painting on a heavy door isn’t the easiest thing! There’s no airflow to the back, so I was worried about drying times and how to handle the door without it being a total workout. Actually, the pour painting itself was quick—maybe an hour or so. But then came the waiting game: I had to be super patient as I let it dry for five days before I could prep for the rest of the painting. You can check out the process in the video below!

Once the pour painting was finally dry, it was time to get the underpainting ready for the big day. Overall, the project turned out really well, and I learned a ton along the way!

Here are some nuggets of wisdom I picked up:

1. Buying Paint: In the past, I never really thought about whether my paint was semi-transparent, transparent, or opaque. This time, I discovered that most of my yellow paint was semi-transparent. Oops! That made it tricky to cover up the underpainting, and I ended up applying multiple layers of paint.
2. Painting Palette: I went with a disposable painting palette that had those nifty sheets of waxy paper. Perfect for calm indoor vibes, right? But here’s the twist: it was super windy and rainy while we painted outside! Next time, I’ll opt for a sturdier palette.
3. Wind, Rain, and Dirt: Oh boy! The weather was a challenge. Since our doors were on stands but still pretty low to the ground, I ended up with dirt sneaking its way into my artwork while trying to paint the bottom. And the wind? It made the rain blow through my painting tent, soaking everything I used. Thankfully, it didn’t mess up my painting; it was just a bit of a hassle.
4. Handwashing: As usual, I had paint splatters all over my hands and arms. Note to self: bring some wipes or soap next time to keep everything a little cleaner!

In a nutshell: When buying paint, think about how you plan to use it and make sure it’s opaque if that’s what you need. Also, don’t forget to have some way to wash your hands and brushes handy! And while the wind, rain, and dirt are out of your control when painting outdoors, you’ll just have to roll with it!

Interestingly, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy chatting with people about my art while I painted, but I actually loved it! I was worried I’d get distracted and not finish, but I managed to stay on track and complete my piece in time.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience! If you ever get a chance to jump into an event like this, I highly recommend you go for it. You’ll have a blast!

See the whole mural playlist here!