what varnish to use for acrylic wall murals

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

© Eric Grohe, "Liberty Remembers", Bucyrus, OH. Eric paints the fabricated metal cornices he had made and attached to the side of the building in order to continue the illusion of the painted ledge.
© Eric Grohe, "Liberty Remembers", Bucyrus, OH. Eric paints the made metallic cornices he had
fabricated and fastened to the side of the building in order to go on the illusion of the painted ledge.

The many considerations an creative person will face when embarking on a mural project may exist imperceptible to a casual viewer of these large, oftentimes public, artworks. At that place are many unlike types of murals and landscape applications, and each blazon presents its own set of challenges. The muralist will want to ensure the mural's integrity past practicing a sound methodology, accounting for manifold factors that will influence the project's success.

Whether the mural will be indoor or outdoor is a major factor that will bear on the artist'south methodology. For an outdoor mural, an artist will need to consider the landscape's potential exposure to light or atmospheric condition and set up and protect the substrate accordingly. For an indoor mural, exposure to chemicals, humidity, contact or abrasion needs to exist considered and deemed for.

The art materials used might also change based on whether the mural is interior or exterior. Certain colors are more lightfast and are more appropriate for outdoor work where in that location is a lot of exposure to light. Some colors are known to fade chop-chop and may only be suitable for indoor applications. Artist-quality varnishes may offer the best protection for whatsoever mural; however, culling solutions may need to be explored in indoor settings such as hospitals or schools.

Considering of the big scale of almost mural projects, expenses can speedily add upwards. Knowing how to get the well-nigh out of money spent, or learning some ways to cut costs without jeopardizing the integrity of the mural is important. Also, it is important to exist realistic near the quantity of materials needed and then that unexpected expenses won't add up late into the project.

Fourth dimension is an additional consideration. To an artist working spontaneously or in a express amount of fourth dimension, adequate training will be extremely important so he or she can motility quickly. Another creative person, whose project requires all-encompassing research, preparation, and approval past many parties, needs to business relationship for months of planning time in the project schedule.

Climate will greatly affect outdoor landscape work. Climate changes can affect the drying rate of materials as well as the landscape'southward exposure to certain types of weather and extreme temperatures. An understanding of the specific climatic conditions of each private project volition aid artists choose the correct time to work and the right materials to work with.

Creating artwork for an environment where many people have the opportunity to meet it is one of the almost rewarding aspects of mural painting. This should besides suggest the peachy responsibility of the mural artist. A landscape is intended to enhance an environment, non disharmonism with it or degrade it. If improperly done, the "work of art" can quickly go an eyesore. Many mural sponsors are at present requesting that artists guarantee their murals for a certain flow (usually 10-20 years). These agreements can exist legally binding, which ways artists volition be held liable for problems occurring with the landscape during this time. Careful planning, thoughtful training, and use of quality materials volition help finished murals to have an touch that matches the artist's good intentions.

Using Acrylic Products for Mural Application
Golden Creative person Colors, Inc. has conducted testing and research on using acrylic products for mural awarding. The following paragraphs contain our specific recommendations for preparing substrates, selecting materials and giving protective finishes to murals made using Gold Acrylics. Click hither for more data virtually using acrylics on landscape projects.

Substrates
Substrate selection is oftentimes defined by a landscape's location. When working on the exterior of a building, (whether it be made of forest, cement, masonry, metal, etc.), and on interior surfaces as well, it is important to know how to set the substrate before showtime to apply paint. Dissimilar substrates may crave specific techniques and materials. If not done correctly, the life span of the mural may be cut brusk.

More often than not, it is e'er a good thought to take a substrate down to its original surface. Trusting the integrity of previous coatings can put mural piece of work in jeopardy. It is too difficult to determine if these coatings volition be uniform with other products that are being used.

If an artist chooses to overpaint a surface that is already painted, he or she should consider the blazon of the existing paint and its physical condition. If the paint is a h2o-based polymer (commonly referred to as latex), chances are good that the acrylic paints will adhere sufficiently. If it is a loftier gloss oil paint (or of unknown materials), and so information technology must be abraded (or removed) for proficient adhesion. If the existing paint picture is deteriorating, and so it is all-time to take it removed (sand-blasted, ability-washed, scraped, etc.). It is critical to launder whatsoever painted surface, even a newly painted surface, with soap and h2o to remove dirt and crud prior to application of acrylic products.

Previously painted loftier gloss surfaces can be cleaned and dulled in one step by using a household abrasive cleaner. Cleaner must be done off completely with clean water.

Mold and mildew must be removed by manus-scrubbing with a mixture of 1 part household bleach to 3 parts water.

CAUTION: Never add ammonia or ammonia-based cleaners to bleach! Wear goggles and protective equipment while cleaning. After scrubbing with a brush, allow the solution to sit on the surface for 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing off with clean water.

If in that location are cracks and grooves in the substrate, the method for filling and smoothing these gaps volition depend on the nature of the substrate itself. Artists should consult an expanse architectural coatings store for recommendations on the best product available.

Once the surface has been cleaned, a primer coat will give better adhesion for the pigment. One key feature to look for in a primer is whether or not information technology can be painted over by latex paints. This should ensure that the primer will exist a compatible surface for the adhesion of waterborne acrylics.

To determine the best primer for a specific surface, we suggest artists contact their local supplier of architectural coatings. Such companies have extensive experience with priming the broad spectrum of building supplies, and typically accept specific primers for the surface the mural is to be painted on. Their recommendations volition also have the environmental concerns of the surface area into account. Architectural and maintenance paints are competitively priced, meaning that a production that costs more than a similar product will typically perform better likewise.

When painting on brick, concrete, or other masonry surfaces, we recommend apply of a masonry conditioner that can be purchased from a commercial coatings supplier.

In some cases, muralists will want to consider painting on panels (wood, aluminum, fiberglass, etc.) rather than directly onto a wall. There are various reasons an artist may cull to work on panels. Sometimes the existing substrate is too difficult to work on. It could also be a matter of convenience since painting on panels will unremarkably allow an artist to work in his or her studio. Painting on panels is a good alternative for someone who doesn't take admission to scaffolding or other equipment. It can exist much easier than painting off a ladder all day. Panels can also be a safer, cleaner manner to work with groups of children or other large groups of people. If artists choose to work on panels, they will want to make sure they choose the right kind of panel for the right situation. Training of panel substrates will also depend upon the chosen textile. (Encounter Mural Quick Reference Guide, page 11.)

Pigment Selection
Acrylics are some of the most durable and accessible paints for exterior awarding, used by many artists for painting murals due to their lightfastness and conditions resistance. They also course an excellent bond to masonry or cementous surfaces. Oil paints are a poor choice for painting on these surfaces since the alkalinity of concrete can destroy alkyd or oil products. Ethyl-silicate paints class an excellent and permanent bond with brick or physical; however this organization can be time-consuming and costly, and a skillful working knowledge of the materials is required also. Solvent-based enamels are a good choice for immovability, but manufacturer's pigment considerations are usually non the same every bit with a high-quality creative person'southward acrylic paint.

Gilt Artist Colors, Inc. produces several lines of paints that can exist used for landscape work. Selecting which blazon of pigment to employ is dependent on each artist's fashion and the surface to be painted. Gilt Heavy Body, Matte, MSA, Fluid and Airbrush Colors (see beneath) tin all be used for mural piece of work. The creative person must decide if the texture will influence the way he or she paints. For example, if painting on brick, information technology will be tough to get a smooth line on such a textured surface with the Heavy Body Colors as is. They need to exist thinned with GAC 200 (which also increases film hardness and potential durability) or the artist may consider switching to the Fluid Colors. The thinner consistency will allow the paint to menstruation into the crevices of the brick. Mixing Fluids and Heavy Body Acrylics together will produce a consistency similar to firm pigment, ideal for covering larger areas on most surfaces. (Refer to the chart above for assistance in selecting a suitable paint line.)

Color selection is particularly important to minimize fading of acrylic paints. The GOLDEN Pigment Identification Chart (www.goldenpaints.com/pigment.htm) lists the relative lightfastness and permanency ratings of all our colors. For maximum longevity, we recommend using just colors with a lightfastness rating of I and a permanency rating of First-class. (See chart page xi for all-time recommendations.)

Delight notation: Cadmium pigments should non be used outdoors as premature fading volition occur. Ultramarine Blueish and Cobalt Blue should not be used at full strength for outdoor projects. Mixing with other colors or diluting with GOLDEN Gels or Mediums will ameliorate exterior durability.

Although Gold Acrylics are optomized for traditional easel painting, the acrylic resin is somewhat soft for mural work, and should be modified with a harder acrylic medium to maximize immovability. Adding GAC-200 likewise reduces the pigment load of the paint mixture, making the paint more folder-rich, which extends exterior lifetime. This is especially important if the artist chooses not to topcoat with a varnish. We suggest blending 1 part Golden GAC 200 for every 2 to 4 parts paint.

For outside spray awarding, using Gilt Fluid Acrylics thinned with Airbrush Medium will be the near durable option. GOLDEN Airbrush Colors tin also be used, simply they should be composite with GOLDEN Airbrush Transparent Extender and given a protective varnish to increase durability. In spray application, the GAC 200 is non practical to use equally information technology will thicken the paint and interfere with sprayability. Some other approach would exist to top-coat the Airbrush Colors with a sprayable isolation coat using a ii:1 mixture of GAC 500:GOLDEN Airbrush Transparent Extender.

Concluding Coats
A terminal topcoat will give a mural more immovability when exposed to environmental factors. The mural artist has a few choices on how to provide additional protection to the finished landscape. 1 option is to use an artist-quality varnish that is removable with various solvents, allowing for graffiti removal and general maintenance. GOLDEN MSA Varnish west/ UVLS is such a product, and more than complete application information is provided below.

Another selection for protecting the landscape is to utilise some of the various graffiti-resistant finishes that are commercially available. These range from protective wax coatings that are removed with hot h2o to the two-component solvent-based polyurethane coatings. They tend to have excellent chemical resistance, then that graffiti tin be adequately easily stripped off without harming the coating. They also have excellent weatherability, and thus require less maintenance than some of the other choices. Please annotation: nosotros have not thoroughly evaluated these systems. As the coatings are non removable should they fail, we propose artists become all bachelor data from manufacturers or consult landscape groups having previous feel using these products to determine the best selection for each specific application.

Listed below are the application recommendations for using:

GOLDEN MSA Varnish w/ UVLS:
Nosotros recommend a ii-step organisation, the first being a permanent isolation coat, followed past GOLDEN MSA Varnish, a removable varnish. The function of the isolation coat is to physically isolate the paint from the removable varnish (which makes varnish removal much easier and safer to the paint surface). An isolation coat also develops a thicker layer of acrylic, which volition requite better protection and durability and serves to unify the acrylic paint layer.

Isolation Coat Application:
Selection of isolation coat should depend upon the artist's application method. Another consideration is the surface texture, as brush-applying the isolation coat and varnish over a highly textured surface can generate cream in the isolation coat. For spray application, nosotros recommend a 2:one mixture of GAC 500 to Transparent Airbrush Extender. For brush application, nosotros recommend a 2:1 mixture of Soft Gel Gloss to
h2o.

Varnish Application:
After the isolation coat is applied and has thoroughly dried (1-ii days, merely no more than than 1 week for maximum performance), Gold Mineral Spirit Acrylic (MSA) Varnish can be applied. The MSA Varnish w/ UVLS is an excellent choice equally a protective finish. This production provides a tough, durable surface that increases resistance to wet and pollutants. The UV stabilizing system will serve to reduce the subversive potential of ultraviolet radiation from the sun, thus enhancing the life of the organization. This varnish is removable in mineral spirits, turpentine and various aromatic solvents, which is a useful holding for either graffiti removal or maintenance purposes. Spray application is recommended (1-iii separate coats).

Annotation: Breathability is important to the successful adhesion of acrylic products. If a mural encompasses an entire wall made of a masonry product, information technology is advisable to apply thin coats of MSA Varnish. This will allow interior condensation and evaporating solvents and out-gassings to escape (some artists recommend leaving an uncoated breathing infinite nearly the edge of the mural too). If this is not done, it may lead to premature adhesion failure between the coatings and the substrate.

Gilded only recommends its MSA Varnishes for exterior work, Not the Polymer Varnish. Polymer Varnish does not accept the same exterior durability as the MSA.

Eric Alan Grohe
Eric Grohe Murals & Pattern
During his xl twelvemonth career as a professional person creative person, Eric Grohe has received national recognition for painting big calibration figurative and architectural murals for clients beyond America. In 1994 and again in 1998 he won Design Awards from the American Establish of Architects. He won beginning place awards two years in a row in the national Signs of the Times landscape competition. Clients include The State of Ohio, The American Hop Museum, Miller Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and Nordstrom Inc.

When Eric Grohe undertakes a mural project, the procedure is usually long and very elaborate. His Trompe 50'Oeil effects are extremely detailed and have a considerable amount of time to complete. He has worked on large-scale projects for major corporations and authorities entities. Due to the nature of his clients, he ofttimes uses costly materials and all-encompassing planning time is included in his fee.

Eric usually paints lonely, merely on very big projects he will employ as many as 8 people to assist him. In the past he hired art students attending colleges near the mural site who displayed exceptional creative abilities.

Eric is currently working on an indoor mural for Miller Brewing Co. The painting, to be installed in an agile fermenting room, will portray an operating brewery at the plough of the 20th century and will requite the illusion that the room expands into other rooms. For this project he chose to work on 16' x 10' aluminum panels. He reached this decision afterward considering what substrate could all-time resist a hot and humid brewery environment. The existing walls had also been previously coated with an epoxy-based material. Rather than grinding the surface down to something he felt comfortable working with, he chose to put the same time and money into design and buy of the aluminum panels.

To ready the aluminum panels, Eric washes them with lather and water. Then he etches the surfaces to requite the panels some "tooth" for painting. There are two ways that aluminum can be etched: it tin exist physically etched by running an orbital sander over the surface (a protective respirator should be worn) or chemically etched by applying a mixture of Pre-etch Acid and Xanthous Resin, both made by Triangle Coatings. Finally, the panels are primed with Triangle's Multiblock Vinyl Primer Gesso, creating a white surface on which to paint.

Eric is working in oil paints on this project, although he occasionally works indoors with acrylic. He will as well use creative person's enamels when a landscape might be exposed to a lot of abuse. He appreciates the decal-like event he can create with enamels besides.

On outdoor projects, Eric has had a lot of experience working on freshly cast concrete. To prepare this surface he too performs a three footstep procedure of washing, carving, and priming. He usually hires a contractor to power wash the surface, cleaning and removing any fastened objects. The concrete is and then etched with a muriatic acid which gives a dainty tooth to the surface. Then it is primed and set up to exist painted.

Eric oftentimes uses Keim mineral paints on masonry or cementous surfaces. These coatings actually penetrate, or "silicify" with, the surface of the substrate, making them incredibly durable. "Although they are more than expensive," says Eric, "the cost of materials is often an insignificant part of the overhead for my clients. If they are not willing to pay the extra money for longer lasting paints, they usually aren't interested in the type of service we have to offer."

When painting on north facing walls, walls not in straight sunlight, or when Keim use is inappropriate, Eric uses acrylic paints on his exterior murals. Although he has used a mixture of artist paints and firm paints in the past, Eric plans to use GOLDEN Creative person Acrylics exclusively for future projects. "At this stage it is not worth the hazard of using less expensive and more doubtful materials," he says.

For his protective coatings, Eric has adapted a ii-pace procedure that he learned from GOLDEN'due south technical support squad. He wanted to achieve a apartment effect with his varnishes, and through experimentation he adult the post-obit method. First he applies a layer of GOLDEN Soft Gel Medium Semigloss every bit a "shield" coat. So he applies a glaze of GOLDEN MSA Varnish Matte diluted with Stoddards Mineral Spirits. Eric found the Stoddards to exist the all-time mixing mineral spirits. No final coating is applied to the "breathing" Keim surfaces. (Note: Gilded recommends using only Soft Gel Gloss and MSA Varnish Gloss for like applications).

Eric reports one problem he had working with concrete. The contractor he hired to clean the surface was supposed to make certain all of the course release agent practical to the concrete was removed (form release amanuensis is meant to aid the concrete in separating from the casting forms). A small area in 1 corner of the building was not cleaned sufficiently. A background colour was applied by another contractor who failed to notice the class release agent still attached to the building. Finally, when Eric pulled up some tape used to protect an expanse of the mural, some of the paint came off. On the back of these paint chips was evidence of the grade release amanuensis, meant to gradually separate from the building over time. Eric had to go dorsum and repair the mural, and he warns that if artists use a contractor it tin exist more than difficult to define if the job was done correctly.

When working on a previously coated wall, says Eric, it is e'er a good idea to take it dorsum down to the original surface. He remembers a problem he had on his very first outdoor mural, painted on a wooden building that was freshly painted.Three years subsequently the unabridged mural was reduced to "potato chips," as Eric describes them, because the paint the mural was painted over had failed. He also suggests that artists should exist wary of uninformed people who may overcoat their murals later on they leave. In some cases the coatings may non exist compatible, and that can exist a big trouble.

About 10% of Eric's fourth dimension and budget is dedicated to planning and grooming. He consults technicians and contractors to help determine how long a work of art, or the building it volition be painted on, can last. Eric too cooperates with architects and park designers so his murals will piece of work with existing or forthcoming architectural elements. Projects involving community planning usually take longer to plan and gain approval.

If Eric is working on a landscape projection for a community, he volition acquit extensive research on the boondocks's history or merely visit for a while before he starts painting. He feels very strongly that murals should "vest" in their environment. He cites the negative example of murals that may be overnice images only are completely disproportionate to their surroundings. "These murals can exist a great thwarting," says Eric, "and this is bad for everyone involved. A successful mural can be a source of renewal or inspiration for a community, and is cracking for the mural business in general. A poorly executed or disproportionate mural by any artist is non only disappointing but can discourage potential clients from commissioning murals of their own."

Chuck Webster & David Ellis Barnstormers
Barnstormers is a collective of New York City artists who create large-calibration collaborative murals. The group has produced two time-lapse films capturing a constantly changing mural painting created by many unlike artists. Barnstormers continue to experiment with operation and collaboration by painting murals to live music with DJs and bands in New York, Nihon, and Republic of cuba.

The Barnstormers are very interested in collaboration, spontaneous creativity and the public attribute of mural painting. Every year since 1999, Barnstormer founder David Ellis and about 20 other artists have fabricated a trip to Cameron, North Carolina where the group painted a multitude of dilapidated barns, remnants of a faltering tobacco industry. There are near 45 Barnstormers altogether, although just virtually 20 at a fourth dimension make the trip to Cameron.

Mural longevity is not as great a business organisation for the Barnstormers since the barns they paint on may fall apart before the murals will. Photograph and film documentation are very important to the Barnstormers, however, and it is in this style they intend to preserve the imaginative murals created past members of the group.

Considering the barn-painting project is conceptually oriented, substrates are generally defined for the artists rather than chosen. Ellis says that they have encountered barns made of wood, metal, and cinderblock, although the barns are usually made of wood. Many of the wooden barns were covered in tarpaper, similar to asphalt roofing shingles, that served every bit a layer of insulation for barns used to dry tobacco. Some farmers ripped this paper off to prepare the surface for the artists, only Ellis discovered that the tarpaper actually made for an first-class substrate. Information technology completely protected the surface from moisture that could seep through the dorsum of the mural, was non-absorbent, and had a nice tooth to concur paint. The wood underneath the tarpaper, however, was extremely dry out since it had been protected from moisture for and then many years. When the offset coat of pigment was applied to these barns, so much was absorbed that the paint no longer could exist seen. For a 20' X 20' barn surface, five to ten gallons of house paint were needed just to build up an adequate base glaze.

Toll is a major cistron for the Barnstormers since they don't receive paid commissions for their projects. They by and large use materials donated from paint companies and retailers. For this reason, materials vary widely depending on what is available. A lot of house paint is used, just artists bring their own GOLDEN Creative person Colors and other artist paints for crucial details or cardinal colors. In the past, for a protective finish, the Barnstormers spray-practical a clear, oil-based varnish that was also donated.

Chuck Webster, a member of the Barnstormers, adds a twist to making murals on a wooden substrate. On a 17' X xiv' barn made of dried poplar woods, Chuck made a woodcut by carving into the barn siding. Although he used housepaint to prime the substrate on this projection, he recommends preparing substrates for woodcuts by sealing the wood with a 50:50 mixture of shellac and booze.

© C.Webster, Barnstormers, "A Hand up for Cameron," 140" x 220", 2000
© C.Webster, Barnstormers,
"A Manus upwards for Cameron,"
140″ x 220″, 2000

To become the basic image on the barn, Chuck used an overhead projector to enlarge a sketch that he fabricated (this had to be done at nighttime). So he traced the project in pigment on the substrate. Chuck just had six days to complete the project, so the projection actually helped him to speed up the process of getting a scaled image to work with.

Chuck used traditional carving tools as well as a small-scale, lightweight chainsaw for etching out the surface (protective equipment is recommended). When the etching was done he rolled out a few gallons of red paint on a portion of the landscape that was to be the printing surface. With the assist of another Barnstormers, Chuck successfully printed his mural onto a 9' by 7.5' sheet of paper.

To protect the mural, Chuck roller-applied a glossy exterior polyurethane topcoat. This worked well since in that location was minimal paint coverage, and Chuck also really appreciated the finished quality the glossy coat gave to the bare wood.

jp10a1-3
© C.Webster, Barnstormers, "Cameron," 104″ x xc″, Woodcut print from barn, 2000

Rain has plagued a couple of the Barnstormer trips, making the painting process more than hard and a lot messier. Since the trips usually lasted simply one – ii weeks, the Barnstormers persevered and painted anyhow, setting upward tarps or plastic tents to piece of work under when necessary. In rainy situations, muralists using oil-based paints were more successful. Acrylic or latex paints had a trend to launder off or run together.

Humidity in the Due north Carolina climate also affected the methodology of the landscape painters. Because information technology was so humid, acrylic and oil-based products took longer than usual to dry. Since the Barnstormers were working on a tight schedule, it was important that the paint should dry quickly. Acrylic paint proved to be more advantageous in this regard, merely they also mixed their oil-based products with Nihon Drier to speed up the drying procedure. In some cases, mixing Japan Drier with the various paints produced cracking and other random effects. Since the Barnstormers relish spontaneity this was apparently no problem for them, merely an artist looking for more than controlled results should use caution when attempting this kind of awarding.

Typical mural cross section - more than is visible on the surface
Typical mural cross section – more than is visible on the surface

The Barnstormers plan on continuing their annual trips to Cameron, North Carolina, and they likewise plan to continue filmmaking and performing internationally. The grouping is currently seeking more towns, neighborhoods, or individual barn-owners interested in hosting Barnstormer mural projects.

Lenna Kay Weinstein
Mural Masters Of Colorado
Landscape Masters Of Colorado is an art design production company specializing in murals and wall sculpting including frescoes and bas-relief. Clients include theater and television producers, restaurants and showrooms, and many individual homes. Lenna's work has been featured in Meliorate Homes and Gardens, Colorado Homes and Lifestyles Magazine, and Denver Living Magazine.

Lenna Weinstein'southward murals, which ofttimes cater to the domicile decorating market, are more simply paintings on a wall. Her murals are unique considering she forms 3-dimensional surfaces, building up layers of texture or carving bas-relief. Creating realistic walls of stones, bricks, marble, logs, wood grain and tile on drywall or wood surfaces, Lenna works to shape a whole environs. In add-on to her murals she offers a line of sculpted or imitation finished products including switch plates, medallions, picture frames and furniture.

© Lenna Kay Weinstein, "Textured and sculpted arch"
© Lenna Kay Weinstein,
"Textured and sculpted arch"

Lenna specializes in giving a classical or antique effect to contemporary building materials. She often works directly on drywall, disguising the substrate with her artistic finishes. Lenna tells us that no grooming is necessary on drywall that is painted with a flat or eggshell finish. On a gloss surface, however, she gives a light sanding and applies a layer of GOLDEN Acrylic Glazing Liquid (AGL) before she begins painting.

If Lenna is building up one of her textured surfaces, such as brick or stone, she volition begin applying layers of plaster or GOLDEN Molding Paste to the primed surface. She stresses that the layers of plaster should not be also thick equally that can increment the risk of cracking. Ofttimes, afterwards edifice the texture upwards with plaster, she applies Molding Paste as a finishing layer to paint on. She does non suggest mixing the two materials together.

For added ornamentation, Lenna uses sculpting techniques to create three-dimensional fruits, leaves, and flowers on her murals. In many cases she does this by coating artificial flowers, leaves and fruits with Molding Paste, edifice up layers until the objects appear to be sculpted. Occasionally she will sculpt these objects straight from the surface she is working on, or combine the two different techniques together. The three-dimensional objects are somewhen primed with gesso or household primer, and then Lenna paints them with metal paints or paints them to wait like stone.

Generally, when working on large murals, Lenna will mix her color choices with GOLDEN Artist Colors, and so have these colors matched with house paint. Most of her surfaces volition be painted with the firm paint, simply she uses GOLDEN Acrylics to heighten certain areas when it is advisable. Lenna has used up to 35 cans of paint plus artist colors on large projects. She uses a lot of AGL as well since she mixes it with most of her colors.

Lenna also uses the AGL as a terminal finish on interior walls. She applies it to the painted surface with a roller and so pats it down with a sponge. Working indoors nearly of the time, Lenna tries to stay away from solvent-based protective coatings, especially those with stiff smells.

Living in Colorado, says Lenna, the air is very dry and that tin can make working difficult. Plaster and other sculpted piece of work tin fissure if it dries likewise chop-chop, and paint needs to stay moisture for some time to create sure furnishings. Lenna finds ways of compensating for the dryness, such equally using AGL with her colors to extend the drying fourth dimension. Still, she has to exist careful how she applies her materials to avoid problems with the dry environment.

Job preparation in any home or concern, large or small, is extensive, says Lenna, then every bit non to cause whatsoever harm. She usually videotapes the area she will exist working in to protect herself from responsibleness for existing problems. When doing plaster work, Lenna uses a lot of masking record and brownish newspaper. She always puts a sheet of plastic downwards on the floor first, and then covers the plastic with heavy driblet cloths.

Currently, Lenna is in the planning stages of setting up co-op mural programs for independent living facilities, nursing homes, art stores, YMCAs, and more.

Mark Switlik
Switlik Murals
Mark Switlik has designed and painted Trompe Fifty'Oeil murals across the United States for 30 years and recently he has gained international commissions as well. Mark's work is highlighted by vivid, clean colors and depth perception, accomplished through use of airbrush and brush combinations. Clients take included the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Arizona Science Middle, the Phoenix Arts Commission, and the Phoenix Suns.

© Mark Switlik, work in progress circa 1992, Mural for the Phoenix Suns
© Marker Switlik, work in progress circa 1992, Mural for the Phoenix Suns

Mark Switlik, a mural painter based in Phoenix, Arizona, has created murals for large corporations and individual businesses throughout his thirty-year career in addition to seeking commissions for public work. Since his projects are often quite large he will hire two to eight people to assist him, depending on the size of the mural.

Marking uses a lot of spray-applied paint considering he believes that spraying is the virtually efficient method to produce what he calls aerial perspective. "The atmosphere, says Mark, "is made upwardly of small particles that interact with light. Clouds are too h2o droplets collected and suspended in the heaven. Both airbrush and larger spray equipment utilize similar modest particles of paint to obtain coverage, creating more realistic results."

Mark uses brushes to blend paint since a brush-like tool can get out behind a visual texture. Sometimes this texture is desired. Mark believes that the juxtaposition of a smooth airbrush technique and a visual brush texture makes for the maximum contrast necessary for illusion painting.

Usually, Marker paints on physical or brick. To prepare the substrate, Mark hires a contractor to sandblast the surface as a cleaning measure. Then the surface is washed and primed. Mark does all the washing and priming himself to ensure that it is done correctly. A most of import detail, says Mark, necessary for walls with minor cracks (non structural problems), is to use an elastomeric caulking that can be purchased from paint suppliers.

Mark uses 100% acrylic house paints for large areas of color and artist acrylics for more than detailed areas. He uses Gilt Airbrush Colors, which are ready prepared for spraying, and he also uses Gold Fluid Acrylics which are very easy to make sprayable by diluting. He uses up to 200 gallons of paint for large projects.

Mark says that all industrial acrylic paints can be easily sprayed, merely the paint to be sprayed must be thinned with an appropriate thinner. Mediums can as well be mixed with the paint to produce a sprayable glaze. With the improver of a medium also as the necessary amount of thinner, the paint is fortified, extending the life of the color.

For his final coats, Marker builds up several intermediate layers of paint with glazes. The final protective varnish is ever GOLDEN MSA Varnish with UVLS, applied past spray.

Marker considers the environment he is working in and how that volition touch on his projects. Because it is extremely hot in Arizona, he often begins working every bit early on as 5:00 a.m. or else he tries to piece of work in the shade. When the atmospheric condition gets cold, he cannot use his h2o-based products when the temperature dips below forty degrees. He warns that if a project is started too late in the summer it might take to be finished in the spring. This can end upwardly costing the artist coin.

Humidity and wind are ii environmental factors that are very important for the mural artist working with spray equipment to consider. Humidity does not affect water-based products simply can impact solvent-based products every bit moisture can exist trapped under the paint layer. This wet will take to get out sometime, and it usually exits in the class of blistered paint. Blisters occur when the sun's rays are hot enough to turn the trapped moisture into steam, expanding until it breaks through to the surface.
Wind is a major factor that needs to exist addressed, says Mark. Wind tin can affect the spray tool blueprint making it difficult to control. It as well makes it difficult to use masking materials. Wind tin can carry the spray paint particles a long distance outdoors, and indoor heating and cooling ventilation systems can scatter paint overspray throughout a building. This is a small annoyance if the paint particles dry fast, but when they stay moisture a long time the pigment tin stick to cars and furniture. This happens by and large with solvent-based alkyds and urethanes. However, in areas similar Phoenix, an automobile surface can attain over 150 degrees and h2o-based acrylic tin stick even if the paint is dry when it lands. Most machine paints these days are acrylic or acrylic urethane and the loftier temperature allows the molecules to crosslink. To go the paint spatters off commonly requires rubbing out the car paint. To avoid this, the all-time idea is to plan well and carry liability insurance.

For Marking, planning fourth dimension for a mural ranges from two weeks to 4 months. Once he receives a contract, he begins the design. Once the blueprint is canonical the project is scheduled in the order it is received.
Marking designs his maquettes using the same techniques that he will use on dissimilar portions of the mural (i.e. brush or spray). If he uses an airbrush on the maquette he volition use a large spray gun on the mural. The larger spray guns are HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) technology. Their turbine motors overspray less, describe less amps, and they are lighter than the air compressor which powers the airbrush.
Getting projects funded, says Marker, is the hardest attribute of the landscape business organization. Depending on the funding source, completing a project can be more or less complicated. Many art commissions at present realize that a projection funded by tax money needs to accept neighborhood input before design begins. Customs likes and dislikes must be taken into consideration for the projection to exist accepted. Corporately sponsored murals also need to address community interests but the situation is usually not every bit critical.

Currently, Mark is working on several murals for Hilltop Hotel in Phuket, Thailand. He is rushing to get all of the outside work finished before the rainy season starts. Once Marker completes this project he has two murals scheduled, 1 in the Phoenix, Arizona area and ane in Paso Robles, California. As well in the works is a historical landscape for a university.

Susan Togut
Children's Murals
Susan Togut'southward mural work with intergenerational groups is a natural evolution of her own piece of work exploring transparency and layering, changing light and changing seasons. Susan has worked on volunteer and commissioned projects for schools, hospitals, and customs groups. She resides in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

© Susan Togut, "Healing Arbor", 22' x 12', 2000
© Susan Togut, "Healing Arbor",
22′ x 12′, 2000

Susan Togut is a public creative person who has become involved working on murals with children, the elderly, and those touched by serious illness. She has created mural projects involving big groups of people for schools, community sites, and hospitals. Susan faces special concerns most substrates and materials because of the types of groups she works with and the sensitive locations where her murals appear.

Substrate choice is greatly influenced by the groups that Susan works with. When working on exterior or interior walls, Susan prefers to piece of work on wooden panels rather than on the walls themselves. There are a couple of reasons that she gives for her pick. When working on an indoor mural in a school, for case, information technology is messy and hard to take the children working on the walls directly. Many of them won't be able to reach the college portions of the mural, and it is too dangerous to accept them continuing on ladders. Having a lot of children and materials in the narrow hallways at ane time can interfere with school traffic.

Susan also prefers the wood panels considering she finds that they can help control the anarchy gene of working with large groups of people (she has had up to 500 people working on a single mural). By assigning smaller groups a specific theme and area, it helps them to focus their energies and fine tuning the work becomes a lot more manageable.

For indoor murals, Susan has used fourteen iv' 10 8' panels of MDO plywood, ½'' thick. For exterior murals, she has used up to twenty-4 4' Ten 8' panels of ¾" MDO. Susan primes the panels with Sherwin Williams Heavy Duty Latex paint. Indoor panels are primed with 2 coats on the forepart side. On outdoor panels, she primes both the front end and the back with ii coats, and uses additional coats on the edges where the panels are most vulnerable. She also says that building a frame around the edges tin increment longevity.

Susan uses GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics on the wooden panels, and she draws from a wide gamut of colors including metallic, irised, and interference colors.

For a protective finish on outdoor murals, Susan uses a two-stride process prescribed by Aureate Artist Colors. She applies an isolation coat of GOLDEN Soft Gel Gloss. Then she puts on two coats of MSA Varnish, Gloss or Satin. Indoors she doesn't use any topcoat unless the mural is in an extremely loftier traffic area or directly exposed to natural light.

Susan warns about one problem that tin come up upwards when working on wooden panels. Calibration is very important to the success of a landscape, and when artists are non working right on the wall or working away from the site, creating an appropriate scale can be more of a challenge. Artists should consider issues related to calibration carefully before they start working.

Lexan, a polycarbonate with first-class impact strength, is another substrate that Susan enjoys working on outdoors. She creates simulated stained drinking glass installations and environments using mural components such as her "Healing Arbor" in Kingston, NY. Susan says the transparency of the Lexan is very effective, and it can successfully resist most outdoor atmospheric condition.

No preparation is needed for the Lexan since transparency is key to achieving the proper effect. Susan mixes GOLDEN Fluid Acrylics with GAC 200 to brand the paint attach improve to the plastic and GAC 500 to make the pigment layer less tacky and more durable. For a topcoat she uses a minimum of ii coats of MSA Varnish Gloss which increases the glass-similar quality of the Lexan.

Susan experimented with a diversity of products before deciding to use the Fluids to pigment the Lexan. She didn't want to use toxic materials when working with children or cancer patients. This eliminated some products that produced excellent results just were so toxic she wouldn't even use them herself. She too worked with a dye paint that looked beautiful, but it was not paint based, non skilful for outdoors, and faded quickly. Golden Fluids, even so, were prophylactic, permanent, and were able to produce the effects that she wanted.

Planning a landscape project tin take anywhere from one calendar month to half dozen months, says Susan, depending on the project and how many people are involved. When working with school or community groups she meets with everyone involved, and this can take a while. Each project usually has a unifying theme and she needs to consider how to engage diverse age groups (she works with 3 to 100 year olds). "It is ever a challenge," says Susan, "figuring out how to engage everyone in the projection without total anarchy. Planning is an of import part of that."

Many of Susan's projects are site specific, specially the "stained drinking glass" installations which collaborate with the position of the sun and changes in seasons. She says that each time she has a new project she consults Golden's Technical Support department for any specific advice related to the site. She feels this has greatly contributed to the longevity of her projects and she encourages other artists to practice thorough enquiry before they begin painting.

GOLDEN is standing inquiry on using acrylics for outdoor mural application. Please contact u.s.a. to report your personal experiences or to contribute whatever information to this ongoing study. world wide web.goldenpaints.com

Landscape Procedure Quick Reference GuideMURAL SURFACE:Bare Wood
Cleaning – none
Priming – Knots and pitch streaks should be sanded and spot-primed.
Utilize primer coat (suitable for latex).
Painting – Utilise Aureate Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Apply isolation coat. Allow dry out thoroughly (at least 48 hours).
Apply GOLDEN MSA Varnish* or suitable culling.

Previously Painted Woods
Cleaning – Remove whatever loose material, power-wash clean.
Abrade non-waterbased coatings.
Priming – Audit knots for staining, sand and spot-prime every bit needed.
Utilize primer glaze (suitable for latex).
Painting – Apply Aureate Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Apply isolation coat. Let dry thoroughly (at least 48 hours).
Apply Aureate MSA Varnish* or suitable alternative.

Bare Masonry
Cleaning – none
Priming – Use Masonry Conditioner. Apply water-based latex primer.
Painting – Apply GOLDEN Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Apply isolation coat.
Allow dry thoroughly (at least 48 hours).
Apply Gilt MSA Varnish* or suitable alternative.

Previously Painted Masonry
Cleaning – Remove any loose material, power-launder clean.
Abrade not-waterbased coatings.
Priming – Utilize Masonry Conditioner. Employ water-based latex primer.
Painting – Apply GOLDEN Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Apply isolation glaze. Let dry thoroughly (at to the lowest degree 48 hours).
Apply GOLDEN MSA Varnish* or suitable culling.

Bare Metal
Cleaning – Remove whatever grease, dirt, solvents. Abrade surface.
Priming – Apply alkyd or latex-based primer.
Painting – Apply GOLDEN Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Apply isolation coat. Let dry thoroughly (at least 48 hours).
Utilize Gold MSA Varnish* or suitable culling.

Previously Painted Metal
Cleaning – Remove any loose material, rust, grease, dirt. Abrade surface.
Priming – Apply alkyd or latex-based primer.
Painting – Employ Gilt Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Employ isolation coat. Permit dry out thoroughly (at least 48 hours).
Apply GOLDEN MSA Varnish* or suitable alternative.

Fiberglass
Cleaning – none
Priming – 3 parts GOLDEN Acrylic Gesso to one role GAC 200
Painting – Apply Gilt Acrylic Paints to surface.
Isolation & Varnish Coatings –
Employ isolation coat. Let dry thoroughly (at least 48 hours).
Apply GOLDEN MSA Varnish* or suitable culling.
(Use Hard MSA Varnish for exterior applications.)

* For complete varnish procedures, refer to the Gilt Varnish information sheets.

GOLDEN Suggested Color Listing
for Exterior Murals

Although GOLDEN uses only the about permanent pigments available within each chemical classification, we have compiled this list of the best pigment choices for employ on an exterior mural.Application of isolation coats and MSA Varnish layers is highly recommended.

BEST PIGMENTS – The nigh stable Golden colors for exterior utilise.

Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber Lite
Carbon Blackness
Cobalt Green
Cobalt Teal
Cobalt Titanate Green
Cobalt Turquois
Graphite Gray
Mars Black
Mars Yellow
Orangish Oxide
Phthalo Blue GS
Phthalo Blue RS
Phthalo Green BS
Phthalo Green YS
Pyrrole Orange
Pyrrole Red
Pyrrole Carmine Low-cal
Raw Sienna
Raw Umber
Blood-red Oxide
Titan Buff
Titanate Yellow
Transparent Ruby Atomic number 26 Oxide
Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide
Titanium White
Violet Oxide
Xanthous Ochre
Yellow Oxide
Zinc White

Expert PIGMENTS – Stable colors,
but avoid thin layers or glazes for
minimal color shift.

Cerulean Bluish
Cerulean Blue Deep
Turquois (Phthalo)
Diarylide Yellow
Hansa Yellowish Opaque
Quinacridone Ruddy

macdowellhavercy.blogspot.com

Source: https://justpaint.org/mural-painting/

0 Response to "what varnish to use for acrylic wall murals"

Post a Comment

Iklan Atas Artikel

Iklan Tengah Artikel 1

Iklan Tengah Artikel 2

Iklan Bawah Artikel