How to Paint a Mural on a Barn
- 1). Seek permission. Some communities classify outdoor murals on barns the same as "outdoor advertising" and strictly control them in terms of size and images. Prepare a sketch of your proposed mural and then have a local zoning official approve it. Seek the "blessings" of any neighbors whose property may face your barn, too.
- 2). Prepare an outline of your mural design, drawn on a sheet of graph paper. Establish a scale: one or more graph paper squares will be equal one or more square feet in real life.
- 3). Clean the wall and sand or fill any really rough spots. Prime the wall with a high quality, flat latex exterior primer. A light colored primer in white, crème, or light gray is best.
- 4). Transfer the grid lines to the barn wall. Mark off the exact number of squares, both vertically and horizontally, that appear on your "gridded" design. Follow these measurements precisely: a mistake now will skew the final mural. Create the lines using a chalk "snap" line. Use a dark-colored chalk and make sure each chalk line is clear and visible. Cover the snap lines with plastic tarp sections to prevent lines from being washed away too soon.
- 5). Transfer the design to the wall. Use large sticks of black sidewalk chalk to draw your design outline on the wall. Transfer the outline of your design from one corner grid square on the paper. For example, draw what is in the left-hand, upper corner of your grid design onto the corresponding grid square on the barn wall. Stand back from the wall frequently to check your work and make adjustments in outlines if needed.
- 6). Permanently establish the outlines. Once you are sure your chalk outline is correct, make it permanent using a brush with latex paint or a can of spray paint with the nozzle set narrow. Use paint that is close to the primer color to make the outlines less visible from a distance.
- 7). Begin filling in the outlines with color. Work left-to-right if you are right-handed and right-to-left if you are left-handed to avoid smudging your work. Use latex paint: it "breathes" and resists cracking and peeling better than oil paint. Cover lower "finished" areas with plastic or tarps to protect against drips from work higher up on the wall.
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