WORK WITH ME
Commissioning an eye-catching piece of custom art has the power to transform a space and elevate your brand.
Services
Other Services & Products
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High-visibility outdoor displays
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Custom art for vinyl reproduction
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Pet portraits
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Custom 3-D art objects
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Mixed media installations (incorporating wood, metal, plastic, etc.)
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Hand-painted signs
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Public engagement components
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Facilitated community art projects
The Community and
Economic Development
benefits of murals
How I Work
I believe all humans are innately creative and that collaboration with other humans leads to better outcomes, so my process makes it easy for clients to participate in driving the creativity.
My Collaborative
Design Process
1-Consultation
In person, on the phone or via Zoom, this free consultation is a chance to talk about provides me with an understanding of the scope of the project, the target demographics, the brand or story you want to communicate, your timeline, and budget. Once you decide you want to move forward with hiring me, I collect a design fee (~$1500) to start developing designs and mockups. This fee is applied to the overall project budget.
2-DEVELOP A DESIGN
Once we have the project parameters nailed down, I’ll begin designing by brainstorming a collection of ideas, symbols, motifs, and color palettes for the composition. I grab a lot of screenshots from diverse cultures, sectors and eras and then start plugging them into my laptop and I Pad. I use Photoshop to build these digital collages and I use ProCreate to hand draw elements. My designs are often place-based, incorporating the science of visual stimuli, perspectival space, color, and composition to grab attention. I also like to throw cerebral curve-balls by juxtaposing styles and symbols, and incorporating spatial illusions when appropriate.
3-DESIGN REVIEW
I'll generate 5-10 unique mockups of varying detail with the goal of better understanding what tastes the client has and what budget range is appropriate. Upon sharing the mockups with the client, we’ll talk through what elements work (and which don’t), color, any special install logistics, and budget vs. details take the feedback and make design revisions.
4-FINALIZE DESIGN
I’ll generate a second round of mockups and sometimes a third; my goal is to deliver a design concept that meets or exceeds the clients expectations.
5-INSTALLATION
For most murals, I’ll clean and/or pressure wash the wall before I prime. I use high quality acrylic latex (house paint) with some aerosol. For some vehicle and custom projects, I’ll use a oil, alkyd and two-part resin paints. I apply the paint using brushes, rollers, paint pens, stencils, aerosol, airless and HVLP paint sprayers. For exterior and sunlit interior murals, I recommend applying a UV protectant/Anti-Graffiti matte clear coat.
6-PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Art has a unique power to captivate and educate people. If your project goals include public engagement, education or community outreach, I’d love to help design engagement elements into the design and installation process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost?
There are many factors that influence the price of a mural.. Design time, design complexity, logistics for installation, wall (or canvas) size are the major considerations for pricing a mural. If you have a budget, I can usually design to that number. Generally, murals cost between $10-$50/sq ft. Commissioned studio paintings are usually between $2-5/sq in. Custom projects and art installations get a custom price.
What surfaces can you paint?
I can paint on most surfaces, including brick, masonry, concrete, wood, siding, garage doors, metal, fiberglass tent canopies, window glass, furniture, etc. For tricky surfaces, I enlist oil, alkyd and 2 part resin coatings.
How long do murals last?
Murals last as long as the substrate they are painted on, but some surfaces are better than others for longevity. Over time, the paint may fade a bit- some colors more than others- but I consider this part of the patina as long as the paint is holding together. Generally murals can last 15-25 years or longer.
Do you worry about graffiti?
Murals function as a graffiti deterrent generally, since there are usually plenty of other blank walls around that are preferable to taggers. There is an unspoken ethic on the streets that you don't paint over others art. If a mural site is in a potential graffiti zone, I design them to break up the space so taggers don't have a clean background to work on. That being said, I've only had two out of my dozens of murals tagged. Luckily, there are products that can seal a mural and make cleaning off graffiti much easier and I always use these when appropriate.
