SOUTHEAST - SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA

Steps to Ordering a Mural

1) Before ordering a mural, look at images that you feel will enhance the enjoyment of the space you are working in. Ask yourself what thoughts or feelings do you want the mural to convey? Look at your budget and my price chart to come up with an idea of how much detail and the size your budget will allow. I will be happy to work with you and explain more in depth about what makes some murals more expensive than others.

2) If you are an institution like a school, hospital, or retirement home, you will probably be applying for a grant which can take a year or even two years to be approved. Grants typically have rules the artist has to follow such as a time limit the artist has to complete the work or what needs to be in the mural. Before applying for a grant it would be good to talk it over with me so I can let you know what rules or time frame will be realistic in the accomplishment of the mural. I have worked in schools, doctor’s offices, retirement homes, businesses, a hospital, and other situations where there was high pedestrian traffic. Those situations also require a fairly quick completion of the work so that there is less interruption of normal traffic flow.

3) Once you have completed those steps, we can sit down and iron out the details. If it’s a mural over 14 feet high, it might require a boom lift for a couple of days. The client is responsible for the cost of the boom lift or bucket lift rental. Work on outdoor murals is subject to the weather so that will need to be taken into account if there is a deadline. The client will need to decide whether to give a final clear coat after the mural is completed and it is also their responsibility to have this done. Outdoor murals tend not to last very long without a clear coating simply due to sun and rain. Even with a coating they aren’t expected to last more than 10 years before needing a good repair. Conservation work should be budgeted for the future if the client wants the mural to be maintained. Areas where there is high amounts of graffiti or vandalism will require a more expensive anti-graffiti coating.

4) Once all of the above details are ironed out, the client signs a contract with me and lets me know when to begin. An advance is paid which is 1/2 the total cost. I buy the paint and begin work. If the client requires very specialized paints (i.e. glow in the dark, metallic, textured, etc.) I will request a sum in advance for that paint also. For institutions working under grants the advance is occasionally waived unless the paint is a high cost.

5) The client is allowed to request changes and additions while I am painting but if there are more than 5 changes there will be fees. This rarely happens but is in place in case the time frame for completion of the mural is suddenly lengthened due to too many changes. Once the painting is completed, the client pays the rest owed to the artist.