In Hamilton, Ontario we completed two projects called RAICES:  The
Roots of  our Community Mural Project.  In total we designed and
completed 9 large scale outdoor murals.  After living and breathing
murals for two years as the project coordinator - here are some
thoughts....

1.  Paint - use the best you can afford - but after much
research into car paints, etc. we found that good exterior latex
house paint  in base colours worked well.  For detail work, we often mixed artist
quality acrylics with the latex to "punch" up the colours.  Work with
one paint store - it really cut down on having to continually explain
what we were doing and we got good advice.

2.  Prime before you paint - this is very important.  Using coloured
paint on dark brick will produce some very stranges hues.

3.  ARe you working directly on the wall - be careful about the
quality of the surface - bits of loose brick, morter etc is what
causes paint to chip etc.  In the end - we painted on 4X 8 panels and
installed the panels onto the wall.  But also be careful - you must
use  good quality, water resistant plywood ( we used a product called
crezon).  It gave a clean, even surface to work from once it was
sanded and primed.

4.  Projecting the pictures on the wall is exactly what we did - make
sure your linear is to scale - we always did two projections - the
first to block in base colours, and the second to add details.

5.  We used a product called "graffitti block"  to coat the murals.
Since 1995 when the first mural went up we have only had one instance
of graffitti - while it still wasn't that easy to clean off - the
graffiti block seems to be helping the colours stay fast.

6.  I could probably go on and on with general advice - remember what
worked for us may not for you depending on your climate.  If you
would like more information on this project you could get a mural
tour brochure from the Hamilton ARts Council at [log in to unmask]
-I am now working for the University of Alberta in Edmonton - but if
you would like more details, feel free to contact me at
[log in to unmask]

Best of luck with your project - it sounds wonderful!

Lisa Barty
Education Coordinator
Museums and Collections Services
University of Alberta
------------------------------------------
Lisa Barty
Education Coordinator
Museums and Collections Services

University of Alberta
Ring House #1, Edmonton, AB  T6G 2E2
phone: (403)492-6271  fax: (403)492-6185
email: [log in to unmask]