22 Dec Freelance Mural Painters- Richard Bagguley
Mural projects are always more exciting than working on faux finishes but not always as
financially rewarding. Most murals involve a lot of detail work, which takes time but if you want
to achieve a realistic quality to your work the best mural artists pay attention to the detail.
There are of course methods of achieving the results quickly for example scenic artists learn to
paint quickly with the aim to paint scenes which look realistic from a distance but close up they
lack detail and do not stand up to scrutiny.
Most of the exterior wall murals in London are painted by graffiti artists which require another
skill-set: the use of spray cans and blending techniques which can get great results fairly
quickly.
Working on commissions as a muralist and decorative artist can be a balancing act. When and
what would be best for any particular space within the budget, very often the client wants
something a little bit special after all that is why they have gone to the trouble of commissioning
a mural painter in the first place.
On one large commission, we had exhausted all the usual faux finishes, painted the grand dining
room mural with trompe l’oeil panels, and had applied over a linear kilometer of gold leaf to all
the ceiling moldings.
When it came to the small gym with one wall lined with mirrors the client said ‘I want you to do something special on that wall opposing the mirrors so it can be reflected.
There happened to be a red cloth draped over the exercise bars, ah I thought and spent the
In the next hour or so trying to get an action photo of the fabric in motion to use as a reference.
This was a great solution to invest 10 hours in something that was original and brought
character to the room little did I know that an interior designer who visited the house would ask
me to do something similar 7 years later in another wealthy client’s house.
The original red cloth hanging on the metal bars with my painted mural reflected in the mirrors
with the red fabric appearing to float.
A mural of fabric appearing to be caught up in the wind and blowing across the room is in
colors which complement the rooms color scheme and bring a sense of fun and action without
interrupting the harmony of the room.
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