I wanted to share some mural category basics. This is usually one of my first questions when doing a mural consultation. It's really helpful when we can start from one of these points (or a combination) and jump off from there.
Logo or Sign Mural
A logo mural is usually a company logo that can either be painted on a wall or can sometimes be built on a separate substrate (usually mdf, or wood) and hand cut out to be hung or installed wherever the client likes. Hand cut signs will cost a little bit more than a painted mural but the client will then have the option to move their sign around in the future.
I don't mind painting a client's existing logo but not all logo designs that were created for print or internet media necessarily translate to a mural. The logo's detail might be too complex or involve too many color gradients, in which case designing a version of the brand's identity specifically for painting may be encouraged. These examples range from ones clients provided me, logos I designed, or logos turned from a raster file to a vectored version which is my preferred style of painting.
Redraw
The original design was provided to me as a raster file where the couch cushions had a lot of shading. I then redrew the design from scratch as a vectored illustrator file. Meaning the new design would be easier to paint as well as for screen printing.
Logo Design
Given very specif prompts from the client. I rarely get to flex the logo deign muscle. But it was really fun and right up my alley.
Painted Clean
Client provided their logo and I was happy to paint it for them.
Directional Mural
Directional murals provide guidance and information to people. These visual cues could include arrows or maps in order to help people navigate through public spaces such as hospitals, restaurants, airports, and shopping centers to name a few. These strategically placed murals help provide concise directions for visitors and can be designed in many different styles to fit the needs of a space.
I would love to do more directional murals with a larger main mural for a restaurant or other business. Having directionals that are designed in conjunction with a larger mural or overall theme allows the directional murals to be the icing on the cake that truly makes a space cohesive.
Abstract Mural
An abstract mural utilizes color, shape and texture to create a composition that is open to interpretation. Abstract murals don't typically depict recognizable figures and objects, but instead may utilise geometric and organic shapes. Rad 80's patterns as well as art deco designs could be considered abstract murals.
I love abstract patterns, especially ones easily recognizable from different decades. 60's psychedelics, 50's mod starbursts, 80's squiggles etc. In a future post I'll be putting together a sort of "murals by decades" guide in order to point out design elements by decade.
Figurative Mural
Conversely a figurative mural may depict everyday scenes, people, animals, buildings, i.e., easily recognizable objects. They can be stylized in different ways as long as they are discernible.
I prefer to combine both abstract and figurative themes in my murals. I want my murals to have recognizable elements but convey a mood more than a story.
Faux Finish and Trompe L'oeil Murals
These types of murals are incredibly detailed and really not my specialty but important to know about. Faux Finishes mimic another material or texture such as wood or marble. Experts practice faux finishes for years before they are able to accurately fool someone's eye. I've learned a few texturing techniques but am no master. Here's an example textured concrete.
In a similarly deceptive fashion, Trompe L'oeil (literally translates as "deceive the eye") are murals that feature architectural elements done in a photorealistic way, designed to trick the viewer into thinking the images are three-dimensional when they are not.
I loved this style as a kid so much that my very first outdoor mural has a trompe l'oeil influence. Despite being in a non photorealistic style the figure appears to float in a three-dimensional room.
I hope this helped explain a few of the different categories of murals. Leave a comment if I've forgotten any! See ya next time!