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I'm about to paint a mural on a school playground wall. the wall is brick and has already been primed. I drew a sketch on paper and am considering the grids technique. I need to know how to outline the grids and the drawing itself...do I use chalk? charcoal? pencil? how do I rub off mistakes?? then, what paint should I use? should I buy all colors or mix- will I be able to make them again if I manually mix them?

where do I start?

where to buy brushes and what kind? where to buy paint??

Thank you for any help!!!

Owen Carne
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  • Grids work (I've done it for simple things, and I can't draw a straight line without computer assistance). Another alternative, if you have the right conditions, is to project the reference image and trace from that; I've been surprisingly successful at turning pictures into pencil sketches that way, using the projection to guide both outlines and shading. – keshlam Dec 19 '14 at 14:07

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I would avoid using chalk or charcoal for laying out the grid and/or sketch lines as it could cause finish-coat adhesion problems. Assuming this is a large scale project I would use a carpenter's pencil (hardware store) to lightly mark the grid and to sketch your design; no need to rub off as the paint will cover over the pencil marks.

Don't draw solid grid lines, use a straight piece of lumber and draw intermittent marks for the grid.

As for paint, it depends. Pre-tinted exterior house paint might be a good idea if large areas of the design are a single color (they can be duplicated with fair accuracy). If the design is intricate with many hues required then it would probably be more economical to purchase smaller containers of acrylic paint (art/hobby supply store) and mix them yourself (colors will not be easily duplicated though).

Large area brushes: hardware store, and do not skimp on the quality; good brushes= good coverage and finish.

Intricate design brushes: art/hobby supply store.

Jimmy Fix-it
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