Colors on Walls: How Artists Paint Giant Murals
Have you ever walked past a giant painting on the side of a building? Maybe it showed a bright garden, a smiling face, or a swooping bird as tall as your house! That big painting is called a mural. One of the most famous mural-covered places in the United States is Philadelphia — it has over 4,000 murals painted right on city walls!
What You'll Learn
By the end of this lesson you will: • Know what a mural is and where you might find one • Understand how mural artists plan and paint a giant picture • Learn what different colors can make us feel • Make your own mini-mural design
What Is a Mural?
A mural is a very big painting made on a wall, ceiling, or floor. Murals can be inside buildings or outside on city streets. Murals tell stories. Some show the history of a neighborhood. Some show animals, plants, or people. Some are just beautiful shapes and colors. The word "mural" comes from the Latin word "murus," which means WALL. The artist Diego Rivera painted huge murals inside Mexico City's National Palace that show 400 years of Mexican history — all in one giant painting!
The oldest murals ever found are cave paintings in Indonesia that are more than 45,000 years old! Early humans painted animals on cave walls using crushed rocks and mud for color. People have always loved painting on walls.
How Do Artists Make a Giant Mural?
Making a mural is like solving a giant puzzle. Here are the steps: 1. PLAN IT: The artist first draws a small picture on paper. This is called a sketch. The sketch shows what the mural will look like. 2. GRID IT: Artists draw a grid — a pattern of squares — over their sketch. Then they draw a BIGGER grid on the wall. Each small square on paper matches one big square on the wall. This helps them copy the design much larger! 3. PAINT IT: Artists use special outdoor paint. They start with the background colors first, then add details on top. 4. SEAL IT: When the mural is done, artists spray a clear coat on top to protect it from rain and sun so it lasts for many years.
Colors and How They Make Us Feel
Artists choose colors very carefully in their murals because colors have feelings! WARM COLORS (red, orange, yellow) make us feel excited, happy, or energetic. Think of a bright sunny morning. COOL COLORS (blue, green, purple) make us feel calm, peaceful, or restful. Think of the ocean or a quiet forest. BRIGHT colors grab our attention right away. SOFT colors feel gentle and quiet. When you look at a mural, the colors are telling you how to feel!
Match each color to the feeling it often gives us.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
An artist wants to paint a mural of a peaceful garden where people can sit and rest. Which colors should she use MOST?
Famous Murals Around the World
WYNWOOD WALLS in Miami, USA: An outdoor art museum made entirely of giant murals on old warehouse walls. Artists from over 50 countries have painted here! SISTINE CHAPEL in Vatican City: Michelangelo painted the entire ceiling — about 5,000 square feet — between 1508 and 1512. He painted lying on his back on tall scaffolding for four years! LOS ANGELES, USA: Has more public murals than any other city in the world — over 2,000 murals covering buildings across the city.
What is the FIRST step an artist takes when planning a mural?
Design Your Own Mini-Mural
1. Think of a place you love — your backyard, a park, your bedroom, or your school. 2. On a piece of paper, draw a rectangle about the size of your hand. This is your "wall." 3. Draw a picture inside the rectangle that tells something about that place. Try to include at least 3 things you might see there. 4. Color your mural using colors that match the FEELING you want. Want it to feel calm? Use cool colors. Happy and energetic? Use warm colors! 5. Write one sentence at the bottom explaining what your mural shows and why you picked those colors.
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