There are numerous options for delivering exterior murals and Future Day has experience with several of them. There are pros and cons with the various materials and approaches for production. An important consideration is that whatever is selected will withstand our Canadian weather conditions for decades.
We have recently been experimenting with a new and exciting option, Polytab Mural Fabric which is one of the materials described in the following paragraphs.
It should be noted that all options have common requirements for priming the substrate, using appropriate exterior paints to last outside for many years, and then a coating/sealant can be applied once completed to protect the artwork.
Options for Producing Art on Exterior Walls
1. Paint directly on concrete or brick
This is the most common approach to producing mural art.
| Materials | Pro’s | Con’s |
| Primer, Paint, Sealer, Scaffolding, etc. | Lasts for many decades No danger of materials breaking, deteriorating or falling on pedestrians No seams | More challenging for artists to paint onsite Artwork cannot be moved |
2. Create Art on Wood Panels and secure to Wall
| Materials | Pro’s | Con’s |
| Crezon Plywood panels (sign boards), primer, paint, sealer | Artists can produce artwork offsite Artwork could be uninstalled and moved elsewhere in future | Plywood, regardless of how much it is treated will warp over time. This approach will have the least longevity Will have seams unless the standard size panels (usually 4’x8′) match the size of the planned artwork |
3. Paint on Aluminum Composite Panels and Attach to Wall
| Materials | Pro’s | Con’s |
| ACM (Aluminum Composite Material) Panels, primer, paint, sealer | Artists can produce the artwork offsite and then install Artwork could potentially be uninstalled and moved elsewhere Will not warp or deteriorate like plywood Can produce creative cuts and shapes | More expensive option Outsource cutting May require seams for larger artwork (panels typically 4×8 or 3×6) |
4. Produce Artwork on Polytab Mural Fabric and adhere to Wall
Polytab is a non-woven fabric, also known as parachute cloth. The material is much lighter than canvas but very tough, and can take on the form of the substrate it is being applied to. It is available in 60” (5’) widths in long rolls. It is typically primed prior to painting. Designs can also be ghost printed onto the material prior to painting, if desired.
| Materials | Pro’s | Con’s |
| Polytab fabric from QST, Primer, Paints and Novagel | A major innovation in mural production, produce on lightweight material Ghostprinting for design can make mural production much faster Artists can produce off site and then install | Artwork cannot be easily moved once affixed to the wall |
Many very large exterior murals, particularly in the US, are being produced using this material and then attached to walls afterwards which allows artists to produce their mural paintings off site and then affix to many different types of surfaces. Nova Gel is used to adhere it to the wall.
Polytab Mural Samples
(Note these samples of murals produced on Polytab and adhered to exterior brick walls were supplied by QST, the US manufacturer of Polytab)
5. Print high definition images on Vinyl and affix to wall
This solution has been used by some artists to produce graphic images of their artwork for large murals; however, they are not painted. It is a relatively expensive option.