Updated January 20, 2008       Français

All About Collaborative Mural Painting Workshops

The workshop plans and executes a monumental collaborative painting (mural) over three days.
The scale of a mural fosters great freedom of expression and artistic accomplishment within the context of cooperation and compromise.


Mural created at École Poupore, Fort Coulonge, Quebec - Carnaval in Brazil - 20 metres by 3 metres
** École Poupore won the Essor regional 2nd Grand Prize for this project **

Workshop Leader Marcio Melo in front of Mural at Onslow School, Quyon, Quebec

Why Collaborative Murals?
I've worked on over one hundred murals of a collaborative nature in the past few years. Even though I define myself as a painter and generally work on my own, whenever I had the opportunity to share a painting space with other people, this proved to be a very positive experience.
My artistic approach is derived from these experiences and allows the participants to come in contact and discuss the fundamental elements of painting (colour, harmony, composition, balance) and its stages (when is a painting finished?) while working together. My intention is not to show them how to paint, neither does it focus on technique or style, but is rather meant to encourage personal expression and creativity.

The workshop is divided into stages:

From this project, they will learn the dynamics of working as a team, emphasized through participation. They will gain feelings of respect for their achievements and will witness the strength of a group creation.

 

What Happens During the Workshop?

Prior to my arrival, the theme is decided according to local interests. Participants research elements relating to the theme.

The Workshop should be planned on three consecutive days, each day consists of three or four working hours.

The first day looks at collaboration (boundaries - keeping or crossing them) and painting (balance, colour, composition), especially as it relates to monumental works (seen from a distance). Drawing exercises on a small scale practice collaboration. Exercises are analyzed. The mural is prepared.

The second day the mural is painted. Discussion continues on the elements of painting, collaboration and introduces the art of compromise (individual versus group identity).

The third day we discuss, "Is it finished?". After analysis of the elements of a monument, the group decides, and finishes if necessary.

What Kind of Group is Suitable?
I have conducted Collaborative Murals with a wide variety of participants. The formal Workshops I have conducted have been with elementary and secondary schools (ages 6 to 18), but I have done Collaborative Murals with a mixture of participants including toddlers and their grandparents. All of the murals have been artistic and team building triumphs. I find that older participants are more focused and easier for me to work with, but the younger ones have a naiveté and spontaneity that is delightful. I would welcome the opportunity to do workshops with adults, and I feel that they would probably have the most to gain from the Workshop's principles.
An ideal number of participants is sixteen, although I have done Workshops with as few as six and as many as one hundred.

Where can the mural go?
Ideally, an indoor wall large enough and accessible for all participants to work, generally about 2 metres high to 3-6 metres wide. The mural can also be done on plywood (of similar dimensions), created on the ground (lying flat or standing against a wall), and installed later (up high to avoid vandalism, or just to have the large space).

What Materials are Required?

Day 1 - For the Exercises

1. To develop collaboration skills

Provided by me

- white paper, 50 cm by 75 cm or larger, of a medium or heavier weight (20 LB or more - i.e. not newsprint).

Provided by the school

- coloured markers (primary colours + black), of varying widths (fine - highlighter width).

2. To develop colour interaction and boundary skills

Provided by me

- painted cardboard (approx 30" by 36") painted in blocks of solid colours joining to cover the entire surface.

Provided by the school

- finger-paints or tempera of a thick consistency (not runny), primary colours + black and white

- brushes (a good quantity of various sizes, more medium and small than large)

- plastic containers for water (1 litre yogurt containers are ideal), 2 each per painter

- palettes for paint (Styrofoam plates or clean Styrofoam containers from under fruits, vegetables or meat are ideal)

- knives to distribute paint

- rags, paper towels or other similar things for cleaning and cleanup

- participants should wear appropriate clothing (i.e. old, coveralls, etc.) that doesn't matter if it gets paint on it


Days 2 and 3 - for the Mural

Provided by me

- Acrylic paint (student or basic quality is fine). Primary colours + black and white (more black and white than the other colours). We find that a set of six 8 oz (250 ml) tubes should do an 2 × 3 metre surface. Larger jars will be more economical, and it is better to have extra than to be short.


Provided by the school

- Surface to be painted (wall, plywood, canvas, etc.) primed with white paint ( 2 coats of mat white latex - a glossy wall should be sanded lightly before being primed. If the surface is already a light colour, it may not need priming).- Masking tape (one roll each of 1/2" and 2")

- masking tape - a roll each of 1/2 inch and 2 inch

- brushes (a good quantity of various sizes, more medium and small than large)

- plastic containers for water (1 litre yogurt containers are ideal), 2 each per painter

- palettes for paint (Styrofoam plates or clean Styrofoam containers from under fruits, vegetables or meat are ideal)

- rags, paper towels or other similar things for cleaning and cleanup

- participants should wear appropriate clothing (i.e. old, coveralls, etc.) that doesn't matter if it gets paint on it.

What happens after the mural is complete?
In addition to creating a visual experience which lifts up the spirit of the environment, the mural also can strengthen identity and values. Some schools have used details of the mural, or the results of the exercises as a means of raising funds. Cards or calendars can be made and sold, and some of the exercise results have been framed and sold or presented at events.

Email: art@marciomelo.com

Results of Collaborative Mural Workshops

MarcioMelos.blogspot.com

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