How to Become a Muralist?

The worlds’ most celebrated wall mural, Sistine Chapel painted by Michaelangloe took 4 years to complete! Don’t you reckon that the world and life, in general, would have been so boring if we didn’t have beautiful sceneries and art around us? Muralists are artists who create admirable art on ceilings and walls to transform a space. Muralists are highly skilled freelancers who can earn up to INR 30,000 to INR 50,000 per assignment! 

Who is a Muralist?

Muralists are considered artists who paint fine arts on large surfaces like walls, ceilings or large canvases that hold the potential of conveying stories and emotions through their art pieces. Ancient warrior history depicting art on a wall or other historic pieces of art in hotels or chapels are created and maintained by muralists. For example, cave paintings at La Marche in Lussac-Les- Châteaux or the modern streets in New York City and Philadelphia are some examples of the art that muralists create. People hire muralists to design their house interiors as murals make the room look big and spacious. Muralists are often called street artists who make graffiti and aerosols on the walls along the streets which attracts a lot of youngsters and inspires creativity amongst them.

Must Read: How to Make a Career in Visual Arts?

Roles and Responsibilities of a Muralist

• They work on the latest trends and design patterns to offer customer satisfaction;
• Raise political, cultural and social issues through their art;
• Use of techniques like sketching, marbling, computer imaging, graining wood, etc in the making of their murals;
• Maintaining contacts with their clients and adhering to their specific requirements;
• Maintaining a portfolio of their previous work for inspirations and handbooks of the upcoming projects;
• Have excellent artistic skills with complete knowledge of color mixing and its application.

How to Become a Muralist?

The first step of becoming a muralist is to get academic qualifications to strengthen your knowledge about the intricacies of the art and most importantly gain a creative and artistic hand. Getting a degree or a diploma gives you an upper hand in the competition. 

Eligibility Criteria and Admission Requirements

• GRE Scores(subject to country)
• Statement of Purpose
• Two letter of recommendations
• Resume(CV) and a portfolio of previous work
• Admission Essays
• English Proficiency tests and scores: Minimum 6.5 in IELTS, min 90 in TOEFL, min 61 in PTE.

Must Read: What to do After Art with Maths Courses?

Popular Courses for Muralists

To become a muralist, students can get a degree or a diploma in fine arts. Many colleges, in both India and abroad offer bachelor’s and master’s courses in fine arts. 

• BA Drawing and Painting
• BA Fine Arts
• BA(Hons) Fine Arts 
• BA Lalit Kala
• BA Visual Arts
• B.F.A. Applied Arts
• B.F.A. Digital Graphics Technology
• B.F.A. Drawing and Painting
• B.F.A. Graphics
• B.F.A.History and Arts
• B.F.A. Mural
• B.F.A. Painting
• B.F.A. Interior Design 
• B.F.A Photography
• B.F.A  Sculpture
• B.P.A. Performing Arts
• MA Art of Central Asia
• MA Fine Arts
• MA Indian Art
• MA Sculpture
• MA Painting Applied Art Sculpture and many more

Must Read: Fine Art Courses for Creative Heads

Top Colleges in the World

University	QS World University Rankings 2021
Royal College of Art, UK	1
University of the Arts, UK	2
The New School, US	3
Rhode Island School of Design, US	4
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US	5
Politecnico di Milano, Italy	6
Aalto University, Finland	7
Glasgow School of Art, UK	8
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, US	9
Pratt Institute, US	10

Top Colleges in India

• Faculty Of Visual Arts, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Faculty Of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University Of Baroda, Vadodara
• College Of Art, New Delhi
• Sir J J College Of Applied Art, Mumbai
• Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture And Fine Arts University, Hyderabad
• College Of Fine Arts, Trivandrum
• Faculty Of Fine Arts, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
• College Of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore
• Government College Of Fine Arts, Chennai
• Department Of Fine Arts, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi

Salary Structure of a Muralist

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Muralists annual salary ranges from $ 29, 250 (INR 21,55, 447.13) to $99, 140 (73, 05, 676.17) and on an hourly basis, it starts from 14 dollars/hour (1, 031.67) to 48 dollars/hour (3, 537.14). These salaries vary from a muralist to another. The location and country also play a major role in fluctuating the prices charged by the muralists. Muralists who are experienced and have worked to gain a reputation over the years, tend to charge a much higher wage than the ones who’ve just joined the business.

Career Scope

Self-employed muralists are the most common way of employment. The muralists working on their own aim at spreading a word of mouth among their own network and grow from there. There is increasing competition amongst both hired and self-employed muralists in the recent and coming years. But it all boils down to who is the most talented out of the lot. Museums, hotels, hospitals, etc give the muralists opportunities to demonstrate their work which in return helps them to get better jobs in the future.

Must Read: Most Famous and Competitive Art Schools in the World

Planning to pursue a career as a muralist? Shortlist the best country and courses for yourself with the help of our Leverage Edu expert and kickstart your career as an artist!