WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN?
Navigating the “how to” of pavement murals can be overwhelming. We receive questions from all over the country about paint products, permits, designing for traffic calming, and more. So, we’ve created a landing page for the essentials, with helpful resources from our peers below. Sharing is caring!
We wish you success, inspiration and safety in your pavement mural installations. The more attention we ALL put into our surface murals, the more successful the safe streets movement will be.
Please email us for additional consulting services.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRAFFIC CALMING
HIGH CONTRAST COLORS
Crosswalk and lane separation lines are white and yellow for a reason: these colors are high contrast from the grey asphalt. Colors that are high contrast are high visibility, during nighttime and daytime! When choosing colors for your asphalt art, we recommend a “squint test” where several people squint their eyes to see if they can make out the edges of the mural. If the colors seem to fade into the ground, your colors do not have high enough contrast.
FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) was recently updated with several guidelines in favor of pavement murals. However, there are still important rules to which you must adhere. Notable rules include no words or numbers in your designs, measurements, and more.
INTERESTING FOR PEDESTRIANS
It seems intuitive to design a large pavement mural from a bird’s eye view. But, unless there’s skyscrapers in immediate view of your artwork, it’s best to design from the perspective of pedestrians and active mobility users. Create artwork that speaks to people passing by, while also boldly catching the attention of drivers behind the wheel. It’s a healthy creative challenge, we believe in you! You can do it.
TIME AND MONEY
This is a biggie! Creating art on rough, large surfaces such as old asphalt or pebbly cement can take a significantly longer time than on a recently paved road or smooooooth sidewalk. Painting detailed images on the ground, while not impossible (we do it!) takes practice and methodical planning. There is a reason that most pavement art is much simpler in scope and shape than wall murals. Be cautious of designing murals that are too detailed to be easily replicated on a rough surface, that will then eat into your labor budget. We see this misstep often.
Lastly, remember that pavement murals can be hard on the body, so creating something that can be installed swiftly and simply is best for your bodies and your pocketbook (do people still say pocketbook?).
NEIGHBORHOOD RELEVANCE
At Chalk Riot, we always start with the history of a neighborhood. What built that place? Why are people even living there today? In the United States, too many of our highways and major roads were built with the blatant intention of racial and economic segregation. To pave better paths for the future, painting artwork on top of those roads can help heal those divisions through education, artistic engagement, and authentic storytelling. You can also take inspiration from hyperlocal places of interest, flora and fauna, and more!
TYPE OF PAINT PRODUCT
If you’re using a thicker pavement coating such as ColorPave or Streetbond, it may be more challenging to capture high levels of detail. These products are about the consistency of a thick milkshake, and tiny brushes just don’t do it. However, the thinner paint products are still water-based, and operate almost identically to other acrylic latex paints. Keep in mind that the type of product will also determine what brushes and tools you’ll need on site.
SAFETY REMINDERS
DON’T ASSUME DRIVERS SEE YOU
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
SAFETY REDUNDANCY
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
FACE OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS
Design for the ground level, not for a bird’s eye view.
LIMIT DISTRACTIONS
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
STAY HYDRATED AND STRETCH
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
TAKE BREAKS
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
DO I NEED A PERMIT?
Listen, we’re not lawyers, and this part is complicated. By no means are we giving legal advice here! Every city, county and state (shoutout statehood) are going to have different laws, concerns, and requirements for allowing pavement murals. Our goal here is to offer a bare minimum answer for your consideration, and so that you can discuss possible next steps with your collaborators.
To be clear, these guidelines are for traffic-calming artwork intended to last at least a couple months. Our recommendations are very different for ephemeral, temporary works that wash away with the rain.
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You may not need a permit, but definitely permission.
Find out who manages the parking lot, and pursue them for permission. It could be the City, the County, the State, the Feds, or a private real estate company. You can usually find out who by looking at signage posted in the lot. Simply call the number listed and start asking around. Parking lot management will want to offer ample notice to their users that the area will be closed. Be courteous about the fact that a closed lot will mean a temporary loss of revenue for the owners.
For pedestrian plazas, the same suggestions apply. -
You will most likely need a permit to create a pavement mural on a closed roadway, even if it’s closed.
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You may not need a permit, but definitely permission if you intend on creating anything with a lifespan longer than a couple days. Parks typically require permits if there is vending or community activity involved where a dedicated space must be reserved.
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For private property, you probably do not need a permit unless you require a total or partial road closure that must redirect traffic. Anything that redirects traffic affects an entire local traffic flow, so the City may want to see traffic management plans and know specifics of installation dates and times. You absolutely need permission from the real estate company who manages the property.
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You will definitely need a permit. Be prepared to produce traffic management plans, diagrams and renderings of the artwork, and installation logistic specifics.
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Sis, you do you. Don’t tell them we sent you.
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Every City has different graffiti laws, and in some places, even washable sidewalk chalk in public parks is considered vandalism. While this is really an effort to tamp down on free speech (and they probably won’t care if you create washable smiley faces and hearts) we recommend knowing your rights! Local muralists and graff writers can be good resources for this kind of information.
If you want to adorn your public park with more permanent ground art, you probably don’t need a permit unless you have to close off an area while you work. It’s best to consult with your local Parks and Recreation Department.
HOW TO CLEAN THE PAVEMENT
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To determine how much you really need to clean the surface, you’ll first need to examine the pavement without anything on top of it. Make every effort to sweep leaves, branches, dust, litter, or dead rats (sorry) OFF and away from the ground. A deck broom and a high-power leaf blower are useful tools. After that, you can pour some water via a bucket or hose over the surface. After it dries, look for grease spots.
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There’s some instructions on how to degrease HERE. Grease spots, created by oil leaks from vehicles, are identifiable because they are a darker color than the asphalt. Sometimes after sweeping, you’ll notice that dust sticks to the grease spots but not the surrounding pavement. Any driveway degreasing agent will do, but we like to recommend Simple Green and Purple Power for their water-safe qualities.
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Depending on your budget and labor capabilities, you can hire this task out to a contractor or do it yourself. A hired contractor will have a portable water tank and appropriate brush hose attachments for thorough cleaning. You can also rent pressure washing equipment, or see if a local tool lending library has what you need.
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A very common mistake that mural teams make is not blocking your newly cleaned pavement from vehicular traffic prior to painting. Once your surfaces are clean, you need to ensure they stay clean right up to the moment when you begin painting. Otherwise, all your time, energy and money spent pressure washing is basically pointless!
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Even when you do your best at protecting your recently cleaned pavement, sh*t happens! For instance, a rainstorm could wash debris down the gutter and into your curb extensions, or a car ignores the cones and drives over your area anyways (…yup). So, just in case, keep your spot degreasing tools and broom handy on your first day of painting.
HOW TO APPLY YOUR DESIGN TO THE GROUND
CHALK
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Be warned against “chalk paint”, it’s not as washable as it is often marketed to be.
TAPE
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
SPRAYPAINT
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
TEMPERA PAINT OR HOUSE PAINT
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
HOW TO TRANSFER YOUR DESIGN FROM
PAPER OR SCREEN TO THE PAVEMENT
WING IT
Just flow, sis. If you’re a muralist used to working at a large scale, you’ve got this. And use the preexisting infrastructure as your guide. When drawing your design, include elements like fire hydrants, manhole covers, sidewalk separation cracks, drains, crosswalk stripes, in your renderings, and you can use them as reference on the ground.
STENCILS
Stencils are great for community participation and repeated patterns. They can increase efficiency for layout, but take ample preparation pre-installation. Ensure you use a material that will maintain its rigidity and sharp edge after multiple uses of paint, such as plastic or MDF board. If you are applying your stencil image with a dry media like chalk or a paint pen, you don’t need to worry so much and could use cardboard, poster board, or Ram board.
PAINTBRUSH ON A STICK
Chelsea is basically an evangelist of this system. Save your back, save your life!!
GRID SYSTEM
doodle grid or traditional
TYPES OF COATINGS LISTED IN ORDER OF DURABILITY / LONGEVITY
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
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“MADE YOU LOOK” TOOLKIT
THE NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN CENTER
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
BEST PRACTICES GUIDE
DC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE
BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
THE PAVEMENT PLAYBOOK
TOOLE DESIGN
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creativ