Painting a Christmas window mural
I had the pleasure of working on a hand-painted winter window mural in Brooklyn, New York, for Volare, an Italian coffee shop. Our goal was to create a design that would not only suit the Christmas season but also have enough appeal to last until the weather warmed up, allowing me to paint again without needing so many layers of clothing.
We decided on a theme featuring polar bears. Jenny, the café's owner, is fantastic and very open to ideas. Besides some basic guidelines, like avoiding blocking too much light, she gives me complete creative control. Window murals are much quicker to create than interior or exterior murals. While the latter are designed to last for years, window murals typically change seasonally or even monthly and are more experimental, quicker, and offered at a lower price point.
Equipped with my thermals, gloves, and hat, I set out to paint two polar bears sharing a cup of coffee. I enjoy creating animal art, especially since the neighborhood is full of kids who really engage with these designs. Painting on windows allows for significant interaction with the public, and I have found that working in Park Slope has been a truly enjoyable experience.
A process shot from the project, I’m Volare’s local window mural artist!
I brought a sweeping brush to get those fluffy layers down quickly, painting mainly with interior paint tester pots, and minimal prep (just a plastic sheet on the floor). I have a couple of reference images printed out and spend much of the day taking a few steps back to get an idea how it's coming together, before adding more layers of paint.
Part way through the day, Sean (who also runs Volare) popped out, I'd painted blue and red scarfs and hats, and he asked: what about green and red? The cafe is Italian-themed themed and with the white bears the colours would make the Italian flag. I immediately knew this was a better idea, and quickly switched the blue for green.
Eventually, the bears came to life; a local girl even called them Blueberry and Poncho. I added some snowflakes and the piece was done. The client left a five-star review.
Me while painting the window mural
These murals last a long time and are resistant to weather. Removing them is quite hard work and the best method I have found so far is a razor blade and a spray bottle of acetate (nail varnish remover). You need to hold the razor blade at an angle and keep everything wet so as not to scratch the window. In the case, the owners kindly have their staff clean the window so I can focus on painting.
Hand-painted window mural art
