MURAL TIP #8 | Should You Paint a Mural for FREE?

One question I hear a lot from artists that are just starting to get into muraling is if they should paint for free to get some experience. Great question in a time when artists are wanting to prove their worth. And artists sometimes have strong opinions on this, but here’s my stance: I don’t think it matters either way! AS LONG AS you have the time to do something for free and really want to.

Why I did a free mural…

If you do create and paint a mural for someone, ya gotta have a good reason. However, that could be so many different things. For instance, they are a non-profit you really believe in (think of it as a donation), or they are you parents and you’re doing it as a thank you, or you’re at your friend’s house just for fun because you had a few glasses of wine, or you really want photos of a mural for your portfolio, so you’re just gonna bite the bullet and do one for free!

All totally fine. I did a free mural once and it was because: I admired the guy’s podcast and appreciated all the free content he gave out. At that time, I was a podcaster and wanted to show my appreciation for his free course on starting a podcast (which funny enough, is now a paid course) in a way that I could do “for free.” Here’s how it turned out, BTW…

What to understand about doing a free mural

First, and also unfortunate for my buying of fancy lattes, nothing is ever “free.” You’ll be using those valuable time and resources of yours, and hey, murals are a big endeavor! Don’t forget that!

Second, if you do a free mural, the recipient doesn’t owe ya a darn thing. Got it? Think of it like giving a compliment. You know the worst compliments are when the person is just waiting to hear something good back. Nope. This was a gift. Not a little way to get more social followers or attention. I mean, you can want those things, but don’t EXPECT them and then be upset if they don’t come.

Last, keep it simple. If you’re doing a free mural, don’t go crazy, because honestly, you’ll just end up being frustrated. Same as when you underprice something you’re doing - by the end you’re just mad at the client. We do not want that, mmkay!

Should You Do a Free Mural?

Yes, **if** you are happy doing the mural out of the goodness of your heart and aren’t expecting anything in return (except make sure to take killa photos for your website, obvz!). If that’s you, have fun with it! And then start charging those dolla dolla bills;)

PS. Free isn’t always fun, if you want to know how to get PAID, I talk all about it in my “Paint Murals Like A Pro” course andddd give away my pricing worksheets:) The entire course is available for you to start today right HERE.