Feb 195 min read

How’d She Get Up There?!

Ever wonder how in the hell some murals got to the height that they did? While also being so perfect?!

When I first started painting murals, the height of them was my biggest concern. First off, how am I going to paint something that big? Second being, and how am I going to get up there?! Of course by using a lift, but someone like me? Operating something like that? No way I thought. But then I did, and now I don’t want a job that doesn’t require me being on a lift. That means I’m painting something small and I want to paint HUGE.

My first mural I was holding on for dear life. Every time it moved I would freak out. Now I feel like I can balance off the side of it trying to get a spot out of reach.

There are all types of different ways to get to the height of a wall for a mural, starting from the lowest,

Stool
Ladder
Scaffolding
Scissor Lift
Fork Lift
Boom Lift
Suspended Platform

Stools & Ladders

Alright, to start off with basics, stools and ladders! These are obviously the most commonly used for painting a mural thats not far off the ground.

Stools

Stools I use at almost every job. These are good for murals not far off the ground. I even use them for a little stand for my paint sometimes too.

Ladders

Ladders are also commonly used for smaller murals. I have a suspension ladder, so that if I’m on a slant I can suspend it to the proper height. It’s also helpful when I need to go higher up the wall than a basic 6 foot ladder could take me.

Pixabay.com

Scaffolding

I keep scaffolding to the side for when I’m doing a mural a bit more detailed. Ladders can be uncomfortable to stand on for a long period of time. Especially while holding a can of paint, so this is where scaffolding comes into play.

Scaffolding allows you to move around easier and you can also sit on it if you’re working on an area for a while. They sell scaffolding at different heights but the most common is 6 feet and then you can buy more to add on top of each other to make the height taller.

Scaffolding by Pexels.com

Scissor Lift

This is my personal favorite to use. It’s easy to use once you learn how to control it. They’re comfortable to stand on with just enough room to keep all your supplies. Scissor lifts also get to a great height while also feeling secure. Most scissor lifts also have a platform that extend outwards so you don’t have to manually move the lift as much.

These lifts are also a good size when working in a small area. They are skinny enough to get into tight places and then they tend to just hug the wall all the way up.

Summer DeSalvo on scissor lift at Fort Myers Beach

Forklift

Forklifts are my least favorite. They are sketchy to use. I never feel that secure in them either. It’s basically a cage teetering at the end of a fork. You also need someone to operate it for you from the ground. They’re not something you can move and control on your own. Which is a pain when you’re constantly needing to be moved around but have to call someone to do it for you every time.

Forklifts are also difficult to get into some areas making it hard to get everything painted in one shot. It needs to be driving straight on and if you want to move over you have to drive the whole machine over and then drive straight onto the wall again. Avoid them if you can. These aren’t the best for painting murals.

Image credits to Lonking.com

Boom Lift

A boom lift is usually used for bigger projects due to the height and distance they’re able to get to. An arm extends all the way out so you can be extremely far and high up at the same time.

Most boom lifts can be controlled from the top and bottom as well so you have options. They run off a huge engine in the center of it and can sometimes be intimidating. Yet again, if you learn how to use it then they become easy to operate.

Boom lift being used by Summer DeSalvo

Suspended Platforms

Now these are the “queen bee” of lifts, the most serious you can get in the mural world. These are used to paint extremely high walls and buildings. I have not personally had the pleasure of operating one of these but it is for sure on my bucket list. I would love to paint a mural so big that I need one of these in order to do it.

These get placed at the very top of the building and then extend over the wall and down it so you’re able to go up and down whenever needed with all of the weight being controlled by the top.

Image credits to Sudhir Shivapur

Wrap Up

How’d she get all the way up there?? Well, she used one of these apparatuses. Every artist is different when it comes to the extent of a mural and what they’d like to accomplish. It also depends on the comfort level you have to use one of these machines freely. How confident are you to use a lift? Do you think you’d be able to operate it with confidence while also accomplishing a huge painting? No way to know but to try.

If you enjoy learning and a risk taker then bounce around looking for bigger jobs so you can have the opportunity to use some of these machines to help you accomplish that goal. I will say it’s definitely one of mine.

Join my email list for more updates and free information about painting murals and building a business off of it. I also offer tutorials, private painting lessons online, and free paintings every month in drawings I do with my email list. Feel free to comment any thoughts or questions!

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