Looking for web pages that tell you how to paint large signs for advertising?

Question

Need to know what kind of paints to use and how to charge for the work.

Answer 1

I've used outside house paint. I check with the hardware and paint stores and check their "oops" department and I can buy gallons for $1.00 to $4.00 if it's a good color I grab it and put into my stash of paints. I've used artist acrylics (cost more and I don't think they last any better) A good hard finish when finished. Prep time on the surface is very important.

The old time advertising artists used artist oils

When you are first starting it's hard to price things. You have cost of paints, brushes, cleaners, transportation, ladders, scaffoling, pain pills, insurance and helpers labor.

See if you can find someone locally who is doing this type of work and get a parttime job as a helper, you will learn lots from someone who has already worked out the "bugs"

You could call someone in your area a get a price for doing a particular size. See what the competition is charging.

When I price, there are lots of factors, location, how complicated is the design, is the customer providing the design, am I going to spend 20 hours working up a design, etc and even the personality of the purchaser. An you will lose money on the first few jobs.

I still like to make up a full size paper pattern then run a pounce wheel over the design so I can dust through the holes to get a sketch on the wall. I used a projector but for some ready just like using a pattern. Simple things, I just grab a pencil and lightly sketch directly onto the wall (I use a water soluable pencil so when I paint the drawing goes away.

I price by the square foot. A starting place is $100. square foot and it can be less with a simple design or more with a very complicated design. But that lets your customer know you plan to do a good job and you respect your work and so should they. I will not do a large wall job for less than $50 a square foot. unless they are wanting 2 polar bears in a snow storm.

lots of luck