Mural creation is a valuable tool in the health worker’s box. It is a community based project, requiring input from a group of people. It is a public and permanent means of information dispersal, reaching general community members that may not actively seek out information on their own. It is an inexpensive way of reaching a large group of people. Murals can be made anywhere, but are ideally located anyplace community members gather.

1. It involves a large group that is making an investment and taking ownership in the creation of a community beautification and education initiative.
2. It is large scale and attention grabbing.
3. While the scale and logistics are often intimidating, the actual process is very simple and adaptable.
4. Murals combine the artistic nature of Thai culture with health activism.
5. It is fairly inexpensive.
6. It presents a new method of community involvement.

Before you begin, think about the following:

• What should the message of this mural be? What you want the main idea of the mural to be?
• Prevention (i.e. condom use)
• Empathy (i.e. compassion)
• Awareness (i.e. general reminder)
• Education (i.e. general facts)

Who should make the mural? Where should it be made?

What groups have a stake in the future health of the community?

• PHA groups
• At the animai
• At the Aw.Baw.Taw
• Anywhere people gather

How big should we make the mural?
The beauty of using a projector to create a mural is that as long as the surface is flat, you can expand to image to fit your particular space.

How much paint do we need?
For a 1m x 2m mural, you won’t need more than 4 ounces of each paint color. You might also need light colored paint to prime the surface beforehand.

Materials

• Paintbrushes Roller (priming) BIG plastic bags
• Paint thinner
• Old towels/rags
• Overhead projector Electrical outlet Extension cord
• Transparencies
• Transparency pens
• Paper
• Pencils Erasers Pencil sharpeners
• Crayons Masking tape
• Paint containers Chopstick (mixing) Soap and water (cleaning)
• Buckets (cleanup)

The Process

1. Choose your mural or create your own, making both a color and an outlined version.
2. Create a transparency of only the outlined version.
3. Protect your colored copy by laminating it or slipping it into clear plastic folders. Paint spills!
4. Prime your surface, if necessary, using light colored paint.
5. On a clean, dry surface, project your mural. Adjust the distance from the wall until your map is the size you want. Mark this spot on the ground in case you project over more than one session.
6. Tape the transparency to the overhead to prevent accidental movement. Also secure the projector.
7. Trace the outline directly onto the surface, with one team member checking over for accuracy. Start with large shapes and moving to detailed parts later.
8. Paint it according to your color version.
9. Don’t forget to add your own motto!

Tips!

• Share the work! Take turns painting or have one person in charge of each color. Small tipped paintbrushes allow many hands.
• Take your time! It’s about the journey, not the destination!
• Wait for one color to dry before painting the color right next to it. Wet paint often mixes.
• Use big plastic bags with holes cut out for the arms and head to keep clothes clean.
• If using a vinyl canvas, water-based paints don't stay on well. It's better to use acryllic.
• When mixing paint to make secondary colors, always add the darker/brighter color to the lighter ONE DROP at a time.
• Don’t forget to shake your paint before and after you use it to keep a good consistency.
• Make your own motto!

Ideas!

• Make your mural using individual tiles, like a patchwork quilt, with each team member creating their own tile.
• Have community members write messages on the surface, then paint over so you can still read their thoughts, dreams and ideas about HIV!
• Create a contest! Ask students in art class to draw possible images. Challenge various community groups to make the best mural. Send a picture of your finished mural to regional and provincial organizations
• Create your mural to coincide with World AIDS Day!
• You can also use a LCD projector and a computer to project.

Examples

Here are five examples of HIV/AIDS related pictures that you can use to paint a mural in your community. To see the fullsize version, click on the link below each picture. To download, right-click on the picture and choose 'Save Target As' and save it to your computer.