Artist Wall Mural Proposal Template And Price Sheet? Top 89 Best Answers

The best way to learn to write is by example, and preparing a sample writing proposal can be just as challenging as writing an actual one. Once completed, a good public art sample proposal can serve as a useful template for future projects. It is most practical to write it down section by section.

Write an overview of the proposed artwork in a section titled “Overview of Artwork.” Include a general description of the proposed artwork. When rehearsing, focus on something simple, e.g. B. a mural or a series of paintings that are to be displayed publicly. Overview of the scope of the work, a convincing rationale and a little bit about how the idea originally came about. This piques the interest of those who read it and helps them understand the necessity of the piece.

Start with another section titled “Location”. Provide the proposed address where the artwork will be housed. If it is currently located elsewhere, provide the address where it is currently located. Describe the proposed location as it is a good place to house the art. For example, if you want to place a large painting on the exterior of a public building, describe the building as it is and describe how the artwork will complement it aesthetically. Describe all destination stops if the artwork is a traveling exhibition, e.g. B. an installation artwork. Provide details of why each stop adds value to the art or how the art adds value to each stop.

Begin the next section with the word “Design” and describe the proposal’s artwork in as much detail as possible without being too verbose. Include color, dimensions, inlays, type of art, unique artistic details, and other descriptions that contribute to the merits of your proposal.

Write the word “materials” in the next paragraph. Indicate the main materials that make up the artwork. For example, if it is oil on canvas, name the type of oil used, the canvas, the brush; If it is an iron or fabric installation piece, describe the type and quality of material used to create the artwork.

Add a section about the maintenance required to keep the artwork in good, usable shape. Provide details of its durability, ongoing repairs required, maintenance and safe keeping. For example, specify whether to store it in a closed case or locked container from the elements. If there are any safety concerns, please state those as well, e.g. B. the need to lock it at night or stay away from traffic.

Finally, add a budget section with the desired amount of money. Include all budgetary concerns, such as B. Expenditures related to maintenance, upkeep, installation, dismantling, transportation of a traveling exhibition and all related purchases required for a public exhibition.

Note If possible, attach pictures of the artwork, e.g. B. the proposed location or images of the artwork itself.

The following framework for writing an effective expression of interest is taken from Creative Capital’s Lynn Basa’s Demystifying Public Art online workshop.

first paragraph

Address your interest in the project specifically. Refer to the request for quotation, but be careful not to simply rephrase what it says. Your letter of motivation should show that you understand what the agency or

second paragraph

Develop your vision for the project. Describe the direction you want to go if you’re selected as a finalist and tell them what you’re looking forward to. Make connections between other projects you have undertaken. They don’t have to be public art projects, but be sure to mention any relevant experience you may have with public art or community projects.

Third paragraph

Convince the selection committee that you are capable of carrying out this project. In Lynn’s words, “Tut your own horn.” Summarize what defines your qualifications and what makes you the best candidate for the job.

As with any process, the key to success in winning public art commissions lies in practice. Do not be discouraged. Successful public artists respond to many calls each year. Lynn Basa himself submits about thirty expressions of interest per year. To learn all about applying for public art commissions, register for Demystifying Public Art on December 17th.

Lynn Basa is a full-time artist living in Chicago. Her practice focuses on painting and art in public spaces. She was formerly an associate professor in the sculpture department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is currently attending SAIC’s graduate school as part of their new low-residency MFA program. Lynn is also the author of The Artist’s Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions.

A mural can express your interests, taste and creative flair. At Murals Your Way, we offer you a variety of size, image, material and personalization options so you can customize your mural the way you want it. With all the options we offer, how do you know where to start?

Where would you like to place your mural?

Murals look great in both residential and commercial settings! At home, murals can look good in any room and serve different purposes. Here are a few ideas:

Impress incoming guests with a mural in your entryway or elegant living room.

Escape the stresses of the world with a mural in your bedroom.

Make a small space like a bathroom bigger or bring brightness to a dark corner.

Add whimsy and adventure to children’s rooms or playrooms.

Add an accent wall with a fun pattern instead of solid color.

In businesses, murals can set the tone for customers, partners and employees. Here are some ideas for using murals in commercial and retail settings:

Expand your brand by adding corporate branding elements and logo murals.

Create an experience for guests with a mural for your restaurant.

Easily add changing seasonal backdrops for your retail store.

Build school spirit by adding team logos or mascots to hallways and classrooms.

Create a relaxing atmosphere for your spa or salon with wall murals.

want more ideas Visit our customer examples page to see some great ways other customers have used our murals.

Which image would you like to use?

Murals Your Way has a gallery with thousands of images, everything from abstract art to zebras! Start by thinking about what kind of images you like to see.

Maybe you want to remember your trip to Paris or you’ve always wanted to take a trip to the sandy beaches of Hawaii.

If you love nature, you might want to use an image of a mountain or forest to bring nature into the picture.

If you don’t like photography for murals, you can use designs that have a painted look or even abstract art.

Also remember that we can personalize murals to fit around doors or windows, add images or text and change the scale of patterns.

Editorial images may not be used for murals. If you’d like, we can help you find images for a specific image or design. Just contact us to let us know what you’re looking for – we’re happy to help you find the perfect one!

If you’d like, we can help you find images for a specific image or design. Just contact us to let us know what you’re looking for – we’re happy to help you find the perfect one!

You can also use your own photo or artwork for a completely custom mural. And there are no additional costs for using your own image!

What size mural is right for your room?

At Murals Your Way, every mural is custom-made. You can specify the size that best suits your situation – from a minimum of 4 x 6 feet (24 square feet) to a mural that covers an entire wall. If you use your own image, you can make it smaller than 24 square feet, but a reserve price applies.

When determining the size to order, remember that a full mural will give you the greatest impact and ultimately represent the best value for money. This is a case where size really does matter. A partial wall mural adds color, texture, interest, and a theme to your space. A full wall mural, however, provides exceptional drama and will help you transform a room from ho-hum to outrageously chic.

Which material should you choose?

Our murals are NOT printed on paper. Our murals are printed onto our premium, tear-resistant materials of your choice. Most attach with wallpaper glue, with the exception of our SmartStick® peel-and-stick material. Printed on panels up to 48 inches wide, our murals come rolled, not framed.

Think texture and shine – each material offers a slightly different texture and finish. Photos typically look best on our smooth surface Eco Bella™, SmartStick® or Prepasted wallpapers as they provide the sharpest image. Canvas is often used for artistic murals to give them an “artistic” look.

Do you have specific building codes to meet? Many of our materials are commercial grade and some are fireproof. Please see our individual material pages for specific information on each.

Murals are a cheerful and fun way to add a little personality to a room and the business opportunities for mural painting are endless.

For example, a mother might want some animals painted on the wall of her new baby’s nursery, while a local cafe owner needs a unique interior to attract customers. And of course, upscale office buildings often like their lobbies to have that “Wow!” factor that only a mural can provide.

Outdoors, murals are used to engage the public in art, to brighten up drab streets and alleys, and to discourage taggers. As such, it can certainly be a lucrative market for artists who have the skills to create large, individual works of art.

Here are the first steps you need to take if you want to start your own mural business:

Create your portfolio

Before you start painting murals for money, you need to create a portfolio of works to attract customers. One way to do this is by offering to paint murals in family and friends’ homes and businesses.

When you’re done, ask a photographer friend to come over and take photos. You will need professional-quality photos of the entire mural, as well as close-ups of details.

Select the best images and place them in a portfolio book that highlights multiple projects and your mural painting skills. Additional images can be uploaded to an online portfolio on your website and on . Carry your portfolio book with you wherever you go so you can show potential clients what you can do.

Print eye-catching business cards and promotional materials

You want your marketing products to include samples of your work. I recommend using something unique like Moo cards or larger postcards instead of standard business cards as these will give potential clients a better idea of ​​what you can do.

You might also want to print out some larger posters and maps to decorate a booth at events (more on this in the Promotion section below).

Alongside your shorter, more visually appealing promotional material, create an A4 sized print out explaining all your services and prices. Mural artists often charge by the square foot or by the hour, and once you’ve completed a few murals you’ll know which pricing method works best for you.

Promote your business with murals

Once you have a portfolio and all your marketing materials, it’s time to get out there and find potential clients.

One of the best ways to attract new mural customers is to book a booth at a home and garden or baby show. People who visit these shows are always looking for unique ideas to decorate their home or children’s room.

Put your portfolio and posters on display and introduce yourself (and explain what you do) to anyone who stops by. You could even try a little “live art” to attract attention. Ask a friend to watch your stand while you paint a mural on a large panel. Potential clients can see the quality of your work first hand and at the end of the day you could even auction the painting for charity!

Another great way to promote your murals business is to create a content rich website and/or blog about murals and focus on ranking well in Google with location-based keywords. To do this, your blog posts should combine phrases like “mural artist” or “mural artist for kids” with the name of your city and surrounding regions.

Be sure to give happy customers business cards and ask them to tell their friends and family about your business. Word of mouth is a great way to grow business, but you MUST ask if you want a steady stream of referrals from your regular customers.

If you’re up for the challenge and follow the steps above, mural painting can be a great way to earn a little extra money as an artist.

Much luck!

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Use this guide to find classes and subjects in art and art history. This guide provides information to help you find all the research materials you need, including image banks.

There is also help for citing and writing captions in MLA and Chicago style under the “Finding pictures” tab and tips and strategies for researching art and art history under the “Researching Art” tab.

A: Good question. Graffiti and street art mural projects are priced based on the size and complexity of the design. Project pricing starts at $1,000 for personal and $3,000 for commercial jobs. Please contact me for a personal offer. A: Similar to hiring a tattoo artist for a custom tattoo design, you first hire the artist and pay a down payment for services. A 50% deposit is required to begin the creative process with me, which includes an original design sketch for your review and approval. If you’re just starting out looking for ideas and inspiration, my portfolio on Instagram is a great place to start. A: Yes, I specialize in working with technology companies and frequently travel throughout Texas, the United States and Europe working with a variety of corporate clients. A: I usually work with advertising agencies, marketing departments, interior designers and business owners for their advertising campaigns, events and office space decorations. A: Yes, my graffiti and street art portfolio and Instagram show a wide range of my recent work. I also offer live graffiti art and street art painting for a truly unique experience at your next event that guests will remember. A: Depending on the size and complexity of the design, an outdoor mural takes (e.g. -2 weeks to paint depending on the weather. Interior murals usually take a week once I’m on site. A: Absolutely. I’ve been a professional graffiti artist for 30 years Artist and only use the best spray paint products available I guarantee the quality of my materials from peeling or chipping for 1 year Many of my outdoor works will last 5-8 years in the outdoor elements Touch up service available – I also offer one We offer optional touch-up service if the mural is damaged by scuffs, scratches or labels. You can have peace of mind knowing that with a quick phone call your mural can be quickly restored to its original beauty. A: Yes, I can provide general liability insurance at the client’s request I have experience working with the requirements of top brands and venues A: Absol u. I color match your brand color palette using the Pantone Color Book (PMS). A: I appreciate your question. My original graffiti and street art designs are protected by US copyright law. However, I would be happy to discuss your needs and available licensing and turnkey merchandising options. I work with merchandise suppliers who can seamlessly fulfill orders for virtually any timeframe and scale. A: Contact me for a discovery call. We discuss your schedule, requirements, budget and scope of the project. Proceeding with the proposal requires a 50% deposit to start the creative process – the first result will be an original design sketch for you to review and approve. I paint in Austin as well as all major US and international markets. Contact me for a quick and friendly quote on your graffiti or street art mural project. I look forward to working with you.

Have you ever painted a mural? If so, you know that choosing the right color is crucial. Choosing the right colour, the right texture and how it feels can have a huge impact on the final product.

But if you haven’t made a mural before, it’s time you learned how to choose the right color so you can create your mural masterpiece that will last for years to come.

Let’s start with the guide…

Which color is best for painting a photo wallpaper?

When creating wall art, it is best to use acrylic paints as they work on almost any surface such as floors and walls. They are famous for their quick drying and flexibility, which are desirable qualities for creating wall art.

There is no staining or discoloration of the wall with acrylic, and you can use acrylic paints for interior and exterior painting. Also, they have almost the same effect as oil paintings but are less expensive.

Acrylic paints come in a variety of colors, are opaque and offer a long-lasting finish like watercolors. They are also very durable, staying vibrant without fading or cracking over time.

Recommended colors for mural painting

While you can easily choose any of the commercial paints available on the market, you might want to go for those that are 100% acrylic resin. You can start with Nova Color professional grade acrylic paints that are easy to use, non-toxic and permanent.

We offer a large and stunning range of acrylic paints to create endless combinations for your wall art applications and everyday use. Visit our online store to browse all of the artist’s acrylic paints.

What kind of paint to use for an interior mural

When working on an indoor mural, you will encounter two distinct painting phases that are exactly like what you go through when painting on a canvas. First, you’ll create a primary underpaint to block out key color spaces and outline a base composition. Second, you will thoroughly paint all the details.

For level 1

When painting large colored areas such as hills, sky or water, you can start with latex paint.

Latex paint is inexpensive, so it’s typically used to paint walls. This paint also has excellent coverage compared to other high quality acrylic paints, so you will save a lot of money while preparing the first stage of interior mural painting.

Latex paint is available in 4 different gloss levels: matte, satin, eggshell (or satin) and gloss.

Also known as being low gloss, eggshell or satin paint is easier to clean and can be used on any wall in your home. For this reason, only eggshell paint is recommended for interior murals. Flat, semi-gloss, and gloss shimmers are not recommended for use in mural painting.

For level 2

As you get down to the details of your wall project, you can use jars or tubes of professional grade acrylics and paint as you would on a canvas.

The majority of acrylic paint brands available in the market are good for painting interior murals for all different types of household walls. You can also start with Nova Color acrylic paints, which provide bright and long-lasting color.

Note: For people who are new to mural painting, it is recommended to only use the high quality Level 2 acrylic paints in mural painting for the best results.

Use of acrylic products for wall applications

Acrylic paints are also the best choice for outdoor wall painting. Many professional artists use them for their wall projects because they are weather resistant and quick drying. They can also bond well with cement and masonry, making them last longer.

Unfortunately, oil dots are one of the worst choices for such finishes, as the alkaline content in concrete can damage oil or alkyd products.

The ethyl silicate paint also bonds permanently to concrete and brick. But this leads to a waste of time and money. In addition, you must have a reasonable understanding of how to work with this system beforehand.

So, painting with acrylics is a great way to create all levels of wall art.

Tips for painting

Finally, you can follow these tips to make your mural a success…

Keep children and pets away from your mural project while the paint is still wet. Use glazing liquid or acrylic medium (matte) to dilute your paints. This is recommended because if you are working on a canvas; You will probably use water to thin the paint; However, if you are working on an interior project, there is a high possibility that the liquid paint will dry on the surface and leave a stain on what you previously painted. So you need to make sure you only use the acrylic medium (matte) and not water. However, you can of course use a small amount of water, which will help keep the brushes moist and prevent the colors from drying out. After every few steps, take a second to apply the brake and view your wall project from a distance. It will help you get a feel for what the finished painting will look like and it will also avoid mistakes.

Finally, if your mural will be kept in the sun, it’s best to use fade-resistant paint.

Last words!

That concludes our guide to choosing the best colors for your mural. Colors play the most important role in any painting, so never underestimate the importance of a quality paint brand.

To get the best results from your mural art, try Nova Color’s professional line of high-quality acrylic paints, available in over 80 vibrant colors. Browse our collection of acrylic paints, bundles, acrylic gesso and containers.

When it comes to digital whiteboards, there are many options on the market. Two of the most popular are Miro and Mural. Both offer many features, but which one is the best?

To answer this question, we compared and tested both tools in eight categories. We have nominated a winner for each category.

In the infographic below you can see the result of our research and experiments.

As you can see, Miro emerges as the overall winner. But in the end, the decision between Miro and Mural comes down to your unique needs. To better understand the strengths and weaknesses of both tools, read on or jump to any of the categories that are most relevant to you.

What we will cover in this article:

What is Miro?

Miro describes itself as the “Online Collaborative Whiteboard Platform”. Each word in this four-word tongue twister has a meaning:

Online because you can access Miro from anywhere.

, because you can access Miro from anywhere. Collaborative because you can easily invite other people.

, because you can easily invite other people. Whiteboard because you can work on a visual infinite canvas.

, because you can work on a visual infinite canvas. Platform because you can integrate Miro with your favorite apps.

The company was founded in 2011 by Andrey Khusid. Now Miro has global centers with over 1500 employees and two headquarters in Amsterdam and San Francisco. According to Miro’s own website, the tool has over 30 million users and ranks 99% of all Fortune 100 companies.

What is MURAL?

MURAL is a digital visual collaboration workspace that aims to go beyond the simple online whiteboard. The canvas allows teams to use frameworks and templates and work with advanced moderation features to make meetings and workshops more engaging and productive. The focus is on visual collaboration and visual thinking as a new way of working for distributed teams.

MURAL was also founded in 2011 and today has headquarters in Buenos Aires and San Francisco and more than 1000 employees around the world. Interestingly, Mural also reports that 95% of the Fortune 100 put their trust in their own website.

I’m no math expert, but those numbers from Miro and Mural don’t seem right!

Pricing: What’s more bang for your buck?

Miro and MURAL use the exact same pricing model, with three plans: Free, Team, and Business. This makes it easy to compare what you get for your money in each plan.

Miro Pricing Plans (2022)

Free plan

The biggest limitation of the Miro and MURAL free plan is how many boards you can create and how you can share those boards with others. MURAL seems to have the more generous free plan. In their free plan, you can create up to 5 boards and share a link to the board with external visitors.

In comparison, Miro only offers 3 free boards and you cannot share these boards outside of your account. MURAL also gives you direct access to custom templates and moderation features like voting and timer features that you only get in Miro in the team plan.

team plan

If you upgrade to a plan with Miro or MURAL, you can create unlimited boards and share those boards with others using public links. Both tools also allow you to create projects/rooms and manage which team members have access via permissions.

Miro’s team plan is $2 off. But there’s a catch. In Miro you need to upgrade immediately with two licenses. So if you are a small business and want to use Miro alone, you still have to pay for a second license and therefore pay twice as much.

business plan

With the Business Plan with Miro and MURAL you can finally share boards privately with others by inventing them via their email address. You also get some other goodies like single sign-on (SSO), better support, and integrations like Jira.

The pricing is very similar for both tools, with the main differences being the requirements. In Mural you need to upgrade with at least 10 people, while in Miro you only need 5. Then you must also commit directly to annual pricing in MURAL. In Miro you can also pay more, but keep the option open month-to-month.

Mural Pricing Plans (2022)

Miro and Mural for consultants

Miro offers a special consultant plan where you can set up a private, secure workspace for each client and invite unlimited guests. This plan costs $15 per month when billed monthly. But you can also apply for the Miro Professional Network and receive the consultant plan for one year free of charge.

MURAL goes a different way. They immediately offer an advisor network that gives you access to more or less all premium features for free. All you have to do is see if you meet the requirements and fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

However, pricing shouldn’t be the only thing you think about in your decision-making process. It’s just as important – if not more important – to look at how the platforms compare in terms of functionality and features.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: MURAL. MURAL is more generous with the features available in their plans. Especially on the free plan, where you can quickly invite others to collaborate by sharing boards via a public link[.box-highlight]

Basic functions and user interface

If you try both tools, you will find that the interfaces of both tools are similar. Both work with an infinite canvas on which you can place sticky notes, shapes or uploaded content. You can then zoom in and out of the canvas and navigate with your mouse and keyboard.

Miro offers what is arguably a slightly cleaner and simpler user interface. It doesn’t feel as packed as the MURAL interface. It’s also more consistent, with excellent visibility for icons, buttons, and key board tools. Overall, it seems that Miro puts more resources and a higher priority on the user experience.

Miro Board interface

A concrete example of this is organizing large collections of sticky notes in both tools. In MURAL, you can select a group of sticky notes and then arrange them in a row, column, grid, or by type. In Miro you can achieve the same thing, but with a much more elegant solution. You can select a group of sticky notes and then drag a handle left or right to adjust how many columns you want to create.

Miro’s auto-layout feature for sticky notes

Suggested Reading: 8 Sticky Notes Tricks Every Miro User Must Know

This might seem like a small feature, but small workflow improvements really add up. And I feel like Miro does a slightly better job than MURAL here with the core features you’d expect from an online whiteboard.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: Miro. Miro gets the small details right more often and offers a user interface that is arguably easier for beginners to use and learn.[.box-highlight]

Templates & Frameworks

When you start working with online whiteboards, you will quickly find that creating boards is the biggest time waster. It often takes hours to get the board right, especially if you’re offering professional services like client workshops.

That’s why it’s important to have templates and frameworks on hand that you can quickly integrate into your boards. Quality templates save you time and can also be a great inspiration for learning.

Both Miro and MURAL offer both an official library and a community library. So let’s quickly talk about the quantity and quality of templates on both platforms.

Miros community template library

As of this writing, MURAL has exactly 300 templates in its public template library. Which is dwarfed by over 1000 templates in the Miroverse. So more than three times the amount of templates. The same stories seem to apply in regards to the in-product templates available. But quality is not everything! How do the templates perform in terms of quality?

First of all, both tools offer fantastic templates. Some templates like the Design Sprint (Miro, Mural) can be used to structure multi-day workshops and you can just copy them to your account for free. how awesome is that

MURAL template library

However, we can take a closer look at the average quality of the templates. Miro seems to be doing a better job here. The templates in the own library as well as in the shared library seem to be better made than those found in MURAL on average.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: Miro, without a doubt. The Miroverse is packed with great templates, making it easy to find a great template for any occasion.[.box-highlight]

Moderation & workshops

Moderation functions are interesting for people who run virtual meetings and workshops. These features help you stay in control of the session and increase group engagement and productivity. Which I think is the secret to getting the best thoughts and ideas out of people.

Miro and MURAL share the most important moderator functions: you can start a timer, let participants vote via sticky notes and control the audience’s attention by teleporting them to different parts of the board.

After the core facilitation features, the list ends relatively quickly for Miro. However, MURAL includes a number of advanced features that expand the facilitator’s capabilities. These include, for example, a laser pointer to point out interesting spots on the board. And the ability to remove toolbar items that participants don’t need during the session.

MURAL refers to all of these features as Facilitation Superpowers™, which also appears to be trademarked. But you have a point here. These features, big or small, aren’t just gimmicks, they actually help to be a better presenter and make participants’ lives easier. And since we attach great importance to moderation here at the Facilitator School, the MURAL gives many plus points.

I appreciate the way you can create content collaboratively in Mural and the easy way to capture and continue the work after the workshops. From a learning perspective, it is also useful in terms of maintaining and prolonging the learning process. – Jakob Diness, IT ServiceNow consultant at DXC

Laser pointer demo by MURAL

But Miro is also trying to focus more on improving presenters’ skills. Two unique features they are currently developing are Intelligent Clustering and what Miro calls “Smart Meetings”. Both features are still in their infancy, but have promising prospects.

With endless collaboration possibilities and many easy wireframe options, all parties can work directly on the product in one workshop and move the whole thing forward in much less time! – Fabrice Pöhlmann, CEO, behavior designer at HelloDesign

[.box-highlight]Category winner: mural. Mural focuses more on moderators than its target audience and simply offers more moderation features.[.box-highlight]

Mapping & Diagram Creation

Mapping and diagramming are great features to visualize the connection between concepts and ideas. Mind maps are used more for brainstorming and categorization. Diagrams are ideal for visualizing processes, workflows or organizational structures.

For all of the examples just mentioned, you will find templates in Miro and MURAL. So technically, you can get the same results regardless of the tool you choose. However, there are differences in how you can create these mind maps and diagrams.

Miros mind mapping app (works only with text)

Miro was the first to offer mind maps, which gave them a tangible edge. The main difference is that in Miro there is a unique mind mapping app, while in Mural you are forced to work with native board elements (e.g. sticky notes, shapes). As a result, creating mind maps in Miro is easier and feels more organized right out of the box.

Creating journey maps and process diagrams in Miro is an excellent way for my coaching clients to visualize the steps ahead as they embrace changes in their lives. – Kim Witten, Transformation Coach & Research Advisor

However, there is a catch. So far, the mind mapping app in Miro only works with text. So if you want to use other elements, you have to use native board elements as well. And then the experience approaches what you have with MURAL.

Miro recently made a big leap in terms of its charting capabilities with two features:

A dotted grid background with shapes snapping to the dots. This makes it a breeze to align and size shapes on the board as they naturally snap to the edges of dots. A diagram shape library with pre-made shapes for flowcharts, org charts and for AWS, Azure and Cisco related technical diagrams.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: Miro. Miro is the clear winner here as the custom mind map app and chart library makes it easy to use.[.box-highlight]

Apps & Integrations

Online whiteboard platforms are often used in combination with other work tools. Therefore, it is important to be able to import and export content. In the best case, this happens more or less automatically through direct integrations and apps.

You can see and find all Miro integrations and Mural integrations on their respective showcase pages. What is immediately visible is that Miro offers a greater number of integrations, similar to what we have seen with the templates.

In addition, there are also third-party apps on the Miro marketplace. Among them, for example, the Undraw Symbols library, which provides you with beautiful illustrations. Or Totally Random, which lets you draw random numbers and groups.

The reason there are more apps and integrations available for Miro is that the Miro API is more advanced. MURAL also offers an API, but it is still in beta. Miro’s API has recently been upgraded to V2, providing more ways to access and manipulate data on the board.

Both tools also offer Zapier integrations. If you’re a Zapier customer, this means you can easily connect both tools to your other tools in your workflow without having to write a single line of code. See what’s possible with Miro’s Zapier integration and MURAL’s Zapier integration.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: Miro. Miro has more integrations overall and a more advanced API that allows developers to build small apps on the platform.[.box-highlight]

Side note: In my opinion, both Miro and MURAL still have a long way to go in terms of apps and integrations. It’s great that they offer direct integrations to the most important tools, but the holy grail is to create an active developer community that builds apps. Figjam does a great job here as they already have some great apps like an interactive photo booth in their plugin store.

Platforms & Performance

Miro and MURAL are both web apps that run in the browser. Since they’re web-based, you can use them anywhere you can open a browser. This includes interactive displays like a Surface Hub or Webex Board.

Technically, you can even open a Miro or MURAL board in your phone’s browser. But the experience will be frustrating on such a small display. That’s why both tools have apps for Android and iOS that offer a customized experience for phones and tablets.

After extensively testing both apps, there’s no other way to conclude that Miro is light years ahead. Miro mobile and tablet apps offer a great mobile experience with support for almost every feature. This even includes things like digital pen input to draw ideas with an iPad using the stylus.

MURAL’s apps seem simple in comparison. The iOS app offers some features like board items, drawing, voting and a timer. But the list ends quickly and many features that you are familiar with from the browser are not available. With the Android app, it’s even easier as you can only use the app as a “viewer” to scroll through the board.

Miro also has the upper hand when it comes to overall performance. Working on Miro boards feels faster and more predictable, even on larger boards with hundreds of widgets. At MURAL, we’ve found that boards can slow down faster. Especially when there are many items and concurrent board members.

Miro also seems to have a higher capacity for the maximum number of employees that can be on a board at the same time. According to Miro’s own sources, the largest session they hosted was 377 users. And they regularly do meetings with 200 people.

Source: Miro blog

MURAL recommends sessions with about 100 concurrent collaborators. Having more than 100 employees can experience an increase in performance lags and slowdowns, as mentioned in their performance best practices article.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: Miro. Miro’s canvas performance feels faster and is more robust for large collaborative sessions. Additionally, Miro offers great mobile apps for online whiteboarding on the go. [.box highlight]

Collaboration & Communication

Collaboration is the biggest use case for online whiteboards like Miro and Mural. Board participants can edit content together in real-time, follow each other’s cursors, and track changes on a board through version history.

MURAL arguably does a slightly better job of creating employee presence on the board. What I like about MURAL is that people who join without a MURAL account are asked for their names before joining the board. This makes it much easier for everyone to identify themselves.

MURAL asks for visitor names when sharing a public board

In addition, in MURAL it is easier to see who is currently on the board as all avatars are visible at the bottom center of the screen. In Miro, this information is somewhat buried in the top toolbar.

Normally you would use a video conferencing tool like Zoom alongside Miro or Mural. However, it can be confusing to switch back and forth between whiteboard and video conference. Both tools have a different approach.

Mural offers a feature called Quick Talk that allows board staff to quickly talk on the phone with each other. Only 20 participants and one ongoing call per board are currently supported.

Miro goes one step further and offers in-product video chat for up to 25 participants. The quality and performance aren’t the same as Zoom, but it’s workable.

Source: Miro Marketing website

You can also use both tools for asynchronous communication. This could be done by simply making changes to the board at your own pace and leaving comments to explain your work to people who may be joining the board at a different time.

Miro works better for this use case because the commenting feature is more powerful. In Miro, comments can be opened directly on the board, given different colors and even pinned to keep them visible. In addition, other people can follow the comment thread and also copy a direct link to it. None of this is currently possible in MURAL.

[.box-highlight]Category winner: Miro. MURAL does a great job creating board presence, but Miro is a step ahead in terms of their video chat and commenting feature.[.box-highlight]

Conclusion

In this test, we compared Miro and MURAL in eight categories. Miro was the better tool in six of these categories. It has a significantly larger community with a larger selection of templates, integrations, and apps to choose from. The UI feels more organized, with a consistent design philosophy that contributes to a great user experience overall.

That’s not to say that Miro is right for every user and use case. We have seen that MURAL offers more moderation features, making MURAL a powerful tool for consultants and professional moderators. Especially those who work directly with companies and need that granular control over session participants.

Also, if you are concerned about pricing – or are looking for a free online whiteboard – then MURAL could be the right choice for you. MURAL’s pricing plans are more generous and allow you to invite others to collaborate, even on the free plan.

But for most contexts, Miro will likely serve your needs better – especially if you’re on a budget for an online whiteboard. That’s because Miro seems to be a step ahead of its competition in general and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

If you are still not sure which tool to choose, I would really recommend you to create a free account for Miro and Miro. This way you can compare both tools and see which one works best for you. Because in the end everyone has different needs and challenges that bring them to online whiteboards.

If you are interested in using Miro, click here to create a free account.

If you are interested in using MURAL, click here to create a free account.

Want to add your ideas but need more space than a sticky note? Try a text box instead! With text boxes, you can easily customize background and text colors to make your ideas stand out. Titles are great for organizing your murals!

Here’s how:

Adding a text box to a mural

Open the toolbar on the left side of your mural. Select the square text box or title icon by clicking on it once. Drag out a text box or title and drop it on the canvas. Add one by either right-clicking (or command-clicking on a Mac) on the canvas or dragging it out of the toolbar. To make changes to your text box, select the text box and use the toolbar hovering over it to change the font or background settings.

Bulleted and numbered lists

Add bullets and numbered lists to any text box to create visual hierarchies in your murals. To add more bullets or numbers to a list, just press Enter. If you want to skip a line, you can press Enter and Shift at the same time. You can also copy and paste bulleted and numbered lists from other apps.

How to create a bulleted list

There are two ways to add bullets to a text box.

Click the “T” in the text box toolbar and select the bulleted list icon. Use keyboard shortcuts. Just type * or – and then the spacebar to create a bulleted list in a text box.

How to make a numbered list

There are two ways to add numbered lists to a text box.

Click the “T” in the text box toolbar and choose the numbered list icon. Use keyboard shortcuts. Just type 1. followed by the spacebar to create a numbered list in a text box.

Currently, bulleted and numbered lists are only available in text fields.

Write an exhibition proposal

Make your exhibition proposal stand out with our advice on strengthening your application for the right reasons.

Please investigate

Before applying for an exhibition in a gallery, be sure to check their website and the program of previous exhibitions. What kind of art do they usually exhibit? What kind of artists do you usually work with? Why do you think this gallery would suit you and your exhibition well? For example: if the gallery only exhibits murals, it is not a good idea to propose a sculpture exhibition.

Observe the rules

Find out if the gallery has a formal application process for exhibitions. Many galleries conduct Expressions of Interest (EOIs) at set times of the year and will not accept applications outside of these dates. When preparing an application, be sure to read the instructions carefully. Stick to the suggested word limits and answer all questions clearly.

Explain what it is about

A strong exhibition has unifying themes, ideas, or questions that tie the art on display together. These themes can be abstract and conceptual, or more literal and concrete.

Explain how it looks

While this may sound simple, sometimes people get so caught up in ideas that they forget to cover the basics. What will the exhibition look like in concrete terms? What kind of art will you show ie paintings, sculptures? Do you already have an idea how the artwork will be installed? Are you planning to respond to this particular gallery space in a special way?

Use plain language

A good test is to get someone who doesn’t know much about art to read your application and provide feedback. This can help you determine if what you are describing is clear and easy to understand. You’ll also be able to pick up any jargon you might be using.

Add great pictures

Take the time to capture clear, well-lit, and professional-looking images of your artwork. Opt for neutral backgrounds whenever possible so all the attention is on the artwork itself. Pro tip: Make sure to include your name and the name of the artwork in the image file name.

Ask for advice

Galleries are often happy to answer a few questions while you prepare your application. It may be a good idea to get in touch beforehand to find out if what you think would be appropriate and realistic for that gallery. Make sure you do this well in advance of the application deadlines.

Support the gallery

It’s a good idea to establish a relationship with the gallery before the application period, especially if you’re a local. Visit other exhibitions and events the gallery hosts to show your support and get to know them better.