Mini-MURAL in Murray With Paint Samples

Ahhh COLORS! 

Lately, rainbows have taken on a genderful tone, this has nothing to do with anyone's sexuality. This Instructable is a reflection that Pantone has over 10,000 numbered hues. Major home improvement stores have a nice variety and can make any paint color you want in any size.

It's a Pantone World.

This is an easy one, free or low cost as you might have most of the materials. Plus, anyone who can breathe can do this. So easy, low cost, or free. Re-uses old materials. Puts color in your life. Great outdoor activity. SATISFACTION.

Plus, anyone who can breathe can do this! Anyone can paint. Anywhere! Anything! Anyhow!

Some background; found myself in a strange place for the Summer. A friend suggested he wanted a little somethin somethin for a seasonal trailer 300 miles away. Murray is a small town with BIG murals. Regular-sized images would add to the town's reputation. He pointed to his used trailer and all that off-white blankness. There are few things sadder than a blank canvas. Fill it up! I painted two large murals on a blank FEMA trailer from the post-Katrina years. Remarkably, structurally sound for its age. Nothing fancy for its purpose and is parked among other beige and tan homes.

We followed a very rough sketch of a SUN+rise on the approach sides and a BLUE Moon+set on the return side.

The samples are just about a cup of paint 7.25 oz. The stores can mix any color you want. There are always a few mis-tints. The Big Box store's paint departments have an Ooopps shelf where you can find good deals.

Not shown: a short ladder, 6" roller foam brush, 1qt Flood Floetrol - Latex, the 90-degree heat.

Just your normal paint samples, nothing unusual. Most stores use their own base formula that can be used inside or out. I used a partial gallon of KILZ as a good primer for the color designs. The hills took 1 quart of green paint. The Moon set side used all the sample blue paint. Tip: use a little of the FLOEtrol to help eliminate brush and roller marks. It also extends the paint sample without 'watering' it down.

The idea came from a visible red curtain covering the sleeping area. The window size set the width of the design. To give the design depth, it wraps around the front. Bright yellow for a rising sun. A blend of red and yellow, the orange is for the rays. The green and blue are for the area hills and water: The Land Between the Lakes/ The star on the outline is the City of Murray's location. Happy!

How easy is that? We all have ideas!

Tip: search for clipart and other designs (geometrics, realistic or abstract), whatever you like. (Just avoid copyrighted material). Take a screenshot of your idea or print the image. You can see the scale and estimate your supplies and any changes. I used an outline of KENTUCKY and its reverse. One shape but so many choices. The trailer is parked in the far western section of the Commonwealth. Instant recognition.

Trailer au natural:

The noun and the verb. Also easy as there are paint samples everywhere. I used Lowe's Valspar but Ace, True Value, Home Depot, Walmart all have good alternatives even those used cans in your garage.

Tip: use the same color to outline each segment with the fill color. No worries about staying between the lines. Go as wild as you dare. Remember, this is also for your neighbors as they will see it more often than you!

The approach side has the SUNrise on it. The back side has the Moonset. Two mini-murals on the same trailer but different. This is evolving.

If any of these steps are a problem, let me know and I can help remotely. If you are 100 miles from where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet - I'll come to your place and help! 

The goal of this Contest is to use rainbow colors. My goal is to give a new look to all boring trailers, RVs, walls and garage doors. So much to paint and so little time! 

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This is much easier than my other Instructable - Backyard Office. I appreciate the Maker community checking out what can be done with recycled building supplies. Or, in this case, paint samples.

(Update: my "helper" passed a couple years ago. Mom would have traveled here to help me paint as she loved doing stuff like this. Mom's are Great!)

Thank you all (Y'All as I'm learning to speak Southern) for your interest. Please find a way to make it or paint it!