Background Information

The word 'mural' comes from 'murus', the Latin word for wall. Cave paintings were the first murals, some dating back more than 30,000 years. Prehistoric paintings at Lascaux and Chauvet in France show free-flowing scenes of animals, contained by swirling lines. Paint made from coloured earth may have been blown onto the walls from hollowed out pieces of bone.

The most famous mural was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome by the artist Michelangelo. Between 1508 and 1512, he painted over 800 square metres of ceiling with marvellous pictures of Bible stories. Murals like this are called frescoes, from the Italian word for 'fresh' - the paint is added to a layer of fresh plaster as it dries. The earliest frescoes we know about were made in Crete around 1500 BC.

Ben and Sam use graffiti styles in their designs. Many graffiti artists start with a 'tag' or signature based on their nickname, address or initials. Graffiti from the Ancient Roman city of Pompei is nearly 2,000 years old. Graffiti in the wrong place is a crime and spoils the area for many people. But there are more and more places where this 'aerosol art' is welcome.

Today, murals bring new life to dreary public spaces. They brighten up school playgrounds, libraries, town halls, swimming pools, parks… Can you think of a mural in your area?