This is a collection of tips and of links to information on other sites. We also have a separate page of painting guidelines.
Boston-area artist Anne S. Katzeff has published a very helpful blog post, Transforming Belmont: Art on the Corner about her experience in 2021 painting utility boxes in Belmont.
California artist Becca Dwyer has also published a blog post about her experience, with some practical details such as a shopping list. (Just remember that every location, and every program, is different. Make sure what you're doing is right for your project and for Winchester.)
A requirement in Belmont, a good idea anywhere: Paint should be high quality, lightfast exterior acrylics, with the finished artwork protected by an isolation coat of clear acrylic gloss medium, and finally by a layer of Sherwin-Williams Anti-Graffiti Coating.
Here are some suggestions for utility box painters from artist Denise Konicek, put forth in 2023. This page will be updated from time to time, and would benefit from your comments and suggestions (send to info@winchesterculturalcouncil.org). Also, the WCC article about the 2023 program has pictures from that year.
Recommend to artists for cleaning utility boxes with least fuss: Ace Hardware sells 'TSP no-rinse substitute'. This way you don't need to have rinse water to prep for painting - just this liquid and paper towels to remove liquid and dirt/grease it has dissolved from surface to be painted. This is a TSP substitute, so it is not adding the phosphates to the environment like tri-sodium phosphate (TSP). Here is link to Ace listing for product: Ace No Scent TSP No-Rinse Substitute Liquid 1/2 gal - Ace Hardware
The paint that I HIGHLY recommend is Chroma Acrylic Mural Paint - specifically designed for professional mural painters. This is what we bought for the barrier art banners. Sold online and also available at Blick Art stores. Here is link to Blick listing: Chroma Acrylic Mural Paint | BLICK Art Materials
Mural varnish: I looked online and found a helpful article from the Liquitex Paint site. They have tips on a bunch of aspects of mural painting. They describe a multi-step process for protecting and varnishing the mural. If someone finds a good source with simpler instructions, please share!
Joyce Westner asked me about potentially sanding (ugh!) a box that seems to have new, shiny paint. I suggest that a MUCH less labor intensive approach is to buy a spray can of primer which will 1) not damage the base coat on the box, and 2) provide a better adhesive surface for your mural paint. There are both water based and oil based primers. Most paints that are used these days are water based so you should be OK with using a spray can of water based primer for your project. Of course, if you have an older box with damaged/peeling paint, you will need to go the sanding-and-primer route to do a quality job.
Just as a reminder, all identifying and safety text on the utility boxes must be covered with masking tape during painting. No text is to be obscured by the artwork. (A couple of boxes have yellow warning placards or similar materials that we don’t want to lose!)
Tips for prepping and painting from the Somerville program:
- Remove all stickers and graffiti. Use "Oops" Remover if needed and razor scraper to remove any paper or
flaking paint. - De-grease any poor areas with pure mineral spirits.
- Prime area with All-In-One Self-Priming Oil-Based Paint (white).
- Paint your design with Oil-Based Enamel paints (Rustoleum brand and Ace Brand, but any oil-based
enamel *for metal* will work). - Use oil-based DecoColor paint markers for outlining and writing.
- Because boxes are operational, hinges and locks should be lightly painted. Do not paint over keyholes.