Wall murals have been used to tell stories from the time of cave dwellers. Wall Murals endure as a story telling vehicle because they are so effective.

Employing an artist to produce them has become cost prohibitive. These artworks were very time consuming, interfering with use of the space. The Sistine Chapel was out of commission for years.

Digitally printed adhesives have made the Wall Mural a practical form of story telling once again. An example on the UCR campus in Riverside California, illustrated here, shows how effective large format printing techniques can be in mural production.

The UCR Wall Mural was designed to create a visual timeline of the “History of UC Riverside.”

One of the key design requirements was the ability to change and update the murals content as the UCR story evolves. Over a series of brainstorming meetings, it was decided to create a mural on an 80-foot stretch of wall on the 3rd floor of the Highlander Union Building. The location was chosen because it is a main corridor for students, staff, faculty, and visitors to campus. The bulk of the content was printed on a vinyl adhesive wallpaper background, with acrylic and Sintra panels elevated several inches off the background. These panels can be easily updated in the years ahead.

Graphic designer Victor Perry was assigned to the project along with Steve Whitestone as the writer. Kent Endsley and Marian Harkness provided additional research, fact finding, and writing services. The project went through several changes during the approval process with input from Todd Wingate, the Chancellor’s Office, and the Campus Arts Committee. In May 2010, final files were prepared for print (with help from Hector Rosado and Jesse Gonzalez at B3). The mural was installed by Rolando Rodriguez during the third week of July, 2010.

PrintB3 offers many different materials for printed wall coverings, and now includes a dry erase laminate for classroom wall graphics.

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