ANTONIO HOWARD
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A non-exhaustive list of the things experience has taught me to consider when deciding to accept a mural project:

5/6/2023

2 Comments

 
 Cause and relationship to the project and client
  • Is the cause or mission something I believe in, identify with, and or wish to further its goal?
  • Does the client employ people with criminal backgrounds?
  • Does the client employ minorities?
  • Am I passionate about this project?
Challenge
  • Is this project new and challenging for me?
  • Is this an opportunity to learn something new or do something I haven’t done?
Costs and scope of the project
  • Material
  • Execution (per square foot)
  • Design 
  • Labor
  • Travel
  • Mileage
  • Time
  • Gasoline
  • Equipment and/or equipment rental (may require insurance)
    • scissor lift
    •  boom
    •  scaffolding
    • U-Haul  ($20 rental and .69 cent per mile)
      • To and From
Impact
  • Content
  • Message
  • Longevity
  • Demographic
  • Example
Intellectual property and creative license
  • Is this an original design?
    • Have I produced it before?
  • Did the client create the design?
  • Did the client borrow the image or elements of it from another artist or elsewhere?
  • Will I have the freedom to create what I want?
  • What are my client-prescribed creative or design limitations?
Level of involvement
  • Will I be the lead artist?
  • Will I be provided artistic credit?
  • Will I be credited for being a lead artist?
  • Will I be consulting?
  • Will I be designing?
  • Will I be supervising?
  • Will I be teaching?
Opportunity for community engagement and involvement
  • Will the project permit or require community outreach and input?
  • Is the client willing to allow community involvement?
  • Potential for community involvement
Payment
  • Will I be compensated financially?
  • Will I be compensated at the price I proposed or one negotiated by the client?
  • How much difference is there between my proposed price and the client-negotiated price?
  • Am I being offered a bump price:  A price above my proposed price that would encourage me to reorganize or clear my calendar for this project?
  • Am I being asked to work for free?
  • Are there alternatives to me working for free?
    • Explore crowdfunding
    • Seek sponsors
    • Pursue grant funding
    • Contact Erie Arts and Culture for guidance
    • Small Fundraisers
    • Donations in kind
      • Letter to me required
    • Teaching artist residency
      • I am a teaching artist with Erie Arts and Culture. Erie Arts and Culture will pay a portion of my fee to teach a community residency. I am always willing to turn a mural project into a teaching artist residency, where, in addition to rendering a mural, I simultaneously teach the mural-making process to the community involved.
  • Will accepting this project at the client-negotiated price (or working for free) negatively impact other artists’ ability to make a living?
  • Am I being compensated in alternative ways?
    • Donation in kind
    • Voucher
    • Credit (store credit for example)
    • Gift card(s)
Potential for collaborating
  • Will there be an opportunity to work with, teach, and/or learn from another artist?
Methods of Documentation
  • Social Media
  • Newsprint
  • Interview / Quotes
  • Photographing / Video
  • Dedication Ceremony
Referrals
  • Will this project lead to future projects and opportunities?
  • Will the client provide a written testimonial?
  • Will the client allow me to include them as a reference when applying for future projects?
Safety and logistics
  • What is the potential for adverse police interaction and arrest?
    • Painting and presence on location after hours
    • Arrival and departure of location after hours
    • Mistaken identity
    • Dissatisfaction with subject matter and content
    • Will the client write a letter authorizing me and my assistants to be on the premises for the duration of the project?
    • Will the client provide me with a telephone number to a person (not a voicemail) I can reach at all times during the project?
  • Is there a likelihood of being bit by a dog or accosted?
  • If storing my mural supplies on-site, is there a likelihood of supplies being stolen or supplies damaging the space they’re stored in?
  • Is the mural near power lines or involve working around chemicals?
  • Is there proper lighting in case of painting after hours or will I need to provide my own?
    • Are there electrical outlets that would support plug-in lighting if I need to provide my own?
  • Is there proper ventilation?
  • Is there potential for overspray and or paint damage to automobiles or surrounding property near the project?
    • Parked or moving cars
  • Eating habits
  • Smoking
  • Supply storage
  • Restroom
  • Water source
Scheduling
  • Time commitment
  • Time for completion
  • Will accepting this project come at the expense of other projects?
  • Will accepting this project come at the expense of my family relationships?
  • Will accepting this project come at the expense of my mental and or physical health?
  • Weather and season
    • Winter
      • Driving on icy roads
    • Spring
    • Fall
    • Summer
      • Allergies
      • Sun
      • Mosquitoes
      • Ants
Surface and medium
  • Inside or outside
  • Prep work involved
    • Power wash
    • Bricks repointed
    • Hazard abatement
  • Polytab
  • Bucket paint or spray paint
2 Comments
Connie Manus
5/6/2023 11:20:35 pm

Antonio, Luther, and I are so Proud of you and your commitment to designing a well-crafted, planned contract highlighting your mural business. Companies appreciate format, style, and detailed informative contracts. This is a very impressive outline of your attention to detail and each company, individual that employs you, I know will be more than elated with your finished works. I know you will secure many mural contacts with this impressive, and detailed outline.

Reply
Kendrick link
9/14/2024 09:55:29 am

Nice post thanks for sharingg

Reply



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    Author

    I'm Antonio Howard--a
    shelf-taught community muralist. Shelf-taught because what didn’t come naturally as a developing artist emerged through guidance from instructional books purchased with money earned from the sale of my paintings. Thus, one of my achievements as an artist was my ability to support myself under circumstances designed to rob me of everything. Prison is where I developed my artistic talents. Although I often dreamed of being an escape artist, as a visual artist, my talents broke free of prison long before I did.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER.


​Phone: 814-506-7085
Murals By Antonio Howard, LLC
PO BOX 1012
Erie PA 16512

    Have a community art project or speaking engagement you would like me to lead? ​Let's work together. 

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​©Antonio Howard, 2022
  • Home
    • About
  • Art Practice
    • Community Art >
      • Survey - Community Choice
      • Survey - Design Elements
    • Studio Art
    • Literary Art
    • Workshops
  • Community Leadership
    • Public Speaking
  • Acknowledgements
  • Blog
  • Store
    • Books
    • Prints
    • Tumblers