Chiselled & Scraped Murals
We transform plain, flat walls into sculptural masterpieces. By manually chiselling and scraping layers of specialized plaster, we create bold 3D art that plays with light and shadow right on your surface.
Our first artwork in our new studio was this chiselled mural of Maa Durga vanquishing Mahishasur. This technique involves physically scraping and carving away layers of the wall to create a relief sculpture. It's a labor-intensive process that results in a dramatic, permanent installation.
About Chiselled & Scraped Murals
Because we carve directly into the plaster, this isn't a quick paint job—it’s a 3 to 5 day process for a standard feature wall. We focus on a monochrome palette of white, grey, or cement tones because the magic really happens when light hits the deep ridges and valleys we create by hand. Ensure your wall is clean and primed before we arrive, as the specialized 5mm to 10mm sculpting paste needs a solid foundation to hold its form for years to come.
How We Create Your Feature Wall
When we take on a chiselled mural project, we are essentially sculpting a relief piece directly onto your architecture. We don't use moulds; we use chisels and scrapers to manually manipulate the sculpting paste while it is still workable. This means every curve of a face or texture in an abstract design is formed in real-time by us.
The Process & Requirements
- Design Consultation: We start with a digital mock-up superimposed on your actual wall photo so you can see exactly how the light will hit the finished relief.
- The Build: We apply multiple layers of sculpting paste (5mm to 10mm thick) to build up depth.
- The Carve: This is the labour-intensive part. We use metal chisels to scrape away and shape the surface. Since this happens on-site, expect some dust and activity for a few days.
- Finishing: Once the art is set, we apply a clear, matte sealant. This makes the entire wall dust-free and wipeable, ensuring the art is as practical as it is beautiful.
Important Practicalities
We need a clean, primed wall surface to start. If you are planning a piece that covers heights above 8 feet, please let us know in advance, as we will need to arrange for scaffolding to ensure we can reach and carve those top sections safely. Because this is a high-impact, physical technique, it works best on feature walls where you have clear lighting—either natural or focused spot lighting—to accentuate the shadows created by the relief.
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