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Artist Painting Mural in Realism of Wildlife and Landscapes

Murals

Artist Painting Wildlife Mural | Realism Wall Art of Eagle, Lion, and Red River Sunset Landscape with Video

The Story Behind the Mural

Joel Wright- artist painting mural of wildlife / realism - video

PH Realty asked me to paint a wildlife mural for their new office.
I saw a chance to bring nature and movement into their space.
And honestly, I knew I had to do it.

The design featured an eagle soaring, the Red River bottoms Sunset and a lioness and incorporate letter for inspiration—to convey vision, leadership, and courage.

But behind the beauty of this mural was a challenge of scale—literally. Working on a elevated wall meant facing my fear of heights and learning to trust the process (and the scissor lift).

Every stroke at that height required precision, calm, and a little courage. This project reminded me that art often mirrors life—it demands that we climb, balance, and see from new perspectives.

The Creative Process: From Blank Wall to Wildlife Realism

To prepare the surface, we used a primed and smoothed wall—ready for multiple layers of paint. I started by blocking in the warm tones of the Red River sunset, building atmospheric depth before adding the intricate details of the eagle’s feathers and the lioness’s fur.

Lighting played a major role in how this mural evolved. I used oil paint on this mural to achieve the sunset’s glow to flow across the wall. The key was keeping realism without losing the expressive texture that defines my style.

Working with Sarah, my wife and fellow artist, made this project even more meaningful. She handled scheduling, client coordination, and helped establish the underpainting foundation, lettering and more. Her support allowed me to stay focused on the creative vision and overcome the physical challenges of working with my fear of height.

The Reveal: Art That Transforms a Space

Once complete, the mural completely changed the feel of the office. What was once a blank, echoing wall became a living landscape—a place that inspires calm and motivation. The mural now welcomes clients with energy and warmth, reflecting PH Realty’s values and connection to the local environment.

This project solidified what I’ve always believed: murals are more than decoration—they’re transformation. They turn a space into an experience and a moment into something permanent.

Watch the Process (Embedded Video)

🎥 Watch the Full Video:
Artist Painting Wildlife Mural | Realism Wall Art of Eagle, Lion, and Red River Sunset

In the video, you’ll see each phase of this mural’s creation—from early sketches and color layering to the final lighting effects that bring the wildlife scene to life.

Learn More & Connect

If you’re considering a mural to elevate your home or business, visit mural artist for details on commissions, workshops, and creative direction.

You can also explore the full Mural Painting Series playlist on YouTube, where I share behind-the-scenes insights into every project—from Venetian plaster walls to large-scale realism.

Caddo Lake Cypress Tree Mural by Texas Artist

Joel Wright Art, Murals

Caddo Lake Cypress Tree Mural by a Texas Mural Artist

Venetian Plaster Process & Technique

Before any paint touched the wall, the first task was to build a perfect surface. The original wall texture had to go, so I started by applying a new layer of drywall compound as a skim coat to create a smooth foundation. After sanding and leveling, I primed the surface with a quartz primer — the essential bond coat that allows Venetian plaster to grip evenly. From there, I applied multiple coats of Marmorino Venetian plaster with a stainless-steel trowel. This particular plaster uses a larger grain size of marble dust, giving it that subtle stone texture and depth you can only achieve through authentic lime-based materials.

Artistic & Functional Impact
The Venetian plaster became the backbone of the mural. Its natural sheen and tactile surface caught light differently throughout the day, creating a sense of movement before the painting even began. The larger marble aggregate created tiny facets that refracted the ambient light, adding an understated elegance that a flat wall could never replicate. It wasn’t just a preparation step—it was part of the artwork itself. This textural foundation elevated the final piece from a painting on a wall to a living surface that breathes with the room, merging craftsmanship with atmosphere.

Lime Wash Paint for Textured Walls and Venetian Plaster Alternatives

Transition and Technical Process
Originally, the plan for the lower half of the dining room was a glossy Venetian plaster finish to complement the marble texture above. However, as the mural developed, I needed finer control over color blending and tonal depth. Venetian plaster has a subtle translucence, but it can shift unpredictably when burnished to a sheen. To achieve a more balanced palette that harmonized with the mural’s natural tones, I transitioned to lime wash paint. The lime wash provided the mineral texture I wanted while allowing precise color adjustment in real time. Its breathable nature also made it ideal for layering over the plaster base without sealing in moisture or dulling the surface.

Visual and Artistic Result
The lime wash gave the walls a velvety, organic look that perfectly complemented the cypress tree mural. Soft, diffused light moved across the surface, revealing delicate variations in hue and texture that a glossy finish could never achieve. The result was an atmosphere that felt aged yet alive — a continuation of the mural’s natural story rather than a separate design element. By combining Venetian plaster and lime wash, the room gained both durability and artistry, merging two old-world techniques into one seamless modern aesthetic.

Teamwork in Mural Painting – Collaboration with Sarah Wright

Working Together on the Underpainting and Client Coordination
This stage of the project brought a different kind of artistry—teamwork. Sarah handled much of the client communication and scheduling, keeping the project organized and flowing smoothly while I focused on design and technical direction. She also jumped right into the creative process, helping with the underpainting and the early color fields that set the tone for the finished mural. Her steady rhythm with the brush allowed me to concentrate on composition and texture, and her presence kept the atmosphere light and focused. It was a reminder that large-scale art isn’t a solo effort—it’s coordination, timing, and trust working together on one wall.

Painting on Venetian Plaster and the Joy of Shared Creation
Here we’re painting directly on the Venetian plaster—a surface that’s both beautiful and challenging. Because of its stone-like texture, every stroke covers more surface area and requires more paint to achieve depth. It’s physically demanding but incredibly rewarding, and having Sarah there to balance color and momentum made the process fun. We worked side by side, adapting to the plaster’s texture and using it to our advantage, letting the natural variations influence the brushwork. The result wasn’t just a mural but a shared expression of craft and partnership, blending two artistic voices into one cohesive vision.

Scaling Up Artistic Vision – Reaching New Heights in Mural Painting

The Challenge and Symbolism of Scale
This photo captures more than just the physical act of reaching high on a wall—it represents the leap I took in scaling up my art for the first time. Moving from canvas to architecture was both exhilarating and intimidating. Every brushstroke had to hold up from a few inches away and from across the room. Working at this size demanded a new mindset, a new rhythm, and a willingness to embrace imperfection as part of the process. The mural became a symbol of growth, not just in size but in confidence. Each stroke higher on the wall felt like a step into new territory—uncharted, yet entirely where I was meant to be.

Discovering a New Passion for Large-Scale Work
By the time this mural was complete, I realized how much I loved the scale, the energy, and the presence of mural painting. The physicality of it—the climb, the movement, the perspective shifts—connected me to the artwork in a way that studio painting never could. This project wasn’t just a commission; it was a breakthrough moment in my career. It taught me that artistic expansion isn’t just about ambition—it’s about saying yes to opportunities that stretch your abilities and redefine your creative boundaries. Now, every time I see a blank wall, I don’t see an obstacle—I see potential, and I can’t wait for the next project.

The Completed Mural and Full Transformation

The finished mural captures the tranquil atmosphere of Caddo Lake — the soft reflections of water, the intricate Spanish moss, and the grounded strength of the cypress trees. Every stage, from applying the Venetian plaster to the final brushwork, built toward this moment. It’s more than a painting on a wall; it’s a complete transformation of the dining space into a living piece of art that shifts with the light and seasons. For me, this project represents the balance between craftsmanship and imagination, and the discovery that scaling up my work brought new life to my creative process.

Watch the Full Video and Learn More
If you haven’t yet watched the full journey, you can view the entire process — from plaster to paint — right here:
🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IxghlTAtbuU
For more details about custom murals, artistic techniques, and upcoming projects, visit my mural portfolio and commission page here:
🌐 Book murals with Joel Wright: Mural Artist Booking

Every project tells a story, and this one marks the first chapter of a series dedicated to transforming spaces through art.

Joel Wright Art, Murals

Two Landscape Murals and Two Wildlife Murals: My Latest Projects

Finding Empowerment with Experimentation and Iteration

Experimentation and iteration have always shaped my path as an artist. No matter what medium I explore—tattoos, video, canvas, or murals—the truth is the same: I can’t remove the fact that I am an artist. That identity stays with me, even as the way it expresses itself evolves.

I spent 25 years tattooing, and I may still return to it from time to time. I’ve explored video production and loved the work and the team experience, but I’ve realized that my role isn’t to create video for clients—it’s to create art. Video is something I’ll continue in the form of my own projects and my YouTube channel, but painting is where creative strength hangs out.

The Overlapping Circles of Fulfillment

That process has led me here - painting directly on walls. In this post, I’m sharing four recent projects—two landscapes and two wildlife murals—that pushed me, challenged me, and reminded me why I do this work.

The tricky part of being an artist is finding what holds value for others while also keeping the work meaningful for yourself. If an artist isn’t true to himself, the art won’t carry the heart it needs to rise to its highest form. For years I wanted to focus on painting, With tattooing—while I loved much of it—wasn’t fully aligned with my desire to paint. That tension eventually led everything to come crashing down.

From the Ashes to renewed Inspiration

But from those ashes, my creativity has been reborn. Now I’m painting murals and large-scale wall art for both residential and business clients. This new direction has reinvigorated me, reminding me why I chose this path in the first place. The combination of artistic expression, scale, and the way murals transform spaces has given me a fresh sense of purpose and inspiration.

With that renewal came the chance to take on projects that truly reflect who I am as an artist. Each mural is the path of merging my love of landscapes, wildlife, and storytelling into spaces where people live, work, and gather. The four murals I’m sharing here—two landscapes and two wildlife scenes—are milestones in this new chapter.

They challenged me, pushed my technique, and reminded me that art can transform not just walls, but the people who experience them and myself in the process.

Cypress Swamp Landscape Mural

This mural began almost by accident. A local surgeon had purchased a painting from me, and when I delivered it, we started talking about murals. There was no prior plan or goal to do murals — it just unfolded naturally. What began as a single painting turned into a full room transformation with Venetian plaster on the walls and gold leaf on the ceiling, crowned by this cypress swamp mural. It reminded me that sometimes the best projects happen organically, born out of connection and shared vision.

Sunset River Landscape Wall Art Mural - Joel Wright

Sunset River Landscape Mural

When I was tagged in a post about painting for PH Realty, I had no idea what doors it would open. Lauren Callaway Francis invited me to the construction of her new office location, and the idea grew into three murals — two wildlife and one nature scene. This sunset was one of them, painted high above the ground in their new office space. There was just one problem I hadn’t told anyone: I’m terrified of heights. With the help of a scissor lift, I worked about 18 feet in the air. It forced me to face that fear and sometimes growth as an artist means overcoming personal obstacles too.

Lioness Wildlife Mural

The lioness mural at PH Realty was designed to inspire the agency’s team. Paired with the words “Courage, Kindness, Honesty,” it quickly became more than just artwork — it was a statement of values. Seeing how the staff responded to it showed me how art can shape the culture of a place, giving energy and purpose to the people who walk past it every day.

American Eagle Wildlife Mural

The eagle mural was another PH Realty project — bold, direct, and unapologetic. “Eagles don’t fly with turkeys” was the phrase chosen for their wall, and it set the tone for ambition and excellence. It pushed me technically and personally, but in the end, the finished mural carried exactly the kind of inspiration they wanted for their space.

These murals were milestones for me as an artist — projects that pushed me technically and personally, and reminded me why I love this work. If you’d like to see more or explore the possibility of a custom mural for your home or business, visit my Mural Artist page.

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