The Struggles of Being a Muralist and Artist: What No One Tells You

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

You see the final mural — bold colors splashed across concrete, telling stories without words. People stop to admire it, snap photos, maybe even tag it on Instagram. But what you don’t see is the early mornings spent prepping a wall in freezing weather. You don’t see the client emails that go ignored. You don’t feel the exhaustion after ten hours on a ladder, wondering if this piece will actually pay the bills.

Being an artist — especially a muralist — looks romantic from the outside. Behind every beautiful wall, there’s a real person. They push through burnout, rejection, and financial stress. They also face the mental pressure to keep creating.

This is a look behind the brush. It reveals the struggles no one talks about. It also uncovers the truth of what it’s like to live as an artist in the real world.

Is Being an Artist as Easy as It Looks?

Ask anyone who’s not in the art world and they may have misconceptions about a muralist’s daily activities. You’ll probably hear: “You get paid to paint walls, right? Must be nice.” The reality, of course, is more complicated — and much heavier than people realize.

What outsiders see is the end result. But the process? It’s messy, chaotic, and often deeply personal. Artists spend days planning a mural’s concept. They deal with permits and source materials. They also negotiate budgets, which are usually too small. Additionally, they respond to criticism from people who have never picked up a paintbrush.

And while the art itself is public, the struggle behind it is usually hidden.

We battle the myth that being an artist is a hobby, not a profession. We fight to be taken seriously in industries that undervalue creativity. We push through the pressure to always be “on.” We strive to always be “inspired.” We are compelled to always be creating — or else be forgotten.

It’s not just about making something beautiful. It’s about surviving long enough to keep doing it.

The Pressure to Always Be Creative

There’s a myth that creativity flows endlessly. The belief is that if you’re an artist, inspiration just shows up when you need it. But any working muralist will tell you: some days, the wall feels bigger than your ideas.

Being creative on command is one of the hardest parts of the job. You’re not just painting. You’re solving visual problems. You’re telling stories with color. You’re trying to say something new in a world full of noise. Add tight deadlines, client revisions, and the expectation to go viral on social media, and the weight becomes crushing.

Creative burnout isn’t just feeling tired — it’s feeling empty. Like you’ve poured everything out, and the world’s asking for more. And yet, deadlines don’t wait. Walls don’t paint themselves. So you dig deeper, even when your well feels dry.

This is the part most people don’t understand: the emotional labor behind every mural. The invisible battle that starts before the first brushstroke. And the fear that one day, the ideas might stop coming.

How Physically Demanding is Mural Art?

Painting a mural isn’t just creative work — it’s physical labor. And it takes a serious toll on your body.

You’re hauling ladders, lifting paint, and climbing scaffolding for hours at a time. You’re out there in the heat, the cold, the rain — whatever the weather throws your way. Unlike working in a studio, you don’t get to control the environment. You show up because the wall won’t wait.

Murals can take days or even weeks to finish. That means long hours on your feet, repetitive movements, and pushing through soreness to meet a deadline. It’s common for muralists to suffer from back pain, joint strain, and even injuries from falls or overexertion.

And yet, this part of the job is rarely talked about.

People admire the final piece but never ask what it took to get there. They never ask about the early mornings, the cramped positions, the sunburns, or the bruises. They don’t see the muralist icing their wrist at night or stretching between coats just to keep going.

The art is big, but the sacrifices behind it? Even bigger.

Can You Make a Living as a Muralist?

This is the question no one wants to ask out loud — and the one every artist wrestles with constantly.

The truth? Being a full-time muralist means living in the tension between passion and survival. Some months, you land a dream project that pays well. Other times, you’re chasing invoices, getting ghosted by clients, or being asked to work for “exposure.” And somehow, you’re supposed to keep creating like money isn’t part of the equation.

Murals are expensive to produce — not just in time, but in materials: spray paint, scaffolding, safety gear, primers, sealants. But budgets are often tight, and many clients don’t understand what quality art actually costs.

So, artists compromise. We cut corners. We hustle side jobs. We say yes when we should say no — just to keep painting.

And there’s the emotional cost, too. Watching someone haggle your rate down impacts you emotionally. It makes you question your worth. You might even wonder if choosing art as a career was the right move at all.

Still, we keep showing up — because the work means something. Because the wall calls. Because somewhere in the grind, we still believe in the power of art to outlive the struggle.

The Emotional Toll of Public Art

When you create public art, you’re not just putting paint on a wall — you’re putting yourself out there. Every mural, every brushstroke, becomes a piece of you on display. And once it’s public, it’s open to interpretation, praise, or criticism from everyone.

That can be terrifying.

People walk by and comment without knowing the story. Some will love it. Others will tear it apart. As an artist, you have to absorb everything. The praise feels good for a moment. But, the critiques linger far longer than they should.

Even worse is the silence — when your work gets ignored altogether.

You start asking yourself:

• Did I do enough?
• Was it good?
• Do I even belong here?

The mental strain of constantly creating, sharing, and being judged takes a toll. This is especially true when you’re already navigating financial stress and physical burnout. Add social media into the mix. Your art is reduced to a scroll and a double-tap. It can feel like you’re screaming into a void.

Yet somehow, we still create.
Not because it’s easy. But because being seen — truly seen — is worth the risk.

Why Do Muralists Keep Painting Despite the Struggles?

If it’s so hard — the rejection, the hustle, the exhaustion — then why do we keep doing it?

Because for artists, creating isn’t a job. It’s a compulsion. A calling. Something that lives in your bones.

Every mural is more than just art. It’s connection. It’s storytelling. It’s healing. It’s protest. It’s celebration.

You remember the kid who stops on their bike and stares up at your wall in awe. The business owner who says your work brought life to their space. The community that suddenly feels prouder of its block because of what’s now on that empty wall.

You realize the work matters — even if it doesn’t go viral. Even if it doesn’t pay what it should. Even if the world doesn’t fully understand it.

So you show up, again.
You pick up the brush, again.
You climb the scaffold, again.

Because every wall is a chance to say something real.
And sometimes, that’s enough to keep going.

How You Can Support Artists Today

If you’ve made it this far, chances are you care about artists — or maybe you are one. Either way, the next step is simple: support.

Support doesn’t always mean buying art (though that helps more than you know). It can be as simple as:

• Sharing an artist’s work online. One repost or tag can lead to new opportunities.
• Leaving positive feedback. A kind comment or review goes a long way on rough days.
• Respecting the rate. If you hire a muralist, pay them what their work is worth. Don’t ask for discounts “for exposure.”
• Amplifying their story. When you see an artist opening up about their struggles, listen — and help others understand, too.
• Protecting public art. If you see vandalism or neglect, speak up. These walls are more than paint — they’re community.

Most importantly: see the artist behind the art.

Every mural you walk past, every canvas you scroll by. There’s a human behind it who’s choosing to create. They do so in a world that often makes it hard. When we support artists, we’re not just preserving culture — we’re investing in courage, color, and truth.

So the next time you see a mural on a wall, don’t just admire it.
Stand behind it. Stand behind the person who made it.

If you’re not sure where to start, this guide from the Pittsburgh Arts Council has 20 excellent ideas.

Most of all: see the artist. Behind the paint. Behind the wall. Behind the smile.

🎨 Did You Know?

Facts Behind the Walls We Walk By

🧾 62% of artists in the U.S. earn less than $30,000/year, with many living below the poverty line, according to research by Americans for the Arts.

🖌️ A typical large-scale mural takes 50–150 hours to finish — not including concept design, surface prep, or travel. That’s often weeks of physical labor, done outdoors in unpredictable conditions.

🕳️ 1 in 3 murals go uncredited. This means the artist’s name is never displayed on the wall. It is also not mentioned in social posts. This directly impacts their ability to get future work.

🚧 Artists often front their own supply costs. These costs can exceed $1,000 per mural. Artists then wait weeks or months to get paid.

Final Words

Being a muralist isn’t just a career. It’s a choice to keep creating. This choice persists even when the world makes it hard.

We’re not asking for pity. Just a little more awareness. A little more respect. A little more connection.

So next time you walk past a mural, don’t just admire it.
Stand behind it. And the person who made it.

Related Links

• Dubus Art Studio: Mural Artist
• Funding Your Mural Project: A Comprehensive Guide
• Effective Mural Project Management Strategies and Support Services
• A Mural Project Comes to Life: A Role Play – Part 2
• 🎨 Small-Scale Murals, Big Impact