Murals add beauty, promote brands, and become wayfinding (“Turn left at the rainbow mural”). All are positive functions that add incentives for investment. But what if murals can provide more function—and higher value—for your community?

The massive mural shown below serves several functions for C3 Church in Canal Winchester, Ohio:

Wayfinding: at 40 feet wide, it’s hard to miss this mural’s design as it wraps across a curved wall in the main lobby
Storytelling: the mural gives visual cues to C3’s 15 year history, their vision, mission, and future
Community building: Every first Sunday of the month, C3 hosts Walk the Wall, where the mural anchors and encourages conversations. People hear the C3 story, ask questions, and meet others who are new to C3. Dinner and childcare are provided, too.

Hear more about this mural: C3 Church Podcast. Host Gary Fowler and I dive deeper than murals, into my childhood and faith. If you want to skip that, scrub to the 27:00 mark for the mural conversation.

giant mural for C3 Church — At 40x20’ on a curved wall, the mural at C3 Church naturally guides people from lobby entry to café.

Danielle uses the mural to tell the C3 church story — Danielle invites conversation with those new to C3 during a get-to-know-you ice breaker centered around building relationships.

Pastor Konan at C3 Church — Pastor Konan tells the C3 church story using visual cues from the mural.

Making the Mural

The best ideas are often collaborative, and this was true for C3’s mural—our group conversations helped shape the final idea. On the opposite side of the church’s lobby is a bird’s eye view city grid. Our mural used a similar grid structure to connect the visual experience. From there, the grid begins to bend, creating topographic and ripple patterns that move the viewer across the wall. They represent C3’s growth across Central Ohio, and their mission for continued growth. Their key words are custom designed to flow within these patterns, creating a natural, organic expression. Secondary to the bold key words are additional words and illustrations that tell the C3 story.

Only two colors were used across this giant 40x20’ mural. Why? Because 1. less color creates a sense of calm, and 2. this helps people focus on the intended communications.

The most challenging design constraint? The huge support beam that visually disrupts the wall.

Completion took approximately one week thanks to C3 providing a skyjack.