THE PROJECT
A Student-Designed School Mural in Stirling North
A set of hand-painted mural panels that gave the school’s main stage a fresh new face, built from the students’ own drawings.
Client
Stirling North Primary School
Location
Stirling North, SA (3 hrs from Adelaide)
Format
Hand-painted panels for the school stage
Completed
Late 2024
THE BRIEF
A Stage That Needed a Refresh
The main stage sits at the heart of the Stirling North Primary School yard, right next to the playground. Years ago its front had been hand-painted with the school name and values, but the paint had faded and peeled, and it was no longer doing the school justice.
The solution was a set of custom, hand-painted panels to cover the lower front of the stage. And instead of us inventing the design, it would come from the students themselves.
THE DESIGN
From Student Drawings to One Design
The school ran a drawing competition, asking students to draw what they love most about their town and region. Teachers then selected several of the drawings to be included in the mural.
We brought those ideas together into one cohesive design: the train, the hills, the birds, the windmills and a big “Be Kind” heart. The students created the sketches and chose the colours. Our job was to preserve their vision while adding some finishing touches.
THE PROCESS
Designed Together, Painted by Hand
The whole project was coordinated with the teachers by phone and email, with regular design updates along the way.
1. Student drawings
Students drew what matters to them about Stirling North, and the teachers chose the drawings to include.
2. Sketch & first colour
The combined design was drawn onto the panels in pencil, then the first colours went on, one brushstroke at a time.
3. Painting the panels
Diego painted the panels by hand in the studio, following the colours the students picked.
4. The details
Small details, like the faces in the train windows, were painted with care to keep the charm of the original drawings.
THE BEST PART
Three Hours from Adelaide, No Problem
Stirling North is about a three-hour drive from Adelaide, but distance was never an issue. We planned everything remotely with the teachers, then drove up with the finished panels and installed them on site.
Seeing the students’ own drawings come together on their stage was the highlight. It was a pleasure to be part of the process and to add a little happiness to the day of these talented kids.
THE RESULT
A Stage That Belongs to the Students
A bright, cheerful welcome for the whole school, and a mural the students can proudly call their own.
FROM THE SCHOOL
“WOW! What an amazing artist and team. Diego produced a wonderful mural for our school that truly captured the essence of our students’ drawings. He used multiple student designs and created one whole picture. The whole process from start to finish was impeccable. He continually gave staff updates about the design and delivered beyond expectations. Our school and students are so thrilled with his work and we look forward to possibly having another opportunity to work with Diego again. We recommend his service to all schools and other clients.”
Hannah
Stirling North Primary School
YOUR SCHOOL
Have a Design? We’ll Paint It.
Whether your school has its own design or needs one from scratch, we’ll help refine it and paint it by hand. We also run hands-on mural workshops with students.