How $150,000 Hyperrealistic Murals Come To Life

Colossal Media in Brooklyn, New York, paints photo-realistic advertisements on the walls of New York City. The company's worked with Coca-Cola, Nike, and Google to revive the old-school-ad art form.
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How $150,000 Hyperrealistic Murals Come To Life

[@k.h.universe3281]

I was taken in by the huge variety of colored paint they had

[@JG-on2wx]

I think almost every painter dreams of this 😍😂

[@ashleijaaron]

J G IKR

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

Ashlei Aaron DERF DERF!!

[@jeremywoods770]

Well i like to think myself open minded enough to not notice the paints were different colored than me. I just see paint and i respect each bucket as an individual. Also did you know they make an excellent snack?

[@doralevitt2879]

Beats my 150 piece Prismacolor set any day!! 🤣🤣🤣😜🙃

[@jonathan1104_]

This is the type of art job that nobody expects

[@petercasters]

What does this have to do with art?

[@Sage-yw8ly]

@@petercasters bro.... did you seriously just ask what these "HAND PAINTED MURALS" have to do with art 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@Ian-Hall]

@@petercasters Idiot.

[@gozinta82]

I wonder how many of them were artists who only worked on art on the side while working full time jobs as carpenters, craftsmen, engineers, etc. Then, after so many years of experience, they found themselves saying "Yup, I have all that experience required". :D

[@Jgarf]

I’m pretty sure that the one guy they interviewed used to be my acting teacher when I was like ten who also designed sets for the theater so they did have jobs and do jobs to hone skills before they got to this job

[@navycalvin9337]

i love painting using acrylic and watercolor. That range of color is something to die for

[@canadianmoth]

Dye for

[@jeonjungwick8777]

@@canadianmoth nice

[@oompavillin]

Me to that is the one thing I don't question in life.

[@zuwiqq]

Right!? 💛

[@donyavictorina7129]

They give me life 😍😍😍

[@jacesaces15]

They aren't charging NEARLY enough.

[@einna3706]

true

[@rachelwatkins8820]

As an artist myself, I thought the same until I saw that it said “per month” They probably figure companies will keep them up for long periods of time. Think about how much money they would make if a company kept their mural up for a year or even six months! I think it’s safe to say 100k a month ads up fast

[@pedrolozano8733]

500 Murals a year. Let's say they do the minimum in a year. 500x35,000=17,500,000. Obviously split between various artist and not including costs. Let's say we take average or minimum and maximum 92,500x500=46,250,000. Of course this is all just hypothetical based on the numbers given. Without cost there's no telling but I'm guessing if they are doing what they love and are making money they're doing rather well (:

[@bossHogOG]

Andro mache you’re an idiot

[@DJRoksor]

@@pedrolozano8733 The prices are per month so the money they make will be (much) more, depending on how many months the ads stay there.

[@vitharaw5220]

Impressive! I love how they’re keeping these hand painted murals alive

[@kxissshhh]

Yep 🙌🏻💕

[@edwardspencer9397]

In India an artist doing this will only earn around $50 for the entire thing. And they do a pretty decent job. Sad but true.

[@wildcats-ji8in]

What I came for: watching expensive paintings What I ended up doing: reading confused comments

[@sistersoland829]

Omg me too

[@chickennughets6568]

I'm not ruining those 69 likes

[@ladyscarlette6289]

"Are they artists?" Heck YES they're artists. It doesn't matter that they themselves didn't design the pieces, all artists start somewhere and sometimes that means copying another artist's work, like Van Gogh or Da Vinci, because by emulating them you learn from them. So yes, I think these wall dogs are the top dogs in photorealism

[@nicachepe]

DA VINKY?

[@ladyscarlette6289]

@@facelessdrone just because they have a team of graphic designers doesn't mean the people actually painting had anything to do with the design process. 🙆

[@Myhalamanz]

Just like singers with song composed and written by others.

[@nicachepe]

@@dididimimi1489 frick off

[@daquonstevenson8119]

Please do not compare Van Gogh or da Vinci to the modern time artist they could never be them look up to them for inspiration but that’s all

[@andicarusfell8387]

As an aspiring artist, envious of that color range

[@BossBunnyCom]

Buy red, yellow, blue, black and white paint and you'll have a greater color range than that.

[@anna15410]

Boss Bunny It’s a little bit harder than that, like how your reds and blues can’t have any yellow bias or else it’ll only make a muddy black-brown-purple color and not a pure one

[@BossBunnyCom]

@@anna15410 Yea, but that's why you have to get to know your paint AND I forgot to say, buy *HIGH QUALITY* paint. I am speaking from experience, I pretty much make any color I want, I just can't make chrome, silvers, golds or flesh tones that well, so I buy those colors.

[@maeyojungoo]

@@BossBunnyCom yea that takes a lot of experience. As an aspiring artist (I just recently decided to get serious on it after a long time of procrastination lol), I still depend on a wide color range. I somehow manage to get the right mix when I need it, but it's a different story when I have to replicate it. It's never the same 😭.

[@shayon8012]

@@BossBunnyCom just saying, gold color doesn't exist, it is just a shiny yellow. You can paint gold surfaces with yellow.

[@T---T]

That paint being out in the open makes me anxious

[@hdgavin4192]

400 likes!

[@jacqueline3782]

@@hdgavin4192 Did you sign in with the wrong account or something? Lmao!

[@hdgavin4192]

@@jacqueline3782 no I didint this is my account

[@naricyno]

I was always impressed by paintings on walls or advertising painted on walls, its one of my favorite things to look at with i was younger.

[@sycamore7855]

The way everyone is so enchanted by the way this process works, they aren’t even commenting

[@cl759]

I'd comment but I hate those things now

[@decoygale131]

Much respect for everyone involved in this job considering the tedious amount of work from start to finish.

[@gelatinny1089]

It's Impossible that a video with over 1 million views only has 8 comments

[@wildcats-ji8in]

Worst part is that most of even all of them were made this week-

[@gelatinny1089]

@Dave Chappelle I just brought honor to my name lol

[@lenahoang101]

i think they just turned on the comments

[@mohssenkassir431]

This is the only reasonable explanation

[@k47marie71]

3 days later and still only 56 comments

[@Kritacul]

It IS an art and I’d PROUDLY pay that amount if not more for these type of masterpieces.

[@rosshafinaz4060]

*"how many ads do you want?"* Coca - cola : 0:50

[@eminescu253]

Clever

[@rosshafinaz4060]

@@eminescu253 thank u :3

[@aa-to6ws]

As a manner of my gratitude, I grant you: Joke's Day Award. Very clever, love it

[@rosshafinaz4060]

@@aa-to6ws shawks! Tysm :v

[@kaystar1443]

I dont understand... I just wooshed myself

[@Leorahsaur]

Thanks to insider i think i just found my dream job...

[@user-nf5px7vg6w]

long hours outside in various types of weather for carpal tunnel? count me in too

[@nelsonx5326]

I've worked painting signs. I liked that color mixing got special mention. I was going crazy trying to match a pea green color. 20 attempts and I couldn't get it. I learned a valuable thing that day. The color you're trying to match, is it a cool or warm tone? A drop of Indian red warmed up my cup of pea green and I had a perfect match. And keep in mind certain colors will dry 10% darker. We would do something to the mixed paints that we called 'Doping'. An example of doping: adding a bit of silver to white made it cover better. That company has an excellent system. When the image is pounced on the wall the project becomes a huge 'paint-by-numbers'. I imagine that someday there will be beetle like robot spray printers crawling on the wall, painting the image based on programmed coordinates. No more Wall Dogs. Replaced by 'Wall Bugs'. Then the Wall Bugs revolt against their human slave masters, and the city wakes to find every square inch of it covered in obscene graffiti.

[@invade81]

I believe those things already exist, but they are more like CNC plotters and not ideal yet for outdoor use. At least, not the ones I saw. But it can't be far away.

[@kamwamangdkhar9965]

No matter what people call them, to me that's art

[@gargiborah6233]

Of course Ian 'Potter' can do it. He's a wizard in disguise after all .

[@lucyinwonderlandart]

Yeah.. we get that one a lot lol

[@gargiborah6233]

@@lucyinwonderlandart I'd love to have Potter as my surname 😍

[@sasailic3006]

I mistakenly read his name as "I am Potter" on a quick glance

[@TearCry08]

As an artist, that's a worth kind of living. 😍

[@ItachiUchiha-gf4fz]

To me this is art. In reality no one really cares about advertisements, people look up to it as a piece of a master piece.

[@solecurious1501]

Worth every penny of it. It's art. The amount of talent + resilience + effort poured into each piece.

[@kasvinimuniandy4178]

The amount of teamwork and problem solving involved... Wow... They are amazing!!!!!

[@forexams668]

Only real artist know how much patience mixing needs

[@TarmanTheChampion]

I'm a painter and have been comissioned to do a couple murals myself. 2 being "hyper realistic" I've actually drawn the rough outline by hand before which is a lot more difficult to get the proportions right. I've also done outlines using projectors on murals that are indoors or used the grid method :) it's a lot of work! It would be interesting to work with a team of artists to complete these murals... I've always done them alone.

[@baddickted1]

As a former walldog myself, it's nice to see this mostly forgotten trade: 1. get so much attention, 2. charge a decent price for the work/ad, 3. get the respect it deserves. It was fun to go to work 50-100 feet above the streets and just zone out painting a giant ad. But there's blazing summer heat, and bitter winter cold at times, and pigeons, the original angry birds. It's good to see handpainting coming back after the giant inkjets took that work away in the 90's.

[@infiniteecho8699]

It is designed with the talent of ones mind eye and hand doesnt matter where the idea came from this is pure art

[@annemichelle6842]

I used to be an ink mixer, creating colours on a daily basis, so satisfying x

[@LegionQT]

This is a very tough and wonderful job. Then there's some artworks that being sold for millions that literally a kid can actually do.

[@bbblanchard786]

those are ads previously created by a graphist, you really can't compare it to artworks

[@hojosconsal9913]

Money laundering

[@randomperson-de1rs]

@@bbblanchard786 wdym ???? Of course its art they are painting so much Juat bc they didnt come up with the idea doesnt mean its not art You have to be a very and i mean a very skilled artist to do realism like that

[@shashankashekhardey8786]

@@randomperson-de1rs contemporary art right now has just become the excuse for those who can’t draw shit and pretend like they are above average human cus people interpret their work as poetic and stuff. While they did that “art” with a blank mind.

[@samgilesss]

this was actually very informative!! love seeing the process of it all come together! thanks Insider!

[@mykep28]

This video was really amazing! Thank you so much for sharing it.

[@ria8678]

on god WHY are they charging so less for such huge paintings LORD

[@rebekahgizaw8768]

When all the comments are about a lack of comments.

[@rebekahgizaw8768]

@@pujaajknair3056 Thank you😊 I haven't changed it for 4 years😂

[@antonioalbul00]

@@rebekahgizaw8768 what was that comment about

[@rebekahgizaw8768]

@@antonioalbul00 which comment

[@antonioalbul00]

@@rebekahgizaw8768 the one above

[@rebekahgizaw8768]

Oh I think someone complimented my profile picture lol

[@rshopperocarolan7082]

An Affair To Remember Moment.TY for the knowledge. Sweet!!! Wyland memories, too.

[@nana.naghmana9]

Amazing... realism. Beautiful tough work by all the Artists.

[@MrMsadley]

I’m in the wrong business.. I think I was a wall dog in my past life hahaha

[@kylaheaton]

I’m sorry did we just call a donut a sandwich

[@brandon6682]

So glad I’m getting into graphic design. Seeing stuff like this is inspiring.

[@drewmixalot]

This blows my mind. The detail is remarkable.

[@eliyanajwa1892]

This is my dreams jobb!! I hope Malaysia people more open about art bcs i am fine art students..

[@moist6131]

WHY TF IS THERE 1 MILLION VIEWS BUT 1 COMMENT!!!

[@flowerwillow7399]

m o i s t like nobody comments anymore

[@sadafrazzak8253]

Gacha Uwu with JJ UwU like everybody comments

[@justsomeonewholiketoreply9737]

since when there are so much comments before yours

[@godknows4454]

Your KZbin is broken

[@dabama2864]

@@sadafrazzak8253 fuki

[@mndlessdrwer]

That is absolutely stunning and I 100% support this mode of advertisement.

[@noemisartcorner841]

Beautiful work. I hope it never stops

[@PaintSlanga]

I work in the film industry, some of you wouldn’t believe how much work goes into one scene much less a whole movie or tv show. Props to these guys.

[@sharon2c554]

That dont look like $150,000... times it by 5, then we have a good price

[@carolinapinheiro9915]

So true they deserve more

[@lexitnute1306]

150,000 is enough

[@lexitnute1306]

Here in the philippines normal pll have like 500/monthly

[@jntiugu7531]

@Jeppe Deppe coming from a Karen Negatron. I think you havent went to that field so you dont know what youre saying.

[@Letterograf]

Amazing.. to work on that scale is really challenging.. great work!!

[@urmur]

I hope they come to more cities. This type of well thought out ads should become a norm. We need more ARTdvertizements!

[@robertsontirado4478]

I pass there headquarters all the time didn’t know it was this.

[@PapyrusUndertale]

Manager: How many paintings do you want to draw? Brooklyn Painters: *_0:50_*

[@edwardparkhurst1795]

What an Extrotrainary video of your life and work, thanks for sharing this wonderful video with us that enjoy your prestigous talent.

[@19mychaellee71]

What an amazingly efficient team of creators! Breaking the whole mural process down into basically "paint-by-numbers" makes it all so damn efficient! Thirty+ people! hahaha I work alone and it takes me weeks!

[@RaymondArias]

This reminds me of the movie posters in Manila City, which are usually painted in the same manner, but the only difference is that those painters aren't paid as much as $150,000.00 for each painting.

[@ilsontfouscesromains]

The fact that those paintings are on command doesn’t make them not art. Portraits were ordered by royalty and the paintings we have are still considered works of art.

[@woahhi9675]

Beautiful❤❤❤❤yes it still art ! Its is gorgeous

[@PaulCarterArt]

Great insight and history lesson into the future. Thanks guys awesome time capsule 👍🏾🎨

[@danielmims8467]

Nothing like a handpainted sign. It's great to see it still in the public eye Ronan and one shot sign enamel will last for decades .

[@matthewroderique7468]

I agree with this statement, I still use mine just not nearly enough

[@thecommenter3409]

People don't even Care about comments right now....

[@mandytwilson4564]

Super cool 😎 Much respect to all wall dogs, past & present, for helping keep the world vibrantly interesting with real artistic colour & flavour🙏

[@matrixiekitty2127]

So freaking cool!! Beautiful work!!

[@turtleguy4694]

This came out last year in November! How are there only 4 comments?

[@hellothere3270]

My videos have come out years ago. The most comments I have are 2 comments, these people are lucky.

[@knick_knack]

I would love to have that job!

[@rivers10151]

This is absolutely incredible.

[@SheriLynNut]

When I was first starting out, I apprenticed under an original hand painter. He was amazing and I learned so much from him. Hand painting signs is a lost art. I went the route of computers in the mid nineties, but I still remember all that I learned, and I think it’s made me a better digital artist for having spent time as a hand paint artist.

[@linne6962]

I found my new dream job.

[@5mashedAndr0id]

Arts cool but ads plastered everywhere sucks

[@justinhunt4767]

NoahThreePew gotta get this cash

[@theboyntonbuddies]

No they look cool and urban. It’s a kind of aesthetic in itself, why I think big cities look so appealing and exiting. Ads are cool if they’re the bright and colorful kind.

[@Mindofthebrick]

Shitty aesthetic then

[@najae084_]

But ART-VERTISMENT is way cooler

[@mndlessdrwer]

Given that advertisements from the turn of the 21st century are collected as art, I feel it is overly critical to disregard their achievements just because it was created with the purpose of advertisements in mind. They're still beautiful, regardless, and the skill and dedication to the craft behind them is very real.

[@paecpc]

I truly embrace this idea of having artistic elements within our community and also serve its purpose of doing advertisements, I admire the west because everyone is so artistic, hope our country, Singapore can learn from it. Thanks 😊

[@khaithianthang]

Im soo glad to see you guys using traditional methods

[@Mountlougallops]

This is how ancient frescos were transferred to the plaster.

[@yseson_]

Chiaroscuro artist were using light projection to create photorealistic Painting

[@flightranchu3486]

No comments?? 1 million views

[@lemmythebeast9240]

This is so creative and dope!

[@jaspirita]

This is the coolest thing I've seen lately. My hometown had a huge handpainted ad for tobacco that had the potential to be taken down as a local college bought the building and they wanted a window right in the middle of the ad. LUCKILY, the college decided to keep the ad as much as possible instead of just erasing it, as the ad had become a landmark in the small town.

[@harlensdestruction7115]

$150,000? Doesn’t even seem like enough

[@missbeaussie]

Per month

[@harlensdestruction7115]

INTPish it’s a whole team of at least 5+ people.

[@harlensdestruction7115]

INTPish no problem :p

[@justaxann4682]

how my minimum wage job comes to life.

[@Burning0Lilac]

Fun fact the charcoal pouncing through holes is a super old idea. It was used in the sistine chapel to paint what michaelangelo intended. Pretty cool they're still using the technique

[@revzillo]

Absolutely fantastic , l would say this is fine art on art on a very large scale , breath taking 👍

[@someoneelse5685]

So cool!❤❤😊😊❤😊❤😊❤😊❤💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

[@akwsd89]

Everywhere is ads, this is gentrification of street art. Everyday being brainwashed by brands. Great art, just wish there is no brand on it.

[@maribelarellano7537]

A wide range of great art has been in fact comissioned, sponsored or bought by those in the power, goverments, religious institutions and alike to promote their ideologies and cater their tastes.

[@pat4005]

No artist can do it for free as street art. Someone has to pay for the paint, their time, the materials and planning stages. It takes highly skilled artists to do this.

[@mndlessdrwer]

@not tryna argue but the Sistine Chapel was commissioned to demonstrate both the power an influence of the church as well as to visualize the splendor of heaven. It was totally a power move by the church, calculated to act as a form of advertisement. Just because a piece of art was created with an alterior motive from it's commissioner doesn't make it less visually appealing.

[@rebeccatrishel]

Those are GORGEOUS

[@eljuanramon]

Dominance of both the word!!! And making trending on people's life🔥🔥🔥

[@seraphimpluto6786]

That's crazy... imagine if you made a mistake....

[@dxyeart7318]

You paint over it

[@seraphimpluto6786]

@@dxyeart7318 I know but think about how long it would take to fix

[@dxyeart7318]

@@seraphimpluto6786 I mean it depends on how big the mistake is but I get what you mean

[@seraphimpluto6786]

@@dxyeart7318 yeah that's what I meant sorry for not clarifying well enough

[@jeremywoods770]

If they make a huge mistake they just crumple the wall up and get a new one

[@kazomania9186]

And I thought I was cool when I drew a stick woman WITH LIPSTICK when I was younger. That was my skill level.

[@manpotrait]

Woww amazing .. Thank u for sharing this video..

[@josephyoudontneedtoknowmyl1836]

Not nearly enough of your work displayed in this video, I saw a handful of your work and two hands full of how much paint is used? Your work is fantastic by the way, I just wish I could enjoy more of it, bravo.

[@raymondholt3076]

I love how people are commenting about there being no or few comments! 😂

[@sweetwea]

Renaissance ppl be like: witchcraft

[@paovasquez8518]

Man. They deserve more than $150K The hours and effort are beyond imagination

[@lesleydickson7746]

Fascinating!

[@pinklemonade6597]

I get that it looks nice but with the amount of time and how expensive it is vinyl takes way less time to apply, is obviously more photo realistic and is way less expensive. How are they even still in business??

[@NamiOnDaRocks]

Because people like the genuine paintings

[@pinklemonade6597]

@@NamiOnDaRocks yeah I get that but to be spending all that money just for advertising when a normal vinyl would work the same.

[@mikelliteras397]

Can’t put vinyl on a brick building without building something flat on the building. Now you’re talking engineering and building permits and other problems. There are codes against a lot of this and there are processes like painting that has been grandfathered in. A permit in New York could take6 months also. I’m sure this has a lot to do with it

[@rob-robi]

@@pinklemonade6597 , i think Vinyl does not stick well on many buildings. It begins to peel, rain can make it come off etc. I've literally dealt with that exact situation in Florida

[@MrKongatthegates]

Its unique. It wont overtake billboards but its got the social media thing too

[@paolaochoa1853]

Every time they get asked what they work at well... That must be cool

[@KatieTrainerMuralsMagicMore]

Beautiful! love the work. Really neat stuff! I am a professional muralist too but mostly focused in central pa. great style of video though!

[@fatdaddy2gud35]

Thanks for telling me those paintings in the beginning weren’t photographs, I would have never known

[@ashwinkamath9933]

1:40 "Big brains took notice" Ik from where this 9 y/o took notice😂

[@stocktonnash]

Big Brands

[@fabovation]

4:24 Ian 'POTTER' I am sure that guy does not paint he just uses freakin magic to make those paintings!

[@SurfaceofBeauty]

amazing video. As a muralist in Bushwick, Brooklyn myself, I love learning about Colossal's work

[@josephlowry4320]

To me I call them art, what an beautiful way to make advertisements.

[@elektrq]

i have driven past Colossal i just didn’t know what it was

[@kykysou]

That's a broke artist dream right there. Like I would drown myself in that paint. Idk why I said that.

[@flix4u]

Magnificent & dedicated artists

[@og9656]

Incredible. Simply incredibleeeee.