an fine art, a mural is a painting on a wall or ceiling. Usually, it is either applied directly onto the surface, or painted on a canvas which is then fixed or cemented onto the wall. More rarely, it is painted onto panels that become part of the wall. Aside from the technical problems posed by the wall, there are numerous artistic issues to be overcome. To begin with, the mural painter needs to consider the viewpoint or angle from which his painting will be seen. While canvases are typically hung at or around eye-level, a mural is likely to be seen from several different angles. If so, there may be complex problems of perspective that need to be resolved. The wall painting should be flat and executed in matt paint, so that it can be viewed from different points and at any time of the day, without the glare of reflected light. In addition, it must be permanent, and it should suit its architectural environment and frame.
Throughout classical antiquity, the Renaissance and Baroque eras and for centuries afterward, fresco was the traditional medium for murals. That said, from the 16th-century onwards, mural painters also used oil on canvas which was then fixed to the wall surface. The extra convenience was often cancelled out by a dullness of colour and more rapid deterioration. Today, while fresco still gives the best results, especially for indoor wall paintings, murals are mostly painted in oils, tempera or polymer colours.