Kiptoe
Kiptoe, also known as Matt Dean, is an American mural artist, painter, and filmmaker known for colorful large-scale walls, character-driven visual storytelling, and videos documenting ambitious public-art projects.
Painting Surface
Brick
Brick is a porous fired-clay masonry material with a textured surface that absorbs moisture and paint while allowing vapor to move through the wall.
Paint compatibility with brick
Brick works well with compatible masonry, elastomeric, and latex coatings when the surface is sound, dry, clean, and prepared without trapping unwanted moisture.
| Paint | Compatibility | Preparation | Primer or ground | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masonry paint | Excellent with a suitable masonry formula | Remove dirt, loose material, and efflorescence; make sure the brick is sound and dry. | Product-specific; some masonry paints are self-priming on prepared brick. | Choose an interior or exterior formula suited to the location and moisture conditions. | — |
| Elastomeric paint | Excellent on compatible exterior vertical brick | Correct moisture problems, remove dirt, chalk, loose coating, and deposits, and repair damaged mortar or cracks beyond the coating system's limits. | Use the specified masonry primer or sealer when the brick condition requires it. | Flexible breathable exterior finish when the complete system suits the brick and exposure. | — |
| Latex paint | Good with a masonry-grade product | Correct moisture issues and remove dirt, loose material, and efflorescence. | Use a masonry primer when required by the paint system. | Use an interior or exterior product suited to the location. | — |
| Reflective paint | Good with a reflective coating approved for masonry | Remove dirt, loose material, and efflorescence; make sure the brick is sound and dry. | Use a compatible masonry primer when required by porosity or the selected coating. | Reflectivity depends on direct illumination and sufficient light coat buildup. | — |
| Bituminous paint | Good on sound brick and masonry where a bituminous waterproof barrier is appropriate | Correct active water problems, remove dust and loose material, and let the substrate reach the moisture condition required by the product. | Porous masonry may require a compatible bitumen primer. | Opaque black barrier finish with different vapor and weathering behavior from ordinary masonry paint. | — |
| Cement paint | Good on sound porous brick when the coating system explicitly approves masonry | Correct leaks and efflorescence, remove loose material and contamination, and ensure the surface condition matches the product instructions. | Primer or pre-wetting requirements vary with the coating chemistry and brick porosity. | Opaque mineral finish that can preserve a more masonry-like appearance than some film-forming paints. | — |
| Acrylic paint | Good for decorative use | Remove dust, loose material, and surface deposits; let the brick dry fully. | Seal porous brick or use a compatible masonry ground when needed. | Choose a compatible system for handling or exposure. | — |
| Spray paint | Good with a masonry-compatible product | Remove dust and loose material; clean and dry thoroughly. | Use a compatible masonry primer when the product or brick condition requires it. | Product-specific. | — |
| Chalk paint | Good for decorative projects | Use sound, clean, dry brick; porous brick may need additional coats. | Usually product-specific. | Apply the recommended wax or protective coating when needed. | — |
| Milk paint | Good on sound, unsealed brick | Correct moisture problems and remove dirt, loose material, and efflorescence; let the brick dry fully. | Usually unnecessary on raw porous brick; sealed or coated brick requires testing and product-specific preparation. | Use a compatible protective finish for exterior exposure or frequent handling. | — |
Sources: Liquitex surface preparation, Rust-Oleum spray-paint guidance, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Behr Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint, Behr Elastomeric Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint, Rust-Oleum Reflective Finish Spray Paint, Real Milk Paint application guidance, Sika Black Jack 901 Black Bitumen Paint, and SEE JORAKAY Cement Barrier Paint.
Painters who used brick
Browse PaintZeal painter profiles featuring artists who worked on brick, with examples of murals, exterior surfaces, masonry coatings, and public artwork.
RUN
RUN is a street artist and muralist known for large-scale figurative work. For the mural My Many Hands, he described the challenge of translating the transparency of a watercolor sketch into a thick masonry-paint technique.
Ella Ponizovsky Bergelson
Ella Ponizovsky Bergelson is a Berlin-based visual artist known for site-specific murals and public interventions built from language. Her Among Refugees Generation Y project used temporary lime-paint murals designed to fade over time.
