Each mural involves some brainstorming: the artists think together about what kinds of images they want to include, what messages they want to give to those who see the murals, and what techniques, colors, and design layouts will be most useful. Fifth grade students at P.S. 36 (Margaret Douglas School) spent time mixing and experimenting with colors, sketching their own individual scenes of the neighborhood, learning about stencils and the magic of grid layouts, and painting a textured color background.