Earlier this summer, I got the chance to paint two bus stops in Müssingen, the village I grew up in. It’s a small place in North Rhine-Westphalia, and these were actually my first public pieces here—so it felt pretty special to leave my mark in such a visible way.
Both bus stops had definitely seen better days: old graffiti, chipped paint, and just kind of sad-looking overall. The goal was simple—turn them into something people actually enjoy looking at. Here’s how it all came together over 7 painting days, plus one prep evening and a final half day for sealing everything.
You can watch the video about this project here:
Getting Started with a Little Help
Things kicked off with the local Heimatverein helping out. We met up one evening to clean and prime both bus stops. Four people showed up and really pitched in—scrubbing walls, rolling primer, even removing one of the benches. Someone from the team took the bench home to sand it down and repaint it, which was a nice little bonus. In just two hours, we had everything ready for painting.
Bus Stop 1: Bikers on the Europa-Radweg R1
The first mural is a nod to the Europa-Radweg R1, a long-distance bike trail that passes through the village. The idea was to create a calm, natural scene with tall grass, leafy trees, and two cyclists riding through it as the main focal point.
The weather played nice—sunny and warm—which made for a great start. I laid down the background, mapped out the scene, and got a lot of the green base in place. Along the way, I took plenty of photos to later turn into this case study.
One day, it did start pouring out of nowhere. Even though there’s a roof on the bus stop, the rain came in sideways, and everything got soaked. Still, I managed to make good progress on the tree, grass, and leaf details.
I also tried out the Night Quill cap for the first time, and it turned out to be super helpful. It made it easy to add lots of tiny, individual spray strokes—perfect for layering leaves and grass textures.
After a quick break (thanks to a bank holiday), I came back and painted the two cyclists, added more depth to the greenery, and tied everything together. I placed a QR code and my logo on the wall, so now anyone waiting for the bus can scan it and check out my website or see more of my work.
Bus Stop 2: Calm Waters on the Ems River
For the second bus stop just across the street, I kept a similar vibe—lush greenery, early morning light, and that peaceful feeling of being out in nature. But this one was all about the Ems river, which flows right nearby.
Since the trees are right next to the water in this scene, I pushed the greens even further—juicier, more saturated, to reflect that extra moisture in the air. It’s also a sunrise moment like the first mural, maybe even a bit earlier. You can feel the stillness and calm, this time through the slow motion of a canoe gliding across the water.
Progress came in chunks. I painted about half of it on the first day and kept building it up over the next few. Like always, I hit a bit of a mid-project low—low energy, questioning everything—but I pushed through.
The final big piece was the person in the canoe. After that, I added more detail to the water and foreground, then gave everything a final once-over. I placed the QR code in the top left corner and my logo in the bottom right—different placement than the first bus stop, just to mix things up.
Final Touches (Right on Time)
With both murals finished, it was time to seal them with a 2K clear coat, which also works as an anti-graffiti coating. That means if anyone ever tags the bus stops again, the paint can be removed without damaging the artwork underneath.
Luckily, the weather held just long enough for me to get it done. Two coats, spaced a few hours apart, and everything was locked in before the rain moved in later that evening.
One of the best parts of this whole project? The conversations. So many locals stopped by to chat, give feedback, or just see what was going on. Everyone seemed genuinely excited to see something positive happening in the village.
And for me personally, it meant a lot to create something in my hometown—a place where I spent so much time growing up. These are now the first public pieces of mine that people in Müssingen see every day, and that’s something I’m really proud of.
(Group Photo: Markus Bußmann)