The mural, designed for a Vietnamese restaurant in the U.S., is not only the longest work the team has ever painted but also a testament to their craftsmanship, blending traditional culture with modern artistic techniques.

The client, a Vietnamese-American named Long (meaning dragon), commissioned the mural for his restaurant, also named "Long." The 14-meter dragon artwork, while seemingly straightforward in concept, required significant planning, skill, and precision to execute. The team faced several challenges, including finding a suitable space to stretch the 14-meter-long canvas.

"We initially tried to work with the canvas on the ground, but it proved difficult to manage the composition that way," Du shared. "We ended up stretching half the canvas at a time, tackling it in sections."

The mural is a striking blend of traditional motifs and modern materials. The artists used metallic and Decola paints, adding glow-in-the-dark elements to create an ethereal effect at night.

Some parts of the dragon's head were even gilded with real gold, a detail suggested by Du and approved by the client. The gold leaf alone added $400 to the mural’s value, bringing the total worth to over $4,000.

The mural took 15 days to complete, with Du's core team of three artists working alongside a support crew of seven to eight people. The finished work weighs approximately 30kg and will be shipped to the U.S. at an additional cost of $500.

Du’s team has gained a reputation for producing large-scale 3D murals, many of which now decorate homes and businesses across 18 countries. Approximately 70% of their clients are Vietnamese living overseas, and each mural reflects the rich heritage of Vietnamese art and culture.

"The dragon mural is not the largest piece we’ve done, but it’s the longest," Du explained. "The biggest mural we've completed measured 35 square meters, a sprawling garden of roses commissioned by another U.S.-based client for more than $7,500."

As one of the pioneers in glowing murals, Du's team continues to explore new techniques and materials to keep their art innovative and relevant. They remain focused on bringing Vietnamese cultural themes to life in modern contexts, whether through traditional motifs like dragons or more contemporary designs.

Some 3D wall murals created by Mr. Vo Duc Du's team:

Photo: Provided by the character

Nguyen Thao