Final touches are being added to the wall paintings on the pillars of Pärnu's new bridge on the right bank of the Pärnu River. The work to cover the pillars on both sides of the river with murals has been ongoing for nearly two months.

"In recent weeks, now that spring has finally arrived, the work has gone well. At first, the weather was really bad and cold, which made it difficult for the paint to dry," said mural artist Nikole Matikainen.

The city wanted to cover the pillars with Pärnu-themed murals to prevent graffiti. For Matikainen, who goes by the artist name Nikole BK and won the commission with her entry "Seekusloomad," this is her largest project to date. She said the main idea was to bring a sense of cheerfulness to the walls.

"I started putting together the composition with Estonian animals. Then I began thinking, okay, what are some features characteristic of Pärnu and what could these animals be doing here — how could they be more connected to Pärnu? That's how elements like the mud baths, other well-known buildings and even pizza came in — because you can get really good pizza here in Pärnu," Matikainen said.

The murals also depict St. Elizabeth's Church, rowers training on the river, a beach scene with a surfer and a fisherman.

Artist Uku Sakari said the hardest part was drawing straight lines.

Nikole Matikainen said it all began with a sketch she first created on her computer. "Then I transferred it using VR goggles — there's actually a special app for this. You put the image in front of you and then draw it onto the wall using the VR headset. The image appears slightly transparent. I used a marker, sometimes chalk — just regular white chalk — to trace the outlines onto the wall," she explained.

The murals are expected to be completed next week. The project will cost the city €30,000.

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