Painting A Wall Mural

A wall does not have to be treated like another place for hanging various knick-knacks and bric-a-brac. You do not have to create photo collages of everyone you know in order to fill blanks spaces, and the wall does not have to be a wide-open blank space in order to be fashionable. Instead, accessorize by painting a wall mural to fill the space without taking up living space in the room. There are many different ways to paint the mural, and thousands of mural ideas to choose from, depending on your skill level, budget, and design ideas. From paint by number kits to do it yourself scenery, you can find something that works with your décor, or creates an amazing focal point in any room. If you are not comfortable with painting it freehand, there are many options that give some practical help.

How To Get The Design On The Wall Initially

Not all of us have the ability to freehand a unique picture on the wall that looks great, but hiring a professional artist to come and design the wall is rarely feasible either. You can use a graph/grid method, overhead projector, or stencil to create something fantastic without needing a lot of drawing or painting experience. An overhead projector is the most popular option, as it gives you freedom to paint without having to move the picture around repeatedly. Most places that make copies can also help you design a transparency for an overhead projector. You will need both a black and white copy and a color copy for best results. Use the color copy to see what you want and to test how large or small you want the finished mural to be. The black and white copy will help you pencil the basic outline of the wall mural, and is great for helping you decide what color differences, if any, you may want to choose.

Painting The Mural

Once you have the outline penciled, mark the outer edges of the mural with masking tape so that you can turn off the projector without losing your place. If you get stuck or just want to see how things are coming along, the masking tape will help you get the projector back in the right place. You can also choose to mark the place on the floor where the projector is located, if you do not want to add tape to the wall and risk marring the paint. Separate your acrylic paints into buckets or other containers, so that you can see what you have and decide what goes where. Use a flat paintbrush to get started, and blend colors to create shading by painting the second color over the first before the first has completely dried. This gives the mural a more professional look.

Finishing Up

A round brush is great if you want to add details or outline anything in the mural, and it is a great way to give the mural a detailed, finished look. Painting a wall mural is not much more difficult than painting a wall in general, it just takes a little planning and some creativity.

With signature design style, Jessica Ackerman, an online writer with WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, describes bold approaches to wine bottle wall art and large outdoor wall art.