How to Create Your Own Decorative Mural

Painting a mural on the wall in any space can liven up a room. Even If you are not an artist, you can still create a professional mural on your wall without paying the big bucks. Here are a few things you will need before you start your project.

Items to have on hand before beginning:

Overhead projector
Transparency sheet
Design
Black Sharpie marker
Pencil
Paint brushes
Paint roller
Small artist brush
Paint
Painters Tape or masking tape
Drop cloth or something to cover floor.
Ladder (if needed for those high areas)

Start by prepping the area around the wall you are working on. Tape around any base boards or crown molding to keep from dropping any paint on them. Make sure and lay down a drop cloth to protect your floor. Next, you may want to paint one or more colors on the wall for a background. Unless you are using your existing paint color. Once you have your background for your mural you will need to sketch a design.

If you do not have a design a good place to get inspired would be in magazines, fabrics, wallpaper, or books.
You can do stripes, polka dots, scrolling, or any pattern you find interesting. There are many magazines to look at for inspiring ideas to paint on the wall. Some of these magazines have patterns in the back that you can rip out and use. Paintworks Magazine and Painting Magazine are two magazines you may want to check out online.

Once you have your design in mind you will need to draw or trace it onto a transparency sheet with a marker. You can even draw a design on a piece of paper and then trace it onto a transparency sheet. When you have your drawing ready you can project it onto the wall with an overhead projector. Place the transparency paper on the glass of the projector and turn it on. Make sure you have turned out any other lights in the room. You can move the overhead projector closer or farther away from the wall to adjust the size of the image. Trace the image onto the wall with a pencil or marker by following the lines from the projection. Stepping back and looking at your lines will help you determine if you are proportional or if you need to readjust the projector.

Once you have sketched your design on the wall it is finally time to paint. Start filling in your design with paint and remember to refer to any photos or drawings for colors and details. You can also use Sharpie markers or paint markers to fill in very small details. Have fun with your mural and be creative. Once you have finished, you will have a masterpiece that you can enjoy.

resources:

Paintworks Magazine
Painting Magazine