Art on Wall

I had painted this half of the living room wall in teal a couple of years ago. Recently, we got some new furniture for the living room and I wanted the wall to have a new look. I did not want to spend too much money on it but at the same time I wanted to make it personal. Since I knew how to draw and paint I decided to create a mural. It was a little daunting but a practical and commonsense approach made it manageable with a happy end result. Here is how I did it:

1. Since the wall was already painted blue, I decided to paint the mural in white. I used motifs and images that could be easily scaled up. At the same time, I avoided geometric or repeat designs to save on time. I used motifs that I am comfortable drawing such as flowers, leaves and birds. If you are starting with a white wall, you may want to paint your mural in many colors. 

Details

2. I used ordinary craft paints (FolkArt) since they are not messy (unlike house paints) and are washable with water. Which meant that if any part of the mural did not come out the way I wanted, I simply wiped it off using a damp paper towel and painted over again. 

I used wax paper as the palette for the paint. It is cheap, easily available and disposable.

3. I used charcoal pencils to loosely draw the various elements. Charcoal pencil drawings, again, can be removed with a damp paper.

4. I used inexpensive round brushes in various sizes. It is good to have 1-2 smaller sizes (0-2) for adding details. A liner brush can also come handy. You can find inexpensive set in the art aisle of any craft store.

5. Finally, what helped me most was the thought that I was creating art not on the ceiling of Sistine Chapel but just on a little corner of my living room. I only had to please myself. 

I hope you feel inspired to create your own art on wall. If you feel unsure, start small in an area that is not too visible. Experiment with designs and colors and see what works and what does not. Once you feel comfortable, go big.

Thanks for visiting.