Painting a mural in your child's room is a great way to achieve unique and whimsical decorating. Several options exist for those completely daunted by the idea of drawing or painting. Wallpaper murals can be purchased and applied, or mural kits can provide step-by-step instructions and all the materials you need to make smaller murals. For those a little more courageous, consider large stamps or stencils to create unique, no-fail patterns on your child's walls. With a sky-colored base, even paper towels or sponges can be used to make whimsical clouds on the walls or ceiling. The crafty and bold, however, should consider painting a unique mural themselves, as nothing is more versatile than designing and painting your own mural. Older children can participate as well, and the finished product will create not only a delightful interior space, but also a monument of pride that can be fondly admired and remembered by the family for years to come. Don't be afraid; the beauty of house-paint of any sort is that you can always paint over any work with which you are not completely satisfied. To get started, here are some fundamental mural-painting tips: If you aren't an artist, select artwork from a book illustration or other children's art source. Copy your image in pencil on the wall, or use an overhead projector to transfer the artwork exactly. Depending on the kind of projector, you may need to first trace the artwork onto a clear plastic (acetate) sheet using a fine-point permanent marker. You can also print computer images into special acetate printer paper. Use water-based latex paints. For children's rooms, consider a semi-gloss finish. (Easier to clean off crayon marks and other messes!) Buy paint tints at a home improvement or paint store. These are the tints used to mix custom colors. By buying a few primary colors, you can mix any color you want for accents, without having to buy a whole pint. Paint large areas first with undercoats. In the mural pictured here, grass green and sky blue were painted first. For smaller areas, use artist brushes, not broad house-painting brushes. Novices should stick to large, flat colors. For more advanced painting, experiment with shading. Detail your mural with a dark marker outline, using a paint pen, available at craft stores. That's it! For fun and memories, record the mural in-progress with video or photographs as you create it, to later put in a scrapbook. And while most people limit mural-painting to children's rooms, don't be afraid to decorate other rooms in your home with murals as well. Once you've built your confidence with a mural in your child's room, consider a mural in the kitchen or your own bedroom. Classic, historical, or pop art are wonderful potential source material for vibrant murals with more grown-up themes. |
