Easy Home Made Wall Murals
Expert Article By: Lisa Herbik
This is a fun project as well as a great home interior decorating idea. A beautiful Wall Mural easily transforms the entire look and feel of a room. Your kitchen or dining room suddenly becomes an Italian al fresco eatery. Your daughter's bedroom is at once a magical fairy garden, while your son's room becomes an exciting safari adventure, complete with Bengal Tigers. Sunset in the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring backdrop in the family room. The possibilities are endless. The choices can be a bit daunting while you are still in the selection phase of purchasing your Wall Mural. So, before you commit to a permanent look in your designated room, try this temporary project.
Once you have narrowed your Wall Mural selection to one or two, print photos of them from your computer. Even a small picture is adequate. The idea is to be able to see the main colors in the Wall Mural, and not so much the fine details of the subject matter. Try to keep it as basic as possible by identifying the five or six most prominent colors in the Wall Mural. Once your have identified the colors, go to the local craft store and locate the acrylic paint section. There are usually 2 fluid ounce size bottles that often sell for less than a dollar each. With your Wall Mural photo at hand, match the five or six prominent colors with the corresponding acrylic paint. You may also want to purchase a bottle of clear matte varnish. This can be mixed in with the paints to extend the colors (mix one quarter varnish with three quarters acrylic paint). Lastly, you'll need some foam paint brushes, which are around a quarter to fifty cents a piece. If you like you can cut up a clean sponge at home, as this also works well for paint application.
Choose the largest stretcher canvas you can buy. 36" x 48" works well and generally costs around fifty dollars on sale. There are even larger ones if you so choose, but they can be costly. Other alternatives to a pre-stretched canvas that are less costly and just as effective include plywood and heavy duty cardboard. You might even have some of these choice items right in your own garage, attic, basement, or storage unit. (This is also a great way to recycle.)
Now you are ready to begin. Remember to protect your floors with old newspapers or sheets. Using your Wall Mural picture as a guide, apply the colors to your canvas in the same general areas as depicted in the Wall Mural. You are now actually creating your very own free-style mini modern art version of your Wall Mural. It's great to go a little crazy with your painting as you really cannot make a mistake. Acrylics are very easy to use as you will see. If you accidentally mix your colors and produce an unwanted hue, simply let the painting dry for a few hours and then paint over the offending color. Once you are satisfied with the color placement, your artwork is finished. Don't forget to sign and date your painting.
When the painting is dry and ready for hanging, you can mount it on the wall where you eventually want your permanent Wall Mural. This will give you a colorful focal point to help with room d?cor and furniture arrangement. After your real Wall Mural is in place, you can proudly display your mini free-style version on an adjacent wall. The colors and primitive form will serve to compliment your majestic Wall Mural.
Enjoy yourself with this fun, cool, easy, and inexpensive home interior decorating idea.
