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Diy wall mural ideas


Easy DIY Wall Mural Ideas • One Brick At A Time

This post today is a little self indulgent. I started my research for easy DIY wall mural ideas for myself, because I decided to paint a wall in my home. But let me start from the beginning.

It all started with this pic by Nathalie Lete that a friend shared with me on Instagram. Apparently, Nathalie has been spending her lockdown days painting the walls of her home.

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This is just SO pretty, I couldn’t stop staring.

It also reminded me of my college days, when I would paint anything I could lay my hands on, including my bedroom wall. Now I am no artist, but I do manage to get basic shapes and proportions right. I dug out these pics of my bedroom from 25 years back. Both these murals were done on the wall behind my bed so are about five feet in length.

And I remembered how happy it made me to paint these.

I had no idea which wall I was going to paint, or what I was going to paint on it. But just for the heck of it, I started looking for easy DIY wall mural ideas. (Like I said, I’m no artist. I can make easy things look good, while a difficult piece of art would expose me!)

Easy DIY Wall Mural Ideas

As I was going through the different images, an idea began to form in my head, and by the end I had made a rough plan of what I was going to do. So let me take you through all the easy ideas, and what I’m finally planning to do.

(1) Pen and Ink

The absolute simplest mural idea I found was using a black marker to draw basic geometric patterns on the wall. The ones below are wall stickers. But the way I see it, this can be done just as easily with a pen.

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Depending on your level of skill, you could pick a pattern that is slightly more complicated.

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Emily here has cut out a leaf into an eraser and then used it like a stamp, and what a pretty pattern this makes.

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If you are a little more courageous, a pattern like this can be easily done too, and looks beautiful, me thinks.

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(2) Intricate Pen Work

Would you ever believe that the dining walls below have been hand painted? Kelly picked this design off a wallpaper and hand painted it on her walls with the help of a friend. She’s given a step by step tutorial you can see by clicking here.

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And then this. A fashion designer who used her extra sketches to make murals on her bathroom walls. Isn’t this exquisite?

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You can use your pen to make all kinds of intricate patterns. I especially love the mandalas..

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And these pretty patterns that remind me of ‘mehendi‘.

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(3) Wall Stenciling

While I was looking at all the patterns, I remembered how Preethi Prabhu cut a simple wall stencil and used it to make this stunning wall. In fact, the idea is so pretty and so easy, that she inspired a whole lot of her readers to follow suit and do the same.

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If you aren’t too sure of being able to make your own stencil, you can even buy one. From simpler geometrics..

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… to extremely intricate and detailed designs, you can find them all online.

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(4) Tape It Up

Another super easy way to get some stunning designs on your wall, is to use tape. You randomly put tape across your walls and paint over the tape. You can paint the entire wall in a single colour, or put different colours in the different shapes formed.

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After

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When you remove the tape from the walls, you’re left with a pretty mural all over. Kaelah shows you here how she made this wall above, step by step. I also love how she has also used glitter in some of her shapes to make the whole wall sparkle.

Alicia used tape to make this pretty herringbone pattern on her wall.

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After

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There are so many different patterns you could try out by taping.

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The pretty shades of colour used here in a gradient make this wall absolutely stunning.

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You can use this technique to make pretty much any straight lined shapes and patterns you like.

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If you have patience, and time, and a LOT of courage, you can make your mural bold and vibrant like this one.

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(5) Rainbows

Once I started looking at colour, I realised the easiest shape to paint was the rainbow. For one, it need not be very accurately drawn. Lines can cross and overlap, and because it’s a thing of nature. Imperfections only make it look more natural and more beautiful.

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You’ll find a step by step DIY for this rainbow below right here.

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Rainbows don’t necessarily mean kids spaces. This mural would make a striking accent wall in any living room.

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I love the muted colours of this piece of art.

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While this Art Deco style mural is simply stunning.

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(6) Tropical Art

Finally, I stopped scrolling at this. These tropical leaves had my heart instantly.

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I started searching for tropical wall mural ideas and found these simple, beautiful sketches done by so many artists on their walls.

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I remembered this pretty wall hand sketched by Laya.

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I liked the idea that since I would be drawing nature, I wouldn’t have to be perfect all the time. I could make mistakes and since we’re talking about leaves and flowers, it would all be ok.

Also, I loved that I could decide to leave it with just the outline, or colour it in and it would look great both ways.

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And I suddenly knew exactly which wall of my home I would be painting.

I have been complaining about the wallpaper in my dining niche for a while now. I even declared to all of you at the beginning of this year, that come what may, I would make a change here before the year ends.

And now I have a plan.

The Plan

I think what I really don’t like about this space is the lack of greens here. But since it’s the furthermost corner away from our balcony with no natural light, it isn’t easy to keep plants there for any length of time.

I think a burst of green on that wall is just what the doctor ordered.

So the plan is to leave the wallpaper as is, and paint some large tropical leaves on top of it. I might add a few bright flowers to it too, but I’m not too sure about that.

What I’ve done, is started looking for easy to draw and paint tropical leaves… something like these.

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These simple line drawings should be easy enough to make myself and I already can’t wait to see how this wall turns out.

My search for more wall mural ideas ended with these leaves, because I had found exactly what I was looking for. (I told you I was indulging myself here!) But there are quite a few good ideas for everyone here. Do let me know your favourites, and if any of them inspired you to some action.

Also, remember to sign up for updates, because whenever that wall is done, I promise you’ll see it here first!

Until then,

Tagged on: DIY    Paint    Wall Decor

Wall Mural Ideas for the DIY Artist

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: ANYONE can paint a mural. We truly believe this! No matter your level of artistic ability, you have the skills and the power to turn your ‘blah’ wall into something beautiful.

Though we have all the confidence in you, some of the most common hang ups about painting a mural that we hear from our audience is that they are afraid to mess up, they don’t want to ruin their wall, or that they’ve never painted a mural before. 

Listen - you might mess up when you paint your first mural. We’ve painted 200+ murals and sometimes we still mess up. But the beauty of paint? You start over… again, and again, and again. Nothing is permanent. So if you paint your last brush stroke, take a step back, and are horrified by what you see- just grab your roller and cover it up!

We know it can be nerve wracking (especially if you consider yourself a perfectionist), but we believe in you. So much so that we dedicated our how-to guidebook, Wonder Walls, to everyone who has ever wanted to paint a mural but has never had the courage (seriously, we say these exact words on the first page).

In this guidebook, you can expect to be walked through everything: from the supply list , to how to choose the right colors, to what type of mural to paint based on the size of the room you’re working in. Best of all though? It’s chock-full of inspiration for you to draw from. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel with your mural for it to be awesome…. just copy one of ours to get started!

Is your copy of Wonder Walls still on the way? ;) We’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find three mural ideas in varying levels of difficulty pulled straight from our book- instructions, photos, and all. All that’s missing is your liquid courage of choice.

Color Blocking

Skill Level: Easy
Time: 1-2 hours (not including drying time)
Supplies: 1 quart paint in the color of your choosing, 1 sample size paint in a different color, pencil, 1 roll painters tape, drop cloth, 3-4 brushes in varying sizes, roller and tray, level

Have a small space that needs a little bit of love? Color blocking is a super-easy way to add color to any room without going overboard. If you’re worried about getting the lines super straight, you can double check them with a level before you get started!

How to Paint:

  1. Measure from the floor up to where you want the first color block to end, and then make a pencil mark.

  2. Repeat this mark every few inches or feet (depending on size of wall) to indicate the top of this color section.

  3. Apply tape to connect each of the marks you made in Step 1 so it forms a straight line. Use a level to ensure that the tape is parallel to the floor.

  4. Smooth out the tape with a credit card or gift card so that it’s as close to the wall as possible to prevent paint seeping under the tape and ruining that clean line of negative space you’re going for!

  5. Decide how tall you want the second block of color to be. Measure from the top of the tape and then repeat Steps 2-4.

  6. Paint the top block with your first color and a medium sized brush (don’t worry if the brush is slightly wider than your finished stripe - the tape will protect it!) If you come across any tight areas (i.e. around a sink or a toilet if you’re painting in a bathroom) use a smaller brush to get the paint in there.

  7. Repeat Step 6 with your second color on the bottom block.

  8. Take a step back to see if you missed any patches or see-through spots.

  9. Look good? Carefully pull off the tape, let dry 1.5-2 hours, and enjoy your new color block mural!

Transparent Shapes

Skill Level: Medium
Time: 5-7 Hours
Supplies: 3 samples size or quarts of different color paints, chalk, 1 roll of painter’s tape, 4-6 brushes in various sizes, 1-3 black Bosca paint pens (optional), drop cloth, and solo cups to use for paint!

This one’s for all of our soul brothers and sisters who hate using rulers! If you’re comfortable free handing blobby shapes, give our Transparent Shapes mural a try. We love this design because it can be customized to whatever space you like. Corners, onto the ceiling, in the one awkward area of your house you don’t know what to do with… this is your mural!

How to Paint:

  1. You wanna keep things looking fresh! Tape off the floor, ceiling, and trim with painter’s tape and lay down your drop cloth to protect it from any paint spills.

  2. Grab your pencil, and get creative. Start sketching out some blobs in various sizes, overlapping some of them to make a nice layering effect. Don’t worry about sketching the black lines yet - you’ll get to that later.

  3. Start painting your blobs in solid colors, ignoring the overlapping sections for the time being. Working with one color at a time, fill in the shapes with paint until all the shapes are completed.

  4. To create the layering effect that gives the illusion of transparency, mix together the two overlapping paint colors.

  5. Use this new, blended paint color to fill in the sections where the shapes overlap. Wait for the paint to dry, and add a second coat if necessary.

  6. If you like the look of this mural as is…. you’re done! Take a step back and admire your work, pro.

  7. Want to add black lines for contrast, like we did? Now’s the time to get that pencil back out and draw some more blobs over the painted shapes.

  8. Trace the pencil with a black pen, making them as thick or thin as you like (ours are 1/2 inch thick, but it’s your wall so do whatever you want!).

  9. Voilà! Your work is done here. We hope you’re proud of your blobby creation!

Sunset Ombré

Skill Level: Medium
Time: 2-3 Hours
Supplies: 1 quart coral paint, 1 quart bright pink paint, 1 quart golden yellow paint, 1 quart white paint, 2-5 medium/large brushes, pencil, solo cups for mixing paint, step stool, drop cloth, 1 roll painters tape

An ombré mural in your favorite colors creates a show stopping moment wherever you paint it, while still being relatively “minimal” and understated. We chose to paint our ombré on a fireplace to give it a pop of color, but you can use this same technique on any wall, or even furniture. We used “sunset” colors for ours, but you can switch these out for whatever color mood you’re going for!

How To Paint:

  1. Make a pencil mark to show where you want each color to fade into the next one.

  2. Paint each section in the color that you want to fade into the next section, mixing a small amount of white paint into your colors to create lighter tints, if desired. Don’t worry about blending yet - just create solid blocks, and add a few coats (waiting for each one to dry fully) if necessary!

  3. Once your color blocks are down, it’s time to blend. Paint a solid line at the top of the first color you want to blend (make sure to use a good amount of paint), and a solid line at the bottom of the color you are blending it with. Make sure that these lines just touch, but don’t overlap yet.

  4. With a dry brush, make long, back and forth strokes where the two colors meet. Continue blending until you get the look you want.

  5. Repeat step 3 and 4 where each color meets the next, continually pausing and stepping back to look at the mural as a whole. It’s easy to get caught up in details when you’re working up close, but taking a moment to take in the mural from farther away allows you to see that the wall probably looks great!

  6. Once you’re satisfied, remove the tape, let dry about 2 hours, and clean up. Now you’ve got a sunset to enjoy no matter the weather!

Murals, DIYSan Diego LettersPandr Design Co.wall murals, DIY, residential murals, artComment

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Wall painting | DIY wall painting techniques | Decor ideas

Examples of wall painting in the house

For more examples of my modest works, see


in the video selection

at all times they decorated their houses with images of nature, animals and birds, as well as everyday scenes. And in the Middle Ages, this technique became very popular in the design of churches. During that period, the most outstanding works of murals were created, on which the well-known masters Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and others worked today. Centuries passed, the techniques of this type of art became more and more perfect, new materials appeared for applying images. Today, this method of decorating rooms is no longer something unusual and is often found both in residential buildings and in state and public institutions. In this section, we will take a closer look at what wall painting is, as well as get ideas for do-it-yourself decor, which you can later implement in your homes :)

Painting technologies and techniques

There are several traditional techniques for painting walls. These include:

In addition, there is both a traditional wall painting technique, which involves applying paint with artistic brushes and flute, and more modern options. For example, paint can be applied to the wall with an airbrush or using paint with a fluorescent effect. Today, wall painting is very popular, creating various imitations, it is also called Tromp lei / trompe l'oeil / or Blende painting.

It can be anything: access to the garden from the terrace, a window overlooking the sea, a niche in the wall with a vase... You saw examples of such works at the top of this page.. Images can look so realistic that it can often seem that the item is real. The illusion of deceit, in other words! Well, almost everything can be imitated with: natural wood, marble, metal, stone...

A little bit about alfreine/wall painting

Alfrey painting is done on dry plaster and is a kind of painting that allows you to imitate stucco, three-dimensional ornaments and images. Acrylic, tempera and oil paints, mother-of-pearl, Venetian plaster are used for it. Using this wall painting technique, you can create both concise drawings and a truly luxurious design.
Just imagine that with the help of wall painting you can even visually expand the room and raise the ceiling, create an atmosphere of different countries and times in it 😊 Sounds tempting, right?

Alfrain painting can be:

In terms of compositions, alpine painting is classified into three types: ornamental, narrative and stucco painting. The first option involves the image of abstract elements and the rhythmic alternation of patterns. The plot allows you to create compositions that have a wide variety of topics: natural, historical, fabulous. Stucco painting is a work with architectural elements, preserving their composition and giving a more spectacular look. Alfrain painting looks great in interiors of various styles. The main thing is to choose the right images that will organically fit into the environment and be combined with other design elements. They do not have to be bright and catchy: ornaments can be barely noticeable, but at the same time emphasize the overall style of the interior and highlight its main advantages.

If you want to make your interior bright, unusual and individual, you can't do without a good artist's imagination and your personal taste and preferences! I must say that snag painting is a special kind of art. Thanks to this type of wall painting technique, you can radically change any space, visually expand it, hide bad moments in the layout or hide unwanted elements. There are practically no limits for a flight of fancy in this area :)

Wall painting styles

DIY wall painting can be done in any style you like. The classic never loses its relevance, the main features of which are straightforwardness, restraint, simplicity. The main thing is that the painting should be harmonious and as symmetrical as possible. For its embodiment, pastel calm colors are usually used. The advantage of the classic is that it can be combined with modern materials and decorative elements, and at the same time not lose its main style direction. Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau is a style that incorporates living abstract forms.

Wall paintings are usually complex images painted in natural colors and shades. Most often, these are intricate floral ornaments, fabulous creatures, incredible-looking flowers. Everything in this style is at the same time very simple, but at the same time elegant. Many people prefer to paint the wall with their own hands in the Baroque style. It is characterized by complex ornate ornaments and patterns, volume, pomp and luxury. Most often, the brightest colors are used, and the most common images are large flowers, leaves, trees. This style allows you to create rich interiors in the room, similar to those that can be found in aristocratic palaces. Images made in the Empire style look beautiful. It also personifies luxury and pomp, and rich colors dominate as the main color scheme: gold, purple. The Empire style implies the presence of numerous details, stucco and ornaments, so very often it is during its creation that Alfrain painting is used

Friends, thank you for taking a couple of minutes to read, I wish you creative success and ideas 😉

Wall art ideas. DIY wall painting

Contents

  1. Wall painting ideas. Art painting of the walls with your own hands
  2. Drawings on the walls of the kitchen. Benefits of painting kitchen walls
  3. Drawings on the walls of houses. Some features of painting on plaster
  4. Drawing on the wall in the living room. Living room wall color

Wall art ideas. DIY wall painting

Very few people are familiar with the technique of real wall painting. Therefore, when it comes to private houses and apartments, we invite professionals to help.

He will do everything masterfully, like an expert in his field. But the price of such a task is always high. On the other hand, everyone is interested in participating in such work.

To do this, you can learn some techniques that allow artists to reproduce objects so that they seem "alive". It is important to know that a simple brush in the hands of a professional can work wonders. For example, reproduce a real dandelion without turning it into a simple yellow ball.

If you are obsessed with the idea of ​​painting on the wall, it is best to study this type of painting. Learn how to combine colors, how to draw lines with different visibility, and how to choose brushes.

Painting on the walls

Flowers on the wall in a classic kitchen

Geometric prints, chevrons, horizontal stripes, abstract paintings will be more appropriate in modern interiors.

The most versatile prints for wall painting are: Vichy or tartan check, stripes, rhombuses, floral motifs, Moroccan patterns.

Can't find trendy Moroccan print wallpaper? Order a ready-made template online or make it yourself using our tutorial

Images of trees (for example, cherry blossoms), flowers and plants are also very diverse.

Ideally, the wallpaper should echo other elements of the interior, such as cushions on the sofa, a picture on the wall, carpet, curtains or a tablecloth.

Wall art that adds perspective to a small room, such as a city street running away from a wall, a forest path, a road, etc., will make the room appear larger.

Paintings on the kitchen walls. Benefits of painting kitchen walls

Beautiful fresco-like wall paintings look appropriate not only in children's institutions and public places, but also in ordinary city apartments and country houses. Most often, these "frescoes" are made at home using acrylic paints. Cheerful wall colors create a cozy atmosphere in the house. It is especially liked by children of all ages.

Drawing an original picture in the kitchen with your child is a great idea. Wall art in the kitchen is usually done in pencil or beer. Of course, you can get by with more traditional kitchen wallpaper, tiles or plastic panels (on which the manufacturer can do anything, including printing a photo). However, many homeowners still choose to paint their home for a number of reasons:

Drawings on the walls of houses. Some features of painting on plaster

Complex stencil for acrylic paints

The stencil is ready, the colors are selected and ready for purchase. Now is the time to start decorating the room.

The sequence is important at this stage:

  1. The wall must be clean, preferably freshly plastered. But you can also paint light-colored wallpapers if they are clean.

Don't get carried away with details, the simpler the composition, the better.

  1. Use a ruler and a spirit level to mark the edges of the stencil with a pencil. The stencil must be vertical and horizontal without distortion.
  2. Before applying paint, it is recommended to practice on a sheet of paper and choose the right color and technique.

Transfer the pattern to the wall

  1. Stick the stencil to the wall and start painting. Acrylic paints are suitable for all types of finishes (they are versatile and can be applied to any type of surface), but they are more difficult to wash off the surface than pastel or wax.

The sponge is useful for applying shadows and transitioning from one color to another.

  1. It is important that there are no drops. Therefore, using a brush, and preferably a sponge, apply paint in small portions.
  2. Hold the brush perpendicular to the wall and try to penetrate the wall.

It is easy to use spray paint, but in this case it is necessary to protect the wall from accidental drops of paint. Plain paper or foil will do.

Vivid composition

Anti-scratch stencils look nice. If you make a pattern yourself, the cut out inner part should not be thrown away, it will come in handy for the anti-stencil.

In this technique, the paint is applied around the design, creating a kind of halo around the piece, as you can see in the photo. An interesting design will turn out if the patterns are interspersed with the colors of the exterior and interior.

Drawing on the wall in the living room. Living room wall color

A room that is used for relaxing with the family and for receiving guests should be equally well suited for both purposes. Ideally, the atmosphere of the interior can adapt to one or another option. This is possible if lighting equipment is installed in the room, in which the color of the emitted light can be adjusted.

But if such a technical expertise is not planned, it is worth considering the color of the living room walls. Of course, personal taste will be the main factor. However, consider whether the windows face north or south and how the living room is lit during the day.

If the apartment is on the ground floor and the windows are shaded by external objects or facing north. The color of the walls must be sunny or neutrally bright.

The neutral background in the interior of the living room is not intrusive and does not take part in the color scheme and design of the room. She gives it to other “participants” of the interior: furniture, fabrics, decorations, etc.

Warm pastel and sand colors will be superfluous in a well-lit southern room. Grey, blue and blue are cool colors that bring freshness to the living room. Moderately darkened walls will solve the problem of contrast. Against their background, light furniture looks no less impressive than dark furniture on a white background.

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