Its a statement piece that will grab every visitors attention.

And dont think that murals are outdated, many mural designs are fresh and modern.

Safety Considerations

Just like with any painting project, you should protect yourself.

Bedroom wall mural painted with moon and sand dune landscape

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

This means working in a well-ventilated area and wearing a respirator if needed.

Protective eyewear is also a good idea, particularly if youre doing any sanding before you paint.

Should it be realistic or more abstract?

vibrantly painted living room

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Make a quick sketch of a design that you would like to see turned into a mural.

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Select a Location

Where would you like to paint your mural?

Look for a large area of the wall thats going to be big enough for your design.

Sketching out the wall mural design

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Allow the wall to completely dry before moving on to the next step.

Prime the Wall

Priming the wallis a step you dont want to skip.

Draw Out Your Design

Take out the sketch you made and divide it into a grid.

Choosing a location for the wall mural

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Each grid should be 1-inch square.

Count the number of squares going vertical and horizontal.

This will help keep everything in proportion.

Covering areas that may get paint on them

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Using a pencil, transfer your grid and the design to the wall.

Latex paint works perfectly if youre covering a large surface.

Choose a paint with amatte or eggshell finishto avoid glares on the mural.

Cleaning the wall before painting the mural

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Tip

Are you painting a mural on an outside wall?

Seal with a coat of varnish to protect against the elements.

Painting the Mural

Use apaintbrushorrollerto apply the paint in the area youd like it.

Closeup of someone priming the wall

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Start with the large areas that need to be painted, such as the background.

Switch to a smaller paintbrush when it comes time to add details to your mural.

Refer to your sketch when adding the details, penciling in before you paint when needed.

Drawing a grid on the wall before painting the mural

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Allow the mural to dry completely before moving any furniture back against the wall.

Starting to paint the wall mural

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Finishing painting the mural

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Finishing and sealing the mural before moving back the furniture

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska