How to Install a Paint-By-Number Wall Mural

Custom wall art is the ultimate luxury when decorating rooms for kids. Paint-by-number mural patterns make it easy for anyone to create their own personalized wall art. Follow these instructions to turn any room into a fantasy kids room!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Painter's masking tape
• Scissors
• X-acto/Utility Knife
• Pencil
• Ladder or step stool
• Good Quality Paint Brushes
• Latex / Acrylic Paints
• Disposable Storage Containers
• Paper Towels
• Drop Cloths & Newspaper
• A friend to help you with the layout, hold your ladder, hand you tape and watch your kids while you paint their rooms!

1. 
   Paints & Supplies

   First prep your walls and gather your paints and supplies. (In the following photos, the walls were first prepped with a cloud and sky background.) Many paint stores can color match to your bedding and existing decor. Many also sell small sample size amounts of paint - these are perfect for murals.

2. Unpack your mural patterns. The patterns arrive full size and ready to use - no projector needed. The transfer paper, complete instructions and a paint-by-number guide are included with every order.

3. 
   Tape Patterns to the Wall

   Cut out your patterns and decide where to locate them on your walls - kids love to help with this step! Loosely tape the patterns to the wall with masking or painter's tape.

4. Slide the transfer paper between the pattern and the wall and firmly trace the design with a pencil, moving the transfer paper as needed under bigger patterns.

5. 
   Remove Pattern to reveal

   When the outline and all interior lines are traced, remove the pattern from the wall. Darken any light lines with your pencil. Now you have what amounts to a "coloring book" on your wall.

6. Follow the paint-by-number guide to fill in between the lines, or better yet - use your creativity and imagination to design your own color scheme! Be sure to allow plenty of time for painting, darker colors generally require at least two coats.

7. 
   Add details and finishing touches

   Some patterns, like Bug on a Wall, allow you to paint one pattern at a time and add to your design as your schedule allows. You can outline your design with a fine brush and add your own creative touches.

8. Finally - stand back and let your child's imagination take over!

Tips & Warnings

• Allow plenty of time to paint your mural! It is good to paint in phases and apply multiple thin coats of paint.
• Dont worry if you dont paint perfectly straight lines! It may look crooked when you are painting just inches from the wall, but when you stand back a couple of feet, it will look great and have that hand-painted character!
• Use good quality brushes in a variety of sizes.
• You may want to apply a clear acrylic sealer over your finished project to protect the paint and add more shine and depth to the colors.
• These instructions are based on Bug on a Wall mural patterns and may not apply exactly to other mural pattern manufacturers.

Resources

• Bug on a Wall Mural Patterns