How to Paint a Cloud Mural

Let the sky be your inspiration when painting a cloud mural.

A cloud mural is a whimsical addition to any child's bedroom and looks great on the ceiling or upper wall. Cloud murals, when well executed, add color, texture and charm to the ceiling and/or upper wall of any room -- particularly a room where time is spent looking at the ceiling. Painting a cloud mural involves painting techniques that don't use a brush and are easily achievable even by those who don't have a lot of artistic skill.

Things You'll Need

• Paint roller
• Blue paint
• White paint
• Gray paint
• Sea sponges, large and small
• Glaze medium

Instructions

1. Paint the ceiling or wall a shade of light blue using a roller. If the previous color is white, you don't need to worry about covering every square inch solidly. It is OK if a little white shows through, it just enhances the imperfect nature of clouds.

2. Thin white paint with a small amount of glaze. Dip in a large sea sponge and squeeze it out. Dab in patches with the sponge, creating slightly oval, elongated shapes with irregular borders. Clouds are not perfect and no two are alike, so don't worry about trying to create a perfect shape. Just look at some picture of clouds or outdoors to help you get an idea of what the clouds look like.

3. Mix light gray paint with glaze and use it to add shadows to your clouds. Shadow all of your clouds on the same side so that your light source appears to be on one side of the clouds.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your time and build up your clouds a little at a time. You can always go back over the clouds with a little blue paint on a sponge if you add too much, but that will make the process longer.

• If you are doing a child's nursery, it might be fun to include one or two animal-shaped clouds. Just use a large stencil in the shape of the element, and lightly sponge on the white paint.

• If you are painting the ceiling, be sure to put down drop cloths securely. You will also want to use a splatter guard on your roller to prevent drops of paint from spraying everywhere.