How to Paint an Accent Wall With Watercolors
To add a bold splash of color to your space, watercolor murals accent walls are a growing trend. While you can hang watercolor wallpaper, you can choose a truly unique mural by painting it yourself – it’s not as difficult as you might think, it only takes a few tools and materials. Here’s what you need to get started.
Start with a blank canvas
It will be easier for you to mix colors and get a predictable result if the main color of your wall is matte white. Tints or color make it difficult to create a watercolor effect, as overlaying one color over another can lead to a muddy result. If you decide not to paint the wall white first, do a test patch on a piece of wood or cardboard to make sure the result is what you want.
Tools and materials
First, choose a paint color. Entry-level watercolor murals will have one or two colors, but if you’re an experienced DIYer, adding more is definitely within; just make sure your design leaves enough room for the edges of your colors to blend in so they don’t overlap too much. For each color you use, you will need a container of paint, a container of water, a brush, and a rag. Choose a satin or eggshell interior latex paint in a shade that is the most intense tone you want to achieve, as you will be thinning it out to create a watercolor effect. In addition to your paint colors, keep some base wall color handy in case of mistakes (you can use it as white to cover anything you don’t like). Other supplies you’ll need: A spray bottle filled with clean water, extra rags, and a rag to protect the floor—thinned paint will drip more easily.
Create your form(s)
To create a shape on the wall, dip your brush into a rich color of your choice. Draw the top outline of your figure on the wall. (Although there are no rules about how to paint a fresco, soft, curved lines and diagonal shapes will draw attention and not look too orderly.) Spray the paint line with water and use a rag to smudge the paint away from the line. . You can blend more in one direction than the other to create a more random effect. Blot any drops to mix them. Repeat this process for the bottom edge and then again to complete your shape.
Add some wrongness
Then use a damp paint-colored rag to add darker areas related to your main shape. Dip a damp rag into the paint and then dab a little on the edge of the shape to add roughness along the baseline, then blend with a spray gun and a clean rag. To add lighter areas, use a clean, dry rag to blot some of the darker areas of your figure.
These areas of darker and lighter paint will help blend out the edges of your shape and create a smoother effect. Repeat this process for each paint color, avoiding too much overlap.
Add the finishing touches
Take a step back to inspect the entire wall before you think you’re done. If you see any areas with obvious leftover brush strokes or anything that looks too sharp, go over them again with a damp cloth and some paint or water (depending on whether you want them darker or lighter). ) until you get a thinner, blended look.
Paint your wall
Once your painting is dry, you can use a clean brush to paint over any mistakes using the base color of the wall. To ensure your fixes blend after drying, be sure to use a small amount of paint and a dry brush.