degrawj

I am currently painting and remodeling the downstairs family room of my parents house, and I'm thinking of painting a large rose on one of the walls.

Now, I'm not a very experienced artist. I only took one art class in high school, and that's it. I've done some doodling, and painting on my own, and I seem to have a real knack for doing roses. Overall, I'm not a horrible artist, I do have a little bit of natural talent.

So, I have several questions about what I want to do: What kind of paint should I use? And what kind of preparation should there be? I've never done any wall painting, and I've never done something this large. Is this something that would be more difficult than I think?

I've got tons of other questions, but these are just some of the more important ones, and I'll ask more if I get enough feedback. I'm looking forward to your guys' help!

Nancy

No, not difficult - just very time consuming!

You could use some simple water-based paint but I wouldn't recommend it. This is something that you want to last at least a decade right? So you need to buy a paint that's turpentine-based (or some other chemical) so you can clean it off with a cloth if someone should accidently spill something on it without the paint coming off. You should also buy a paint with a high level of gloss. Sure the rose would be more "shiny" to look at but the extra gloss is what makes it extremely durable, fast and hard-wearing.

As for the preparations: Buy the brushes you'll need plus a lot of plastic to cover up the floors. Before you start painting you should definitely have sketched the rose with a pen beforehand. This way you'll now exactly how big it's gonna be making it easier for you to buy the right amount of paint. And it'll give your parents a chance to see if it's too big for their taste before you get started.

Good luck with the project and do post some pics once its done!

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^ And don't forget a mask too! Paint fumes kill yer brain

Asta!!

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jwoody

Have you thought about using a projector? That way you could experiment with different sizes quickly and easily without marking the wall.

clavus

Ya. Project the image on the wall, then trace it. Save yourself a lot of time and heartache.

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degrawj

whoa, that's an awesome idea! that would really help i think! damn, i just need to find a projector. thanks for the advice guys. if i do end up doing this, it probably won't be for a month or two, but i'll keep you updated on the progress, and if i do get it done, which i am still pretty sure i want to do it, i will definitely take pictures of it and post them on here.

inhalo

Hello, I am a former muralist so I could help you with just about anything in this subject.

First of all, unless you are experienced with oil based paint I would not reccomend them. Acrylic and latex paint have came a long way and the ability to clean with water is important and safe. I normally use Behr indoor/outdoor latex paint from Home Depot. It has a lifetime guarantee, so it will last a decade....or two.....or

Second, the use of a projector would help greatly. However I understand they can be tricky to get a hold of. What I would suggest is taking the drawing or picture you are working from to Kinkos and have them inlarge it to the size you want to paint it. It is not that much $. You can cut shapes out of it to use it as a template. Or you can rub pencil graphite on the back- tape the image to the wall- and trace over the lines. With the graphite rubbed on the back, your image will be transfered to the wall like carbon copy paper.

Well that should get you started....Let me know if you need more help or have any question.