How to Paint a Mountain Mural

With few more weeks to go before my second child will be born, I can feel the nesting period in full bloom.  So, last month, I painted one wall of my boys’ room with a Mountain Mural.

Since we moved into our new home 3 years ago, I have never put so much attention at the nursery room.  Now that my first boy is a toddler, they will be sharing the same room. Thus, making it the boys’ room.  I’ve decided to give their room a vibe of a mountain or camping or probably outdoorsy kind of thing.

Before I started painting the mountain mural, I downloaded a photo with the mountain that I kind’a envisioned.  I’m not going to lie, the photo did intimidate me because 1. There’s no turning back once the wall will be painted.  If I don’t like the mural that I painted, I thought about the money that I will use for the materials will go to waste 2. Don’t want to waste too much effort and 3. I am not a good with house paints, maybe water colors (lol).

How did I still manage to push myself in painting the Mountain Mural? Believe in thyself but most of all I think it is the realization that Mountain ranges are no perfect ranges.  The curves and its imperfections gave me the confidence of the thought that I can paint this mural.  And so I did!

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With the help of my husband who has a background in building houses, he was the one who choose on the materials and paint colors.  Basically, I have the art ideas and he has the ideas for the materials and oh! he’s the critique.  Team efforts! I told him, 2 paint colors are enough for 5-6 mountain layers.

Though I have a photo where I base on painting my mural, I think free hand painting gives you the freedom to be your own master.

Check out the time lapse video that I made for this tutorial here.

Here’s how I paint my Mountain Mural

Materials:

• 2 paint colors – lighter gray and charcoal
• Painter’s tape
• Damp washcloth
• Paint brush and/or roller
  • Fine paint brush
  • Large brush
• Paint tray liner
• Project Source Disposable Paint Tray
• cellophane

How to paint a Mountain Mural

1. Set up the room for painting.
2. Tape the sides of the wall.
3. If you have a plug in the wall like we did, remove the cover on it.
4. place the cellophane on the floor to avoid paint drops on the floor
5. When ready, start painting on the top with the light paint.
6. Depending on how many layers you’ve decided, pour a third of the light paint unto the tray liner and add a little bit of the darker paint.  Mix them and start painting the second layer.
7. If you still have enough second paint mixture add a little more darker shade for the third layer. Repeat this step until you reach the second to the last layer of your mountain.
8. The last layer of your mountain should be the dark shade of your paint.
9. The last part is waiting for the paint to dry before removing the painter’s tape. Other than that, you can start clearing most of the materials that has been used on the floor.

How did it turn out?

I have things that wish I knew and should have done. I think, if I use the paint roller, my painting will make it look more evenly.  Also,  patience is the key. With the brush strokes I made in whatever directions, I have lots of paint drops that I kept on wiping.  I guess it’s just me trying to be perfectionist in my work.  Though this mountain ranges or lines is a nice reminder that the jagged and crooked lines is what gives them the personality.

This is actually my first ever mural that I painted free hand and I am very happy of how it turned out.

So, what do you think? Would you paint a Mountain Mural?