I want to paint a large tree in the girls bedroom and stencil fairies. I'm cutting my own stencils but I can't find info on murals. Does anyone have links or books they can recommend? I don't even know what kind of paint to use.

check out these fairy stencils...they amaze me

http://www.dresslerstencils.com/frame/f_products_catalog.cfm?CFID=1167864&CFTOKEN=98834009


You use acrylic paint for stenciling/mural painting

oooh...check this out

http://www.sacredart.plus.com/800x600%20Site/mural_gallery.htm
(the fairy/unicorn room is gorgeous)


and this...

http://mariesmanor.fateback.com/FairyIdeas.html

here are some my friend did.I LOVE her work
http://www.lachri.com/intro.html

Okay, those are way more than I was going for :) I'm thinking simple. I was going to do the ceiling light blue and put some fluffy clouds on it, then paint a floor to ceiling tree on one wall and the do some really simple fairy outline type stencils around the room, something like these stamps:
http://www.goddessdesigns.com/Stamps/Fairy_Stamps.htm

Although these:
http://www.naturesvignettes.com/catalog/fairies.html
and these:
http://www.fairystencils.com/myrea.shtml
but the price!

And this tree is so cool, but it is also $50 and not quite as big as I want
http://www.fairy-shop.com/pages/fullProd.php?productID=478

gotta run, so I can only quick reply now.

I've done quite a few murals in the house and at friends' homes. You can use craft acrylic paints (lots of coats for opaqueness), latex house paint, latex paint tinted w/ acrylics (you chould love that Allison w/ your dye mixing abilities!) and artist oils over latex, or artist oils over acrylics. but never, never go over oil w/ acrylic or latex.

My fav is artist acrylics but is expensive a large expanse, which is why utilizing a good quality latex is much cheaper. and it is very easy to project an image on the wall, sketch it and fill in w/ paint if you don't like the idea of sketching on the wall. couldn't check your links right now, so i don't know what look you're going for.

will post my how-to-clouds advice in the am. it's really easy and I got better results than my DF who hired a professinal faux painter.

hth!

OK, clouds. I've done mural clouds in oils, acrylics via brush, airbrush and sponge, as sunsets and sunrises. The easiest method w/ nice results that I continue to use is this:

Prepare suface (nail pops just look awful in heavenly clouds- altho if it happens after painting, you can cover w/ a bird) and lay dropcloths

Basecoat sky blue
Take white latex and mix w/ latex glaze (available now at all paint stores) I never measure but I probably use a mix of about 2:1 paint to glaze.

I wear latex gloves because your hands get messy
saturate sea sponge; ring out excess water, dab in paint- dab off any dripping excess onto paper towel

Now- wash the wall- in places where you want the clouds. easy as that! just move the spongs in a circular motion to get fluffy clouds. On the walls, I tend to use a fluffy top and then use the sponge hoirzontally for a looking-off-to-the-horizon look. On the celing, think fluffy and irregular- concentrating a few clouds in one area and a spare sparr-fy one in another (extended time spent cloud gazing is helpful here!) I also like to make the effort to make a few suggesting shapes likes bunnies, a dragon, etc. just to spark imagination.

rewet sponge as needed when paint gets too thin- kep turning the spongs and altering you circular shape/size to keep it from looking regular.

biggest thing is to not get opaque- the sky should peek thru the clouds and let it look wispy in places and more opaque in others.(this is where glaze helps- it extends the drytime to allow you to work it and also gives translucence (sp?). If you want to get creative, you can add small amounts of pastels in room-coordinating colors to different reserve trays of glaze and add some pastel highlisghts to the clouds.

hth someone- a lengthy explanation for what is a really easy process, requires no artistic talents (heck, anyone can wash a wall) and one of the more fun and quick painting projects.

have fun!!!

Thanks for the great explanation. I can't wait to get started in here!

I've done a few murals before, and I always like to use acrylics and also paint pens for the small detail work and outlining, if necessary. I've seen the paint pens in JoAnns Michael's and so on.Please show a pic when you're finished!! :)