MURAL TIP #23 | 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid when Painting a Mural

Painting murals should be fun and therapeutic. But if you are a beginner and don’t have a lot of murals under your belt, it can be stressful to make mistakes that you hadn’t thought about.

You are not alone and it is totally understandable. I’ve had my fair share of slip-ups in the past when I was just a budding artist like you. I learned my lessons and now I am sharing them with you so you can improve your craft and enjoy mural painting all the more!

Here are the 5 common rookie mistakes to avoid when painting a mural:

1. Not preparing the wall.

Before anything else, make sure you have smooth and clean walls as a canvas. If your walls are dirty, you can use soap, water, and a sponge to scrub them off. This is an important step to help you achieve a perfect finish as it affects the overall quality of your mural.

2. Not using the right paint and brushes.

The paint you use is dependent on if it is an outside mural or an inside mural. For outdoor murals, you will want to use exterior, weather-proof paints like acrylic latex paints that are more appropriate for the area. For indoors, you can use water-based enamel or latex depending on the surface. There are different types of paints for different surface areas, like concrete paint, wood paint, metal paint, etc. so choose whichever paint is suitable to use for your walls.

3. Using brushes that are too big or small for the area

For brushes, ensure that you are using the right sizes. Do not use brushes that are too small for big details or vice versa. More specifically, use small brushes for details and use rollers for wider areas. This will save you time and make it look more clean in the end.

4. Not mixing your paints thoroughly.

If you are hand-mixing colors or using paint that has been opened previously, an important step before painting your murals is mixing your paints completely. Paint components separate if it is stocked for a long time, so mixing them thoroughly makes sure that you have the right color and consistency before application.

5. Not using painter’s tape.

Ever wonder how the lines of most murals are perfectly straight and have crisp clean edges? It’s because they make use of painter’s tape or masking tape. Simply peel them off after using them. Just make sure you are peeling them off slowly and carefully so the paint won’t come off.

6. Not preparing containers or cups.

You need to prepare disposable cups or containers especially if you are using a lot of colors. Using a bunch of plastic trays is probably not practical to use in large murals that need lots of paint and different colors. So grab some dollar tree plastic containers with lids and you’ll be much happier and more organized!

Now that you have an idea of how to avoid these common mistakes as a beginner, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will not make any mistakes on your next mural. Take note that it takes a lot of practice to excel at something. The more you practice, the more you get better at it!

I talk about all this and more in my mural course here or simply sign up below for my newsletter and to get more tips and tricks sent right to you!