Decorative Painting

This fun and easy project is a great way to add a personalized touch to a wall. Depending on the colors used, the design can be traditional, whimsical or just plain fun. Here's how to do it:

Materials:

measuring tape
level
painter's tape
two contrasting colors of paint
small paint rollers
small paintbrush
small container, such as a disposable plastic plate

Optional materials:

acrylic paints to add additional designs if desired
stencil, or create your own pattern by painting a design on a piece of paper

Steps:

• Measure the wall space carefully and decide how wide you want the stripes to be. Use anything from fine pinstripes to half-foot wide stripes that feature large blocks of color.

• Use a level to make sure that the lines are straight (figure A), and use painter's tape to create a stencil on the wall (figure B). Fold the corner of the tape over so you have something to easily grab onto when it is time to pull off the tape. Mark the wall in at least two places to insure a straight line.

• Choose contrasting colors that will highlight each other and show up on the wall. A great tip is to paint the wall entirely with the lightest color that you'll be using, and then go back and paint in the stripes with the darker tone. That way you won't have to worry about matching up the different stripes later on.