Painted Firebox Mural

primer
paint (various shades of gray, black, white)
thin painter's tape
pencil or marker
natural sea sponge
paintbrushes
straightedge

Steps:

1. Prime the plywood and let dry. Apply two coats of deep gray paint, allowing it to dry between layers.
2. Draw the brick lines with a pencil or marker. Draw larger bricks closer to the edges to help create the illusion of depth. Tape-off the lines with thin tape (if necessary, cut wider tape to get the desired width).
3. Use a sponge to add dabs of grays and black to create the bricks and remove the tape. Once dry, use a dry brush to add deeper tones to imitate the look of charred brick, which will add a lot of depth to the firebox.
4. Add some highlights with white to the grout near the front of the firebox to make it look real.