How to Tie-Dye Walls With Latex Paint

Prepare the wall surface for painting. If painting over existing paint, clean and dry the wall. For a new wall, cover the wall with latex paint before beginning. The color of the wall will be the background color for the pattern.

Draw the tie-dye pattern on the wall using a pencil. The size, shape and dimensions of the pattern are completely individual choices. Some popular shapes are disappearing swirls, star bursts and radiating spider lines.

Thin the water-based latex paint with paint thinner. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper amounts of thinner to use, and stir the mixture well with a wooden stir stick to allow the paint to spread on the wall.

Dip only the tip of a sponge paint brush into the first color, and press it across the first line on the pattern. Select a starting point and the color of choice. Line up the center of the sponge brush with the line and press down, which creates a burst of color across the line. Use a narrow sponge brush for small bursts and a wider brush for larger bursts.

Move the brush to the next spot slightly off center of the line to the right, and then press down. This staggering effect gives a less uniform appearance to the design.

Center the third press of the sponge brush on the line, and stagger the fourth to the left. Repeat the staggering process over the entire pattern.