Sunflower Wall Painting Techniques for the Kitchen

Tools

• Stencils come in a wide variety of sizes and designs. It is not hard to find a suitable sunflower stencil for the kitchen without having to make it from scratch. Craft stores usually have a selection of stencils, and they can also be found online at sites such as StencilSearch.com. Do shop around until you have the very sunflower stencil (or stencils) that you want to use.

  Stencil paintbrushes are different from typical paintbrushes in that they are stubby and round. They come in a variety of diameters (just like typical paintbrushes come in a variety of widths). A stencil painter needs different-diameter brushes for different techniques. Instead of brushes, some people prefer sponge brushes that are the same size as the paintbrushes. Whether one is easier to use than the other is a matter of personal preference.

  For indoor stencil projects, artist acrylic paints work best. They are easy to work with, nontoxic, water based, come in vibrant colors and will last.

  Tape is also necessary. Painter's tape can be found in most hardware stores; it is often blue. It is quite similar to masking tape but is specially formulated to not take up wallpaper or paint when removed.

  A ruler and a level will come in very handy, as will a pencil and eraser.

Preparation

• As with any craft project, preparation can mean the difference between failure and success. You may find that you change your mind as you plan how to paint sunflowers on your kitchen walls. Gather all materials before you begin. Measure the length (and height, if you are doing more than a border) of the walls, and figure how many times you expect to use the stencil. For example, if the stencil is 1 foot wide, and the wall is 12 feet wide, you will use the stencil 12 times.

  If you will paint sunflowers on the entire wall, stagger each row of images so that you do not end up with straight lines. Staggering the sunflowers will be more pleasing to the eye.

  Hold the stencil on the wall and use the level to make sure it is even. Mark lightly with a pencil where the stencil will go. Do this for every spot you want to stencil the sunflower.

  Tape your stencil to a piece of paper with the painter's tape, and practice applying color.

  When you are ready to paint the walls, use painter's tape to attach the stencil to the wall.

Techniques

• Stencil sunflowers onto kitchen walls with dry paint, wet paint, and choose among brush strokes. It is good to have one paintbrush for each color in the sunflower.

  Pour a small amount of each color of acrylic you want to use onto a paper plate or clean, styrofoam meat tray. For dry paint technique, dab a small amount of paint onto the tip of your brush and swirl onto a paper towel to remove excess. Dab onto the wall--do not brush up and down. Dry paint technique gives a more textured look than wet paint.

  Use the same method with wet paint, just use a wet paintbrush, or even add a little water to the acrylic paint. As with dry paint, remove excess by dabbing onto a paper towel before applying to the wall. This technique gives a smoother looking finish, but if you use too much water it will run.

  As the paint dries, use additional color to add shading and highlighting. Wait for paint to dry before pulling up the stencil; wipe stencil clean and affix to the next part of the wall.