How to Make Metal Wall Paintings

Wash the wall you want to paint with a sponge and soapy water. Rinse the wall and let it dry thoroughly.

Sand the wall to create a rough painting surface. Remove any old paint drips and bumps using a scraping tool. Wipe the wall with a tack cloth to remove sanding dust.

Apply painter’s tape to corners, edges and any other areas you don’t want to be painted.

Pour interior primer into a paint tray. Apply the primer to the wall’s edges using an angled brush, and coat the bulk of the wall using foam paint rollers. Apply paint in “W”-shaped strokes to avoid streaks. Allow the primer to dry for at least 24 hours before proceeding.

Apply a coat of metallic paint using the same methods to apply the primer. Allow it to dry thoroughly and apply a second coat if desired.

Lightly sand the wall in the area where you want to paint the design.

Draw or trace the desired design on a transparency sheet, using markers, if you want to paint a mural. If you prefer stencils, draw the design on thin plastic sheets instead. Thin plastic binders are ideal for making stencils.

Cut out the stenciled designs, using a craft knife. If painting a mural, lay the transparency on an overhead projector and adjust the projector’s zoom feature until the image appears the way you want it on the wall.

Place the stencils on the wall and secure them in place with painter’s tape. If painting a mural, place tape around the design’s outline.

Paint the negative area of the stencils or trace the outline of the projected design, using foam paintbrushes and your choice of metallic paint. Remove the painter’s tape and stencils while the paint still is wet.

Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before touching the wall.