How to Paint a Square Bullseye on a Wall

Measure your wall’s height and width. Determine the length of the sides you want the outermost edges of your square bullseye to be. You can make it a small 12-by-12 inch decorative wall accent or make it the size of the entire wall.

Sketch a square on graph paper to scale. If the sides of the outermost square will be more than 2 feet, let each small square on the graph paper represent 1 square foot. If you are making a smaller design and the sides of the outermost square will be less than 2 feet, let each square on the graph paper equal 1 square inch.

Draw concentric squares inside the largest one on the graph paper. Add as many or as few concentric squares as you wish. Center each square inside the one larger than itself.

Color the paper design with colored pencils to come up with a palette you find pleasing.

Make the outlines of the design to scale on the wall with a yardstick and pencil. Use a level to hold the yardstick straight before you trace the lines. Draw the lines lightly so you won’t see them through the paint.

Apply painter's tape around the innermost square. Make sure the tape edges line up with the lines you traced.

Paint the innermost square the desired color with acrylic paint and a paintbrush. Acrylics are ideal for decorative painting because they are compatible with latex wall paint, dry quickly and are opaque enough so you can cover mistakes easily.

Remove the painter’s tape, as soon as you finish painting and while the paint is still wet, to get a smooth, sharp edge. If you wait for the paint to dry before removing it, some of the overlapping paint on the tape may peel up, and the edge will be rough.

Allow the paint to dry for an hour. Tape around the edges of the next concentric square. Put tape around the innermost square, this time on the inside of the lines. Paint the second concentric square the desired color then remove the painter’s tape.

Continue the process until all of the squares are painted and dry. Protect your paint job by applying a clear, non-yellowing acrylic sealer over it. Use a spray sealer or brush it on with a paintbrush.