Outlining a Wall With Paint

With a can of paint and a paintbrush, you may be surprised at the unusual and unexpected effects you can create. Because paint is inexpensive and many painting techniques are not difficult, even an amateur or beginning painter can learn how to paint beautiful walls. By outlining a wall with paint, you create contrasts of color on the wall, pulling the eye in with its vivid distinctions.

Drop cloth
Latex paint (base color and outline color)
3-inch flat paintbrush
Painter's tape
Putty knife
Paint tray
Paint roller

Instructions

- 1
  Place drop cloths over the floor to prevent paint from dripping onto the floor surfaces.
- 2
  Apply painter’s tape onto the ceiling, onto adjacent walls, along the baseboard, onto window trim and around doorway trim to protect these surfaces from paint. Press the painter’s tape down firmly with your fingers.
- 3
  Load the flat paintbrush with the outline color and paint around the perimeter area of the wall, painting the perimeter just slightly wider than the outline you wish to create. Allow the outline color of paint to dry for at least 24 hours.
- 4
  Measure the outline area that you wish to create. Measure this distance along the perimeter with the ruler and mark a light outline with the pencil. Mark the outline over the outline paint you applied.
- 5
  Apply the painter’s tape along the line you marked, placing the tape outside the pencil marks. Press the tape down firmly with the putty knife to create an effective seal.
- 6
  Pour the base color paint into the paint tray. Load the paint roller with paint and apply paint inside the painter’s tape to paint the base color onto the wall. Apply the paint in a thin and even layer. Allow the paint to dry completely and apply a second coat, if you desire.
- 7
  Remove the painter’s tape before the paint dries to prevent the tape from pulling paint off the wall as you remove it.

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