DRAWING & PAINTING A HARLEQUIN PATTERN & STRIPES ON WALLS & TUTORIAL

DRAWING & PAINTING A HARLEQUIN PATTERN & STRIPES ON WALLS & TUTORIAL

My client was redecorating her daughter's room.
She asked me to paint a harlequin pattern on her wall to match her new bedding.

There is LOTS of drawing.

I always use a pencil so I can erase any lines I'm not going to use.

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HARLEQUIN TUTORIAL

If you want to paint a harlequin pattern on your wall, you first decide your colors and paint a base coat color on  your wall.  After that dries really well you can start drawing.  You need a pencil, an eraser and a level.  (I love my level!)  Decide how large you want the diamond shape to be.  This client wanted a smaller pattern.  I like the look of a larger pattern than this one.  On an 8' wall maybe stack four harlequins.  If you had no baseboard, each one would be about 24".  But, you have a baseboard and, possibly, a crown molding.  You have to figure and subtract a few inches so they'll fit in your space.  Next you decide how wide you want each pattern to be.  Now you start figuring and drawing.  This is why I use a pencil.  I draw a grid on the wall and erase any lines I don't paint over.  Pay close attention to your painting, making sure you skip every other diamond.  I always put a piece of tape on the diamond I WON'T be painting.

While I was working on the harlequin pattern they asked me to paint stripes in the kids' bath.  After painting the stripes I mixed a very light antiquing glaze and brushed on and wiped off with a rag.  It looked really cute.  I love the colors they chose!

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STRIPES TUTORIAL

First, I painted the base coat.  The client told me about how wide they wanted the stripes.  I measured around the room and decided how wide they could be.  But, it's important to count the stripes and make sure that when you get to the end, you don't have two of the same color.  Even though I know how to count, I still use my yard stick and go around the room, saying to myself: "pink/orange, pink/orange".  A long time ago when I was painting stripes I had everything measured just perfectly and at the end, I had two of the same color!!!!!  Not sure how that happened, but, that's why I count around the room just making sure there are NO mistakes!  As you're painting, if you see you're going to have a few inches left over or a few inches short, it's ok to start adding or taking away 1/4" or 1/2" to each stripe.  As you're wrapping around a corner, you can cheat a little bit, too.  

It will all come out looking really nice.  

Have fun!! 

(If you have any questions, please click on "Ask Me" and I'll be very glad to help you.)