Techniques for Painting Wall Murals on Canvas

Artists, painters and families who want to create a work of art they can take with them in the event they move to another home can satisfy their need for beauty in their home. Instead of leaving a canvas painted directly onto an interior wall, the painter or artist can add an additional step and paint the mural on canvas. In addition, the artist has several choices of fabric to use, as well as the types of paints he can use. Once the fabric canvas is completed and dried, the family can choose one of two installation methods--glue directly to the wall or hang with grommets.

Painting a wall mural individualizes a room or home. However, some families want to take their creations with them if they have to move, which makes painting a wall mural on canvas an attractive option to consider. The painter can buy preprimed canvas for painting his mural; the advantage of preprimed canvas is that the fabric is ready to be installed and painted on. The painter can also use latex or acrylic paints to paint the mural--because acrylic paints are so easy to work with, the painter can easily clean up when he is finished for the day; some cleanup will be necessary with latex paint.

Some painters prefer to prime their own canvas-- this way, they know it has been primed to their own preference. If he has the time to invest in the additional step of priming his own canvas, this method will work well for him. Once this step has been completed and the primer is dried, he can commence painting his mural. Again, the painter can choose to use acrylic or latex paints for his design.

Painters can choose to use fabrics other than canvas as long as those fabrics are tightly woven with a smooth surface which is ideal for painting. However, this fabric will have to be preprimed in order to take the paint well. Once the fabric has been primed, the painter should decide how he will hang it on the wall. A lighter fabric such as cambric can be hung with grommets as long as the section in which the grommets are placed is reinforced. If the painter chooses to glue a lighter fabric to the wall, he may run the risk of tearing the fabric when it is time to take it off the wall prior to moving.

Of the two installation methods, gluing the mural to the wall means the family will have to exert some effort and patience in taking the mural off the wall. Find a good wallpaper paste and thin it with a little water to make application easier. The painter or family should consult a professional wallpaper installer to find the best wallpaper paste to use. Another option is to find glue at an art supply store; any glue purchased for this purpose can also be thinned slightly with water for easier application and installation. When removal is necessary, dampen the mural first in order to soften and moisten the glue or paste, then add a wallpaper stripper. Once the stripper has done its work, slowly begin removing the mural from the wall. Once it has been completely removed, allow it to dry before rolling for storage.

The second wall mural installation method entails installing grommets in the top corners of the mural, then hanging the mural on nails or decorative hardware. This method is much less labor intensive than gluing the fabric to the wall. The only labor-intensive work will be to mark and install the hanging hardware at the top of the wall. If the fabric is a heavy canvas, it will not be necessary to reinforce the fabric before putting the grommets in--simply put them in according to the manufacturer's instructions and hang from the hardware. If the family or painter wants the mural to hang evenly, they can add small weights to the bottom of the canvas, which will ensure the mural hangs evenly and straight.