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Quick Project: Decorate Walls with a Geometric Design and a Paint Pen

This quick project shows how easy it is to decorate a wall using a geometric design and a paint pen.

11/09/2022

 

 

 

 

How easy is this decorated wall project? @experimentingwithdecor turned a plain wall in her laundry into an eye-catching feature wall with nothing more than paint, a paint pen and a geometric stencil - all of which are inexpensive and the paint products can be purchased at any Builders store.

 

 

YOU WILL NEED:

Black paint, water-based acrylic or enamel

Paint pens, white

Geometric stencil

 

 

 

Paint pens have become extremely popular over the last few years and quite a few different paint suppliers manufacture a variety of paint pen colours for decorating, hobbies and crafts.

 

 

 

 

The Paint

Black paint was used on the wall for this project, but you can substitute with your choice of colour and contrast with any colour of paint pen. A matt black paint will also help to disguise any imperfections on the wall such as textured plaster, etc., while a sheen or gloss paint will highlight defects but also provide plenty of drama in contrast to the lighter geometric design, making it stand out even more.

 

 

With so many different paint options to choose from, the best for this project is a water-based acrylic or enamel paint that is specifically designed for a bathroom, particularly if you are painting a laundry room or bathroom. A sheen or gloss paint provides a washable finish that can be cleaned as and when required. Matt paint is not easy to clean but does give a contemporary feel to the wall.

 

 

Select a paint that has anti-mould and mildew properties if the room gets moist or humid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stencil

For the stencil, you can make your own out of a variety of materials if you cannot find one with the right shape. For this project, a hexagon shape (6 sides) was used. You can cut the shape out of thick card, cardboard, plastic or mylar sheet, or even use a ceramic tile. It does need to be fairly thick in order for you to draw around it though, so keep this in mind.

 

 

 

 

The Process

 

  1. Scrub the wall well with sugar soap and an abrasive pad. If the wall was previously painted with enamel or oil-based paint, the wall should be sanded with 120-grit sandpaper beforehand. You want to de-gloss the surface of the wall to remove the glossy finish and provide a better key for the paint to bond with. Wipe dry or let dry before you start painting.
  2. Have everything you need on hand so that you can get the job done efficiently and quickly.
  3. Apply the black paint onto the wall with a paintbrush (around the edges) and paint roller over the entire surface. You might need more than 1 coat of paint but do let the paint dry for the specified time before applying another coat of paint. Let the paint dry overnight before going over with the stencil.
  4. Start in the centre of the wall with the hexagonal stencil shape, holding the top edge (line) of the stencil straight. I would recommend that you use a spirit level to get the first few shapes in a vertical or horizontal line and it will flow better from thereon.
  5. Outline the shape you are using with the paint pen. Before using the pen, make sure that the paint is flowing nicely through the tip and remember to tap the pen frequently as you work to ensure that the paint continues to flow.

 

 

 

 

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