- 1). Plan the design. Calculate the amount of paint you will need based on the size of your planned mural. Print the images of fish that you will be using. Either pencil in the basic design right on the wall or use an opaque art projector to trace designs on the wall.
- 2). Prepare the wall. Wash with soap and water and inspect the area for cracks. Fill cracks with spackle; sand those areas and let dry thoroughly. Then prime the wall. You can use primer over existing paint. Priming the wall helps the paint adhere. Lay a drop cloth or sheet down to protect your floor.
- 3). Paint the background. Use a marine blue as the first coat, then sponge on a lighter blue for a three-dimensional effect. Dab and blend colors with a damp sponge to soften the edges to make it look more like water. The lightest color should be white mixed with a little blue, then blended with a little more blue and finally the bluest at the bottom. Remember that the deepest blue will be at the bottom of the wall, representing the bottom of the ocean. For a realistic effect, add a sandy bottom using a beige or sand-colored paint. Consider mixing real sand in with the sandy color; just don't reuse that brush with other colors.
- 4). Transfer your fish designs. The most economical way is to trace your image by rubbing a soft lead pencil over one side of a sheet of tracing paper. Tape that, carbon side down, on the wall, and on top place your desired image, securing it with tape. Trace over the drawing with your pencil, leaving an impression of your image. Remove the papers and paint over the pencil drawing on the wall in what ever colors you like. Use a small brush and paint many small strokes of black to represent schools of fish, if you wish.
If you are not artistically inclined, buy ready-made stencils. Affix stencils to the wall with painter's tape and paint over them with the color or colors that you want to use for your fish, and then carefully remove. - 5). Seal your artwork with a coat of clear, nonyellowing varnish in satin or matte sheen to protect it. Apply the varnish in small "X" patterns across the mural to ensure it's applied evenly.
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