One of my favorite ways of decorating walls is using an overhead projector and overhead transparencies.

 

We make a copy of almost anything we like, then copy it on to a transparency and then put it on the overhead projector. It is kind of like color-by-number for adults.

 

I have found using liquid markers/paint pens that you find at art stores and craft stores great for coloring on walls.

Belinda-

Does anyone in your church have one of those double paint rollers? I think that they are called "magic walls". We did the wall outside of our "town" library by taping (1/2" scotch tape) off our walls into big squares off set every other row to look like blocks on a wall. Then we took the two colors of latex paint that we wanted and used this double roller. The walls look like they are marble. You can take a feather and dip it in a lighter color paint and put "veins" in the marble. We are hoping to get pictures on this site. Good luck.
Ellen

Sponging, Ragging, Using Glazes over paint to simulate textures...

 

I've had some success with using two or three contrasting colors (like terra cotta, off-white, and dark brown),each mixed with liquid glaze (purchase at any paint store or home center)-three parts glaze to two parts latex satin- put into a pie plate or other small container.

 

After base coating the wall a color which will show through (like off-white), just brush all two or three glazes on in big, sweeping arcs (only cover an area about 2' x 2' at a time", then immediately blot with a rolled up rag, a dampened and wrung out sponge, or (best) a piece of lambswool on a handle (buy at paint stores).

 

Just blot, the colors will blend beautifully, and look like stone or adobe. If you want to make individual blocks, wait until the whole thing is dry, and then hand paint lines with a 1/4" or 1/2" brush. Freehand lines will look so much more natural, and it won't take so long as measured ones! If you're scared, you can chalk them in first - chalk removes more easily than pencil!! Then - when everything is dry, you can go back and add fancy stencils if you like, and maybe a few cracks here and there! Good luck!

We painted a wall in one room and a hallway with a sand paint; then added darker brown lines(freehanded) to make it look like blocks. A member painted a wall around our water fountain with gray paint; then added freehanded lines to make it look like a stone wall---both look great. A little paint can do wonders!

We made pillars for our temple out of the cardboard tubes carpet comes on and attached flower pots to the top. We painted them with "stone flecks" paint. I have some larger tubes that I just covered with marble looking contact paper and topped them with urn-type flower pots. They look great!

Concrete forms from home depot or a concrete place will work. We had the owner of concrete plant at our last church and were able to get tubes that were wide enough to crawl through and in extremely long lengths (much larger and longer than home depot).

We fastened the pillars to the wall with wire and large eye hooks attached at the top and bottom. The cardboard rolls we got were over 6 feet long and about 6 inches in diameter. I got them from a carpeting store.

Blessings,
Julie Burton

Prom catalogs, such as stumps and andersons, are also another source for pillars. They even come with corrugated paper to wrap around with grooves. You could do that same thing, much cheaper by buying corrugated from a teaching store and the pillars from home depot though.

 

CreativeforKids has all sorts of BIBLE WALL MURAL KITS and BIBLE "DECALS" for classrooms. (formerly known as painteroffun.com)

 

 http://www.creativeforkids.com/  

 

 

 

Karen Carver

We are creating a synagogue in one of our rooms and want to add some columns using carpet rolls. I'v seen them in several churches and wondered if anyone has tips for installing, painting, making tops/bottoms to help make them realistic. Thanks Karen Smile

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JCarey

You can use either carpet tubes or for wider columns use concrete forms from home depot (very cheap). Now you have a few options. One would be to use corrugated paper ( available from art/school supply catalogues and some teacher stores) and cover the rolls.

 

You can use cut styrofoam or wall insulation foam sheets to make decorative tops or even pizza boxes work. If a plain column is the look you would like to achieve then try the marble look paints that are available. If you are still looking for another method, rolls of contact tape can be purchased in marble look and it looks very effective.

 

Use liquid nails or else a 3M spray glue formulated for styrofoam (either 77 or maybe 78). I have a photo of our temple if you are interested email me.

 

Have fun with it - they make a great impact and are reusable and easily stored.

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julie burton

 

We used carpet rolls to make columns.

 

Some we painted with the "stone" spray paint (that got very expensive) and some we covered with the marble-look contact paper. For the tops we used plastic urn-type flower pots painted with the stone paint. The bottoms were plastic bases that matched the flower pots. It took some work to attach them to the posts. We took a block of wood and inserted it into the column, then screwed it to the sides. A hole was drilled into the bottom of the wood block and the saucer, then a large bolt-type screw was inserted and screwed into the block. That gave the column some stability. To be extra safe we wired them to the wall! Have fun!