How can you make your own mural for a kid's room?

I want to do my son's room in spongebob but I don't want to pay $500 for wall murals. I want the bigger ones, not little stick ons. Is there a way to print out outlines and make a mural out of it? Any suggestions are appreciated!

We have done this before. If you can get access to an overhead projector this works well. Get a picture of whatever you want, transfer it to a transparency for the projector, and project it on the wall you want to paint, trace the picture on the wall, then paint it with art paints to match your picture.

Use the projector and return it?!!! Sounds like Mr. Krabs - money, money, money! (I am soooo glad I don't work retail any more!)

To answer your question, does your son have any SpongeBob coloring books or story books? They usually have good pictures. If not, go to Google's home page and do an image search for SpongeBob (use the "Images" link above the search box). This should pull up all kinds of free pictures that you can print off at home.

I think a projector is definitely the way to go to transfer the picture to the wall. They really aren't that expensive - you can buy an Artograph art projector for around fifty dollars. I'm sure you will find other ways to use it when you're done - science fair presentations, bake sale and garage sale signs, etc.

I wouldn't worry too much about your son outgrowing the mural - my oldest is nine now and he still has a SpongeBob poster hanging in his room - it's been there since he was 4 or 5 and I have received strict orders not to remove it :-)

For step by step instructions using a projector to transfer the image (and loads of other DIY mural info), check out:

Use an overhead projector (can be rented) to put an image from, say, a coloring book onto the wall. Outline it lightly with pencil, then paint it in like a paint by number kit. Saw this on one of TLC's home dec shows.

A friend I know did a whole sponge bob theme in her son's room and it looked awesome! It looked perfect because she got a projector w/sponge bob slide and projected it to the proportion she wanted on the wall. Then she just traced it on the wall and painted it the appropriate colors - it looked so great! She had Sponge bob and patrick around a camp fire and gary too!

ok. find a pic then draw a grid over it. draw the same grid onto the wall in the place where you want the mural to go. then painstakingly draw into each box in the grid as you would when manually enlarging any picture. this will take a long time....but will be worth it. make sure you use a PENCIL and buy some magic sponge erasers in case you make a mistake. once the drawing is on the wall you can begin to paint, ( just like colouring in as a kid) i recommend the little enamel paints you can buy from hobby craft. once finished you can remove the grid lines and your result should be fantastic! I've done this (beauty and the beast) and it takes patience and perseverance, all told about 3 months from start to finish.

Ask your school teacher if you can barrow 1 weekend or If you cant barrow a Projector,
Go to Micheal's or Toys r Us buy a projector (save receipt) ,trace your choice of designs to wall, then ...return it to the store get money back!

Pencil in first, paint in to fill, sharpie markers to outline colors edge & black to stand out effects.
GOOD LUCK!

i would suggest just painting the color of his room blue and doing everything else in sponcebob (bedding, posters, stuffed animals, etc.) because your kid won't like spongebob in a couple of years and it will just be a big job to paint over it again.

rent or borrow an overhead projector and print the designs you want on to transparencies. project image on to the wall and trace it out. you can make them small or gigantic. good luck