Okay, so I’ve been wanting to learn more about mural painting, and I stumbled upon this artist, Emily Strauss. I thought, “Why not try to replicate her style a bit and see what I can learn?” So, that’s what I did!
First, I looked up a bunch of her work online. Just spent a good hour scrolling through images, you know, getting a feel for her common themes, color palettes, and how she handles shapes and stuff.
Getting My Hands Dirty
Next, I gathered my materials. I didn’t have any fancy mural paints, so I just used what I had on hand: some acrylic paints, a few different sized brushes, and a big piece of cardboard (because who needs a wall when you’re just practicing, right?).
- Acrylic paints (various colors)
- Brushes (various sizes)
- Large cardboard piece
Then, I started sketching. Based on some of Emily’s designs, I did a rough outline directly onto the cardboard. I wasn’t too worried about being perfect, I just wanted to get the basic composition down.I picked easier one to copy from.
After the sketch, I began painting. I tried to mimic the way Emily blends colors and creates texture. Honestly, it was harder than it looked! Her stuff seems so effortless, but getting those smooth transitions and bold outlines… well, let’s just say I have a newfound respect for muralists.
I spent a few hours on it, just layering colors, adding details, and stepping back to see how it looked from a distance. I probably repainted some sections like five times, haha.
The Final (Sort Of) Result
Finally, I stopped when I felt like I’d learned as much as I could from this little experiment. It’s definitely not a masterpiece, and it doesn’t look exactly like Emily Strauss’s work, but I think I captured some of the essence. Plus, I learned a ton about color mixing and brush techniques along the way.
I considered this a good start. Next time, maybe I’ll try a smaller canvas… or actually find a wall to paint on!
