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We always enjoy meeting fellow artists who share in the passion of painting baby nurseries and children’s rooms.  Robin Weiss is a mural painter out of Forest Hills, New York.  Her company is called Paint Your World.

Here are a few questions that we have asked Robin so that you can get to know her a little bit better.

• How long have you been in business? Paint Your World has been bringing joy to client’s walls and furniture since 2000

• What areas do you service? Nassau County, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx

• How did you get started? I have a background in fine arts, and a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Michigan. After graduation, I embarked on a career in the business sector of the textile and fashion industry, however, I always knew I wanted to own my own business and use my artistic talents to make a living. By chance, when a friend was having her first baby in early 2000, she asked if I could paint a mural in her nursery. My response was “why not?” and after a completion, I knew I had found the career I had been searching for. Paint Your World was born!

• What is your favorite nursery mural that you have ever done? (include picture) It’s so hard to choose a favorite! Each one is like my own baby – but if pressed, I would have to say “Hey Diddle Diddle” is one of my top choices. I developed a close friendship with that client afterwards, and when they began to expand their family, they had to move and leave behind that wonderful mural. She was heartbroken, but has since hired me again to paint a new one in their new home!

• Is there a nursery mural theme that you have not done yet that you would love to do? I can’t think of a particular one; I love illustrating scenes from children’s nursery rhymes, so anytime a client requests that it’s extra fun for me.

• What is your contact info in case anyone would like to reach you for your services? My website is www.paint-your-world.com, email: artist@paint-your-world.com, tel: 718-997-1435

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Here are a few more pictures of Robin’s work.  My favorite is the flower headboard.  Isn’t that cute?

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This first one is pretty wild right?  Black and white stripes in a babies room – wow!  I found this one on Design Dazzle.

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This baby nursery has a painted black cityscape and they combined the dark with white furniture.   Found this one on www.ChickieDee.com.

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This one looks more like a teen girl’s room, not a baby’s room, but it sure is unique!  I found this one again on Design Dazzle.

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Black, Red, and White Baby Nursery.  My mom would love this one.  This is her favorite color combination.  Found this one on Cafe Mom.

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When I think of babies, the last color I think about is black.  I guess you really have to be a bit wild to go with black in the nursery, but there is nothing wrong with that! 

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Ahoy Mate Pirate Nursery

Serene Brown and Blue Nursery

Shabby Chic Pink Ballet Nursery

Safari Animal Nursery

Parisian Nursery

So, which one would you choose?  Check out all the entries on Creative Baby Nursery Rooms and let me know which you would choose.  You really have to read the story behind each nursery to see how much work and creativity went into each one.

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Planning and designing a nursery can be one of the most exciting and creative preparatory steps that you can take while waiting for your baby to arrive. After all, the nursery is the where your baby will mostly be in throughout the day, and as much as possible, it should be something that is warm, soothing and inviting.

One way to create a soothing and inviting as well as a visually stimulating nursery is to fill it up with bright colors – and that includes nursery wall murals. Murals give your baby’s nursery a creative and distinct look to it, setting it apart from the other rooms in your house. So, if you want a wonderful place for your baby, then a well painted mural should be part of it.

Choosing A Theme

Of course, you may have already thought about your baby’s nursery’s color scheme or pattern. You may have even thought of the theme for the room. The design of the mural should coincide with the theme. For example, you may have chosen the colors pink and white for your baby’s room. You may also choose to paint a garden full of pastel colored flowers (mostly in shades of pink) for the nursery mural. The mural then gives a colorful break to the otherwise monotonous color, but still keeping in tune with the theme. This is to say that the best murals should stand out in the room, but still should be coordinated with the rooms overall theme.

www.bugs-n-blooms.com

Here are some great ideas for nursery mural themes:

• The Skyline and Clouds. This is perfect if the nursery’s color scheme is blue. The mural can be a painting of a couple of green hills, along with a bright blue sky, a warm yellow sun and some white clouds. For pops of colors, the mural can also have flowers or colorful hot air balloons in the sky.

• Nature. For neutral colored rooms, a subdued mural is also perfect, and that can come in the form of a forest or tree mural. Trees can be painted in soft hues of browns and greens, making it perfect for rooms with toned down colors.

• Garden. Gardens are perfect murals for little girls and go along with yellow, purple, pink or even pink paint. Gardens make the room a very colorful one, and can feature big and small colorful flowers, bright green grass, some trees and even some animals.

• Cartoon Characters. If you choose a cartoon character for a theme, then you may also have the cartoon character included in the nursery mural.

Do Some Research

Do some research on mural inspirations. You may have several friends who have painted nursery murals for the nurseries in their house. You may want to take a look at the murals for inspirations. Of course, the internet is also a source of hundreds of themes and mural inspirations that you can make use of.  My favorite is searching under Google images by keyword.

Professional or DIY Murals

Painting nursery murals takes some time, and some talent as well. If you think you can do the mural yourself, then go ahead and do so. DIY projects add a more personal touch to the room. You can even enlist your partner or some family member and friends to help you out. You may want to choose an easy design to trace and follow.

However, you may also want to hire a professional to do the mural. There are numerous reasons as to why this is so. Maybe you don’t want the squirrel in the mural to end up like looking like a monster that may scare you child eventually as he grows older. Or, you may have a lot of things to do and you don’t want to add something else to your long list of things to do. Hence, you may want to enlist the services of someone who is good at painting.

You can find local artists in your neighborhood or area who will be willing to take on the project for a specific rate. You may even have relatives or friends with artistic talents who will be willing to do the service for free. Discuss the project and the theme with the artist and make sure that you tell him or her all the details necessary so you don’t end up with a mural that you don’t like. If you can find an experienced mural artist, then so much the better. Remember to be clear with what you want and when you want it done.

Remember that there are unlimited options and themes for your baby nursery mural – but you can only choose one. The best mural for someone else may not be the best mural for you and your partner, so take some time to research and eventually decide on the mural. So take time to choose the one that you like best, since you’ll have to commit to it for a long time. When you finally decide, you can now get started with your project, and before you’ll know it, you’ll have a cozy and wonderful room fit for your beautiful little angel!

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I have yet to paint a mural in a hospital, but have always wanted to.  I have seen lots of murals done in hospitals that I have gone to and I especially love to see murals in the pediatric departments or children’s hospitals.  I think a hand painted wall mural in a children’s hospital is so special.

I cannot imagine the struggles that some children go through with numerous illnesses, some even life threatening.  And what better way to take your mind off of the pain than to let your imagination get lost in a beautiful wall mural.

Over the next few posts, I may focus on hospital murals because I really find them so inspiring.  Baby nursery murals are great too, but only a limited amount of people are able to enjoy.  In a hospital, hundreds of people come through on a daily basis.

In this post I am showcasing Under the Sea / Under the Ocean hospital murals.

The first image above was done by Carol Hawkins Studio for the St. David’s Hospital in Austin Texas.  I love the vibrant colors!

This next mural was done by Wayne+Deitz Design Group for a Children’s Medical Center.

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This mural was done for the Woman’s and Children’s Hospital in Louisiana.  I am not sure who it was done by.  I found it on the Woman’s Foundation, Inc. Site.

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This is a mural that was done on canvas by the Nebraska Art Department for the Summerlin Hospital Children’s Ward.  It looks so realistic!

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The next 2 murals are my favorites!  They were also done by the Nebraska Art Deparment for the Summerlin Hospital.

If you are an artist who has painted a children’s hospital mural and would like to showcase your work, please contact me.  I would love to here about what inspired you and how you felt while painting.

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Primarily self-taught, Leigh Watson has been an artist nearly all her life.  She finally embraced her passion and talent as a full time profession in 2004 at the urging of her family, friends and clients who had enjoyed the fruits of her artistic “hobby”.

Today, as the founder and owner of Watson Design, Leigh happily wields her brushes and paints on behalf of a diverse residential and commercial clientele.  She paints everything from nurseries and children’s rooms to daycares, schools and commercial interiors.  Whether it is a detailed mural or simple, decorative painting, Leigh’s art is beautiful and purposeful.  She works closely with clients and their children to fulfill their vision and the potential of the space—often in ways the client may not even have thought possible.

Here are a few questions that I have asked Leigh so you can get to know her a little better:

• How long have you been in business? – 5 years

• What areas do you service? – All of Texas… Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and additional cities may be arranged

• How did you get started? – My sister wanted a tree painted in her first baby’s nursery in 2001 – I have always been artistic, although at that point I did not have any formal training.  Word of mouth spread and over the next 4 years I ended up painting murals as a hobby for a few neighbors and designers in Dallas.  By 2005, I was living in Austin and was ready to become my own boss.  From the encouragement of friends, family, and clients, I decided to begin the art business that I have today – Watson Design.  It has been the best decision I have ever made!

• What was your most favorite mural that you have ever done? – My favorite mural is probably this underwater mural because,while I can create artwork in any style my client desires, my personal style lends itself towards the realistic look.  I enjoy this mural the most because it has depth and a lot of interest and activity.  Each animal was personally chosen by the young boy whom I was painting for and that always makes my work that much more fun .

• Is there a mural theme that you  have not done yet that you would love to do? - I would absolutely LOVE to do a full scale, full-detail mural of Where the Wild Things Are.  I have created a more simplistic version, working within budget and space constraints – but I would love to be able to really create that entire world inside of the right space.  I have been a huge fan of Maurice Sendak ever since I can remember and am hoping that the release of the new movie might spur some children or daycares to ask for it specifically

• What is your contact info in case anyone would like to reach you for your services? - Leigh Watson, #512-736-3331, leigh@leighwatson.com, www.leighwatson.com

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The first step in planning is to gather the appropriate materials. You will need:

• Paint – acrylic for smaller areas, latex for larger surface areas
• Brushes (different shapes & sizes)
• Rags / Sponges -  for adding texture and even for cleaning and touching up
• Reference Pictures – it is always good to tape up a picture to use as reference while you are working
• Drop Cloths & Sheets – to protect the floors and furniture
• Medium – this makes the paint more movable and is an essential when working with acrylics

The following videos will give you more insight on what you will need while preparing to paint a mural in a baby nursery.  The first video will bring you through the list of specific painting materials that you will need before you start.  The second video walks you through the types of paint you will want to work with.

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She sends a detailed Questionnaire which allows you to define your needs and preferences. You tell her what you already have and what you need as far as furniture and accessories.  And you do your own measuring and photography.  Then, based on the information you provide, she then creates your iBaby Custom Interior Design Planner. You implement the purchasing and installation process, with the aid of your iBaby Planner, under any budget you choose.  Isn’t that awesome?  Now anyone can afford a professional baby nursery designer!

Here are a few spaces that she has designed:

I have asked her a few questions so you can get to know her a little bit.

How did you get started?

I graduated from the University of Miami in 2003 and went on to work for high end Interior Design firms until 2007 when I had my son, Christopher. I became a SAHM and loved it but as the time went on I missed my work and thrill of designing beautiful spaces. In early 2009, a friend and former client called with the news that she was expecting! I was very excited for her, she was disappointed that I would not be able to design her nursery since I had moved away from NJ to Florida in early 2008. I had an AHA! moment, I thought about it for days and days, “What if? What IF I could design her nursery from Florida? What if there was an ONLINE Interior Design Studio?” Over the course of 3 weeks I had a complete custom interior design planned for her space!!! All she had to do was send me images and dimensions of her space and answer the same questions I would have asked her if I’d visited her home!!! iBaby Interiors was born!!!

What was your favorite nursery that you designed?

I have years of interior design experience, most of my work has been high end residential and commercial projects. When I was pregnant I loved designing my son’s room and still was able to stay within my budget! However I don’t have ton’s of nurseries designed as this is a new passion of mine. I don’t have a favorite yet….but I will include an image of the one that started it all. I have also included the images of a 15 year old boy’s room which I designed several years back but was a hit with my clients!!!

What inspires you when designing a nursery? Where do your ideas come from?

When designing any space I LISTEN to my clients. They inspire me, and before they even hire me they imagine and dream of what that space will be like. That is why my slogan is, “Inspired by you, Created by iBaby.”

My ideas can come from many places, usually with the direction my client leads me in, I will find a fabric or a painting that is usually where it all begins. When I am working on a project it becomes a part of my daily life, sometimes I even find myself waking in the middle of the night with an idea so good that I must jot it down and or draw it.

I am also a parent and I know how thrilling it is to walk by an empty room and dream of the little occupant that will soon reside there!

Also I really want to get across the great DEAL that my company offers. Custom Interior Design is expensive and not always accessible to everyone, however through iBaby anyone can have the luxury of having a custom designed space for their little one. Especially with this down economy it is a GREAT value and it’s an innovative way to have custom interiors. I also do Toddler, Children and Teen rooms.

How does this work?

1. Decide on what type of room you need designed. (Baby Nursery, Child’s Room, Play Room or Teen Room)
2. Place the deposit through PayPal on the Pricing & Order tab.
3. Email me at iBabyInteriors@gmail.com, once the order has been placed with your name and contact information.
4. I will contact you with your order information and iBaby Design Forms. (These forms have a questionnaire, measuring form, how to photograph the space form, they basically cover everything I need to know to design a beautiful space)
5. Once you email me at iBabyInteriors@gmail.com with this information I will commence work on your space. It will take approximately 10 business days to complete the project.
6. I will notify you of the completion of the project, on my website you pay the Balance and I will notify you mailing date of your iBaby Custom Interior Design.

My work comes in a beautiful portfolio that ties with a satin ribbon, and it will contain space plans, 3d images of the space, paint swatches, fabric swatches, furniture picks, window treatments picks and swatches, lighting and flooring recommendations, and a shopping guide that will list the pricing, where to buy and total cost of the space. ( the total cost will always be with in the budget the client specified in the questionnaire.

So, there ya have it!  Isn’t she great?  I just love her business and know that she is going to do really well.  So, if any of you have a nursery that you need designed, be sure to contact her today!

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www.ortegastudios.com

www.artisticinteriors.org

www.colettesharp.co.uk

www.kristinbennettart.com

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Well, I would like to walk you through the process of how to paint a simple  tree mural.  My client wanted something very basic to go along with her brown and blue nursery decor for her twin boys (who are do any day now).  She showed me a picture of a tree silhouette that she liked, but she wanted me to use 3 shades of brown to add some shadowing and highlighting. She also wanted to hang letters (the boys names) from the tree branches above the cribs.  We picked the colors from a Benjamin Moore color chart that I had.  The colors tie in with the crib bedding nicely.

Before my client moved the cribs away from the wall that I would be painting, I asked her to draw some reference lines of exactly the placement of those cribs so that way I could make the tree fit perfectly over both cribs.

I started the job, by using white chalk to hand draw the outline onto the wall making sure the branches reached out far enough over the cribs.  If you are not confident enough to hand draw the tree outline, then you can also print out a tree outline onto acetate and then use a projector to project the image onto the wall.  This is great if you have trouble with keeping the correct dimensions.

I then got my 3 paint colors ready (I used latex paint) and painted the edges with the darkest brown, the medium in the center areas and then highlighted with the lighter brown.  A trick to keep the paint movable on your brush is to use a matte medium which is available in any craft supply store that sells acrylic paints.

It is really pretty simple once you have the outline done.  It is almost like coloring in a coloring book.  All you have to do is fill in the outline with your paint.  The complicated part is knowing where to add shadow and highlights with your paint.

Always be aware of your light source for highlighting with a lighter color.  My imaginary light source was coming from on top, so I used my lighter color on the tops of the branches and leaves.  Once the job was complete and nearly dry, I took a damp paper towel and touched the areas where the white chalk with showing on the edges.

My client was very happy with the outcome.  They moved the cribs back the next day and I was able to come back and take a few pictures.  This job only took me a few hours to do from start to finish.

So, what do you think?  Do you think you can paint something like this?  I think you can!

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