Faux Painting Techniques That Look Like the Ocean

Distance View

Paint the bottom third of the wall in a sand-colored beige. Paint the remaining wall baby blue. Mix transparent glaze tint in in three colors of blue, one darker than the wall color, the other two lighter than the wall color. Paint a large triangle of blue slightly lighter than the wall color in the upper right hand corner. The triangle should extend from the sand to the top of the wall, covering about a third of the wall. Do the same with the lightest blue paint for another third, and use white glaze on the last third. Create a dark blue stripe connecting the sand to the sky. Sponge white paint in random patterns to create waves.

Full Water

Paint the full wall baby blue. Mix glaze in two shades of blue, each one slightly lighter than the wall color and mix glaze in a shade of light green. Glaze the top quarter of the wall with the lightest blue glaze. Paint the next quarter of the wall with the slightly darker blue, the next quarter with transparent glaze and the bottom quarter with the green glaze. Blend the colors together so there's no defining line where the colors change. Add a white glaze circle toward the top of the wall, blending it out until it fades away to replicate the light from the surface.

Water Colors

Paint the top third of the wall baby blue. Paint the middle third of the wall a slightly darker shade and paint the bottom third a turquoise color. Use a water bottle and a dry brush to blend the three shades together. Run the dry brush in horizontal strokes.

Mural

Paint a full water appearance on the wall using two or three shades of blue glaze and a shade of turquoise glaze for the ocean floor. Add fish, coral and rocks to the wall. Use a projector to project the images on the wall and trace them onto the wall or use stickers for a more playful look on the wall.