Inspired by the scales of a mermaid tail, I intended this to be an overlapping scallop design. However, if you look at it in the reverse it’s wave shapes also. Hey – two tutorials in one!

Start by drawing a large half-circle onto a piece of poster board. I traced a large serving tray to get the curve perfect.

Cut the semi-circle out and fold in half to make a crease. Use a pencil to mark the center of the crease at the top and the bottom.

Next, measure your wall and mark the center at the ceiling. Mine is 169 in wide, so the middle is 84.5 in.

You will be drawing on the wall a lot, so go light with the pencil.

Line up the center of the top of the stencil with the middle of your wall.

Make sure the top of your stencil is flush with the ceiling and lightly trace the curve.

Before you move the stencil, also mark a line where the bottom of your curve falls.

Move your stencil to the right. Align the stencil next to the scallop you just drew, flush with the ceiling, and repeat. Don’t forget to mark the bottom each time. (I drew very lightly so I’ve digitally enhanced my pencil lines for you)

When you get to the end of the wall, align the stencil like before and gently bend it into the corner. Trace the curve, stopping at the corner.

It helps to also mark the stencil where you bend it into a corner, so that you can align it consistently each time.

Go back to the middle of your wall, and trace the stencil the same way all the way to the left until you have one complete row of scallops across your ceiling.

Here’s where those bottom markings are crucial! To draw your next row, align the top corners of your stencil with the bottoms of your top row. Trace (and mark the bottoms!)

Continue this way until you have as many rows as desired… or the whole wall!

The easiest way to pick ombre colors is to grab a paint swatch from the store and order one from each block. Remember that a little paint goes a long way and a tester size (8oz) of each color should be more than enough. My ombre is a little different from a straight paint swatch because I incorporated both blue and aqua hues.

When you’re ready to start painting, begin with the lightest color. Take a tiny pointed brush and paint in the “points” first.

Then, use a larger 2″ brush to fill in the rest. I had to do 2 coats for each color.

Continue with the next darker shade, working your way up.

Funny thing about colors… even artists make mistakes sometimes. In an effort to not be too bold, I chose what I thought were muted versions of the colors I wanted. When I had painted this much of the wall, I realized these colors were way too muddy and bland for a happy 5-year-olds room.

My mistake was pretty obvious once I chose more cheerful, vibrant versions. What was I thinking?!

I went back and re-painted every.
single.
scallop.

Two coats.

« UGH »

While you’re painting, leave some space at the corner. Before adding the topmost color, tape off the ceiling and side walls. Use the caulk trick to get perfect tape lines.

Repainting almost the whole thing was a huge bummer, but I am SO glad I did. The end result is flawless. One big step closer to getting this room done!

 *** Paint colors are Sherwin Williams matched at Home Depot into tester sizes.
From top: Naval (SW 6510), Freshwater (SW 6774), Belize (SW 6945), Blue Bauble (SW 6948), Bouyant Blue (SW 6483)