Let's Get Graphic!

When you are ordering a custom mural, you REALLY want a tangible idea of how the mural will fit onto your wall.  One of the best things you can do is begin with some graph paper.

What? You don’t have graph paper and it is too much trouble to drive to your stationery store and buy some?  No worries, just print some out for free online.  Here’s one free source for you to try: http://bit.ly/1Doij2q 

Choose the kind of graph paper where all the squares are perfect squares – and not too small.  You will want to figure out the scale; for example will four squares equal one foot?  Is there enough room on your graph paper to draw the wall in that scale?  We recommend using much of the paper for one wall.  If you are doing other walls – well, splurge on another sheet or so of graph paper.  It’s free remember!  Here is a sample of a wall one of my clients drew.  It is simple, yet note that it is easy to see exactly where the wall cabinet goes in relation to the entire wall:

So go ahead and make your own graph paper depiction of your mural wall.  I'll wait here while you do that . . . Hmmm de dum . . . Done already? Good! Now that you have the floor, ceiling, and left & right walls drawn, you could add some detail.  Is there a window?  A door? Or a nice painting that will be on the wall when the paper is hung?  Go ahead, get busy with your measuring, and draw it all in on your graph paper.

When we work on your layout ideas, you will want your favorite areas to be easily seen, and not hidden by a painting, nor cut out for a window or door.  When you add the section of your chart, are you seeing what you need to see?  If not, move the chart selection so that it works on your wall.

Remember the graph paper drawing above?  Here is a layout of that same area.  Note the blue square that we added to show the location of the wall cabinet in the drawing above. This cabinet cannot be moved, so by drawing in the blue square, the client can see if a critical area is being cut out or covered when the mural is installed.  In this case, it is the land mass to the left of the chart that is the focal area, and only some ocean is hidden by the wall cabinet, which is exactly what the client wanted.  

By taking the time to draw your wall on graph paper, then selecting your chart area to match your wall, you can get the exact nautical chart mural you like – with nothing  important hidden.

Now isn't that a good reason to be a little graphic?  Paper-wise, that is?