Life as Art:Hand-Painted Wallpaper: Interior Portraits

The inception of wallpaper dates back to ancient civilizations, both Egypt and China’s early versions of wallpaper included hand-painted scenes on rice paper or silk, showcasing intricate patterns and landscapes. The Victorian era, saw a surge in wallpaper popularity. Wallpapers from this period were characterized by complicated elaborate patterns, vibrant colors, and thick textures, often mimicking textiles or featuring floral and ornamental motifs.

In current design trends, there’s been a revival of murals and wallpaper, blending into what is now known as Mural Papers or Hand-Painted Mural Wallpaper. A handful of innovative companies are leading this trend, embracing bold experimentation in their creations.

There are various techniques to create distinctive Mural Papers. One approach involves hand-painting a large mural, capturing it in a high-resolution photograph, and printing the artwork on archival-quality paper that is then applied to walls. Another technique, the “hands-only” method, involves manually applying paint to each sheet, creating unique textures and subtle color variations. This method often results in a collage effect, adding depth and texture. The printed method works best for landscapes and patterns, while the hand-applied technique is ideal for modern and abstract designs.

Interior Designers are always searching for unique products to introduce to their clients and many utilize smaller start up companies which sell to the trade-only. However; with the advent of digital technology, wallpaper has become a cost-effective manufacturing option. Digital printing, developed in the mid-1980s, has revolutionized printing across many industries, especially wallpaper. The progress in digital printing have improved cost efficiency and print quality. Currently, digital printing is more affordable and produces highly detailed, vivid wall paper, wall coverings, and XL printed wall photography. Most digitally printed wallpapers use water-based inks, archival paper and a UV curing system. Many of these murals can now be found in a variety of settings such as restaurants, reception rooms, Dr. Offices, hotel lobbies, and living spaces. Digital printing also allows for small production runs, enabling niche designer markets to create “Wow” factor rooms for their clients.

Artists can shift into different genres throughout their career, some of the most prolific artists are known for their ability to transcend and evolve over time. Thinking outside of the norm is part of being an artist and as artists we should not limit ourselves to one medium. One day you could be painting on canvas and the next your paintings could be printed as Mural Paper in a home or business!