To get the best results when creating a mural it’s important to understand the different kinds of paints you can buy and the tasks they are best suited to. Consult with your paint retailer or supplier to make sure you’re choosing well, since mistakes can be expensive and unsightly.

* Painting your design onto your wall is just one of several tasks required to create your mural. Your surface will need to be prepared and, in some cases, sealed when complete. New plaster and concrete needs sealing, as do repairs where you’ve used putty to fill cavities and cracks. For protection, a final coat of transparent glaze is sometimes necessary, especially as weatherproofing for outdoor murals.

* Remember to choose your paint according to whether it is for interior or exterior use. Also consider how much wear it will receive and what it will need to withstand. For example, murals in kitchens and bathrooms will need a paint that is water-resistant. It’s never worth skimping and buying cheap paints, so shop wisely.

* Your base coat will affect subsequent layers of paint and your final finish. The cheap, matte paint and known as ‘flat paint’ is often used for interiors. It is a poor base for your mural, for two reasons. It seems to absorb color, creating a dull finish. It also dries fast, while the ideal paint leaves you with a ‘wet edge’ so that your finish is even and uniform. The slightly glossy paints called pearl or satin (the name varies by manufacturer) will create a good foundation on which to paint your mural.

* For interior murals you can’t go wrong with acrylic or latex paints. These water-based paints are user-friendly and make cleaning brushes and splashes simple. (Latex paints today typical use resins that aren’t rubber and may be labelled ‘acrylic latex’.)

* A golden rule in painting is that oil and water don’t mix. Remember that latex and acrylic paints are water-based and therefore can’t be mixed with oil-based paints. It’s also best not to apply acrylic and latex paints on a high-gloss base coat, since they may not adhere properly.

* Once you’ve chosen the right paint (oil- or water-based) with the right degree of gloss, you will be ready to select your colors. Color can be changeable, so think your choice through. It can look very different in a sunny or shady room, for example. Also, that color on the sample will almost certainly look a lot brighter or deeper in hue when painted onto a much larger expanse of wall. Try it out before you commit yourself to creating your mural. As long as you don’t mix oil and water-based paints you can usually adjust the color by mixing it.

As well as knowing your basic paints and allied materials, you might want to explore some of the novelty paints and glazes on the market: metallic, fluorescent and textured paints are just a few of them. Playing with effects is all part of the fun!