Things You’ll Need
Painter’s tapePencilLevelSomething round to trace for your scallops
Step 1: Decide on Scallop Placement and How Much Wall You Want Covered
For Julie’s project, she and her husband chose to go about 3/5 up the wall.
Step 2: Tape Off and Paint
Next, she taped a straight line at the ideal height, emphasizing that you should “make sure the tape is firmly pressed onto the wall to prevent bleeding.” She then used a roller to paint below the tape. Note: “Be careful not to paint too thick next to the tape,” she said. Otherwise, you run the risk of having “a thick line of paint between the straight line and the scallop, which isn’t ideal.” Once the paint is fully dry, remove the tape.
Step 3: Trace Your Scallop Edge
Now it’s time to add the scallops. You’ll need your pencil again, as well as a round, traceable object. For this, you need to keep in mind your preferred scallop size. In Julie’s case, she said, “ because I wanted small scallops, I used the outside of a roll of washi tape as my guide.” No matter what you use, make a clear marking on the object’s halfway point. You need to set that point on the straight line because, as Julie pointed out, that’s what “will keep your scallops uniform and in ship shape.” Next, she says, “trace the outside of your guide with the pencil, lining it up uniformly along the straight line.”
Step 4: Paint the Scalloped Edge
Once your pencil outline is complete, it’s time to paint. Julie used a 2mm paintbrush with a flat edge for her scallops. Note: Pressure is important for uniformity. “You really have to be confident at this point,” she said. “Commit to the scallop!” But don’t stress, either. Julie assured me that “If you do mess up, it’s easy enough to wipe away or do touch-ups after.” She did suggest running some practice rounds on a piece of cardboard, first, and trying different methods. For her, it was a lot of trial and error, but, “Once you get going, it does go quickly!” BRB off to buy a bunch of paint and scallop… well, everything. Wish us luck!
