EMBRACE THE IMPERFECTION.

Your little “oops moments” are what make your mural unique and personal. Starting with Creative Wall Paint and feeling a bit nervous? Totally normal.

Even though the painting guide and instruction video walk you through every step, things can still turn out a little different than you planned. You might feel annoyed for a second. But honestly, that’s often when the magic happens. Because a mural isn’t a Pinterest print. It’s a piece of art. Yours.

We’ll walk you through common “mistakes” and why they’re actually no big deal.

Let's get started

painted the wrong block

Here’s what to do
Hand holding a marker over a wall with abstract plant designs

pulled marker line too far

Do this!

The transfer wasn’t clear

Our advice
Person painting a green leaf with purple paint on a white surface

painted outside the lines

Here’s how to fix it
Person painting a geometric design on a wall with a large yellow circle and green accents.

paint leaked under the tape

Read our tip
Person painting a wall with a roller, covering it with brown paint.

your brush or roller slipped

Here’s the solution

you accidentally painted the wrong shape

You were in the zone. Fully focused. And before you knew it, you filled in a shape that was supposed to be another color. It happens.

  • Our advice: First, just finish the design exactly as instructed. Then take a step back. Literally. A few meters. Look again.
  • Still bothered by it? Let the paint dry completely and paint over it cleanly.
  • Not sure? Maybe this tiny difference is what makes your mural yours. Style often begins where you didn’t plan it.

You extended a marker line too far

You were totally focused. Steady hand. And suddenly, oops. The line keeps going.
No stress. Leave the room for a moment. Breathe. Grab a glass of water (or coffee, we’re not judging). Come back and look again.

  • Does it still bother you? Paint over it once it’s dry.
  • Doubting? Extend the line on purpose and turn it into a statement.

It’s your process. Your wall. Your choice.

Hand holding a marker over a wall with abstract plant designs

The transfer didn’t show up clearly on thewall

You traced the poster with soft pastel, flipped it, drew over it with pencil—and then… almost nothing shows up on the wall. Always lift the poster slightly to check before removing it completely.

If it’s not transferring well, it’s usually one of these:

  1. You forgot to trace a part (yep, it happens).
  2. You applied the soft pastel too lightly.
  3. You didn’t press firmly enough with your pencil.

Go through your steps calmly and make sure the transfer lines are clearly visible. That’s how you get the best result.

You painted outside the transfer lines

In the instruction video, Francine gives this tip: follow the organic flow of your brush. Sounds airy, but it’s not—smooth movement often looks better than staying rigidly inside the lines.

Did you go a bit outside the shape anyway? Take a step back. Maybe it’s barely noticeable, or you can widen the shape slightly.

If not, just touch it up once the paint dries.

Person painting a green leaf with purple paint on a white surface

Paint seeped under the tape

Not the crisp line you imagined? A classic. But also: 100% fixable, and even better, easily avoidable.

Here’s the tape trick you need to know:

  • Apply the tape carefully and press the edges down firmly.
  • First paint a thin layer of your wall’s
    base color (the color already on the wall) along the tape edge.
  • Let it dry or use a hairdryer to speed it up.
  • Then paint your new color.

Why it works:
The base color seeps under the tiniest tape gaps first and seals them. Anything that gets through after that is the same color as your wall, so it’s invisible.

Already had seepage?
Let everything dry and clean up the line with a small brush. Steady hand. Thin layer. Done.

Your brush or roller slipped

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. First look closely at what really happened. Small slips are often far less noticeable than you think.

  • Small brush slip? Touch it up once the paint is dry.
  • Bigger roller slip? Always keep some base color on hand so you can correct it neatly.

Fixing things is part of painting. Even for the pros.