Vinyl wall decals are impermanent decorations for small or transitory spaces such as apartments and dorm rooms. Decals allow you to quickly change the look of a room and return it to its former incarnation even faster. All you have to do to restore bare walls is pull the sticker down, leaving behind no reside. Contact paper, commonly used to line shelves and cabinets, comes in a wide range of designs and colors. It is perfect for creating your own inexpensive vinyl stickers.

Instructions
Small Decals With Clear Backgrounds

1.Draw your design on a piece of paper with a pencil. For clear contact paper stickers, you can make your design as detailed as you want.

2.Trace over your drawing with a permanent marker.

3.Cut a piece of contact paper slightly larger than your drawing, and tape it over the drawing with the backing still on. The drawing should be face-up, and you should be able to see it through the backing of the contact paper.

4.Use permanent markers to trace the drawing onto the clear contact paper. Add detail and color as desired. Allow your drawing to dry for at least an hour to prevent the ink from smudging.

5.Peel off the backing, and stick your decal on a blank surface to provide a splash of color.

Colored or Patterned Wall Decals

6.Make a simple drawing on a large sheet of heavy card stock or cardboard, which is easier to trace around than paper. Focus on the contours and outlines rather than small details. You can also blow up a photograph taken in profile to make a silhouette stencil.

7.Cut out your drawing with scissors, and tape it to the back side of a piece of contact paper. The backing should still be on the contact paper.

8.Trace around the shape with a marker, and cut the shape out of the contact paper with scissors.

9.Peel off the backing, and stick the contact paper shape to your wall.

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