| Rosieo...great questions and glad that you stopped by. What a fun room for a child! If you are considering something close to the pictures, it will indeed take time. The second picture is even more difficult because you are painting over your head, even if it is less detailed. I have painted both of my childrens b'room and it took at least a weeks, but then it was in my spare time. Having a student paint the scene might be less expensive than an adult, payment would be for the project not by the hour. Talking to them should give you an idea of whether they are knowledgeable or not. Bottom line....I haven't got a clue and I have painted murals and borders in several stores in our area. What I did to figure out the time was to measure the area to be painted and then reduced it down to a smaller size, ex: 3" equal 1' and painted it out keeping tack of my time. This give you a starting paint. You also have to consider the time it will take to sketch out the pattern on paper and then convert it to the walls. Some of the paints used in the pictures can be mixed, but the painter/artist really need to know how to mix colors. You can't just mix say red and white to get a lighter shade of red, you get pink. One nice thing is now you can buy small amount rather than a quart or gallon. I don't know if I have helped you at all, hope so! One of my fondest memories is of the kids walked into their room for the first time. It was worth every ache and pain! Belle | 
