My art skills peaked in kindergarten but my portable projector had me covered

To set the stage, my artistic ability falls somewhere between a toddler with a crayon and the least helpful player on your Pictionary team. So when faced with the prospect of hand-painting a birthday banner, I was dubious, though still committed. Like any modern adult, I turned to tech, and while projectors may not have been designed for amateur crafters, they’re surprisingly perfect for the job.

The biggest challenge to pulling off a custom banner was not, in fact, wielding a paintbrush; it was deciding what to put on it. While a projector makes things easier than freehand, I knew my best shot was with simple shapes, bold lines, and high contrast. For my own sanity, I also needed it to be worth the effort, which meant personal, relevant, and, most importantly, achievable.

After far too much deliberation, I landed on a design that checked every box: a cheeky play on a famous statue from my alma mater. It made me laugh, looked impressive enough to put in the time, and still boiled down to easy forms and forgiving shapes. It also wasn’t available online, so it made the project worthwhile. Once I pieced together a rough design, I started setting up.

Hanging a fabric flat enough to trace on sounds easy in theory. In practice, it felt like I was staging a low-budget art installation. Most DIYers use brown paper for banners like this, but I needed something that could survive travel. Paper doesn’t fold well, but fabric can handle being shoved into a suitcase.

Lighting was also, of course, a major factor. Portable projectors typically hover in the 200 to 500 ISO lumen range, which is fine for an indoor tracing session but not nearly enough to cut through midday sun. I would have been down to work outside for easier cleanup, but mosquitoes like me too much to be playing Van Gogh outside at night. Instead, I drew curtains, killed overhead lights, and timed the job for when my kitchen wasn’t flooded with daylight.

Projectors with a short throw ratio are ideal since they can fill more wall from less distance, but even a compact model needs a little breathing room to throw a banner-sized image. I ended up setting the projector about 18 feet from the canvas in order to display a 6 1/2 foot graphic. Conveniently, this left me working in the kitchen with ample access to snacks.

Having reviewed a number of portable projectors recently, I had a few options to choose from. I ended up going with the XGIMI Mogo 4. The 450 ISO lumens were bright enough to make my design pop once the lights were down, and the short throw flexibility meant I didn’t need a cavernous art studio. Its 1080p resolution also kept the outlines sharp enough that I couldn’t blame the hardware for my shaky brushstrokes.

Practical features delivered too. Instead of juggling thumb drives or cables, I simply cast the file straight from my phone’s Google Photos app, thanks to the Mogo 4’s built-in Google TV. The auto-keystone correction and autofocus kept the projection aligned and crisp without a dozen trial-and-error adjustments. Once the image was in place, I turned off the auto-keystone correction so it wouldn’t reset every time I walked in front of the projection.

The accessory stand was also clutch. I just popped it open and aimed across the room. I set up close enough to an outlet that the built-in battery didn’t come into play, but I was acutely aware that I had the option if needed. The 360-degree tilt also gave me the option to project and paint on the ceiling, which I passed on, but I’m pretty sure that’s how the Sistene Chapel got laid out. In short, the specs that usually get marketed for movie nights turned out to be the same specs that made this DIY project possible.

With the design large and bright, I didn’t need especially steady hands or a sense of proportion; I just needed to trace. My lines weren’t perfect, and my spatial awareness was questionable, but none of that mattered. The projector kept everything the right size and in the right place. When I finally turned up the lights to review the finished banner, it actually looked… good. Did I simplify the statue considerably? Absolutely. Will I act like it was a styling choice and not a limit of my ability? Also, absolutely, isn’t that the whole point of minimalism?

No one will know how much paint ended up on the floor, or how many times I flicked the projector on and off to make sure I was on track. They’ll just see a personalized party decoration that looks like it took some effort.

If I’m honest with myself, I much prefer watching movies to painting banners. I’ll probably go back to using my projector for its intended purposes for the foreseeable future, but I was absolutely grateful for the assist. For anyone else whose art skills peaked in elementary school, a projector strips away the intimidating parts of painting. Once the light hits the canvas, you’re basically working on an oversized light box. I’m not suddenly the type to start painting murals, but I am excited about the final product this one time.