Welcome to Teach Me Tuesday! I spend a lot of time each week reading all of the great DIY tips out there in Blogland. Because there are so many fabulous projects that I can’t wait to try, I figured that it would be fun to feature some of my very favorites here each Tuesday.
If you would like your home decor project to be featured in an upcoming edition of Teach Me Tuesday, please email me at LivingWithLindsay@gmail.com and we’ll chat!
Today’s Teach Me Tuesday comes from my friend Jess at Frugal with a Flourish. She figured out an easy way to turn an art print poster into a faux painting. Genius!
Jess explains:
I think one of the most difficult things for me with decorating is that I love paintings. But they can be so expensive – especially if you want to get larger ones. And as I was drooling over some of the larger ones the other day at Home Goods – one of the cheapest places I know to get paintings – I saw a painting I loved for $50. It had a similar look and color scheme to a poster I saw at Hobby Lobby for much less. On sale, that poster was only $4.98 (50% off!). But a poster just isn’t the same as a painting.
The thing is – what makes a painting a painting is the texture. The brushstrokes against the canvas. That is why posters are a sad substitute for paintings. You lose the texture against that clean smooth matte finish of a poster. For as beautiful as they are – they lack the depth that a painting has, they lack the grain of the paint.
And as I pondered this – I had a flash of brilliance. What if I could replicate that depth and texture? So I decided to give it a go – and for a $5 poster – what did I have to lose? So here is what we started with – my $5 poster and a cardboard back from the frame I got at Goodwill this weekend. (Oh and until I decide what I am going to do with my old coffee table, it makes an excellent work table don’t you think!)
Next, we need to create texture and adhere paper to cardboard, so grab the Mod Podge and put a nice layer on the cardboard and smooth the poster ever so carefully on. Make sure you get it laid down smooth or it will bubble (but we will get to that).
Next – using the poster as your guide – brush on the Mod Podge in the direction of the strokes in your poster. I found that it is helpful to use a brush that is similar in size to the one that was used to create the original work and that has rougher bristles so you get a better texture. Don’t worry – if this is your first time working with Mod Podge, it will dry clear. Oh and if you do get any of those bubbles – just smoosh them down (don’t worry if it bunches) and add another layer of Mod Podge – it will just look like layered paint!
I did two coats to really give it some depth and oooh do I love the results! Check out these close ups of it dry.
And here…
I love the way it turned out! Check out another shot. It really looks like a painting now!!
I then cut down one of the mats from my Goodwill painting to show off as much of the painting as possible but cover that white poster edge! If you ever need to do that you just need a cutting board and a sharp cutting object. I used my rotary cutter and a carpenter’s square.
I would just use a pencil to outline your cuts and go from there.
So here is my finished project – for $10 I got this beautiful 16×20 work of “art”! I put it in my Goodwill frame. (After I gave it a nice coat of satin black spray paint of course!)
So what do you think? Do you have a blank space that needs a little love? I can’t wait to put this up in my master bath – those bright colors will help get me going on those early mornings! And it turned out so well, I am thinking about doing this on an even larger scale! Stay tuned! Oh and if you haven’t hopped over to join my new Facebook Page – your going to be missing out! I will be posting project sneak peaks and other news over there so head over and give me a “Like”!
Great job, Jess!
Faaaabulous! I noticed that design companies like Ballard and Grandin Road say that their prints are “hand finished with crackle glaze” so you could also add a light layer of tinted glaze over the whole thing, too. So much fun!!
You can also use spray adhesive (fixative) and place the poster on black or white foam core. This is a great solution if you want to be able to view the texture without the piece being muffled by glass.
Also—you can play with different textures with the modge podge. Use a sponge. Add a tint of color to the modge podge. You can really be creative with this project.
I took a calendar of asian paintings and did this.
I have done this with photo’s that needed a little oomph.
It really gave it depth.
That is amazing!! Such a great idea. I love the look you created. I wish I could run right out to the craft store right now and get started!
I have used Liquitex Gel Medium in the past to add texture and to seal a Franklin Storage Binder. The gel medium added a higher thicker texture than the Mod Podge did when I tried that. I got it in the art section Micheal’s but here the manufactures link to what I used http://www.liquitex.com/beoriginal/gelmedium.cfm (Not associated with the company, just a very happy consumer.)
Here is the post of the project I used it on http://www.the6greers.com/2010/02/36558-ornament-scrapbooks.html
Great project! This is something that I’d really like to try!
Thanks for featuring the project! It is so super easy and I know everyone will LOVE their new works of art!
I have done this project, but on a canvas. I Mod Podged the poster onto the canvas and painted the edges of the canvas black. Then it can be hung with out framing it!
Woah, what a good idea! Thanks!!
That is a great idea! I need to get some mod podge!
Such an interesting idea! I never would have thought to use mod podge to create texture and depth on a poster. Great creative solution to getting what you want to beautify your home.
I’ve done the same as Berit – mod podged a poster on canvas. I could have painted the edges black, but I chose to color the edges to meld into the sides of the piece. I thought for sure it would be a DIY fail, but it turned out way better looking than the poster itself.
I have done this as well. But I mod podged it to a canvas painted the sides of the canvas and now it looks like a gallery wrapped painting!