Wednesday, March 23, 2011

DIY Canvas Art

I promise this blog will not be all polka dots. Or all pears. Or all of any one thing. Please expect a cheery and aesthetically pleasing variety of gems. But today, I give you polka dots, errr....circles.




Mine is done in bright colors for a child's room, but you could make it more sophisticated or a different design by altering the color scheme. If I made another, I would do a red/turquoise/gray theme with maybe a muted yellow or orange. I'm not sure I need two though.

This project is super simple, and produces a finished product in no time. This is great for those of us who have an attention deficit....i.e. me. Barb helped me out with the logistics on this one, and it turned out great. .





You'll need:
-a canvas (any size will work)
-craft paints
-embroidery hoops of various sizes. They come in a set of two, one a complete circle, one that has a little bracket w/screw attached. We used just the complete circles.
-Aleene's tacky glue
-spray-on clear lacquer. This can be found at any hardware or craft store

1. Paint your canvas a desired color. My friend Megan taught me this trick: Paint a coat of one solid color, then use that same color and mix it with a little black or white (y'all took art class, so get to mixing) on your palette. I use a plastic plate...classy, I know. Then for your second coat, spread your mixed color lightly over the top of your first coat. You don't have to cover it completely, but just cover up any white. This helps to mask imperfections and keeps it looking dimensional.
2. Lay out your hoops and decide which order you'd like them in, and decide what colors you'd like for each hoop, then paint each one. I'm telling you to do this step because it seems like a well-thought out process with good planning. This is something Barb would suggest, with just cause. I of course did not do that process. My project turned out alright. You decide for yourself.
3. Glue your hoops on with tacky glue. Let sit overnight. After 12 hours, spray with clear coat in a well ventilated area. Hang and enjoy.




1 comment:

  1. This was a fun project to help with! It brought me back to my childhood with all the fun painting. I look adorable in his room!

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