Creating Simple Art

Artwork can make a room come together.  It can act as a focal point, or a subtle accent.

I seem to always struggle to find the right piece of art for a room.  So, many times, I tend to create it myself.  I'm not overly handy and I don't consider myself an artist, so I try to stick with abstract, fun pieces.

Here are some ways to create simple, fun pieces of art for your home.

1) Scrapbook paper!  I usually have a 12 x 12 book of scrapbook paper and some cheap Ikea frames on hand.  Using scrapbook paper is a cheap and easy way to bring some color into a room.  I especially love using scrapbook paper in a photo collage or gallery.  I try to mix these in with other prints and photos.  Here are some photos of how I used it on our laundry room makeover.  

Need: Scrapbook paper, frame, scissors

2)  Duct tape!  Recently, I was trying to find a fun way to bring color into Sienna's play room in a child friendly way.  Duct tape now comes in dozens of fun prints and colors and can be an easy way to cover a canvas.  I found a fun floral print that complimented the emerald green color of the room, so I tested it out.

Duct tape

I covered three canvas boards with the duct tape, including all sides.  I didn't match up the print since it would have been difficult to do so and I liked the abstract look - but you can do so if you'd like.

After covering the canvases, I decided to use some poster board to cut out silhouettes of animals.  I free hand drew each one and think they came out pretty decent!  To make the silhouettes look more polished, I added a few coats of white paint I had sitting around.

Fun animal silhouettes!

I then applied Modge Podge to the back of each silhouette and adhered them to their own duct taped covered canvas.  Once dry, I took the Modge Podge and applied another coat to the entire canvas.

Here's the finished product! (I know, a little uneven, but I've since fixed!)

Need:  Duct tape, poster board, scissors, Modge Podge, canvas, and paint (optional) 

Playroom artwork

3)  Canvas Photos!  I recently posted about our upstairs kids bathroom makeover and how I was hoping to add some kid friendly wall hangings to it.  I got rid of the "Le Bain" piece, and added some fun photos of Sienna in the bath.

I ordered the prints I wanted from mpix.com in a size the matched the canvases I picked up at Wal-Mart (11 x 14).  The quality from mpix is great and they shipped pretty fast.

I then used leftover stain from our bathroom makeover to cover the white canvases.  Paint would probably have dried faster, but I think using the same stain as the cabinets and mirror frame allowed the pieces to tie in nicely with the room.  I let the canvases dry for 24 hours before applying Modge Podge to the backs of my photos and adhering them.

Once dry, I coated the entire photo and canvas sides with a coat of Modge Podge.  I then took some sand paper and gently went over the edges of my photos.  This helped soften the edges and make the photo blend into the canvas.  I probably didn't need the coat of Modge Podge at that time - as it ended up peeling when I sanded the edges.  I pulled most of it off and applied another coat once my sanding was done.

I'm going to add an acrylic sealant since these are going to hang in the bathroom, but I still need to pick that up.  In the meantime, I hung them in the bathroom so I can appreciate my work! 

Need:  Photos, canvas, Modge Podge, paint/stain, sandpaper, acrylic sealant (optional)

There are endless ways to get creative with the art in your home.  Hopefully this post helped you come up with some ideas to bring color and personality into your home through art/pictures!