Simple, Thrifty DIY Art

I like the idea of shopping for art.  But finding art for a specific spot in a home is hard, isn't it?  I want something that is the right size, incorporates the right colours and is affordable.  Oh, and I want it to make my heart sing, if that's not too much trouble.

So basically all my art shopping expeditions end up one of two ways:

a) I come home empty handed and disappointed.  

or

b) I come home with a mirror.

So when the local shops left me disappointed and toting a new mirror once again, I decided to make my own wall art for my master bedroom. 

I am very pleased with the results, and the price tag!

I started with a sheet of one inch thick stryrofoam insulation.  This stuff is more dense and less crumbly than regular packing styrofoam and will hold up better under abuse with a staple gun.  A 2 foot by 8  foot sheet costs about 15 dollars and will be enough for several wall hangings. If you need a few pieces of art, and already have some craft supplies and fabric laying around, this is cheaper than buying canvases.

Cheap-o art project #1

To cut the stryofoam you will want to use a straight edge and a sharp utility knife.

I cut three 11 inch by 28 inch panels and covered them with left over fabric from a duvet cover I recently made.

First I stapled the fabric tightly to the center of each edge.

And then I folded the corners as if I was wrapping a gift and stapled them.

Then I added more staples along each edge, pulling the fabric tight as I went.

I used a dollar store stencil and a sharpie paint pen to gussy up one of the panels.

I hung the panels by attaching some picture hanging hardware to the back with long sewing pins.

So far they haven't fallen on my head.

(The duvet cover, by the way, was made using this tutorial.  The fabrics are Premier Prints Ozborne Robin/White and Premier Prints Barber Taupe/Robin.)

Cheap-o Art Project #2

I cut a large piece of the styrofoam and wrapped it in some canvas drop cloth left over from this project and this project.

I used various paints I already had to paint the canvas. A combination of wall paint, craft paint, and oil paint gives the painting some dimension.

I had a lot of fun with this part and made a point not to obsess over it too much.  I used brush strokes in every direction and tried to create something that pleased my eye.

Since I used things I already had around the house, both art projects cost me a total of 15 dollars for the styrofoam, and I even have a piece leftover for another project!

Go ahead, create some simple, thrifty, happy art for your own walls!  I'd love to hear how it turns out!


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