When it comes to decorations and art for the rooms in your house, the options are limitless. You could easily run to any home store and find something amazing for your home. You could also scour Etsy and happen upon a custom piece for your wall, making it unique. OR you could make your own! In this post, you’ll learn how to make a custom wall art installation suitable for any room in your house.
Make sure you have the location for your art in mind before you begin. This will determine the number of wooden plaques you’ll want to use. Generally, between 5 and 9 is a good amount. While you’re at the store, select a variety of shapes and sizes for your plaques. Start with the large plaques first, spreading them out, positioning about half in a vertical orientation and the other half horizontal. Then you’ll want to fill in any holes with the smaller ones. Make sure you don’t place similar shapes near one another.
Don’t be afraid to lay them out in the aisle to get an idea of the arrangement you’d like to use. Once you find something that you like take a picture with your phone so you can recreate it at home.
After you have decided on the layout, it’s time to select the scrapbook paper you’ll use. You can use the same paper for up to 2 plaques, but no more. (So if you have 6 plaques, you’ll want at least 3 different papers).Make sure to select paper that has some coordinating colors. The patterns can be contrasting, but you want to make sure there is something tying them all together.
Now you get to pick the paint colors! You can choose 1-3 different colors, and make sure they’re complimentary to the scrapbook paper you chose. Keep in mind the more colors you choose, the harder it will be to figure out the spacing.
Now that you’ve got all your materials, let’s put it all together!
Refer back to the photo you took when you were selecting the wooden plaques. Place them on the newspaper-covered table and arrange them in the same pattern. Once you’ve got them laid out, it’s time to select the placement of your paint colors. Be sure to spread the colors so as to not have the same color next to each other.
Put a dot of paint on the top of the plaque as a way to figure out color arrangement. Step back and look at. If you’re happy with how it looks, move on! If you’re not satisfied, try a different color arrangement.Once you’ve found one you’re happy with, go ahead and do 2 coats of paint all around the edge of the plaque. You don’t need to paint the flat part since you’ll be covering that with the paper. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Now that your paint is dry, figure out the layout of the paper taking special care not to place the same paper too close together. If you have 2 different sizes of the same shape, make sure to use different paper on them.If you have a stripe pattern, try using it in a horizontal manor on one piece and vertical on another piece.When you’re ready to move on, place the paper on top and crease it around the edge of the plaque. This will let you know exactly where it needs to be cut! Once it’s cut, test it on the plaque to make sure its a perfect fit. If you need to make any adjustments, do a little at a time. You definitely don’t want to cut it too small!
Using the Mod Podge as a glue, coat the flat surface of the plaque and attach the paper. Allow this to dry for 15-20 minutes.
Use the Mod Podge to apply a thick coating over each plaque. When brushing the top part of the plaque, make sure to use smooth strokes, all flowing in the same direction since when it dries, you’ll be able to see some of the brush strokes. Let it fully dry and apply a second coat.
Attach the Command Strips onto the back and hang on your wall! Some of the benefits of using the Command Strips is it won’t leave a permanent mark on your wall and it is easier to adjust if a piece is not level.
Stand back and admire your work!
Photo credits: CeceLynn Design
Tags: art, art project, colorful, craft, crafty mama, custom, DIY, home decor, homemade, mod podge, nursery, paint, scrapbook paper, wall art, wall decor, wood plaques
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