DIY Painted Canvas Artwork: Part 1

Have you ever tried to find that perfect piece of artwork, and just couldn't?  Well, here's an easy DIY to make custom artwork for your home!

As someone who has always enjoyed arts and crafts, I liked to DIY.  (My hubby probably think I like to DIY the un-DIY-able..) I wanted to create custom artwork for our dining room in our previous apartment that we were renting.  I had a variety of canvases that I purchased during a great sale at Michael's a few years ago.  This was the perfect opportunity to use them!

First I brainstormed how to arrange my four canvases which were three different sizes.  A quick sketch is always helpful for a guide.  My goal was to asymmetrically balance them into a cohesive grouping by placing two vertical, and two horizontal.  I also used the left and right sides as my guide.

After I figured out my layout, I hung them up on the wall.  Some instant gratification is always nice, right?

Next I made some thumbnail sketches of different designs to paint on the canvases.  I wanted them to be modern and geometric.  I was inspired by a pillow design that Ethan Allen used to sell.  It had horizontal stripes that changed color at the center dividing line.  Thumbnail #3 is my interpretation.  I also wanted straight lines to act as a unifying factor in all four designs.  Painter's tape created the perfect bold line I had in mind.  My husband and I agreed on our top four designs and labeled them accordingly with each canvas.

First I taped my dividing line for canvas #2.  As you can see, I turned the horizontal line into an askew line.  I just thought it would be more dynamic than a straight line, plus it would tie in with the angles on canvas #1.  Then I used a cereal bowl and a pencil to lightly trace my half-circles.

Colors share an edge in my design, so I chose to paint the half-circles on the top and bottom first.  This way wet paint wouldn't blend together between the design and the background.  It's always smart to have a game plan before you start painting to avoid any casualties.

I was patient and let them dry fully before I started to paint the background.  You can tag team this project with a friend.  The one with the most steady hand (me) paints the curves, and your partner who is not as perfect as you are (Haha- my hubby) can paint the larger areas, such as the backgrounds.  

Get ready, here comes the best part. Wait for it......Peel off the tape! YAY!!  My advice is to peel slowly, and pull the tape off parallel to your surface,  Basically, keep your hand at a 30 degree angle to your canvas, and stay in-line with the line of tape you are pulling upwards. (I hope that makes sense.)

Here's my custom DIY canvas artwork for our old dining room.  (Old because we don't live there anymore.)  I was so pleased how this collection turned out.  The repetition of colors and shapes united four designs and four canvases of 3 sizes altogether.  

To create the modern and geometric style I used untraditional templates such as bowls, cans and cups to trace curves and painter's tape for straight lines.  And of course, a steady hand helps!

Here's the before and after picture to remind you how bland our dining room was, and the pop of color and style it received with my DIY Canvas Artwork.  

**Stay tuned for DIY Painted Canvas Artwork: Part 2** 

I'll show you how I re-designed these art canvases to match the look of Baby S's bright and playful nursery.  They are so different, you may have a hard time believing what a little mixing of paint can do.  I love them even more in his nursery, so keep an eye out!