DIY Canvas Pictures

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Do it yourself canvas pictures… You can do it. It’s not as hard as it may look and it is so much more affordable than buying pictures printed on canvas. I don’t want a lot of words on this post because I’m afraid that will make you think it’s hard and not even try, so I am including pictures and I’ll try and give you a step by step, short, sweet, to the point post on how to do your own canvas pictures.

canvas wall 1

I went to Michaels and Hobby Lobby and bought the canvas.  My sweet friend Jessica who’s a photographer (she’s amazing and I will for sure be posting on her as she is my FAVORITE photographer – she did all the pictures I used on my canvas, but that is another post for another day) answered all the many questions I had along the way, I was so grateful for her help. Look on Pinterest if you need help with a layout. Mostly figure out a layout that will fit the wall you want to add the pictures to and if you only want one picture then that will be easy. I laid mine out on the floor (see picture above) using about the same space as I would use on the wall. I did it on the floor so I could move the canvas around until I got it just right. I chose a 24×36 for the big picture mostly because Costco prints that size, and then I wanted 12X12’s for the individual pictures of my kids so I placed those first and then filled in the gaps with 11×14’s, 8×10’s and 5×7’s. Michaels was my favorite place to get the canvas and most of the time it was 50% off.  Always take a coupon with you in case it is not on sale so you can get at least 40% off; never pay full price. Here is a Hobby Lobby coupon if you want to go there; they have canvas as well along with a million other places I am sure. I just looked and even Amazon has canvas (here’s a link for a 24×36 like I got and here’s a link for 12×12′s, 11×14’s, 8×10’s, and 5×7’s). I think Michael’s might have the best prices but you’ll have to shop that part out.

canvas wall 2

My hubby, being the kind soul that he is, measured everything out and placed in on the wall for me exactly how I had laid it out on the floor (see above picture sorry it’s a little blurry). Then when I knew exactly what sizes I would need I ordered the prints off Costco online.  You can order them from wherever you want, that’s just where I went; I love their quality for the price.

canvas wall 3

Then one by one I took each canvas off the wall and laid it on a plastic table cloth on my kitchen table (use newspaper, paper towels whatever you want to use to protect your table or counter, I just like to have something laid down because you will get Mod Podge on things and it’s like glue). Make sure your picture fits and trim the excess (I used a paper cutter and scissors).  I used a foam paint brush like this and then painted Mod Podge (I used a coupon to Hobby Lobby and got mine there, but I didn’t realize Amazon had it for a good price) on the canvas. Once the Mod Podge is on the canvas I placed the picture on the canvas and rubbed the picture from left to right and top to bottom to make sure I pushed out any air bubbles. I let that dry for about an hour and then placed another coat of Mod Podge over the top of the actual picture that was now on the canvas making my streaks left to right across the whole picture. If you want a linen look to your pictures after your left to right Mod Podge dries you can paint a coat on and run the brush top to bottom. It may be scary painting the Mod Podge on the pictures at first but it is pretty forgiving stuff and it dries clear, so be brave – you can do it. After everything is done hang pictures and enjoy. It saved me a TON of money doing it this way and I LOVE the way the wall turned out. It is for sure my favorite wall in my house (as long as having a favorite wall isn’t weird:).  All my favorites and greatest treasures are right there for me to look at each and every day and I just love it; my masterpiece is what I call it. The blank canvas didn’t just get forgotten either we saved that special for our baby who’s coming in May.