Diy Teens Wall Art Decor Project, decorating projects ideas for teens.
Article by: Madeleine M Langlois
Miy Project: Teen wall art decor “Graffiti Paris Canvas Art”
My teenage son’s graffitilike text on paper and book covers gave me the idea of asking him to make an artwork peice for a decor exhibit I took part in. His contribution was the word Paris in graffitilike text done in pastels on a box-style canvas.
I wanted to share with other teens and mom with teens to encourage their teens in their art form, and that it can be acheive on many other surfaces besides walls.
Hands-on time: An hour or more, depending on detail.
Total time:Plus drying time for varnish.
Skill: this miy teen wall art decor project idea is of easy to moderate skill depending on the details.
Materials & Tools:
•Artist canvas (17.8 x 17.8 centimetres) 3D box-style
•Oil pastels in assorted colours (many brands available, try a few samples)
•Pencil
•Drawing paper and graphite paper
•Graffiti design
•Masking tape
•Permapaque artist markers by Sakura
•Grey and white eraser
•Cloth
•Workable fixative by Krylon
MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE AT ARTS AND CRAFTS STORES or on line.
MIY INSTRUCTIONS:Art is a great way to interact with teens and encourage self-expression and creativity.
Using a style they’re familiar with is even better. What’s essential with this project is that it is done in the same spirit as graffiti — free-flowing expression captured on canvas.
Art is a great way to interact with teens and encourage self-expression and creativity. Using a style they’re familiar with is even better. What’s essential with this project is that it is done in the same spirit as graffiti –free-flowing expression captured on canvas.
Preprimed canvas is ideal for graffitilike art. On paper, draw or write words (in our case it was the word Paris) to use as a template. With a pencil, draw the text on the canvas or transfer it onto the canvas using graphite paper. Cut out the word from the sheet of paper. Cut a piece of graphite paper in the same size. Put graphite paper under the cutout word and secure with masking tape. Use a pencil or pen to trace the design onto the canvas.
Colour the word or text in three or four colours of pastels, shading in areas around the edges of the letters. Use scrap pieces of paper to practice shading first, if preferred. Glide pastels smoothly onto the canvas and lift the tips as soon as the lines are finished. You can use a cloth or your fingers to blend the colours. Use a wide marker for the outlines. Add a colour border around the letters.
The background is left white. Use the grey part of eraser to remove pencil, graphite lines or pastel smudges.To protect the artwork from dust and smudges, spray on fixative in a side-to-side motion. It fixes the pastels without leaving a glossy finish. Several coats can be applied. Let dry between each coat.
Variations: Use different sizes of canvases to let your teen create his or her mini art gallery. Larger canvases placed side by side have impact. Smaller canvases are perfect for personalized tags. For younger children, create a montage to add colour to a bare wall. Paint several canvases, each in a different solid colour: yellow, blue, green, etc. Then let children doodle on them, using pastels in assorted bright colours. Thick wax crayons or washable markers can also be used. This is a great activity for a birthday party.If your teen wants to do larger frames with spray paints, be sure they work in a well-ventilated area and wear a protective mask. Spray paint fumes are toxic.
Copyright Miy Decorations © 2006
For more Miy decor projects visit www.maddylane-decor.com
By: Madeleine M Langlois
Archive for November, 2009
Teen Wall Art Decor, Graffiti Canvas Art
November 29th, 2009Favorite Photographs Become Wall Art
November 28th, 2009Our master bedroom needed a huge makeover. The paint was old, the curtains were dusty and the artwork was outdated. I didn’t want to spend a fortune re-doing everything so I looked for inexpensive solutions to give the room a whole new look without breaking the bank.
Paint was a must. In some of our other rooms, we used a paint color made by Pittsburgh Paint called “Happy Trails, which is a really rich tan color.
Next, I knew those old curtains had to be changed out, so I found an inexpensive curtain rod and bought two different scarves and draped those over the rod. Done.
Since the room is primarily tan, it needed some color so I made a couple of arrangements out of silk and dried flowers. A nice pop against the warm tan of the walls.
Now, what to do about the wall art? I wanted to have family photos in the room but I didn’t want a bunch of mismatched frames sitting around. I was going for a cleaner look.
We recently became empty nesters so I wanted to showcase the transition my family has undergone over the past 22 years. It came to me to make wall art out of black and white photos and matching frames.
How I made it
Pick the photos. I chose one of my family when the two kids were very young and one of my family now. Then I found my favorite picture of just the kids when they were little and another one of them now.
Fix the photos. After selecting the four photos, some had to be scanned into my computer while the more recent ones were taken with my digital camera and were already in my computer. I have Adobe Photoshop which I used to fix the photos. They were all different sizes and colors so the first thing I had to do was make them all uniform.
Using the “Image-Size” function in Photoshop, I made them all 5 x 7’s and using the “Image-Mode-Grayscale” function, I turned them into black and whites. I ended up with four, 5 x 7, black and white photos. This is an important step, in my opinion, because you want them all to match.
Buy the frames. In order to accomplish the uniform look, I also selected four identical frames.
Hang them. Once the four black and white photos were in the frames, I had to decide how I wanted to hang them. The orientation of the photos (portrait or landscape) will help you decide the configuration (across in a straight line, down in a straight line, in a perfect square…).
Two of my photos were landscape and 2 were portrait so I decided to put them in a square with an irregular edge to create visual interest. We hung up the photo collage yesterday and my husband helped to ensure that the frames were all perfectly spaced.
I am quite proud of the end result. Not only do we have inexpensive wall art, but we have something to look at that is so very meaningful and will be cherished for years to come.
By: Sandee Lembke
Tips for Hanging and Arranging Wall Art Decor
November 28th, 2009
Create a showcase of warmth and personality to any room by changing your wall decor. Adding an arrangement of framed photographs, mirrors, wall sculptures, and collectibles is an affordable way to transform any room in your home. Here are some tips for arranging and hanging your wall art with confidence.
Arranging Your Art:
The goal when arranging wall art is to create a pleasing visual display that showcases it.
* To plan your layout, cut out butcher paper templates the same size and shape as the wall decor you want to hang. Tape them on the wall with masking tape, moving them around to your liking. Mark the positions lightly with a pencil on the wall. You may also arrange your artwork on the floor to your satisfaction before nailing to the wall.
* Group your art according to theme.Create a display by grouping the items by theme repeating colors and styles of the room’s interior.
* Group similar items and create a symmetrical shape. The secret to arranging wall art is to achieve balance. For example, small pictures hung on a large wall can look out of balance and will appear lost in an open sea of space. If you have a larger painting or mirror, it has enough presence to stand alone on a large wall. Symmetry adds balance and is generally very pleasing to the observer.
* If you have to take down your artwork to repaint, take a photograph of your arrangement so you can put it back just the way it was.
Hanging Your Art:
Tools you will need are a hammer, level, tape measure, picture hangers or nails.
* You’ve probably always heard that artwork should be hung so that the center point of the picture or grouping is about eye level for the average height of a person. A good place to start is to hang the piece approximately 60-65 inches from the floor to the center of the art. Pieces should be hung approximately 6 inches over a mantle or shelf. Don’t leave a large empty space between art and furniture. There should be a 10 inch clearance above sofas and headboards.
* When hanging art over a piece of furniture, it should not be longer than the width of the furniture.
* If the art weighs five pounds or more, use two wall anchors per painting to distribute the weight evenly. The picture will hang more evenly, also.
* To protect your wall and prevent the picture from shifting, attach felt pads to the bottom corners on the back of the frame.
When done correctly, hanging wall art is a quick, easy and affordable way to add impact and breathe new life into your home.
By: Connie Raines
