Some of the best do-it-yourself projects come from turning something old into something like new. This project is a great way to make personal customized art at a low cost and with little artistic ability.
To start, find an old painted canvas you’d like to work with or purchase one from a thrift store. The painting on the canvas doesn’t matter much, as most of it will be covered up.
From a craft store, buy large sticker letters and white spray paint. For the spray paint, Krylon brand paint in flat white is a high-quality option that dries quickly.
Decide on a word or phrase to put over the painting. For inspiration, think of a favorite phrase or quote or look at typography posters online.
Think about alignment of the canvas and if the phrase would be more visually appealing with a horizontal or vertical layout. For the final piece, it doesn’t matter if the original image on the canvas is sideways or upside down.
Play around with the spacing of the stickers. If you’re a perfectionist, use a ruler to ensure that the letters are aligned straight across and spaced evenly.
Once you remove the sticker backing and the letters are securely in place, spray paint the whole canvas in two to three light layers. Try to keep the paint even and make sure to cover the edges.
After giving the paint ample time to dry, slowly peel off the sticker letters. Any imperfect edges can be easily touched up with a paintbrush and some white acrylic paint. Hang up your final piece, and take pride in your self-made and eco-friendly artwork.
For a variation on this DIY, cut an image design out of sticker paper or use a colored spray paint that complements the colors of the original painting.