What is it about painting that makes me feel all frenchified and beret-worthy? Anyway, I finally got around to painting one of the giant (and deeply discounted) 40 x 30″ canvases that we scored for $23 from Michael’s thanks to 50% off with an additional 25% off on top of that (more details about how that happened at the end of this post). Ever since discovering this inspirational poster design from here (thanks to my good friend Pinterest) I knew I wanted to adapt it a bit. You know, go wide instead of vertical and have some fun with a few $2 paint samples from Lowe’s (total spent on paint: $9 for three pots which I then mixed with white craft paint that I had on hand to create a ton of different tints of the same few hues).
First I used a yardstick to space out equal vertical lines (I just used the width of the yardstick itself to keep things even) which I drew with a pencil:
Then I used the corner of a little card that we got in the mail (from an oil-change place) to create those angled peaks to mimic the prism-like shapes from my inspiration.
Then I just filled each shape in with a variety of shades of blue and green (all derived from the three test pots of paint from Lowe’s and some white craft paint to make some of the shapes lighter). As for the specific paint colors, I used testers of Tropical Waters, Embellished Blue, and Thermal Spring by Behr. Here was what I was left with at first:
It was fun and kind of high-energy, but the contrast was a little too much for me. So my foray into painting reminded me why I love painting so much: you can always paint right over it. So I mixed up a much lighter shade of greeny-gray and went over all of the darker green parts for a much more subtle tone-on-tone effect. I ended up here:
I love the imperfect lines and painterly brush strokes and the varied shades of the same few tones. The only thing I don’t like is the location. It just doesn’t feel right in our bedroom since the walls are a similar shade (and we thought the tone on tone look of the art might layer in nicely but it’s feeling a bit too monotone-ish and blah for us). So we’re thinking we might hang it in the dining room once we have a nice big buffet or console to go under it near the front entryway. Or it might end up somewhere else entirely. Just not on a soft blue-green wall. I guess I just like tone on tone art that’s not also on a wall of that tone. Go figure.
I went into this project expecting it to take an evening or two and it actually took a while longer (maybe four or five two-hour sessions) but in the end I almost didn’t want it to end. It’s just fun to paint again. Maybe I’ll tackle something else soon. I hope so. Have you guys painted any canvases recently? It totally took me back to my high school and college days (I took every art class my high school offered and then went off to art school in NYC for college- where I somehow ended up with a BFA in Advertising Design). Although using the paint pots from Lowe’s definitely made me smile since I’m used to paying five million dollars for oil paint (ok, that’s an exaggeration, but it wasn’t always cheap for a broke college kid).
And speaking of art school, that’s where a drawing professor of mine dubbed me “the narrator of life.” Apparently I’d just sketch and jabber on about everything as it happened (ex: “oops, I dropped my charcoal” or “now for the foreground” or “yikes, it’s noon already”). I sound really annoying right? Thankfully most of it was under my breath. My teacher had to lean in and ask what I was saying, which prompted me to realize that I was actually saying things out loud (I was in the zone, I knew not what I did). That “narrator of life” nickname embarrassed me at the time, but now I find it hilarious that my actual profession is essentially to narrate my life. Who would’ve thought. Maybe I should hunt down that professor (on Facebook?) and tell him where I ended up. Just don’t tell him I used house paint instead of oil paint. Scandalous.
Emily W says
I LOVE it in that exact spot……all the similar tones are very soothing…..just want you want in the bedroom!
Danielle says
Love this! My husband bought me 2 big ol’ blank canvases so we could make something – but so far, we haven’t been inspired. I might need to check out Pinterest afterall!
Barb says
Nicely done, Sherry!
You are so talented…more than you know! Sometimes it amazes me. Something so simple……it really turned out great. I love it!!
Bravo from this end!!
B.
heather @ at home with h says
Looks great! It’s amazing what inspiration you can find on Pineterest. I love painting as well and was just thinking last weekend that I don’t do it anymore (spray painting odds and ends has taken over apparently).
HollowSquirrel says
Love this! Beautiful!
flyingbird says
Lovely! Reminds me of a waterfall.
jodi says
oooh! i love it! very nicely done. i could see something similar with a little touch of that coral from the pillow on the chair, too.
Reenie says
WOW!! You did great….looks good in there :)
Shannon says
Holy bananas! This turned out awesome. I want to totally try this, but I have no “art” backgroud. (I’m a CPA hahaha) Any basic tips or ground rules?
YoungHouseLove says
The first rule of being an artist: there are no rules. Just have fun and remember- you can always paint right over it!
xo,
s
jill says
Sherry,
I too love the sample paints and oops paints from lowes. they are my favorite paint to use on canvases, walls, and furniture!
this is a really cool inspiration piece and your canvas turned out beautifully!
Riane says
When I was updating the master bath, I found the perfect art on allposters.com. The problem was that all together, the pieces were WAY out of budget. So, I marched over to Michael’s, picked up some canvases, paints and brushes, and recreated the pieces myself. People always notice them and complement them. I’ve wanted to do more ever since.
Your piece looks AH-mazing! I love the layering of colors. So pretty!
Natalie says
Hey Guys!! Do you have a floor plan of your first house with dimensions for the rooms? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, here you go (measurements are at the bottom of the post): https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/whats-the-floor-plan-stan/
xo,
s
Mandie says
Awesome job. I even like the location- at least from the pictures!! :) Keep it up!
Ashley says
Thank you for posting this as it’s inspiration for an idea I’ve had percolating for some time. We want to take a big canvas and actually use flowers (the same ones that you created into magnets in your old house) and use them as part of the design. So it’s almost like an “installation” rather than just a painting!
Just seeing you make this idea come to life makes me want to run home (or the art store to get the canvas!) and get started!
Keep up all the hard work. It’s all looking so beautiful!
Jennifer B. says
I love it!!!! So inspired!
Jennifer B.
Leah says
I look at photos first when reading blogs and then if I see something interesting I read the post. So, when I first looked at the photos before I read that you weren’t thrilled with the tone on tone effect I thought the same thing. I also thought the painting needed some type of frame to set it off from the wall and soften the lines of the painting. Did you consider framing it? I love the painting by the way!
YoungHouseLove says
I never thought about framing it actually (I usually like the raw chunky look of canvas since the house is full of frames on a lot of other walls) but it could work if I build out a frame around it whenever we find the right spot for it down the road! Who knows where we’ll end up.
xo,
s
Robin @ our semi organic life says
so tell us (me) why using house paint isn’t thee thing to do when making art?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s just not the standard medium for painting on a canvas in the art world (although house paint and acrylic paint aren’t that far off). Apparently, I’ll do anything to save a buck. Haha.
xo,
s
Bob says
Robin,
House paint is far from archival. If you want your art to last a lifetime, it’s best to go with something more archival like 100% acrylic or oil paint. That said, many artists have used house paint regardless. It’s just generally frowned upon by the art establishment and conservators will hate you if your work makes it into a museum.
Note that there are some house paints that are 100% acrylic. Savvy artists use it to save money and keep their work archival.
Hope it helps.
Karen says
I am in the “I like the painting…and in that spot” camp. I love seeing other people paint as it is my kryptonite. Paper is my medium. :) Tell your professor…the older we get, the more we like to hear that we mattered in someone’s life that isn’t in the immediate family. I’m 48, and have crossed paths with thousands of people. To have just one of them contact me to tell me that something I did or said made a difference to them would make my year. :) Keep up the good work as a “narrator of life.” You guys totally rock. :)
mindee says
you. must. make. this. for. clara. (totally unrelated to your painting post, i know. but the need to share was way too urgent. It’s so amazingly cute!!!!!)
http://thestudentteacher.squarespace.com/journal/2011/5/16/a-sewing-tutorial-emilys-embroidered-growth-chart.html
It’s not mine, ran across it on another blog and wanted to share. I’m not crafty enough nor do i have the time to come up with that!
YoungHouseLove says
OH MY GOSH IT’S ADORABLE.
xo,
s
Rita says
I love it! What a great idea and I love the colors. Did you remember to date and sign it?
YoungHouseLove says
Oops, forgot that. Still have to date and sign my quilt too. You think I’d be better at remembering to “mark” my stuff. Haha.
xo,
s
Carrie says
I liked Version 1.0 better because I am so into bold right now but I totally agree, it didn’t feel right on your wall. And made the wall color pull more gray… in the pictures at least.
This is so creative! But I can’t draw a straight line to save my life, much less paint one! I have been in a super creative mood lately so I need to just bite the bullet and do something!
Bob says
I’m glad you posted this. People need to be reminded that art isn’t nearly as easy as they think. Professionals simply make it look easy.
I look forward to seeing your next attempt.
YoungHouseLove says
Bob! You’re here. I thought you might pop up. Glad to have ya!
xo,
s
heather s. says
I have to disagree with you, Bob. As long as you are inspired, art does come easily. Maybe it is not ‘art’ by your definition but it is still art to someone. I’ve seen things painted/created by non-professionals that looks 1000x better than art I’ve seen in museums.
Again, great job, Sherry.
Bob says
Fair point, Heather. I should have said that good art is not easy.
I’ll avoid the art definition debate this time around. That will go nowhere quick here.
Cheryl says
Holy crap I’m inspired! I need something big to go over my bed but I’m too cheap to shell out the cash. This would be perfect!
Did you have a method to the madness (for which colors went where) or did you just do it at random? Also, would you be offended if I copied this project line by line? Lol!
I know you read it all the time, but you two are amazing.
YoungHouseLove says
I did it totally randomly. My computer battery was dead for most of the painting process (I’m terrible about plugging in my laptop) so I didn’t even have my inspiration pic up after I sketched out the lines and points. So I just went wild and random. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Adriane Wacker@FortheLoveofPainting says
Very Cute…great job!
liz @ bon temps beignet says
GORGEOUS!!!!!! Just a helpful hint, Kristen from KFD Designs mention last week that she uses watercolor pencils (as opposed to a regular graphite pencil) to sketch out a design first. The watercolor pencil lines just blend right into the paint.
YoungHouseLove says
What an awesome tip! She’s a genius that Kristen.
xo,
s
Jessica says
I love it! Did you use foam brushes?? Or the real deal holyfield?
YoungHouseLove says
Neither. Haha. I used those little fine-pointed craft brushes that come from Michael’s for three for a pack of three. I needed a fine tip to get into those points, but didn’t splurge for a fancy brush or anything. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah M. says
I absolutely love it! Can I encourage you to make another? I’ll totally pay for it! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! But I think I’m a one and done kinda painter. Haha. I don’t think I’ve ever liked replicating anything. On to the next thing! Just like my curtains this morning. Haha.
xo,
s
Brandi says
I love your crafty graphic art! I never thought of using a ruler and other tools to paint. I just started painting and have made quite a few pieces of art for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day and happily my mom loved them both. Who knew there was a painter in me? I think maybe there’s a painter and artist in all of us.
Wendy says
This is great. Love seeing your fun pins on Pinterest. Sometimes I think the day is a wasted one if I don’t find at least one fun thing to pin! So, you asked if we’ve painted anything on canvas lately, here’s one I did for a local fundraiser – actually went for $75! I was very excited! http://www.southernaccentblog.com/2011/04/15-original-works-of-art.html
YoungHouseLove says
It’s gorgeous and oh so festive. I love it!
xo,
s
J&J says
I love your final work. The colors are perfect. I attempted my own DIY art project. It was actually pretty fun. Here is what I did http://jandjhome.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-black-and-white-heart-painting.html
Beth H. says
I love how it turned out! It really looks good up close and far away which I think is the goal for painting, right? Oh and I just got a pinterest today and I’m following you on it :] I am so addicted already
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique says
This came out great! I love the final product. I have definitely painted a canvas or too for decor. Maybe that’s my solution for my current blank living room wall. I definitely like what you did here and may have to steal it. ;)
Bethany says
So cool! I need to paint something, the blank wall above my couch is dying for a large painting!
Blair says
I love that! I have painted on poster recently but luckily my best friend is quite talented at free hand, so she did this for me : http://thefirstapartment.blogspot.com/2011/05/tv-table-update.html
My next goal is to actually use carbon paper to trace some pretty designs on boards for above my bed because I do not have her free hand ability!
~Blair
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- so cool!
xo,
s
Christina says
To me it looks “southwestern”…not totally my style, but hey, you love it and that is what matters! Glad you are happy with it!
Elizabeth says
I think it sort of looks like that as well. Also brings back 80s flashbacks to me, but Sherry isn’t really old enough for those style memories. LOL
Emily says
Hi – I love the painting buuuuut where did you get the throw pillow in the leather chair??
YoungHouseLove says
Oh that little guy is from ZGallerie a while back. So cute right?
xo,
s
Stacy says
My most excellent buddy and the painter of my most prized possession http://www.flickr.com/photos/10010660@N07/1865983780/in/photostream (the geisha on the far left) uses house paints in most of his work. As a fellow BFA-er I concur that oils are way super pricey (and a pain to clean up too).
Oh and you totally got me addicted to Pinterest too. LOVE. IT.
YoungHouseLove says
Woah – those are done with house paint? Amazing!
xo,
s
Jaimie says
Looks really great. We scored a 3′ by 4′ canvas for 25% off awhile back at Hobby Lobby, and all I’ve managed to do is paint it a deep cobalt. I’m too indecisive about what else I want to do to it.
Anna says
Wow! I love love love that!
My boyfriend and I are moving in together next month and will have lots of empty walls to fill…this is definitely a project we will be doing! Plus I already have a ton of 8×10 canvases I picked up years ago on sale and just never knew what to do with them!
Thanks!
Holly says
I love them both but think I prefer the original. My taste might be annoyingly bold though. Love it. You’ve inspired me.
Monika says
I really like the tone-on-tone-on-tone action with the painting in the bedroom. It ads visual interest without being overwhelming. Well done! :)
Also, I love Pinterest.
Sarah says
Love the painting and also love that orange-printed pillow. It looks great with all the blue in the room.
I hope to get lucky with canvas prices like you guys did…I want to DIY a headboard out of them.
Georgia says
Sherry thats soooo amazing!
I love it, i would totally buy one like that, i think its nice in the bedroom a little bit oif a contrast is good sometimes, although looks a bit calmer now you painted over the darker stripes, wouldnt want to wake up to it with a hangover mind you..haha xx
Laura@JourneyChic says
It looks great! You did such a nice job replicating your inspiration piece. I also recently discovered how much I like painting on canvas despite zero artistic skills. I used Michael’s coupons, too, and bought a canvas and paint on a whim and made a big piece to go above our mantle. And I love it! It’s not perfect, but makes me feel good when I see it. I bought some smaller canvases and more paint to try again!
Dana says
That look great, Sherry!
Dana says
And, I just read your comment about the sides of the canvas. This painting would look great framed in a dark wood (that’s similar to your chair). I’ve actually taken wood trim and just glued it to the outside of the canvas to finish or ‘frame’ it.
Like this trim…
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100677911/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea but since we’re not sure what room it’ll end up in I’m holding off on those details. You never know where we’ll end up though!
xo,
s
Lauren says
PERFECT I love it!!! I have been looking for bathroom artwork ideas and this is the perfect one. Even more perfect, my bathroom is decorated in these same colors. Thanks Sherry
andrea worley says
It looks awesome! Great job, my husband and i did this for our first house painted on some canvases it was so fun!
KathyG says
I thought the title was “somebody get me a beer”…I kept reading and reading for the part about the beer! LOL
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, hilarious. Where’s my beer? Nobody got it for me.
xo,
s
cafenoHut says
So good. You always give me inspiration…
kelly t. says
I LOVE the painting, before & after. It’s inspiring me. How did you decide where to paint which color? Was it planned out ahead of time, or did you start at one end and go with which ever color tickled your fancy until you got to the other side?
YoungHouseLove says
I just decided to be all rough and random with them. So I sort of vaguely alternated (ex: light one on top right, light one on bottom right, light one on top middle, etc – just working my way across to sort of space them out equally throughout the canvas). That way there wasn’t one side that was extra dark and heavy so it was semi balanced but still not too perfect and planned). Hope it helps!
xo,
s