Photo Canvas Project

Last week I tried something new for me – taking a photo 

and making it look like a piece of printed canvas wall art.  

I just can’t bring myself to shell out the $ for photo canvases! 

I did this one for a surprise for my brother and sister-in-law.  

 I’d taken a few photos of my niece, Shayla, 

while they were gone on a vacation, 

so the whole thing was a secret. 

Very fun!

 The project was easier than I thought it would be, actually.  

That’s nice for a change! 

The blank artist’s canvases came from a Michael’s craft store 

when they were by-one-get-one-free. 

I get my prints done online from Mpix.com.  

This one is a 12x12.  The only other things I used were 

Mod Podge, and some white craft paint for the edges of the picture. 

Oh, and a paintbrush and piece of canvas-like

textured fabric to apply the Mod Podge.

And coffee. 

But that's optional.

I spread a thin layer of Mod Podge on entire back of the photo

 and centered it on the canvas.  

Then I painted with white on the edges of the canvas 

and overlapped the photo a bit to create

 a brushed looking edge.  

 When the paint was dry the whole thing got covered 

with a layer of Mod Podge.  

 Since I wanted it to look like a canvas texture

 and not shiny and smooth, 

I laid a piece of fabric with a canvas texture 

over the wet Mod Podge and then gently lifted it off.  

The texture impression stayed behind.   

Unfortunately my fabric had some lint on it 

that I hadn’t thought about – next time I’ll make sure it’s lint free, 

so I won’t be furiously digging bits of fuzz 

out of the Mod Podge before it dries, 

forever embedded on someone’s nose. 

 And there you go – that’s the finished product. 

 Now I just need to find the time to update some 

of our own family photos to hang on the wall. J

“But let all who take refuge in You be glad; 

let them ever sing for joy. 

Spread Your protection over them, 

that those who love your name may rejoice in You.” 

Psalm 5:11