Alyice on November 16th, 2009

Make An Old Canvas New Again

In February, I created an “Inspiration Board” using a canvas, green and gold acrylic paints, Mod Podge®, a few magazine images, and pictures of my husband and kids. It wasn’t anything elaborate, and it surely didn’t scream “I have artistic talent”, but it was therapeutic. Last month, as I starred at that canvas, I realized that I was in a different place in my life and it was time to say good-bye to the messages written on that canvas, and create something new—maybe even eye-appealing.

So I took that canvas into my art room and created this beauty!

Supplies:

An unwanted canvas
White Gesso
White tissue paper
Paints: acrylic, watercolor, or oil (your preference)
Acid-free glue: GAC 100, Yes!, Mod Podge® Matte, or stick glue
Aleene’s Jewel-It® glue
3-D items: i.e. fake flowers, metal pins, anything that brings your vision to life
Sand paper, fine
Paintbrushes
Kramar® non-yellowing varnish

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There is really nothing to repurposing an old canvas:

If the canvas has a varnish finish, sand it to a dull finish with a piece of fine sandpaper; avoiding images or areas you’d like to maintain.
With a large paintbrush, paint three coast of Gesso over the canvas—allowing each coat to dry before adding the next coat. You can get away with one coat if you plan to use darker paints.
Allow to dry.
Glue tissue paper over the existing images with Mod Podge®. Don’t forget to crinkle some of the tissue paper before gluing so that some areas obtain more texture than others.
Allow to dry.
Paint the base of the canvas.
Allow to dry.
Adhere 3-D items to canvas with Jewel-It® glue.
Allow to dry.
Use a thin paint brush to paint inspiration words, quotes, names, or dates.
Allow to dry.
Hang the canvas on a wall, in the room you feel the canvas belongs, for two days. As you pass by the canvas, pause long enough to explore the canvas. Does it need more work? Or is it telling you that it’s done?
Seal canvas with spray varnish.
Allow to dry.
Hang back on your wall.

Keep Creating

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One Comment

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lisa says:
Love it!!!
Posted at 1:58 am November 17th, 2009

AlyiceEdrich.com
I'm a freelance writer, mixed media artist, SMVA, and the owner of The Dabbling Mum.

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