Young House Love

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Making Acrylic Art

It’s Tuesday the 10th… so it’s time to share this season’s (completely unofficial) Pinterest Challenge (not sponsored by Pinterest or anyone else, just dreamed up by Katie to make us stop pinning and start doing). Cue the choir of glue-gun-wielding angels!

Pinterest Challenge Banner

I actually tried my hand at painting, just because I thought it would be fun to get back into. Other than this painting that I did a while back, I haven’t painted much beyond walls, accessories, and furniture for the last decade or so. Are my Pinterest challenge paintings going to land me an art opening anytime soon? Not on your life. Haha. But it was so much fun and I found spots for them all over the house – and I really do smile when I see them. The best part is that I got to spend two great evenings messing around with Christmas art supplies from John that sat unused in my closet for over six months. I really hope I stick with it, because painting is totally my idea of a good time.

As per the rules, I took inspiration (or Pintspiration, har-har) from the projects that I linked up with in last Tuesday’s post and did my own spin. Here’s a recap of them for ya:

  1. Fabric by John Robshaw reminded me of the geometric doodles that my dad used to make.
  2. Clara painted this with reckless abandon (more on that here) and I’ve always loved it.
  3. This is a cool DIY art project that I saw on Pinterest (she actually used a toothpaste lid). You can read all about it here.
  4. I asked Kristen at KFD Designs to make sure she was ok with me pinning her art. Thankfully she didn’t mind at all (she does commissioned art for anyone who wants to get this look – and as for me, I loved using her as my muse, haha).
  5. This was a DIY art project that was actually done for a Pinterest Challenge with us. So I thought that was awesome that our little challenge inspired her to make something, and in turn her result inspired me.
  6. This is a watercolor card project, but the happy colors and rough imperfect strokes are so charming.

*As for other places that I’ve found art inspiration – Michelle Armas is unparalleled (seriously, total girl crush) and this post about making abstract art over on Oh Happy Day had me pumped to paint. But enough jibber jabber – here’s the painting play-by-play:

My first painting adventure began after Clara went to bed for the night around 8pm. I got out my little set of acrylics (by Reeves) and my small canvases (which I got for a dollar each) with my Christmas gift card to Main Art Supply here in Richmond.

Painting1

About twenty minutes later I had this:

Painting2

I thought pretty hard about the colors I included (I love the red & coral with the green, yellow, and blue) but I tried not to think too much about the way I applied them. I literally just dabbed things on in a few spots, moved to another color and applied that, repeat, repeat, repeat. Sometimes I dragged the brush to make things look smoother and more blended while other times I did more of a dab-dab-dab application.

I actually really liked how this came out and immediately wished it was about ten times the size. Oh well, starting small was less intimidating, so I guess it worked out for me (and I can always have this blown up 300% at Kinkos on nice paper and then just frame it with a thick mat in a giant frame).

Painting3

The next painting wasn’t one I loved as much as my first (maybe that was beginner’s luck?) but I didn’t hate it. I think I just connected with the colors in the first painting more, so it was a good lesson in taking my time with the colors I used instead of rushing to fill up the canvas. Painting is apparently a marathon, not a sprint.

Painting4

In the end it was sweet in its own way. And at only 4 x 6″  it’s hardly a giant commitment.

Painting5

Then I moved on from my canvas-wrapped boards to an actual 5 x 5″ canvas (it’s much chunkier and more substantial) and this time I went loosey goosey with it.

Painting6

My entire technique was dab-dab-dab for this guy. It’s kinda water-lillies-esque to me, which I don’t think is a bad thing (love me some Monet) and the small streaks of coral and bright pops of turquoise make me happy. Once again I’m learning the color choice totally makes or breaks things in my mind.

Painting7

After they all dried overnight, I studied the hallway frame wall for a spot to add them. We love switching things up on that wall, so the two thin canvas-wrapped-boards just got popped into existing frames (in place of an Ikea print and a postcard I had previously framed). See them up in the top left corner?

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Still like this guy the best. Totally beginners luck. I took the glass out of this frame (it was too thick for it to fit) but the green one fit behind the glass, so I left it in for that one.

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The thicker 5 x 5″ canvas found a spot on the other frame wall (top right).

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Would you like fries turquoise smears with that?

Pinterest4

Now I’m about to scare you. I laid out two larger canvas boards (8 x 11) that were $2 each and decided to photograph all the “phases” they went through. Things always start out realllllly ugly. Exhibit A:

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I tend to just build and build until I get somewhere totally different. Looking back at these pictures I wonder if I should have stopped here. At the time it felt really unfinished, but I like them now. Haha.

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Then I ended up here by adding a lot of white and dabbing and streaking things around. I totally should have stopped here. I love that little bright red heart hiding in the canvas on the right (the one peeking through from behind the white in the bottom left corner).

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These paintings (and photographing the stages) taught me a nice lesson. Know when to stop! Haha. I kept noodling and they ended up here. I have a pretty strong preference for the paintings above these to the paintings below, but now I know. Take a breath every now and then and see if you’re just painting because it’s fun or actually making a positive improvement. Lesson learned.

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Thankfully I don’t totally hate where I ended up. In person they have a really fun neon greeny-yellow color in them that makes them feel modern & happy. And it’s nice to know that I can always paint over them (that’s the beauty of paint and $2 canvas boards – zero commitment).

I also knew they’d look more finished when I framed them, so John and I actually DIYed two chunky wood frames (John will be back this afternoon with all those details – and you can do it without a Kreg Jig or any major tools for that matter – yay!). I originally planned to hang them in the office, but the stenciled walls competed, so we ended up liking them most in the kitchen. Best of all – no holes in the wall (just 3M picture hanging velcro strips for the one over the stove). Easy to do, and undo!

Kitchen Art Hung

Speaking of the one above the stove, don’t worry about that getting splattered. I went to Lowe’s and got a $3 piece of acrylic that I slipped in front of the painting to keep it wipeable (so it’s protected from rogue spaghetti sauce splatters).

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It’s funny how many things I’ve held over the stove only to decide they didn’t really work, yet this homemade painting with a homemade frame seems to slip right in. Dare I say it was meant to be? At least for now until I get a wild hair and decide to paint over them again- haha. I’ll keep you posted for sure!

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So that’s how it all went down. As for the money stuff, here’s a little budget breakdown:

  • $11 – for the five canvases and the paint brush that I used (purchased at a local art shop called Main Street Art Supply)
  • $16 – for the set of 24-pack of acrylic paints by Reeves (also from Main Street Art Supply)
  • $0 – two homemade frames <–made from scrap wood and supplies we had on hand – more on that process this afternoon!
  • $0 – two more already owned frames for the smaller flat canvases in the hallway
  • $3 – piece of acrylic from Lowe’s to protect the canvas over the stove from splatters
  • Total: $30 (for five painted canvases – four of which are framed – which averages to $6 per piece)

Oh and if you call the art supplies a holiday present (since they were purchased six months ago with a Christmas gift card), I actually didn’t spend any money on this Pinterest challenge – just used things that we had like scrap wood, and inexpensive canvases and paint (other than the $3 piece of acrylic). Cheap people like me like looking at things this way. Haha.

Don’t forget to check in on Katie, Kate, and Michelle to see what amaaaaazing projects they whipped up (they’ll be sharing theirs sometime today as well)!

Pinterest Challenge Faces

And now here’s the part where we invite you to share all of the fun Pinterest Challenge projects that you guys have tackled in the last week (right along with us, well at least virtually with us). If you’ve already blogged about it, just:

  1. click on the blue “Add Your Link” button with the odd cartoon head at the bottom of this post (you might have to do some scrolling, depending how many projects are added)
  2. add a link to your specific blog post about your project in the url field (not your home page)
  3. where it says “name” write a descriptive name for your project (ex: “Painted Canvases”) as opposed to your actual name
  4. we’d also love if you could quickly link back over to our project posts within your own (here’s Katie’s, Kate’s, Michelle’s, and ours) – it’s also nice to link to your inspiration project on Pinterest as well as to directly link to the original project/site, just so they get some love too.

And if you’d rather just link over to your project in the comment section, feel free to do that – or even add a link to a free photo sharing site like Flickr with your pics if you don’t have a blog (remember to set the gallery to public so we can all see it). We can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to!



Comments

  1. Jenny says

    Hey Sherry!!!

    Okay, I posted my Pinterest Challenge, but how do I add a link back to your page? I’m new at blogging, so I’m still learning. ha ha

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      If you just include a link in your post to younghouselove.com (and the other bloggers listed at the bottom of this post) it’s all good! Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  2. Jessica @ Decor Adventures says

    Hi YHL,

    These are so bright and fun. I love how people are getting so creative and making their own art, the possibilities are endless. You’ve got some serious blending skills :-)

    I especially like the one over the stove, great place for art!

    Reply

  3. Ally says

    They are ALL lovely, $herdog…sooo cheerful and pretty! Love ’em!

    And may I just say….Miss Katie “Bacon Breath” Bower – WOW! That cutie did a fabulous job on Will’s TeePee! On your next visit, I can just picture “Willara” chillin’ in there :)

    xox

    Reply

  5. Evelyn's Mom says

    It was nice meeting you today! I’m a big fan & was a little starstruck, but didn’t want to bother you guys. Thank you to Clara for sharing her toys with Evie. :)

    Reply

  6. Steph says

    Honestly, the last two are my favorite! I just love that coral in the one on the bottom left, so pretty. The colors work together amazingly and are so bold! I feel like it’s just what the kitchen needed!

    Reply

  8. how2home says

    Thanks for hosting this party! WOOOT i can’t wait to post mine… just need to get it completed asap! Im loving the paintings you did Sherry. You should consider opening up your own etsy store :)

    Reply

  12. Kristal says

    Ahh! I love the first painting. Those colors are EXACTLY what I’m looking for in my kitchen. Do you mind if I pin it?

    Reply

  15. Nevin says

    I don’t have a blog so I can’t fill in that field to link it my challenge item. What do I need to in order to post it? Thanks!

    Reply

  16. Sherry from BC says

    They are fabulous dahling fabulous! I especially like the pop of colour over your stove though the little stretched canvas is a close second. I do think you have a great eye for colour and it is shown in your home decor and painting creations. Can’t wait to see you do a biggun for over the new sideboard or maybe a tryptych. I didn’t get a project done in time for this challenge. Hopefully next time. I am planning a tryptych in soft, beachy colours for my basement play area to fill the wall space with happy colour. I have the thrifted canvases prepped just have to work up the gumption to get down and dirty. Maybe this weekend after all this inspiration.

    Reply

  17. Kelly says

    I love the way those last two turned out – even if they did look good along the way, too! They look perfect in the kitchen! I’m inspired to buy some canvases and paint and try something with my summer off!

    Reply

  18. Cher says

    My sister’s blog has the details of my project honed from many months of reading your advice on spray painting, bright colors, DIY, and hanging curtains, but it’s not about curtains at all! I referred back to your blog how-tos more than once during the project to see if I was “doing it right.” Thanks for all your fantastic documenting of projects so that mine could be at least semi-decent as a result. http://suzegeeksout.com/2012/07/10/diy-corkboard

    Reply

  20. Rachelle says

    Super cute guys, I totally linked up a painting too. Great minds. ;) haha. They’re all great.. But I definitely love, love the one in the kitchen, it looks awe-some over the stove.

    Thanks for hosting! Fun times.

    xo

    Reply

  22. Missy says

    I didn’t read all the comments so if I am being redundant, sorry. The last little painting you did looks like tulips! And who loooooves tulips???? You do! Amazing what comes out when you let your hair down and just vreate.

    Reply

  26. Meagan says

    Confession – while I love these paintings you did (I’ve been wanting to try my hand at abstract art…maybe I will now)…I’ve been checking the comments all day waiting for Bob. He always posts about art! where is he? haha.

    But truly love these. Especially the little square, very Monet – he is my favorite!

    Reply

  27. ColleenwithMurals&More says

    I wish I had something to link up but, sadly, I don’t. I’ve just recently got on the Paint Wagon again. (I totally resisted inserting ‘Your’ in there solely because I wasn’t sure John would get the pun. Sad, I know.)

    Sherry, I am beyond thrilled with your paintings. I don’t do abstracts but, after 17+ years, I still love smooshing paint all over and seeing how the colors play :) And that ‘take a minute’ and stand back? Huge! Big, big, big. I don’t care if you’re painting a 4 x 6″ or 4 x 6 foot wall.

    Keep painting! (isn’t it oh-so-much fun?) Oh, as a ‘p.s.’ I’ve never ever, never ever EVER done a painting that I consider “finished”. Yeah, it’s an *issue. Good thing I don’t generally visit my clients’ houses after I’m done with their commissions. ha!

    Reply

  30. Koliti says

    What a great idea to host & encourage an art-making session! That’s truly putting love out into the world.

    Sherry, what a nice technique (dab, dab, dab) – what happy beautiful results! Your pieces add another layer of “Happy Colorful Bliss”.

    These thoughts are now going through my head –
    “a little dab will do ya”, “yabba dabba do”, and “dabs all
    folks”.

    I am not an internet-savvy-upload-your-photo-have-a-website girl – I did see some tips on how to do this in some of the comments, but would you consider re-posting these tips all in one place for non-internet-uploaders like myself with your next “Pinterest Challenge”? Thanks.

    Reply

  31. Valerie says

    These paintings are awesome. I’ve tried several times to similarly create art for our house… but I have never created anything my husband would let me display! Ha!
    I know I am a day late to the pinterest challenge linky party, but I hope you still have a chance to check out my project. I made a really fun swing for my little man, and I am more than a little giddy about it. :)
    http://onesassyhousewife.blogspot.com/2012/07/swingin.html

    Reply

  32. Valery says

    I love, love, love your paintings! The one over the stove is my favorite :) I inherited a box of acyrlics my friend who, ahem, walked out with from an art store and last night I sat down to play with them. I think I over thought it too much but I’m looking forward to getting some pieces on the wall.

    Reply

  33. jessica@fourgenerationsoneroof says

    Your artwork turned out great and looks perfect in it’s new home. Bummed I missed out on all these pinterest challenges as I love DIY! Been on vaca for the last couple weeks so I can’t complain :) Looks like some fun stuff linked up!

    Reply

  34. Hannahhenning says

    Sherry, I love the finished product of all your pieces but especially the larger ones. The piece that you put on the kitchen shelf is my ‘most’ favorite, it looks like coral growing in sun filled water. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder I think that the end result of that piece is fantastic!

    Reply

  35. Caroline says

    Unfortunately I didn’t participate in the Pinterest challenge this time around. However, as a hobby painter myself, I was super excited to see you did a painting for yours! You need to DIY yourself a little art studio so you can paint more often ;-)

    Reply

  36. Christina says

    I am getting so many ideas from reading this post – I just need to find more time to actually try some of them out!!
    I had a go at making a paint chip art work that I saw on pinterest (it’s a little like your ‘paint chip squares’ artwork in your bedroom). It took me ages to figure out which configuration I liked best….I took photos along the way to look back at and compare as I went. This one was my fave and attached is the finished project. Not perfect but it does look very effective.
    http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/hoocl001/house/457731aa.jpg

    Reply

  37. Katharine T says

    I like the Monet one the best – but I tend to prefer softer colors than you. It IS really about the colors, isn’t it? And yeah, I totally like the unfinished versions best, although the final isn’t bad either. My painting professor in college used to say it takes two people to finish a painting: the artist, and someone to shoot her before she ruins it. Too violent? maybe. Accurate? Yeah.

    Thanks for the DIY on frames, too! I might have to use that idea.

    Reply

  39. lindsey @ a pear to remember says

    I thin you did a fantastic job on your painting, sherry! You SO inspired me to give painting a try, I always wanted to and wondered what was really stopping me fro giving it a shot. I was super inspired by dans Le Townhouse’s bedroom paintings and came up with three large panels that I gave as gifts this weekend. My friend (the bride) and i met at a happy hour and found out we both read YHL. Add ballet, french onion dip, and Jodi Picoult books into the mix and we knew were kindred spirits http://theadventuresofculinarylin.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/embarassing-myself/ thank you endlessly for the inspiration! You can see my final paintings on thislink to my blog. Best wishes!

    Reply

  40. Deese says

    Hi Sherry,

    I have been reading your blog for quite a while now. I don’t comment very often (if at all) but you are very inspiring! So inspiring that I decided to start a blog to showcase things I make inspired by items I pin on pinterest and things I come up with on my own.

    The blog will be home to food, crafts, jewelry, art, and home décor type things. I am commenting now to let you know that I have mentioned you in my blog’s first post and linked back to this post. If you would rather I remove your name please let me know and I will do so! You can see the post here: http://2paine.blogspot.com/

    Thanks for being such an inspiration,

    Deese

    Reply

  41. Anita says

    I came back to this because I was just thinking about DIYing my own canvas art and then remembered that you had done this to. I wanted to pin your in progress photo, but pinterest isn’t allowing me to. Is your site somehow pinterest-proof?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s so weird! We even have a pin it button on the bottom of each post. Anyone else having an issue pinning our things? Maybe it’s just a pinterest glitch for a second?

      xo,
      s

  42. Anita says

    I didn’t even see the pin it button! I think the issue is that when I try to pin it, it doesn’t let me pin the image that I want to pin (the first time it gave me only your header as an option and when I tried the pin it button, the only image option it gave me was the pinterest challenge image). I’ll use that one for now and try again later – thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, the pin it button on the bottom of any post only allows you to pin the first image for some reason (annoying pinterest glitch that has gone on for months) but if you add a pin it button to your browser (up near your bookmarks) that way you can pin any picture! They have instructions on how to add it over on pinterest.com. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  43. Sheryl Monestime says

    Excellent work indeed. Any of them would look great in a nice frame, on a wall. I don’t think it’s the kind of thing that looks as good on a screen. For simple me, those first impressions signal it as art more than anything I could be told about it. Love to see the ones that didn’t make the final cut.

    Reply

  44. Tanisha Odowd says

    Thanks for including my art Kate! All of these projects are amazing…I had already pinned several of these as my favorites too!

    Reply

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