Oh, humble canvas, how many ways can I decorate thee? Let me count them. Indeed.
Unless you’re a minimalist (and there’s nothing wrong with that) homes can look bland without personality injected into them. But not all of us have cash to splash around and buy up art we adore. Some of us need to get inventive. Whatever the bank balance, thankfully, TV is full of “how to” shows which serve up more interior decorating ideas into our living rooms than hot dinners.
Here are a few groovy tips to get your creative juices flowing.
Block Colour 3D Artwork
Choose one single colour and block a whole large canvas with it. For a smooth look, use a roller brush; for a more textured look, dab on with a rag. Paint three smaller canvases, varying in size, with different coloured paint (again, one colour per canvas). Now stand them all on a mantel piece or shelf, one in front of the other, as a 3D artwork.
Decoupage Artwork
Pages of old books stuck to a canvas can make a statement. For a neutral look choose the insides of vintage novels. Spread the pages out in either a structured format or haphazardly. Other interesting looks include comic books, sheet music, sewing patterns, postcards or greeting cards. Even newspapers and old maps can be eye-catching. Either leave the sheets stuck on roughly or apply a clear lacquer over the top for a polished finish.
Fabric Artwork
Have you ever been “op shopping” and found a piece of clothing in vintage fabric, which you fell instantly in love with, but it didn’t fit you? Next time that happens, don’t despair, buy it anyway and turn it into an artwork. Wrap it around a canvas, and if there are leftovers, make a cushion to match. Or, as a friend of mine did once, frame the whole dress!
Written Artwork
Got a favourite poem or quote? Scrawl it in black paint across a blank white canvas. Don’t stress that your handwriting isn’t neat enough or words run over the edges – it just adds to the uniqueness of your piece. I’ve used this method before and in my haste, made spelling mistakes, so check you are transferring words correctly. If you do make a mistake, however, make it obvious, put a red cross over it, or splash blobs of paint across it to cover it up! Nobody will ever know…
Original Artwork
An art teacher of mine once said, “I’d rather have an original artwork up on my wall, even if done by a child, than a mass-produced print any day.” Each to their own of course. I’d rather have any pictures on my wall, rather than nothing, period! But if you do happen to have some original artwork of your own, why not display it? It’s not hard to drizzle paint across a canvas and create an abstract, even if you can’t draw. But if you can, well, then, all the better.
