I’m so excited to introduce you to Gina!!! She’s another new contributor
here at Bargain Hoot!! She has tons of artsy inspirational ideas to share with you all.
Today she’s going to teach you how to paint your very own art work!!! How fun is that!!!
Plus, she has a special surprise at the end of her post!!!
Be watching for her to share something with you once a month.
Meet Gina-
I am so thrilled to be a new contributor here at Bargain Hoot! Today I’m sharing a no-stress DIY painting that anyone can create (yes, even you self-proclaimed non-artistic types out there).
If you can draw a rectangle & triangle—and not even terribly good ones—you can do this! Grab a few paints, brushes, and an 8 x 10 canvas. [Incidentally, you can get a 10-pack of 8” x 10” canvases at Michael’s for $12 with a 40% off coupon. That’s $1.20 per canvas! And little pots of paint are as cheap as $0.59 each even without any coupon or discount!]
Let’s paint ourselves a cute little house, shall we? Wheeee!
1. First, paint the background (and if you want, the edges of the canvas). You can use one solid color, or squirt a couple right onto the canvas and blend them in. I used a pale blue and green to cover my background.
2. Second, paint a rectangle that stretches from the bottom of the canvas to about two-thirds of the way up. This will be the body of your little house.
3. For the roof, you can do a basic triangle or play around with the shape like I did here, maybe adding a flat roof and adding a little curve at the eaves? Use a darker color to create scalloped shingles.
4. Then add three windows and a door: Square. Square. Square. Rectangle. {See, easy, right?!}
5. Hmm… Then decide you don’t like the direction this is going and literally wash your canvas off with a wet paper towel…
Yeah, I’m not kidding. But that’s the beauty of acrylic paint on canvas—if the paint’s not dry, you can pretty much just damp-wipe it off… And even if it is dry, you can paint right over it!
I say, that’s a bit of all right!
[I decided I wanted a white house with pink shutters. Once I got to this point again, I did a wiped-down white-wash over it to make it really faded and shabby.]
Next, add a layer of crackle finish. This is not necessary, but gives the painting a fantastic texture (little pots of crackle finish also available on the paint aisle at any craft store).
Emphasize a few details with colored sharpies (shingles, windows, shutters, door, grass, flower pots). Keep it simple, loose, and a little messy. No stress!
And finally, add your wording. If you are not good at eyeballing your letters, you can lay it out in a Word document. So, since I knew “I would have told you” was the middle line (with three above and three below), I put that line first in the middle of my canvas, then added the others above and below. If you are not sure how much room you will need for that line, place the center word (“have,” in my case) first (in the middle of the canvas), and work out from there. When you write the next line, you can use your Word document for placement reference (my “I am going there” line should start right below the end of the “w” in “would” from the line above).
Still with me?
Good!
Then voila! You get something like this! Brilliant! Huzzah! Critics everywhere will rave at your artistic abilities and immediately offer you a fancy art opening in New York.
Well… Or at least your toddler daughter will love it… Well, I mean the blank backside of it, at least…
Ahem. But I digress!
I lurve to create custom paintings for baby shower gifts (find out the nursery theme & colors, include baby’s name), but they also make great wedding gifts (use wedding colors, include family name and “established” date),kids’ birthday gifts (fairies, princesses, ballerinas are often big with girls while robots, trucks, fire engines, and rockets score high with the boys), house warming gifts (use recipient’s home décor colors, include a favorite saying or verse), teacher gifts (incorporate class theme, favorite colors, teacher’s name), Christmas gifts (a whimsical Christmas tree, angel, ornament, or manger scene can be simple to paint), etc. They are such a personal (yet affordable) way to show someone you care!
Now wrap it up and gift away!
And speaking of gifts, friends, I would be failing my southern sensibilities if I didn’t bring along a little gift for you all here at Bargain Hoot! Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered into a random drawing to win this painting! I’ll package it up & mail it to you postage paid anywhere in the continental U.S.! {Oh, and if you think this painting is hideous, please leave a comment anyway—if you win, you can use it as a white elephant gift… Or for swatting flies away from your food… Or for kindling?} Drawing will be held Friday, July 27th, 2012, at 12:00 noon eastern, so get your comments in before then! And I’ll contact you if the random number generator picks you. Wheeeeee!
P.S. I’ll be back again next month, but I’d love for you to come visit me at Camp Clem sometime!
I love it! It’s so cute and has so many possibilities. I think I may do one for my daughter’s room! Thanks, Gina!
Always love all your creativeness!
Simply amazing my friend!! Can’t wait to uy my canvases, paints, and brushes!! You inspired me …again!!
I love that idea for a baby shower gift!
I really really love this and want to win! Thanks Gina
I dropped by and loved it. Keep up the great work.
You are my favorite crafty genius girlfriend! Love what you come up with sweet Gina!
Gina…You blow me away with your “Gina Stewart” abilities! You are exploding the internet with your blogs and now featured on a new site! So proud! Thanks for your creativity, your simple instructions, your tender moments on the sites and your “know how to do EVERYTHING.” You inspire me! Love you friend!
Well done, Gina!
Yay Gina. I would follow you to any blog you pop over to:) and you may have finally convinced me that I can paint my own piece of art. So if I don’t win this one, I may just try it:) love you my friend!!!!
I love your work! You make it look so simple. I may just have to try this.
Wow! I actually feel like I could maybe, kinda, sorta, possibly, hopefully do this!!! Love it!!! I could also see this done on cool paper as a new home/moving announcement. Thank you, Gina, once again for your fabulous inspiration! Xoxoxo
Oh Gina….you do make this look sooo easy….tempted to give it a try!!!
Love that scripture! It’s one of my favorites. I may summon up the courage to try it this summer. Thanks for the inspiration! I visited your blog, Gina, and I really enjoy your style.
I love Gina Cleminson originals! I bought my paints and canvas’, but haven’t been brave enough to start yet!
Very cute! Thanks for the giveaway!
~Jessie
What a great project! I may make a couple for a friend’s new pediatric office!
What a great idea,,,need to try this for my (soon-to-be-delivered) grandbaby’s nursery <3
Love it! You are so creative and fun as well. It makes me want to maybe try!!!
Gina, this is soooo inspiring because i am totally non artsy and this is beautiful and i would so totally hang it with joy in my girls’ room right above their white bookcase and the cutesy pink gingham lamp and the colir acheme is perfect for their room but more importantly its the scripture that grabs me…God bless u and thanks for sharing
Love it, Mrs. C! 🙂 You have inspired me since 9th grade. Thanks for sharing your talents and encouragement and thanks for the chance to win!
cute cute cute~~~I need to make a run to Michael’s. I had no idea you could get canvas’ so cheap. thanks for the tip~!
Just found your blog through pintrest. You are truly using the talents the Lord has blessed you with!
Wow! Gina, you are so talented! Thanks for the inspiration – something to do with Wendy this summer. Didn’t know acrilics were so forgiving! See you sunday!
Love this picture! I’ve been holding back–resisting the urge to paint–because I doubt I can make anything beautiful. But I MIGHT be able to follow the directions and copy this. Thanks for all the detailed steps!
Gina, thanks for the inspiration, info, and just plain awesomeness! 🙂 My base coat is drying on two canvases and I’m too excited to sleep.
Winner winner, chicken dinner! Winner announced for the canvas give away! {Congratulations, Martha!} Click on over to the CampClem facebook page to claim your prize! https://www.facebook.com/CampClem
Oh my gracious, and P.S.(!!!): THANK YOU for all the amazing comments you left here! You bless me!