Homemade wall art should reveal something about the home's occupants. Create one-of-a-kind wall art by framing and hanging objects that inspire, express a hobby or create a visual statement. Design collages that incorporate a story or showcase a pattern. Use materials that available in the home or surrounding area or mix purchased items and found object for framing.
Frame Textiles
Beautiful fabrics should be displayed and not necessarily worn. Locate a fabric that inspires due to its colors, pattern, thread, history or because of the manner in which it was made. The fabric can come off a bolt at the fabric store, the loom of a local artist or be found at a rummage sale or vintage store. It can be as large as the purchaser can afford to frame or as small as it is when it is found. Consult a framer for the correct way to preserve the particular piece of fabric, especially if it has a historical value. It will need to be attached to a canvas or backing in order to stay ridged and hang correctly in a frame. Add glass to keep the item from getting dusty and an ornate frame for added impact. Collect textiles and create a wall of framed textile art.
Found Objects
Found objects can be collected and hung as art to create a personal one-of-a-kind art collection. Objects can be framed or hung as sculpture on a wall. Choose objects that have some relation to the lives of those living in the home or the décor chosen for the room. For example, a medical student, doctor or nurse may have an interest in antique or vintage medical equipment, someone may be mechanically minded and be drawn to tractor parts or pulleys, sprockets and gears or an artist may have an interest in amateur art found at garage sales. Consult with picture framers and art installers when hanging heavy pieces as they may require reinforcement in the wall or an additional piece of blocking to hang flatly against a surface. Hang pieces in groups, as collections, or singly as a focal point.
Create Collage
Assemble one-of-a-kind collage pieces made from found paper (wrapping paper, retail packaging, old magazines), textiles, ribbon, string, toys (dominoes, plastic doll heads, bottle caps) and self painted or drawn pieces. Mix pattern and texture, create a theme to focus on or tell a story. Attach the collage by sewing, gluing or stapling to a background support---stiff cardboard, plywood, pressed wood, canvas (stretched or flat). Hang the piece by adding a picture hanger (found at craft, art or framing stores) to the back of the piece or have the piece framed professionally, then hang it. For example, mix pattern, texture and a hint of story by starting with a small piece of patterned wrapping paper. Apply it to a piece of pressed wood (sizes from 2 by 2 inches to as large as 18 by 18 inches can be found pre-cut at art supply stores). Add a headline from the newspaper or a magazine that fits the theme of the pattern or create one, cut it out and glue it to the pressed wood. A handful of plastic flowers fits the color palette of this example piece, so snip the heads from the stems and attach to the board using a glue gun or nail them directly to the wood through the center of the flower.
