Explore less traditional ways to decorate a canvas.
You may associate canvas with oil paintings that are displayed in a gallery setting. There are less traditional ways to paint and decorate a canvas to create decorative art for your home. Modern craft techniques can translate well onto canvas. Rubber stamping, collages, stenciling and water-slide decals can be used creatively to transform a blank canvas into you personal masterpiece.
Collage
Cut out paper images to add to your canvas collage.
A collage is an interesting way to use bit and pieces of keepsakes while creating a decorative piece of art on canvas. Your background can be painted a solid color using acrylic paints. An alternative is to apply colored tissue paper brushing an acrylic medium onto the canvas. Old sewing patterns printed on tissue paper or sheet music can also be interesting backgrounds. Next, arrange old photographs or printed images in a pleasing design and use tacky white glue to secure them on top of the background. Add ribbons, pieces of lace or fabric, buttons and keys to create interest and texture. The canvas can be hung with or without a frame.
Canvas Floor Mat
Paint designs on canvas to display on your floor.
A painted canvas can decorate your floor as well as your wall. You will need a piece of primed canvas that is not stretched. Cut it to the size you want your floor mat to be. Turn the raw canvas edges under and glue them to the wrong side. You can decorate your canvas by stenciling a design with acrylic paints or painting images with a brush. You can also choose to paint simple silhouette shapes of animals or patterns. After your design has dried, brush on several coats of varnish to protect the surface.
Rubber Stamps
Create images on canvas with your rubbger stamps.
Incorporate your stamping and scrapbooking skills on canvas. Cover your canvas with a transparent wash of acrylic paint or adhere tissue paper with an acrylic medium to create an interesting background. Experiment with different colors and shading. Choose your rubber stamps and stamp the images onto the canvas. You can add text to your composition and alter the images with cut-out printed materials glued onto the canvas.
Photographic Images
Transfer your favorite photograph onto canvas.
It is possible to transfer your own photographs onto canvas. Purchase water-slide decal paper that is available at office supply stores. Scan your photographs and print them onto the decal paper. It makes an effective image to print them in sepia or black and white, especially to make a grouping for the wall. Follow the directions on the package to transfer the decals onto your primed stretched canvas. Choose a simple black frame to display your project.
