Budget-Friendly Tips for DIY Wall Art

Looking for budget-friendly ideas for some do-it-yourself wall art projects?  Think paper!  Have you received a gift, wrapped in a paper so gorgeous that you painstakingly opened the present so you could save and reuse the gift wrap? Have you perused the wall of papers at your local craft or scrapbooking store lately?

Gorgeous, decorative papers in bright, bold colors, unique patterns and interesting textures are everywhere these days.   And they have great potential beyond their conventional uses..one that you may not have considered - ready-made, DIY wall decor for your home. 

How to Create Wall Art with Paper

If your space is lacking in wall decor, why not select a few specialty papers to pop in frames for your own one-of-a-kind art display?

Search for papers from various sources to create a focal point for your room:

• Scrapbooking papers in a coordinating scheme from the craft store

• Handmade or oriental papers from art supply stores

• Wallpaper samples or graphic wallpaper panels from wallpaper or home improvement stores (sometimes they’ll give you discontinued samples for free).

• Gift wrap from card and discount stores (or maybe from your own stash at home?).

• Silhouette art. You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to make your own art with a contemporary take on this old-fashioned technique. Trace the outline of a botanical, bird, or the profile of your child or pet onto black card stock. Cut it out. Wrap the cardboard found inside your picture frame with a scrap of that beautiful wrapping paper, just like a present, then adhere the silhouette onto the background. Make a second identical outline and this time, poke a hole in the center of the shape, cut it out, flip the reverse cutout horizontally and adhere it to a complimentary paper so the background shows through the cutout shape. Hang the two together, side by side.  Or create  several pieces to display in an art grouping.

• Tissue paper.  Do you remember using colored tissue paper and good ‘ole white glue to create a one-of-a-kind, grade school masterpiece?  Believe it or not, the same method can be used to sophisticated effect!  Pick up some tissue paper that works with your room’s color palette.  Tear or cut out shapes to compose a contemporary abstract or landscape.   Lay the tissue pieces out on white or cream card stock.  Thin down some plain white glue with water.  Then using an inexpensive artist’s brush, gently apply the glue, dabbing over the tissue to secure it to the background.  Layer the tissue until the background is completely covered (or tape off a border first to give the effect of a matte). When the glue dries, your wall art is ready to display.  Just avoid rooms where moisture is present, like the kitchen, bath or laundry room. 

Want some more ideas for creative wall art on a budget?  Check back for DIY projects using fabric as art. 

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