Friday, January 28, 2011

Make your pictures look hand-painted!

TUTORIAL-
Picture to Painting
 
Yes, this began as a regular photograph I took of the
St. George temple. I also re-purposed a picture frame
I already had (it used to be a bright, brassy gold).
You can totally do this, too!

I used a photo I took on my camera last fall, added some enhancements & text, and printed it out at Walgreens to a 16x20. If photography & photo-editing isn't your thing, don't worry!

You can use this picture to painting technique on just about ANY picture! You can use everything from existing family pictures, to cheap prints you've found at the thrift store!

Once you've got your picture, mount it on either foam core or wood with your favorite adhesive. I like permanent spray adhesive. It holds well and is easy to use. I also choose to use wood to back it, as it is longer-lasting and sturdier.

Now, we're ready for some texture! This is the fun part!

Brush stroke texture- I like to use artist-grade texture
medium, but if you can't find it, Mod Podge (I like glossy)
works beautifully. Using a small/medium-sized brush,
simply paint brush strokes all over your painting--following
the natural lines of your picture. For instance, follow the
lines of buildings, and stipple shrubbery for texture. Don't
use too much! A thin layer is all you need. Make sure and
Start from one edge of your picture, working until you've
covered the entire piece of art (it looks weird if it's not
completely coated). It can be time-consuming depending
on the size of your photo, but it's WELL worth the result!


Once your texture has dried, you're ready to frame your
lovely piece of art and proudly display it!
 Here's the finished product.

I have tons of un-personalized St. George Temple prints cropped to either an 8x10 or 16x20. If you're interested in using one, let me know and I can email the original to you for $10. They make awesome gifts!
I'm linkin' up HERE.

3 comments:

Debbiedoos said...

This is really neat. I love it. Thanks for joining my newbie party.
http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

Deneen@dreaming-n-color said...

Great idea! love it! I am a new follower! Come visit me at dreaming-n-color.blogspot.com

Ann-Marie ~ Brambly said...

I love this! I never would have thought of such a thing-I guess that's why you're the creative one. I think I may feel safer having you do it for me one day. Take care.

Ann-Marie